Dandelion Sea

Jedes Jahr an Heiligabend musste der Erbe der Marco-Mafiafamilie – Adrian Marco – einer Familientradition folgen: Er zog einen Namen, der darüber entschied, ob er mich heiraten durfte. Denn ich, Irene Cast, stammte nicht aus einer Mafiafamilie. Nur wenn er meinen Namen zog, durfte er mich zur Frau nehmen. Vier Jahre lang hatte Adrian viermal einen Zettel gezogen. Und kein einziges Mal hatte er meinen Namen gezogen. Ich hatte immer geglaubt, er hätte sich meinetwegen mit seiner Familie überworfen, dass er sogar bereit gewesen war, seine Position als Don zu riskieren, nur um mich zu wählen. Jedes Mal, wenn es nicht klappte, hielt er mich fest und flüsterte: „Ist schon gut. Wir haben noch nächstes Jahr.“ Und ich liebte ihn so sehr, dass es wehtat. So sehr, dass ich bereit war zu warten, Jahr für Jahr. Dieses Jahr sagte ich mir: Wenn er meinen Namen immer noch nicht zieht… werde ich das Ergebnis heimlich vertauschen. Ich schlich zur Tür von Adrians Arbeitszimmer und hörte, wie sein jüngerer Bruder fragte: „Don … jedes Jahr ziehst du tatsächlich Irenes Namen. Warum tust du so, als hättest du es nicht? Liegt es daran, dass du Sera immer noch nicht loslassen kannst?“ Doch er sagte nur mit ausdrucksloser Stimme: „Sera braucht mich dringend. Mach es wie immer: Tausch Irenes Namen gegen einen leeren Zettel aus.“ Er ging hinaus, ohne sich umzudrehen. Anstatt zu tauschen, warf sein Bruder den leeren Zettel in den Papierkorb, ließ den mit meinem Namen auf dem Tisch liegen und eilte Adrian hinterher. Ich ging hinein, holte den leeren Zettel aus dem Papierkorb und tauschte ihn gegen den mit meinem Namen. Ich sah zu, wie mein eigener Name in den Müll fiel. Adrian … ich will nicht länger warten. Ich werde dich nicht heiraten. Ich erfülle dir deine Wahl.

Every Christmas Eve, the heir of the Marco mafia family—Adrian Marco, must follow the family tradition: Draw a name to decide whether he’s allowed to marry me. Because I, Irene Cast, am not mafia-born. Unless he draws the slip with my name on it, he can’t take me as his wife. For four years, Adrian has drawn four times. And not once did he draw my name. I always thought he fought with his family because of me— that he was willing to risk losing his position as the Don, just to choose me. Every time he failed, he held me so tightly and whispered, “It’s okay. There’s always next year.” And I loved him so much it hurt. Hurt enough that I was willing to wait, year after year. This year, I told myself: If he still doesn’t draw my name… I’ll secretly switch the result. I sneaked to the door of Adrian’s study, and heard his younger brother ask: “Don… every year you do draw Irene's name. Why do you pretend you didn’t? Is it because you still can’t let Sera go?” But he simply said, in a flat voice, “Sera needs me for something urgent. Do what you always do: swap Irene’s name for a blank one.” He walked out without looking back. Instead of swapping, he tossed the blank slip into the trash, left the one with my name on the table, and hurried after Adrian. I went inside, picked up the blank slip from the trash, and replaced the one with my name. Watching my own name fall into the garbage. Adrian…I don’t want to wait and marry you anymore. I’ll grant you your choice.

Nalaman ni Aeon na fixed marriage siya. Tumakas siya at nakilala si Chuck. Hindi niya inaasahan ang pagkagusto dito subalit nangyari na ang hindi dapat mangyari. She got pregnant. But Chuck seems not interested to father their child. So, she decided to wed a stranger whom her father is refering to her. Araw ng kasal, she's been expecting Chuck to stand against the wedding. But where the hell is he?

