Banquet Round Tablecloths

My father is the First Warrior of the Moonflash pack. He often takes me to all kinds of banquets, and I always look forward to them. Today, he brings me to a banquet hosted by Judy. I take a bite of raw meat on my plate and immediately spit it out. I once ate raw meat when I was younger, and my stomach hurt for several days. I nearly died. The healer later told me that I'm allergic to the protein in raw meat, and that experience left a lasting impression on me. Judy looks hurt when she sees my reaction. "I went to the forest myself to catch that reindeer," she says. "I killed it just this morning. I didn't cook it so that I wouldn't ruin its freshness. I didn't expect Ray would turn her nose up at it." Dad is angry about how rude I am, so he chases me out of the banquet and locks me up in a cramped lounge. The lounge is hot and stuffy, and I soon start finding it hard to breathe. A sharp pain twists in my stomach like a knife. I want to find Dad, but no matter how much I bang on the door, he refuses to open it. Through the window, I can see Dad and Judy standing in the center of the hall. They're conversing happily, but no one even looks in my direction. I'm suffocating, so I lie on the floor. I want to shout for Dad, but I can't make a sound no matter how hard I try. Then, I realize that I'm standing up and can walk through the door. But why is my body still lying on the floor? That's when it hits me. I'm dead.

Tara isn't your everyday beauty shit she wasn't a size 0 runway model, she was curvey thick and flawless nonetheless. It took her years to see that in herself after going through the ups and downs of being tossed through the foster system she had all but lost her faith in herself. This is why she chooses to become an advocate for foster kids like her. When she first launched her UFCP program she had only one private supporter. Now here she was at a huge charity banquet representing her program publicly and the program would now be recognized nationally. It was like a dream come true especially when she runs into the investor who happens to be an old friend from the foster system who was in the same house as her. Giovanni Berlusconi, he had glowed up since she last saw him all those years ago and he apparently felt the same about her. The only problem was he was a mafia king pin and Tara might have known much about the mob, but she sure as hell knew she wanted no parts of it. Especially after two of her colleagues end up dead in a mysterious car crash after questioning Gio's family connections to the recent spike in missing persons cases in the city. Tara had tried to blow him off politely but Gio wasn't having it. Stopping by her office unannounced. Tara was desperate to avoid the mob boss at all cost that is until she accidentally stumbles on to a private family meeting and witnesses him killing someone. Now she has only two choices marry the very man she fears or die.

The day before the final round of Beta selection, I was poisoned with wolfsbane and locked inside my burning house. The fire spread too fast, and my weakened state prevented me from shifting. My wolf, Emma, screamed in my mind, but I couldn't escape. I clawed at the door as the flames seared my skin. When I was rescued, my body was covered in burns, my skin raw and torn. Outside the operating room, I heard my mother sobbing, repeating, “It’s my fault... I locked the door by accident... I never meant to...” Alpha David, my mate, called for every healer to restore me, but his cold words to my mother were chilling: “If Serina wasn’t so vain and selfish, I wouldn’t have had to do this. Becky was fragile, struggling with depression, yet Serina flaunted her success in front of her. This is what Serina owes her.” David’s actions were meant to pave the way for Becky to become Beta, but I was the one who suffered. He claimed to be treating me well, but destroying my health and future didn’t feel like care. I pressed my hand to my bandaged chest, the numbness spreading. Emma growled inside me, weakened by the wolfsbane. I no longer wanted the love of the mother who betrayed me or the mate who was supposed to protect me. I wanted nothing from them anymore.

My parents, the wealthiest couple in the country, were famous philanthropists. I had to ask them for permission if I wanted to spend more than five bucks. The day I was diagnosed with terminal cancer, I asked them for 100 dollars, but instead of helping, they yelled at me for three hours. "What kind of disease could you get at your age? If you're going to ask for money, at least come up with a better excuse." "Do you know that 100 dollars could support children in poverty-stricken areas for a long time? Your sister is more sensible than you." I dragged my sick body for miles, back to the small basement I called home. But as I passed the mall, I saw my parents, live on a huge screen, spending a fortune to rent out Disneyland for my sister. I couldn't hold back the tears anymore. A hundred dollars wouldn't even cover one round of chemotherapy. I just wanted to buy a new outfit and leave with some dignity.

After the death of her mother Alice’s father found comfort in the nurse that took care of her. Everything happened so quickly and within what seemed seconds Alice was looked down upon in her family. Her father Karl drank almost every day, her stepmother Sarah treated her like a maid. Even worse, as she grew up, she started to feel a dirty gaze on her body from her stepbrother. Now she was older she was planning her escape. That was until her stepbrother found out the Alpha’s daughter is his mate. A big banquet was held and they invited many well-known alpha families. But Alice was not allowed to attend, she had to cook in the kitchen and to make things worse it was her 18 birthday. She was hoping to use the celebration as a way to sneak away and make her escape however her stepmother sent her to serve alcohol to some unexpected customers -the ruthless and barbaric Alpha Arkyn, the Alpha of Black Mountain pack. People said he turned into a cold-blood Alpha since he lost his Luna years ago. When Alice inside Alpha Arkyn’s room, she suddenly found a special scent from him. The scent is full of lust, and wonderful as heaven, it even made her dizzy. “Mate.” The ruthless Alpha growled.

