Barking Up The Wrong Tree

Riley Monroe thought she finally had a clue about what really happened to her father—whose mysterious death five years ago had been casually ruled an accident. But before she could dig deeper, her world crashes again. Her mother drops a bombshell: she’s getting remarried… to a billionaire. Riley wants no part of it. Not after everything. But with her mother’s health failing and a heart transplant hanging in the balance, she’s forced to stay silent and smile. Her soon-to-be stepfather, Daven Carter, is the CEO of Cartier Jewelleries—and he's promised to cover all their bills, including the expensive surgery. Feeling cornered and desperate, Riley hatches a secret plan with her friends to escape the Carter mansion before the wedding and after the treatment. But first, she wants to take control of one thing: her virginity. That night, in a haze of tequila and heartbreak, she gives herself to a stranger—and accidentally tells him everything about her escape. Only… he’s no stranger. Killian Carter, the two-faced ruthless, fuckboy and dangerously charming son of Daven Carter, had chosen to have fun with his soon-to-be stepsister before the disclosure of his identity and which led to a steamy night with her. A night he can't get over no matter how many girls he fucked. When he realizes that Riley was still going one with her plan despite his knowledge of it, he crafts another. Getting pregnant for him. That way the wedding will be off no matter what but it was already too late, Daven has seen her moves, her body curves, bouncy tits and he wants to taste them more than anything. The idea was crazy—but to Riley, it might just work. Until it all begins to spiral.

“We can’t.” I moaned into his mouth, my body response the opposite of my words. “I know.” Levi’s hands were already under my skirt, fingers tracing higher. “Nate’s right down the hall.” Even as I said it, I was arching into his touch. “Then you better stay quiet.” His mouth found that spot below my ear that made me gasp. “Can you do that for me?” I bit my lip. Shook my head. We both knew I was a screamer. He smiled against my skin. “Good girl.” I married the scariest man in New York three months ago. Nate Shen. Alpha heir to a werewolf crime empire. Cold as winter, brutal as hell, and he took me as his wife to settle my father’s debts. Our arrangement is simple: I give him an heir, he gives me a prison made of silk and threats. Problem is, I already slept with his brother. Levi was supposed to be a one-night thing. Some gorgeous stranger who made me forget my life was falling apart. I didn’t know he was Nate’s younger brother until I saw him standing at our wedding ceremony. Now Levi sneaks into my room when Nate’s working late. Nate’s getting possessive in ways that make my breath catch, his grip unforgiving as he f*cks me into our bed. And I’m losing my mind because I can’t stop thinking about both of them. Pack law says sleeping with your husband’s brother gets you killed. Slowly. So why can’t I stop? Turns out I’m greedier than I thought. Is it a crime to love both brothers?

Si Czarina Althea Cervantes ay isang corporate lawyer na masungit, maarte, at masyadong ma-pride. Siya 'yong tipo ng babae na hindi mo puwedeng maliitin at tapak-tapakan ang pagkatao. Subalit ang lahat ng mga katangian na iyon ay bigla na lang nagbago nang makilala niya ang CEO

WOKE UP SERIES: BOOK II I’ve been wishing to see the world end… but why do I felt this way now I see it for myself? Running as if my life depends on it, every alley and corner I turned into, I tried my best not to slip and get caught. Hah, it seems like I would pass out due to exhaustion any time soon! Never once in my life did I run away like this! Damn it! With this fat body of mine, surely there is no hope! How can a shut in person like me can even do running in laps. I thought that I was strong a while ago but it seems like I was just over reacting. Dang 'No no no noooo they will catch up on me shit!' Why did I even come in this situation in the first place!? What hell!! . . . [Day 1 Quest: Would you like to see it?]