Sa edad na 32 ay hindi pa naranasan ni Andrea ang magkaroon ng boyfriend. In short, siya ay NBSB o No Boyfriend Since Birth. Hindi naman siya kapangitan ngunit napakailap ng pagkatataon sa kanya. May nagawa ba siyang malaking kasalanan sa kanyang past life? Sa edad niya ay hindi na siya umaasa pa na may lalaki na magmamahal sa kanya ngunit gusto niya na magkaroon ng kahit isang anak man lang. Puwede naman na magkaroon ng anak na walang asawa kaya naisip niya maghanap ng sperm donor. Hindi artificial insemination ang gagawin kundi natural method. Sa kalagitnaan ng paghahanap niya ay nakilala niya si Martin na isang guwapong bilyonaryo. Unang pumasok sa isip niya na perfect match ang binata para sa kanya ngunit ang problema lang ay hindi siya nito gusto. Mapapayag kaya ito ni Andrea sa nais niyang mangyari? Paano kung hindi? Itutuloy pa ba niya ang paghahanap ng sperm donor o ititigil na lang at tatanggapin na lang na kailanma'y hindi siya magkaroon ng asawa't anak?

"If I am just a tool for fulfilling your longing to another woman y-you will never have me." You will marry me even if you despise me....now strip my little whore." Hated and abandoned by her fiancee who saw her with the eyes of contempt and discarded by her father and brothers who loved her sister, she became a political tool to be sold to the highest bidder. But this time she shall choose her own buyer and become the obsession of the king of Ardos who wants nothing but to bind her to his bed and breed her with his children so that she could never escape his clutches.

Nayla Prameswari terancam dikeluarkan dari kampus setelah beasiswanya dicabut dan tunggakan kuliah menumpuk. Tanpa keluarga yang peduli dan pekerjaan yang cukup, ia berada di titik terendah hidupnya. Rafael Aditya Santoso, pengusaha muda dengan pernikahan hambar, muncul tepat saat Nayla hampir menyerah. Ia menawarkan jalan keluar yang tidak pernah Nayla bayangkan: > “Aku bayar semua kuliahmu… kalau kamu bersedia menjadi istriku—secara diam-diam.” Desakan hidup membuat Nayla menerima perjanjian itu. Sejak hari itu ia menjalani dua kehidupan: mahasiswi biasa di kampus, dan istri simpanan di balik pintu apartemen rahasia. Namun ketika Larissa—istri sah Rafael—mulai curiga, hubungan terlarang itu berubah menjadi badai besar yang mengancam menghancurkan mereka semua.

Chaque veille de Noël, l'héritier de la famille mafieuse Marco, Adrian Marco, devait suivre la tradition familiale : Tirer au sort pour décider s'il avait le droit de m'épouser. Car moi, Irene Cast, je ne suis pas née dans la mafia. S'il n'a pas tiré le papier portant mon nom, il ne pourrait pas me prendre pour femme. Pendant quatre ans, Adrian a tiré au sort quatre fois. Et pas une seule fois il n'a tiré mon nom. J'ai toujours cru qu'il se disputait avec sa famille à cause de moi, qu'il était prêt à risquer de perdre sa position de Parrain, juste pour me choisir. Chaque fois qu'il échouait, il me serrait si fort et murmurait : « Ce n'est rien. Il y aura toujours l'année prochaine. » Et je l'aimais tellement que cela faisait mal. Assez mal pour que je sois prête à attendre, année après année. Cette année, je me suis dit : S'il ne pouvait toujours pas tirer mon nom au sort... Je changerais secrètement le résultat. Je me suis faufilée à la porte du bureau d'Adrian, et j'ai entendu son frère demander : « Parrain, chaque année, tu tires le nom d'Irene. Pourquoi fais-tu semblant de ne pas l'avoir tiré ? Est-ce parce que tu n'arrives toujours pas à oublier Sera ? » Mais il a simplement répondu d'une voix neutre : « Sera a besoin de moi pour quelque chose d'urgent. Fais comme d'habitude : remplace le nom d'Irene par un papier vierge. » Il est sorti sans se retourner. Au lieu d'échanger, son frère a jeté le papier vierge à la poubelle, a laissé celui avec mon nom sur la table, et s'est dépêché de suivre Adrian. Je suis entrée, ai ramassé le papier vierge dans la poubelle, et ai remplacé celui portant mon nom. Regardant mon nom tomber dans les ordures. Adrian, je ne voulais plus attendre pour t'épouser. Je respectais ton choix.

