Dea Anugrah

After three miscarriages for Xavier Lowe, I see it—my mother-in-law has three years left, my father-in-law nine years, and my sister-in-law two years. I say nothing. After the third miscarriage, my mother-in-law blames me, calling me a curse who "kills" children. My sister-in-law sneers, saying she almost died in a car crash the year I married Xavier—as if my bad luck dragged her down. My mother-in-law snaps, "She can't even keep a child. It must be because she's cursed!" Xavier just stands there, silent. He doesn't say a single word for me. I know that, deep down, he believes that I bring bad luck. Maybe it's also because he already has someone else—his secretary, Yvette Snyder. His mother has always liked her better, and he clung to her the night I lost my third child. I don't explain because I know the truth will only destroy them faster. On my 28th birthday, I catch a glimpse of my own countdown in the mirror. On that day, I take a leave of absence. I go to the funeral home and pick out an urn—pure white, just like the wedding dress I once wore. Wearing a beautiful floral dress, I text Xavier, asking him to meet me at the lake where we first met ten years ago. I wait from daylight until nightfall as my countdown ticks to zero. I die, and he never shows up.

~ Zara Natusha Putri According to my Mom, the new neighbor was still single, handsome, hot, rich, and kind. But I don't think so. Why? Because there is nothing special about him and he is very annoying. Coupled with his perverted brain that makes me want to chop his body into small pieces. Oh come on, I can't stand all this. ~Bryan Samuel Clivton Even that girl doesn't know who I really am. We'll see, once you know and remember everything, you will feel at home, Zara.

[warning- Steamy scenes] "Wife!" the man lovingly said. "What exactly are you attempting to do? I am not your wife, Mr. Richard Hill! Behave!" "Stop playing with men, Woman,” his distasteful voice spoke. “You are no one. Thus, I feel bothered by your presence,” Anastasia was cruel with her answer. “I have proof we are married! Furthermore, you own fifty percent of my fortune because I have vowed to spoil you for the rest of my life. Keep in mind that you are mine, and I am a possessive guy. Every eye will be dug out if they fall on you," the voice and declaration were both forceful. "I have heard you can't touch a woman because of your disease!" Ana smirked. Anastasia Long married a billionaire, Richard Hill. She knew nothing about the family or the spouse since she was coerced into it by her mother and stepfather, who exploited her mother in terrible ways. She had a step-sister as well, but her stepfather would never consider putting his own daughter into the fire. She tolerated the anguish and pain inflicted by her mother-in-law and the mistress who intended to marry Richard, but she was unfortunate to be placed in such circumstances. They humiliated her, burned her clothes, and starved her till she ended up in the hospital for a week. However, her husband never came to see her. Surprisingly, Richard Hill never met her or spoke to her as if she were married to someone who did not exist. She was made to sign a divorce decree one day, and she fled the city for five years. Upon her return, she was renowned as Dr. Anastasia Long, a gifted surgeon. People kissed her feet.

"I Love You But I Hate You More" Life has a way of giving second chances, but not all love stories are meant to be rewritten. When Rena and Yoké are given the opportunity to rekindle their once-passionate relationship, they must confront the harsh reality of their differences. Worlds apart in class, race, and background, their love is put to the ultimate test. As they navigate a storm of emotions, old wounds, and family expectations, Rena and Yoké must decide if they can truly overcome the barriers that divide them. Love may transcend all, they say, but what happens when the price of that love is losing everything you hold dear? In a world where loyalty to family clashes with the heart’s desires, the ultimate question remains: stay true to each other, or sacrifice their love for the sake of everything else? ★Comes after 'Till Worlds Do Us Part'

At our college graduation, my fiance suddenly proposed to Lillie Stewart, my best friend, in front of everyone. I became a joke in front of everyone. Right after Lillie accepted my fiance’s proposal, Lloyd Becker, heir to the biggest mafia family on the West Coast, publicly said he loved me. Lloyd was known in the mafia world for being serious and never getting involved with women. So, when he showed an interest in an orphan like me, it made the news. We got married, and for five years, he was so sweet and treated me like a princess. But one day, I accidentally overheard him talking to his friend. “Lillie is already set to become the future lady of the Gacira family. Are you really going to keep the act up with Nelly?” “If I can’t have Lillie, it doesn’t matter who I marry. As long as I’m with Nelly, Lillie can live peacefully.” He even gave Lillie the symbol of the Becker family’s lady. He helped Lillie build her career while letting me fade into the background. After five years of marriage, I finally understood. On our fifth anniversary, I pretended to die in a shooting so he could be with the woman he truly loved. But instead of being happy, Lloyd completely broke down.