Meganne Lou Laxa o mas kilala bilang si Secretary Laxa, she worked hard as the CEO’s Secretary sa Estrellas Group ngunit after 10 years she resigned due to personal reasons. Gusto n’ya rin kasing magawa ang mga oridinaryong bagay lang sa iba pero impossible sa kan’ya, gusto n’yang hanapin, ano ba talaga ang para sa kan’ya? But little did she know na ang katulad n’yang mapagmahal sa pamilya, positive, dedicated, maloko at pala ngiti ay magiging the one ng isang taong hindi pa buong tanggap ng lipunan. Sa tagal ni Secretary Laxa na nagtratrabaho sa Estrellas ay nakatagpo na rin ito ng mga tunay na barkada at ng taong tinuturing n’ya bilang kan’yang matalik na kaibigan sa matagal na panahon, si Alex Estrellas na siya ring bunso ng pamilyang nagmamay-ari ng kompanyang kan’yang pinagtratrabahuhan. Ngunit biglang bumaliktad ang mundo ng sabihin ni Alex ang mga katagang, Meganne Lou Laxa, mahal kita, mahal na mahal kita higit pa sa pagiging kaibigan. Ilang taong naging alipin si Meg ng pagkakataon, na halos mawalan na ito ng sariling buhay para lang maitawid ang pangangailangan ng kan’yang pamilya. Ngayon? Handa pa rin ba siyang panindigan ang gusto n’ya kahit halos kontra ang lipunan? Na halos lahat kwinikwestiyon kung sino at ano ang tao pinili n’yang mahalin? Hanggang kailan kaya mairarason ni Meganne ang mga katagang, bakit hindi siya? Bakit hindi pwedeng siya? Bakit, what’s wrong with Miss Alex?

“If you keep looking at me like that…” he murmurs, his lips brushing close to my ear, “I’ll have no choice but to ruin you before the night’s over.” I stiffen. “You can’t touch me.” His smirk deepens. “Touch you? Mrs. Romano…I intend to devour you.” *** She wasn’t supposed to be here. When her twin sister flees her arranged marriage to Dante Romano—the ruthless king of the New York underworld—Twenty two years old Annalissa is forced to take her sister's place. To wear her dress. To stand before the devil himself…and pray he doesn’t notice the switch. Dante is dangerous, arrogant, and used to owning everything he touches. And now, he owns her. Annalissa thinks she can survive this sham of a marriage. Play the part long enough to protect her family. But Dante Romano isn’t a man who can be fooled so easily. His gaze lingers too long. His words seem like they’re meant to rattle her. And maybe he already knows. Maybe he’s keeping her trapped in this twisted game to see how long before she breaks. Because in this game, there are no wrong brides. Only the ones the devil decides to keep. 18+

Extract Alpha Dominic’s gaze cut through me like ice. “I don’t know you,” he spat, his voice filled with disgust. “How dare you show up out of nowhere, claiming to be my mate, claiming to carry my child, when I have never laid eyes on you before?” “Um, I—” I opened my mouth to explain, to tell him everything, but he cut me off. “Are you here for money? Is that it?” Without waiting for an answer, he reached into his car and pulled out a bundle of cash, flinging it at my feet. “I don’t want to see your filthy face again. I won’t waste my energy rejecting you. We will never be together. The moon goddess must have been mistaken to think a lowlife like you could be my mate.” The money lay scattered on the ground as hot tears blurred my vision. “I’m not lying,” I sobbed. “I am carrying your child.” Wolfless and satisfied, all Odette ever wanted was to be promoted and to become a full-time teacher. But her world came crumbling down when her boss made sexual advances at her, saying it was the only way for her to keep her job. Brokenhearted, she ran from the school, and instead of going home to her family, she went to a hotel, got drunk, ended up in the bed of a stranger, and got pregnant afterwards. She was sent out of the house by her mother until she aborted the baby. Will she abort the baby? Or find the father of her child?