Pinuntahan si Camilla ng bilyonaryong si Hector Gonzalez sa bahay nila para singilin sa utang ng kanyang ama sa halagang fifty million pesos na inutang nito. Wala siyang kaalam-alam tungkol sa utang na 'yon ng kanyang ama. Wala siyang pera na pambayad dito. Isang linggo na rin na hindi umuuwi sa bahay nila kanyang ama. Pinagbantaan siya ng guwapong bilyonaryo na si Hector na kung hindi siya magbabayad ay ipakukulong niya ang ama nito. Natakot si Camilla. Nagmakaawa siya kay Hector hanggang sa bigyan siya ng chance nito. Kailangan niyang pakasalan ito kung ayaw niyang ipakukulong ang ama niya. Pumayag naman kaagad si Camilla kahit hindi niya mahal ito kaya kinasal kaagad sila ni Hector. Days had passed and she fell in love with him. Akala niya ay siya lang ang nag-iisang babae sa buhay nito ngunit hindi pala. Kasal na nga sila ngunit ang asawa niya ay palaging nasa babaeng mahal nito. It breaks her heart as she thinks of it. She realized that if it wasn't her father, she wouldn't fall in love with him and she wouldn't feel the pain of loving someone who can't love her in return. Sinisisi niya ang kanyang ama. Gusto niyang umalis sa sitwasyon na kinasasangkutan niya ngunit hindi niya magawa-gawa 'yon. She realized that maybe it's the way of paying her father's debt as she suffers the pain. Will she be able to find the happiness she deserves? Is she going to live a miserable life with him while her heart is still beating for his name every day? Is there a chance for Hector to love her in return because she's his wife already?

Alya mendapat kesempatan hidup kembali sebelum pernikahannya hancur. Kali ini, ia bertekad membuka kedok Raka, melindungi keluarganya, dan mengubah takdir agar tidak lagi menjadi korban.

May lihim na pagtingin si Arianne sa best friend ng daddy Henry niya na si Josh kaya nang malaman niya na iiwan muna siya dito ng tatlong linggo ay walang pag-aalinlangan na pumayag siya kaagad para makasama ito. Aware naman siya na may girlfriend ito ngunit ang makasama lang niya ito ay masaya na siya. Kasama ni Josh na nakatira sa bahay niya ang girlfriend na si Lira. Maayos naman ang pakiktungo nito sa kanya. She's working as a fashion designer. Palagi itong wala kaya madalas na silang dalawa lang ng best friend ng dad niya ang magkasama. Isang gabi ay umuwi na nakainom ng alak si Josh. Nagkamali ito ng kuwarto na pinasukan. Imbis na sa kuwarto nilang dalawa ng girlfriend niya ay sa kuwarto kung nasaan si Arianne ito nakapasok. Akala niya ay ang girlfriend niya ang nakahiga doon ngunit hindi pala. Nakainom rin si Arianne dahil dumalo ito sa birthday party ng isa niyang kaibigan kaya humiga kaagad ito pagkapasok sa kuwarto kung saan siya natutulog habang nandoon sa bahay ni Josh. Bigla na lang niya naimulat ang kanyang mga mata dahil naramdaman niya na may malaki at matipunong katawan na pumatong sa ibabaw niya. Hubo't hubad ito. Her eyes got bigger when she saw who it was—Josh. Itutulak sana niya ito ngunit malakas ito kaya wala siyang nagawa. Nagustuhan naman nga niya ang ginagawa nito sa kanya hanggang sa may nangyari sa kanilang dalawa. Parehas silang dalawa nabigla kinabukasan sa nangyari. They found themselves naked lying on the bed. Ano ang gagawin nila? Paalisin kaya siya ni Josh sa bahay nito dahil sa nangyaring 'yon o hindi? Paano na ang girlfriend niya? Will it be the end of their relationship and the beginning of his fantasies with Arianne the woman he desires for so long?