Eating From Our Roots

Si Lira Mendoza ay isang simpleng basurera na araw-araw lumalaban sa kahirapan para sa kanyang pamilya. Sanay siyang maliitin, tapakan ang dignidad, at ipaalala ng mundo kung saan siya nababagay… sa ilalim. Ngunit isang aksidente ang magbabago sa lahat nang matapunan niya ng basura ang isang mayabang at misteryosong lalaki na hindi niya alam ay isa palang makapangyarihang CEO. Si Nathaniel Cross, isang cold at elite na negosyante, ay sanay makuha ang lahat… pera, respeto, at babae. Ngunit iba si Lira. Hindi siya nagpapanggap, hindi siya humihingi ng awa, at kahit sugatan ang pride, buo pa rin ang tapang. Sa gitna ng isang marangyang villa party, muling nagtagpo ang kanilang mundo… at doon nagsimula ang isang masakit na banggaan ng uri, dignidad, at damdamin. Habang unti-unting nahuhulog ang loob ni Nathaniel sa babaeng galing sa mundo ng basura, lalong humihigpit ang hawak ng kanyang pamilya, lalo na ng kanyang ina, na may sariling plano para sa kanyang kinabukasan. Sa pagitan ng pang-aalipusta, lihim na kasunduan, at unti-unting pag-usbong ng pag-ibig, kakayanin ba ni Lira ang mundong hindi siya kailanman tinanggap? O mananatili siyang basurera sa paningin ng lahat… kahit sa lalaking handa nang ipaglaban siya?

When I was surrounded by the rogue pack far from our territory, I mind-linked my mate, Alpha Luke, begging for help. He refused me fifteen times—and finally, he blocked the link entirely. In the end, I collapsed from exhaustion and lost consciousness, my wolf howling in despair. When I woke up in the infirmary, Alex, the commander of the Werewolf Tribe, was sitting quietly beside me. He was the one who had received my desperate mind-link. He led his warriors, crushed the rogues, and saved me from the jaws of death. Looking into his worried eyes, I no longer hesitated. I took a deep breath and said with unwavering resolve: “Alex, I’ve made up my mind. I’ll go to the Northern Territory for training. I leave in 2 days.” Ten minutes later, Luke barged into the room with Kristy—his so-called adoptive sister—and our twin pups trailing behind. Before anyone could speak, he kicked the door open and pointed at me, shouting with cold fury: “You staged this stunt just to outshine Kristy? Do you realize how much warrior strength you wasted just to feed your vanity? You are not worthy to be a Luna!” My elder son, Chris, gave me a sharp glance and scoffed: “Where’s the wound, Mom? You look perfectly fine. Did you fake this just to get attention?” My younger son, Collin, stared at me, eyes filled with disappointment. He shook his head slowly and whispered: “Mom, did you lie to us again… just because we care about Kristy more?” Kristy gripped Luke’s hand, her voice trembling with fake innocence and tears falling down her cheeks: “I’m sorry, Christina… I won’t celebrate my birthday again. Please… stop causing trouble for Luke and the twins.” I clenched my fists, restraining my furious wolf, and stopped Alex from standing up for me. I watched the four of them turn and leave without a second glance. Then, I turned to Alex and said, with icy clarity: “This time, I have no hesitation, no regret. I’m leaving. I’ll go with you to the Northern Territory. And I won’t eat my words.”

Samantha had been with her husband Alex for 12 long years, dutifully raising his child from a previous relationship. Yet as the years dragged on, the deep resentment she felt could no longer be ignored. Alex took her endless sacrifices for granted, never expressing an ounce of appreciation for all she did to keep their family afloat. His domineering mother only fanned the flames of drama, inserting herself into every aspect of their lives. And their once passionate marriage had become a sexless, loveless obligation. Samantha's only solace was her job at the local hardware store, a seeming world away from the suffocating doldrums of her home life. It was there that she met Jack, her new boss - a charismatic man whose radiant charm and flirtations slowly but surely began chipping away at Samantha's resolve. At first, she dismissed the growing attraction as a harmless crush. But as the weeks ticked by, the chemistry between them became undeniable, an all-consuming force that made her feel truly alive for the first time in years. One fateful night, passion overcame reason, and Samantha surrendered to her desires in Jack's arms. The guilt was searing, but it paled in comparison to the euphoria of being wanted, needed, desired again. Thus began a torrid affair, one built on lies and deception as they stole away for clandestine rendezvous. Samantha was playing with fire, but she couldn't bring herself to stop.

