Common Expression

At Sullivan Group's annual banquet, a female university student approaches Peter Sullivan and offers herself to him. The usually cold and distant Peter suddenly freezes because this young woman looks exactly like his deceased first love. He can't help but tease, "You're asking to be my mistress in front of my wife. Are you so sure you won't be thrown out?" The young lady lifts her chin, and her stubborn expression is identical to that of his lost love. "You two got married for business reasons and mutual benefits. Does she have any say over what you do? Peter, only you can save my mom. Will you do it or not?" She's right. I'm just a pawn in a marriage of convenience. How could I possibly influence Peter's choices? But then, I catch a glint of tenderness in his eyes that I've never seen before, and a self-deprecating smile forms on my lips. Maybe, instead of clinging on and being thrown out like trash, it's better if I give up my place willingly.

I suddenly got a call from the police, telling me I was involved in an abandoned baby case. My best buddy was holding me up as we rushed to the scene when Shirley Dunn, the girl who had asked me for directions last week, suddenly pointed straight at me. "That's her. I saw her this morning, holding her stomach, going into the restroom! Now the baby's been born, and her belly's flat!" I was completely stunned. Before I could react, she shoved the newborn straight into my arms. "This is your own flesh and blood! How could you abandon him?" The officer's expression was equally severe. "Miss, I understand that becoming a mother at 20 can be scary, but abandoning a baby is a crime. If you didn't want to raise a child, you shouldn't have had one." More and more college students gathered around, their stares stabbing into me like needles. Cold sweat soaked my back. My best friend suddenly burst out laughing. "Congrats, man! You're a dad now!"

"You’re being bullied. I’m being harassed and stalked by my past flings, so why don’t we help each other out, nerd?" "How?" "It’s easy. Be my girlfriend." "Like a fake girlfriend?" "Yeah, that. Your presence is gonna keep those bitches away and I get to keep your bullies away. Problem solved." When the school's bad boy proposes an enticing offer to the school’s nerd, it feels like the perfect plan at the moment. She becomes his fake girlfriend, resolving his chaotic sexual life, and he gets to defend her from her bullies. A fantastic plan, with zero loopholes. But what happens when the desires and sentiments set in between them? Do they make a plan out of that too, or are they trapped for life? Can they find a common ground to groom these intense feelings in a Pack where hierarchy rules, forbidding them from being together? Or would they have to let go of each other?

**Strictly for adults** HANA You don't fall in love with your enemy. If you do, then, be prepared to embrace their dark side and welcome their secrets. Because you don't know them like you know your friends. I left a man at the altar just to fall in love with his brother. We have nothing in common but our damaged soul. It is cruel how you can love a person like that only to find out that it was forbidden, all the way long, and you were forced to fall apart by fate. Our tragic pasts paved way for our beautiful future until his secrets were revealed. I never fit in his world, no one could ever; for he was born to kill, to bring death. From enemies to lovers, hating to loving, strangers to family, then to complete strangers, Hana and Bash are all you need. Their love will make your heart warm, they make you laugh, and their distance makes you cry. Find out more about their forbidden romance. **No incest**

All Apple LeRoux wants is true love. A human girl from a small town, she grew up knowing that werewolves and other supernaturals are dangerous. She wasn't expecting to fall for one. When Apple leaves her abusive family to move to Crescent City, she finds herself encountering all sorts of new experiences in a town where supernaturals mingle with the common population, and a human is easy prey. During an eventful job search, a twist of fate has Apple unknowingly arriving at Sterling Incorporated, the biggest werewolf pack on the West Coast. Hoping to get an internship or entry-level job, she is mistaken to be the Alpha's new Rental Luna, leading to problems of a different sort when she meets Alpha Sylvester. But there is more to her story than she knows. Her mother was keeping secrets of her own, secrets which will come out and change Apple's life forever. Will Apple and Sylvester find their happily ever after? Or will a life full of danger and mystery tear them apart?