To love someone is not easy, even more so when this someone doesn't even know of your existence. Today, anyone who looks at the powerful, dominant, charming, conquering, self-confident man cannot imagine how much he has suffered. Bullying marked his entire childhood, but big, round violet eyes saved his little world when he was only six years old, and since then his heart has been decreed to belong to her. A few years go by, they go to the same school, determined not to be an invisible part of the girl's life anymore, things could only go wrong. Now she is the one whose world has been turned upside down, victim of the wickedness of the teenagers in her class, her parents leave her in the gutter and everyone turns their back on her, Iuri tries to go after her, but she despises and humiliates him. Seven years after the incident at school, they meet again, Iuri determined to get revenge on her and she determined to earn his forgiveness. He is now the CEO of Stevens Construction and she is his secretary. Will he be able to leave her after one night?

My husband, Damien, loved me deeply—so deeply it felt like I was his whole world. Everyone said he was the perfect husband. Yet, he betrayed me. Not once, not twice, but three times. The first time was three years ago. His closest friend, Aaron, died saving him. Damien kept it from me and secretly married Aaron’s girlfriend, Vivian—on paper. I was heartbroken and ready to leave him. That night, he sent her abroad and fell to his knees, begging me. “Estelle, Aaron gave his life for me. I must take care of his widow. That marriage certificate is just a promise of security for Vivian. Once I’ve avenged Aaron, I’ll divorce her. The only woman I love is you.” I forgave him. The second time came the following year. At a press conference, Damien publicly introduced Vivian as the Mafia leader’s wife. He pulled me aside to explain. “Vivian is the only daughter of the Young family—the Mafia. Our two families joined forces for one reason only: to get revenge for Aaron. I’ve already made arrangements with her. Once we’ve dealt with our enemies, I’ll divorce her and marry you right away.” Once again, I believed him. Then came the third time. Someone drugged Damien at a banquet, and he spent the night with Vivian. He hid it from me until just two weeks ago, when I caught him at the hospital, sitting beside her during a prenatal checkup. That was when I finally learned the truth. He lowered his head, unable to meet my eyes, and spoke in a low voice. “Estelle, it was an accident. Once she gives birth, I’ll send her away. My parents will raise the child, and I swear—neither of them will ever appear in your life again.” In the name of love, Damien pushed me to compromise again and again. Yet now I know. There’s no future left for us. It’s time for me to walk away.

My mother-in-law and I were trapped during an earthquake overseas. The rescue team knew that my husband had a private plane nearby and asked me to contact him, but I could only shake my head in rejection of the idea. In my last life, I tried my hardest to call him and get him to come save us. My mother-in-law and I were saved, but my husband’s true love got angry and went out to let off some steam. The incident ended with her being tortured to death. In front of his mother, my husband said that his lover deserved it. Yet, on the anniversary of her death, he killed me the way she had died. “I’ve always known that it was your scheme. You have to die as Shevonne did!” This time round, when my husband took his lover on a private plane to admire the cityscape at night, he found out everything that had happened and went mad.

When my son was born, I noticed a small, round birthmark on his arm. But the weird thing? By the time I opened my eyes again after giving birth, it was gone. I figured maybe I'd imagined it. That is, until the baby shower. My brother-in-law's son, born the same day as mine, had the exact same birthmark. Clear as day. That's when it hit me. I didn't say a word, though. Not then. I waited. Eighteen years later, at my son's college acceptance party, my brother-in-law stood up and dropped the truth bomb: the "amazing" kid I'd raised was theirs. I just smiled and invited him and his wife to take their "rightful" seats at the table.

Executive Secretary si Jonie ng isa sa pinakamayamang negosyante sa bansa na si Kenneth Enriquez. Di tulad ng ibang mga babae na nagkakandarapa sa Boss nya, sya lang ang natatanging walang interest dito. Ayaw nyang maging laruan ng amo nya, may plano pa cya sa buhay lalo na't nag-iisa nyang tinataguyod ang Mama nyang may Cancer. Sa di inaasahang pagkakataon ay nalaman nito na nangangailangan cya ng malaking halaga para sa pagpapagamot ng Mama nya. Inalok cya nito ng sampung milyon kapalit ang pagkababae nya at manirahan kasama ito sa iisang bubong sa loob ng tatlong bwan. Nung una ay ayaw nyang pumayag pero wala cyang magagawa. Hindi nya makakain ang prinsipyo nya at buhay ng Mama nya ang nakataya dito. Hanggang sa isang gabi ay nasampal cya nito dahil sa selos.... "Siguro ibabalik ko nalang ang pera mo Sir.. Hindi ko po kasi kayang makipag mabutihan sa lalaking nananakit ng babae. Bahala na po kung saan ako kukuha ng pang opera ng Mama ko pero ayaw ko din isaalang-alang ang buhay ko.." "Babe please!... I'm not as bad as you think. Hindi ko din alam kung bakit ko nagawa sayo yun...first time nangyari sa akin to, hindi ko na kilala ang sarili ko..." "Nakapag desisyon na po ako Sir.. aalis nalang po ako dito sa condo nyo." "Please stay... Hindi ko kukunin ang pera sayo.... sayo na yun.. para sa Mama mo, pero hindi na kita aangkinin, walang mangyayari sa atin sa loob ng tatlong buwan...wag ka lang umalis dito..." Gusto nyang pumayag...bentahe lahat sa kanya ang kondisyon ng boss nya pero ang hindi nya sigurado ay kung kakayanin nya ang pang-aakit nito sa kanya kahit pa sabihing walang mangyayari sa kanila. Masyadong matagal ang tatlong buwan para matiis nya ang karisma ng isang Kenneth Enriquez.