Calmly Antonyms

During a typhoon alert, Joyce Lane calls me and tells me to pick her up from her company. On the way there, I receive a text from her. "You don't have to pick me up anymore. I'm going to stay over at Fin's place for a few days." I opt not to start anything with her. Instead, I calmly text back, "Okay." In the middle of the night, Finley Jones, Joyce's junior at work, uploads a social media post that's meant for my eyes only. Joyce can be seen huddling against Finley while feeding him some snacks in the photo. The window outside depicts a storm. The caption writes, "It's only befitting for me to tide out the worst weather with the woman I love the most." I leave a like on the photo calmly. Suddenly, Joyce calls me and demands what that like means. I reply coolly, "It means we're breaking up."

My sister abruptly returns to the country on the day of my wedding. My parents, brother, and fiancé abandon me to pick her up at the airport. She shares a photo of them on her social media, bragging about how she's so loved. Meanwhile, all the calls I make are rejected. My fiancé is the only one who answers, but all he tells me is not to kick up a fuss. We can always have our wedding some other day. They turn me into a laughingstock on the day I've looked forward to all my life. Everyone points at me and laughs in my face. I calmly deal with everything before writing a new number in my journal—99. This is their 99th time disappointing me; I won't wish for them to love me anymore. I fill in a request to study abroad and pack my luggage. They think I've learned to be obedient, but I'm actually about to leave forever.

After four years of marriage, James Lawson, who had never posted anything on social media, unexpectedly updated his status: "What an adorable little foodie!" The attached photo showed a young woman wearing pink cat ears, eating at a Korean BBQ restaurant. Her cheeks were flushed red from the spicy food as she stuck out her tongue. It was Sophie Jones, a new content creator at his company. Within a minute, our mutual friend commented: "Dude, you forgot to switch accounts!" Just like that, James's new post disappeared as quickly as it had appeared, only to show up moments later on Sophie's feed. Then James's name lit up my phone screen. In the past, I would have already taken screenshots and called him first to confront him. It would have inevitably ended in a heated argument. But this time, I calmly watched his call go to voicemail without answering.

"On the bed." My new master, the Alpha of Drogomor, commanded.I walked toward the bed, naked, ashamed, and full of tears.I was about to lose my virginity, but it meant nothing to the man who was going to take it.***I am Rosalie, 20 years old, sold to the most terrifying alpha by my own father."You're nothing to me but a breeder." he said to me cruelly.I had long known that my love for him was hopeless and foolish. However, I was naïve to think that was the end of the story.Once the baby is born, I will be put to death.***People thought I was dead, but I survived."It's you!" He grabbed my hand, and his eyes were filled with emotions I couldn't understand. "Come back to me, Rosalie.""Sorry." I calmly looked back at him, "but I think you've got the wrong person."

Candice had witnessed Kyle’s deep affection—and suffered his betrayal. She endured in silence, tricking him into signing the divorce papers. When the 30-day cooling-off period ended, she calmly informed him, “Kyle, I don’t want you anymore. Get out of my life.” Kyle was stunned as if struck by lightning. His eyes reddened in panic. He tore the agreement to shreds. “Who said we’re getting divorced? I don’t agree!” Charlie Clemens was a powerful tycoon, a man beyond reach. She didn’t want to get involved with him, yet fate kept bringing them together. At a banquet, tipsy and reckless, she accidentally tugged on his tie. He leaned down, his voice low and teasing by her ear: “Your ex-husband is watching. You sure you want to be this... bold?”

The ninth time I walked in on Andy Lowe in bed with another woman. I didn’t lose control, and I didn’t question him. I casually tossed a piece of clothing at the girl and said calmly, “Leave through the back garden door.” She froze for a moment, glanced at me nervously, then grabbed the clothes and fled. Andy leaned back against the headboard, looking relaxed, and slowly lit a cigarette. “It’s her first time here,” he said as if it were only natural. “Don’t scare her.” “She’s very innocent, unlike you. I don’t want her getting hurt.” He paused, then added, “It’s her birthday today. I won’t be coming back tonight.” I nodded and said nothing more. As I turned around, I smiled. He seemed not to know that the “innocent” girl had AIDS.

I met Nikos Stavros on a flight to Athens. The moment our paths crossed, my life began to unravel. Nikos is arrogant. He is a man who moves through the Athens as if it belongs to him. And then I discover, he’s the billionaire my brother owes two million euros, so walking away from him isn’t an option. To protect my family, I agree to work for him for three months. A simple arrangement, strictly professional and clear boundaries At least, that’s what I tell myself. But working for Nikos means long hours, shared spaces, and a tension neither of us can ignore. Every boundary I set, he pushes. Every rule I enforce, he calmly tests. I remind myself this is just a contract. Then our parents announce their engagement and in three weeks, the man I’ve been trying desperately not to fall for… will become my stepbrother.

When my daughter, Ruth Jensen, says for the tenth time that she wants a different mother, I don't get angry. I just calmly ask her who she wants instead. She blurts, "Vivian." She means Vivian Green, her tutor… and also the woman my husband has never been able to forget. At Ruth's birthday party that day, she even openly thanks Vivian, saying Vivian takes care of her like a mother. Looking at Ruth's young, innocent face, I finally understand that she doesn't like me. So, I stop caring for her and my husband the way I used to. Instead, I turn around and join a classified national project. Rather than wasting time on people who aren't worth it, I'd be better off serving my country!

“He said… that if I loved the… pack as I claimed to… I should leave quietly. He said it so calmly! Like I was nothing to him! Like the past years we spent together was nothing!” Shattered and heartbroken by her husband's words and actions, Elena left with one secret she would have shared with her husband, Alpha Rex. Years later, her husband spots her with two children that look like him, filled with regrets and pain after being betrayed by the same woman he left Elena to marry, he approaches her, apologizes and asks her to return to his pack, but she's now a hard nut to crack. She's not the same weak lady that any man would toss around as they want. Sit tight and enjoy this story of love, regrets, pain, hurt and many other challenges that stand as a threat to Elena and Rex's relationship.

On the twelfth anniversary of our mating ceremony, my Alpha mate gave me a ten-million-dollar Moonlight herb. Fresh from the healing clinic after my miscarriage, I calmly dialed his number to request the severing of our mate bond. On the other end of the line, his secretary—also his childhood sweetheart—apologized through tears: "Sage, Moonlight herb is a sacred healing herb for most werewolves. I didn't know your mother died from Moonlight herb poisoning. I didn't know you despised it most. It's all my fault for making the decision myself. Please don't be angry with the Alpha." Marcus spent a long time gently comforting her, only saying to me: "If you want to sever it, then sever it. Don't regret it later." But when I really cut off the mate bond, the powerful Alpha went crazy.