Gemma thought that she was like every other typical seventeen year old girl. Until she moved to the small town of Harbors Landing, and the beast within her was awoken.

Farrah Evans is the definition of the modern-day liberated lady. Get drunk, get laid, and get your freedom. That was what she wants for the rest of her life. Not a percentage, not even in her dreams she imagined of being married and committed to only one man. The plan is to be a forever rich single Auntie who lives alone in a mansion, wears a pair of Gucci gloves on a wedding, and brag about traveling around the world while holding a limited edition LV bag on her Amigas.However, Uno Saldivar is the most persistent and longest suitor she encountered in her life. The man started to pursue her back in senior high days. Uno is a certified nerdy boy who got no fun, he's a studious, hardworking geek who aims to be one of the most successful men on their generation. And the one who will marry Farrah, the girl of his daydreams. Farrah doesn't know that she's falling for him. She is a known playgirl who hooks up with rich handsome boys and being with Uno will taint her image. She planned to escape the humiliation she'll experience so she never admitted to herself that she likes the man and covered it with anger. Annoyed and exhausted of him chasing her, she made a deal. "When I reached the age of twenty-seven and I'm still not married nor have a boyfriend, I'll marry you. If anyone of us refuses to get married, the one who rejects will pay the other million dollars." After years of being apart from Uno, a tragedy happened which turned her life upside down.

Abductors bind me in a basement, subjecting me to the torment of dozens. Meanwhile, my husband, Evan Foster, dines by candlelight with his lover, Carmen Locke. My abductors grant me one chance to call for help, and I dial Evan's number. I'm certain he will come for me. I believe Evan would give his life for me, as he once vowed that his future held no meaning without me. Clinging to hope, I call the number etched in my heart. However, Evan scolds me for interrupting their date. "You think I'll come get you? Dream on. Maybe I'll bother to collect your body if you die out there." His words crush me, and I do die. Five days later, Evan stands before the autopsy table, grimacing at the mangled remains before him. Even as the police department's finest forensic expert, having dissected thousands of bodies, he condemns the killer's brutality. Yet, despite his cold dismissal of my desperate plea over the phone, he now wears a look of pity. Evan, if you knew these fragments belonged to me, would you still find me worthy of your compassion?

“I want you, Lyra. Since the day I saw you at that bastard’s place, I’ve wanted you. It might have taken me a long time to realize it, but let me be a part of your life…” He struggled for a moment, “…and this baby. Our baby.” ************************************* Lyra Lockwood, former princess and the last of her kind, had unknowingly connived with her mate to kill her parents, only to end up rejected. Six years later, the Wolf King visits her pack, sees her, and demands she participate in his Luna choosing game—a game where one woman emerges as his Luna. But for years, all the women who participated have died. For years, rumors swirled that the Wolf King was the one killing them. For years, Raphael had not seen a woman like Lyra—someone who captured both him and his wolf from the moment they laid eyes on her. To Lyra, he was her master now, one she had to serve, just as she had served Edmund, her ex-mate. To Raphael, he wanted to know every inch of her—every scar, every line. Would Lyra accept him into her life after everything she’s been through? And could Raphael wait for her through it all? Find out.

There are monsters in this world. And they used to be us. Now it's time to euthanize to survive in a hospice where Emily, a woman haunted by her past, only wants to do her job and be the best mother possible. Post-infection Chicago. Christmas. Inside The Hospice, Emily and her fellow nurses do their rounds. Here, men and women live out their final days in comfort, segregated from society, and are then humanely terminated before fate turns them into marrow-craving monsters known as ‘Smilers.’ Outside these imposing walls, rabid protesters swarm with signs, caught up in the heat of their hatred. Emily, a woman haunted by her past, only wants to do her job and be the best mother possible. But in a world where mortality means nothing, where guns are drawn in fear and nobody seems safe anymore – at what cost will this pursuit come? And through it all, the soon to be dead remain silent, ever smiling. Such is their curse. It won't be long before that snow-speckled ground will be salted by blood. ©️ Crystal Lake Publishing