Ben Drowned Birthday

Phoebe Salcedo doesn't want anything in this world, except for one thing… that is Steven Montero, the swimmer’s love.

Pangarap ni Mavie na makatanggap ng birthday cake, buong-buo at walang bawas ang icing. Mahirap ang kanilang pamilya ngunit nagagawa ng kanilang magulang, kapwa magsasaka, ang patapusin sila sa pag-aaral. Matalik na magkaibigan mula pagkabata sina Hugo at Mavie sa kabila ng magkaiba ang estado ng kanilang buhay. Nag-aaral ng political science si Hugo sa bayan at nangangarap magtrabaho sa gobyerno. Samantala, nag-aaral naman ng engineering si Mavie sa kanilang baryo na nangangarap na maipa-renovate ang kanilang kubo. Isang kalihim ng samahang ARC (Arts with Responsibilities Creatives) si Mavie. Sa tulong ng kanyang kaibigang si Salome, namulat siya sa paglilingkod sa kolehiyo. Ang mga dokumento ng samahan na maingat niyang hinahawakan ang magiging susi ng pagmulat ng kanyang mga mata sa totoong takbo ng kolehiyo, maging ang iba pang organisasyong humaharap sa mala-butas ng karayom sa pagre-request ng budget ng mga gaganaping programa para sa mga kapwa estudyante. Samantala, ang pangarap na birthday cake ni Mavie para sa kanyang sarili ang magiging pinto ng kanyang tadhana upang hanapin ng kanyang puso ang lubos na sinisinta. Ito ay sa kabila ng mga kinakaharap ng mga pagsubok sa gitna ng tagumpay.

After twenty-five years of trying to win over Gus Harding, I failed and died by his hand. But he didn't know that. He kept threatening, demanding I show myself immediately. The real heiress slapped him hard. "Genevieve is dead, and you didn't even care enough to see her one last time." Gus scoffed, claiming it was just another one of my tricks. Only when he saw my cold, lifeless body did he finally understand. I was gone for good. And this time, it drove him mad.

This is a story of two close friends (Courtney and Judy) and the odds that meet them as soon as Courtney turns 18. They hope for a bright future together but have no clue on things that are yet to unfold in their lives.

"You call it madness, but I call it love" "You should be kissed and often, by someone who knows how" He has always been a rich stinky man and also a player, at least that was how he was viewed in society. The richest bachelor of every woman's dreams but never has he given in to any of their desire. While she's a good girl leading a simple and peaceful life and enjoyed going by unnoticed. She always seem to mind about her own business and was also pictured as a nobody but all of that had been upturned when their paths crossed. She was hired by him to take good care of his adopted child, the attraction is instant, but like a flame that lits up fast and immediately, so do their desires. Find out what happened next in their lives. Will love continue between them when secrets are reviewed? Don't be let out, Drowned under his touch.

By our sixth year of marriage, Derrick hadn't touched me in three months. Said he was swamped at work. Always tired. After everything, I still believed him. Then on my birthday, I caught his friend talking in Garmenian—a language Derrick didn't think I understood. "You cut off the side piece yet? You were with her nonstop. Surprised you didn't drop dead. Your wife cool with that?" Derrick let out a smoke ring. "Haven't touched Audrey in months. Sabrina's insane in bed—I'm not over her yet. Sucks she got pregnant. Audrey doesn't want kids, so I gave Sabrina some cash. She'll have the baby overseas." My hands curled into fists. Silent tears streamed down my face. He glanced over, nervous. "What's wrong?" I smiled. "The cake you made is amazing. I'm really touched." It was sweet—but when you understand Garmenian, all you taste is betrayal.

On my birthday, the dining table was loaded with all my favorites. My mom had been cooking and baking the entire afternoon, insisting everything be perfect for when Mike got home from work so we could celebrate together. But then, he called and said his first love had been drugged at a bar, and he had to go help her. I stopped him and begged him not to go. Mike snapped at me. "Jesus, Em, don’t pull this jealous wife crap. She’s alone, defenseless, and unconscious—I can't let some random dude take advantage of her!" My mother heard those words and was so enraged that she had a heart attack. She died on the spot. Just like that, my mom died on my birthday. I called Mike, asking him to attend my mom's funeral. But before he could reply, I saw Cathy Miller's latest Instagram post, captioned: [Mikey… after all these years, it was always you.] Mike had liked it. My thumb moved before my brain caught up, typing out the only words that mattered: [A homewrecker and a lying bastard. Hope you rot together.]

I used to be that girl in the mafia—envied, untouchable. Orlando Leone, the big bad Don everyone feared, had eyes only for me. I took a bullet for him. After that? People whispered I couldn't have kids. He tried to shut them up by knocking me up—ninety-nine tries. Try number ten? His shiny new secretary texted, all confused over a decimal. He bailed on me. By thirty, she crashed his sports car while shopping. Claimed she couldn't park. I was left freezing in a bathtub. He said he loved me, but when it counted, he always picked the girl who played dumb and helpless. That's when it hit me—his love was never really mine. And by the time I disappeared for real, he lost his mind looking. Too bad. Me and that promise? Already buried at sea.

I secretly ordered a delivery of a thousand roses for my wife's birthday, hoping to surprise her. After the delivery was completed, I got a message from the delivery guy. [By the way, I tossed the trash by your door on my way out. Didn't expect you to be so kinky. Good for you, man!] He even sent me a photo. In the picture was an open trash bag stuffed with shredded pantyhose. My mind went completely blank. I was overseas on a business trip. My wife was the only one at home.

As my murderer's claws tear into my abdomen inch by inch, my father and brother are seated in our family's banquet hall. They're celebrating Carly's 18th birthday and coming-of-age. "You'll always be my little girl." "Happy birthday, Carly." They light 18 pink candles for her. On top of the exquisite red velvet cake is a wolf figurine that they carved for her, and there are well wishes and laughter all around. Meanwhile, I'm curled up in a sewer filled with liquid silver as I bleed to death. My phone has been crushed, and I can't get out. I can only cry for help. A few days later, my father and brother show up together at the autopsy room. My brother stands by the operating table with a scalpel. He slices open the body and sews it back up like it's nothing. My father just covers his nose as he shoots a disgusted glance at my body. He urges my brother to hurry up with the autopsy report. "The victim is a young female wolf presumed to be of pure lineage. Before her death, she was subjected to prolonged captivity and torture. Her throat is nearly severed, her cervical spine is dislocated, and her chest cavity has collapsed. She was also injected with liquid silver before death." Hearing the report, my father looks so calm that it's just like a case study of no consequence. Neither of them can recognize that the body belongs to me—their daughter and sister!