Even after being married for three years, my husband treats me like a stranger. When I throw up blood from pregnancy complications, he's in the prayer room chanting for his foster sister, Yvie Springton. He accuses me of being dramatic. If Yvie so much as gets a headache, he drops everything and flies overseas to be by her side. When his parents are in critical condition after a car crash, I beg him to go see them one last time. But what does he do? He claims I'm cursing Yvie. When I go into early labor and cling to life after giving birth to our son, he posts a photo of his international boarding pass on social media. At his parents' funeral, he returns to the country with Yvie and demands I leave the marriage with nothing. The day our divorce finalizes, he holds a wedding ceremony with her. I bury his parents alone. Then, at an exclusive auction, dead set on winning the famous painting for Yvie, he offered a staggering price. Even his accounts are frozen. That's when he finally realizes he's been disowned by the Springton family. His eyes are bloodshot, and he's furious as he demands answers. I simply gesture for my lawyer to step forward. He says, "Mr. Springton, take a look at this will."

Four days after my death, my four-year-old daughter finally sensed that something was terribly wrong. The fridge door slammed into her forehead when she tried to get a snack. Normally, I would've been there in a heartbeat—arms open, kisses ready, whispering, "You're okay, sweetheart, Mommy's here." But this time, I just lay on the bed, cold and still.​ She didn't understand. She thought the sweet treat would make me respond. So she held the final piece of chocolate up to my mouth. "Here, Mommy. Have some chocolate..." But I didn't even blink. She climbed into my arms, clutching my clothes tightly. "Mommy... Mommy, wake up..." She waited for me to stroke her hair, to tell her that everything was going to be fine. There was only silence.​ Completely lost and scared, she found my phone. "Daddy, why is Mommy still sleeping?" she asked, her voice filled with desperation.​ In response, Oliver sent a photo of himself having Christmas Eve dinner with his childhood sweetheart. His voice was icy cold when he replied, "She's just sleeping, not dead. It's Christmas Eve, and I'm busy. Tell her to stop playing games and come apologize when she's done sulking." Then he hung up.​ But when the truth finally hit Oliver—when the coroner's report came, when the police knocked on his door right in the middle of his laughter, when he realized I'd been lying dead for four days while he toasted—he broke.

“Masarap ba ang asawa ko?” ito ang mga katagang binitawan ng kakambal ko na si Ada pagkatapos kong makipagniig sa kanyang asawa sa gabi ng kanilang kasal, kasabay ng pagbitaw niya ng isang malakas na sampal sa mukha ko. Ang sagot ko? Mag-asawa at mas malakas din na sampal sa magkabilaan niyang pisngi sabay ngisi. “Oo naman, Ada. Napakasarap ng asawa mo.” ***** Grade one ang kambal na sina Ava at Ada noong maghiwalay ang kanilang mga magulang dahil sa pambababae ng kanilang ama. Si Ava ay naiwan sa kanyang ina, samantalang si Ada naman ay sumama sa tatay nila. Pero pagkatapos ng labing-anim na taon, muling nagbalik ang mag-ama. Hindi upang bumalik sa kanilang pamilya, kung hindi dahil may kailangan sila kay Ava. At ito ay ang kanyang pagka-birhen. Ang kapalit nito ay ang kidney ni Ada para sa operasyon ng kanyang inang may sakit sa bato. Dahil si Ada lang ang ka-match nito, no choice si Ava kung hindi ang pumayag para madugtungan pa ang buhay ng kanyang minamahal na ina. Pero paano kung mahulog ang loob niya kay Daniel, na asawa ng kakambal niya? Paano kung kahit anong iwas niya dito ay palagi pa rin silang pinagtatagpo ng tadhana? Noong namatay ang nanay niya dahil hindi tumupad sa usapan nila si Ada na ibigay dito ang kanyang kidney, nagdesisyon si Ava na ipaghiganti ang kanyang ina. Aagawin niya si Daniel sa kanyang kakambal. Iniba niya ng kaunti ang kanyang itsura at pumasok siya bilang assistant nito, at ipinakita dito ang isang video kung saan siya ang kaniig nito noong gabi ng kanyang kasal at hindi si Ada.