I was setting up a weekend shopping list on the tablet my husband had just replaced for our home system. A notification popped up. He had forgotten to log out of a shared, encrypted family calendar— one I didn’t recognize. There was only one unfamiliar profile photo. I tapped it. A list titled “My Little Princess – Personal Notes” filled the screen. My Little Princess doesn’t drink alcohol—only mineral water or herbal tea. No late nights. She needs absolute quiet to sleep. She gets anxious easily—keep fresh white lilies in the house and her favorite vanilla chocolates on hand. I scrolled slowly, my expression unreadable. The final entry was bolded. Highlighted. “Next Wednesday: take my Little Princess to choose her wedding crown.” I closed the screen. Then I picked up my phone and called my husband. “Love,” I said gently. “Does your Little Princess prefer a classic European bridal crown… or something more traditional? I thought I could help you choose.”

At the Mercer family's annual dinner, I accidentally wore a couture gown that belonged to Lucian's late wife. The eight-year-old boy I had raised myself, in front of every key member of the Family, threw a glass of expensive red wine all over my pure white dress. He just stood there, his cold, condescending expression a mirror of his father's. "Don't think you can become the mistress of this house just by dressing like my Mamma." "I swear, when I'm old enough to take over the family business, I'll make you disappear for good!" The cold liquid soaked through the fabric, clinging to my skin. But I felt nothing. My heart had frozen solid the moment I signed my life away eight years ago. I looked at the child I had raised as my own for eight years. There was no anger. The faintest smile touched my lips. I leaned down and whispered in his ear, "You won't have to wait that long, my little lion. I'm leaving, and it will be very soon."

"Why did you come here dressed like this? I thought I bought a dress for you!!" Ethan's voice rang out, filled with irritation and frustration. Ashley looked around nervously before quickly covering Ethan's mouth with her palm, trying to shush him. "I am sorry, I misplaced the cloth..." she replied, her voice barely above a whisper. Grandpa Ben sat in the back, watching the exchange with a stern expression on his face. He had expected Ethan to arrive with his fiancé, and instead he was greeted with this madwoman. Ashley had known that borrowing money from Ethan's company was a risk, but desperate times call for desperate measures. She had two options: either marry the CEO to pay back her debt, or come up with the money by the next day. As she stood in front of Ethan, she couldn't help but feel like a fraud, knowing that the person he believed her to be was just a figment of her imagination. Now, with everything on the line, Ashley must decide whether to reveal the truth about her fake persona to Ethan and risk losing everything, or continue on living this lie.

Ella is her name. She's just an ordinary girl. Oh, wait, is she really as ordinary as we presumed about her? Allora, you can't guess it right. For she herself didn't know about her true identity. Living in a ramshackle hut with an old man with whom she had no blood relation. There's nothing extraordinary about her lifestyle or even her. She wakes up, prepares breakfast for both of them, and then the old man leaves of food hunting. They're living an extremely poor life which is a common status in her surroundings. And one day she had a mysterious dream, the one she had never thought of. Not even in her dreams! Her 18th birthday was coming right after two days and she's having his dream as a present. Well, a present worth it all. Forest, wolves, handcuffed maiden, and the demand. A two-word demand, asking for the keys. What keys those strange, voiced creatures were asking for? Whose keys? She didn't know but soon she will know.

Gael Greyson, the heir of a multibillion company died in an accident buy found himself wandering in the streets until he realized someone can see him. San, a pitiful doctor who was trying to live in the big city found the ghost of Gael who offer her money and I return she had to help him with few matters. San agreed to help the man and was found by the chairman of the company. She admitted to the man that she was Gael's girlfriend and their relationship was kept hidden for her safety. The old man brought her to a room where Gael was lying on the bed in a coma. He asked her to bear his grandson's child as there was no chance Gael could wake up. Now, she had to help the man who was in coma but only she can see him. Will she be able to help Gael and wake him up from coma? Will they find his killer? Why only she can see him? What if the man is not what she thinks he is? What if he is indeed a cruel underworld king who likes to rule? There are a lot of secrets but one thing is common and that is love.