Jameson University's biggest scandal this year was the leaked video of Joy Quinn losing her virginity in the campus group chat. The video was taken in the presidential suite of a five-star hotel. Completely naked, Joy Quinn was pinned against the floor-to-ceiling window by a man a head taller than her. The rhythmic sounds never ceased...

After getting drunk with my best friend, Lyla Smith, at the bar, I end up sleeping with my fiance, Silas Clarke, whom I've only met for a few times. Not only that, but I only discover that I'm pregnant with his child two months later. Just when I'm debating whether or not I should tell Silas the truth, Lyla, who has been my friend since we were kids, keep advising me. "You never liked Mr. Clarke anyway, Elara. You might as well use this opportunity to screw this engagement over. "Since you and Logan like each other, he won't mind the fact that you're pregnant with Mr. Clarke's child. He'll definitely treat you and the child well. "When the time comes, you won't have to marry the man you don't like. Plus, you'll marry Logan, the man you love! Isn't this a dream come true?" Just as I'm about to agree to that suggestion, I feel a kick coming from my belly, which has yet to develop a baby bump. Next, a baby's voice echoes in my mind. "Mom, don't trust that mean woman! You'll get abused by that Logan jerk in the future, not to mention you'll be forced to sell your body because of the decision you'll make today! "Dad has already found out that you're the woman from that night! He's on the way here right now!" Upon hearing my unborn baby's thoughts, I tremble violently immediately. Although I don't have any feelings for Silas, I can still try to nurture a relationship with him. On the other hand, I only get to live once, so I can't ruin it no matter what!

Marrying Lucas Darken, son of the wealthiest IT company CEO in the city, was all Taya had dreamed about since their first meeting. But the pride and joy of marrying Lucas turned into a disaster, after Taya discovered the affair Lucas had been hiding. To her surprise, the girl Lucas had been having an affair with was none other than her so called best friend. Damaged, Taya tried hard to cover her unbearable pain, but deep inside, she swore that Lucas would suffer way worse than she did. Being drained mentally and emotionally, Taya eventually decided to leave her bitter life behind, moving away to a small town, hoping for a new adventure all her own. Her journey led to her meeting the attractively secretive Declan Mercer, a man with deep deep pocket, who changed Taya's life completely. Declan helped with her transformation from a meek, soft spoken, heart-broken girl, into a tough, blunt woman. However, as Taya got closer to Declan, she learned that he was in fact the most feared mob boss in history. Further, with Lucas' reappearance and Declan claiming Taya to be his one and only, along with Ella showing up that she dragged Taya through another level of hell, could Taya survive this time?

Aera Vale never expected magic, betrayal, or love to intertwine so dangerously. When a hidden power awakens and a shadowy organization targets the gifted, she must rely on her sigil—and the trust of her mysterious ally Kael—to survive. Between battles, secrets, and whispered loyalties, Aera discovers that the crown they tried to hide from her may carry more than power—it may carry her destiny.

*You love me? No… you can’t love a maid—a daughter of a prostitute, a one-night mistake like me. We’re not from the same world. We can never be together. It’s a dream that won’t come true.* *Lily, that doesn’t matter. I don’t care where you’re from or what your past is. I love you—and that’s the only truth that matters.* Lily has always known her place—silent, invisible, and unworthy of love, especially from someone like Sebastian Kingsley, heir to a billion-dollar empire. Her life has been shadowed by the shame of her past—being the daughter of a high-class prostitute and born from a one-night mistake. Desperate for income as her mother’s illness worsens, Lily takes a job as a maid in the Kingsley mansion. She never expected to steal the heart of the city’s most powerful billionaire. But Sebastian, weighed down by family expectations and haunted by addiction and sleepless nights, sees something in her that no one else does—peace. Hope. To the world, Sebastian has everything. But behind the wealth and status is a man slowly breaking. Only Lily sees the truth behind the mask. Their love is passionate… but forbidden. Sebastian is already engaged—to Lily’s sister. The woman society believes is perfect for him. Lily is just a maid—powerless and easily disposable. She wants to run, to protect herself from the heartbreak she knows is coming. But how do you walk away from the only person who’s ever made you feel truly alive? Can their love survive the storm of betrayal, societal expectations, and painful truths? Or will duty and deception tear them apart ? In a world ruled by power, status, and secrets, Sebastian and Lily fight for a love that was never meant to be.

Jessica Miller witnessed her boyfriend's infidelity, went to a bar, got drunk, and ended up framed by her step-sister, leading to a one-night stand with Marcus. One day, Marcus's half-brother Dennis Smith, saw Oliver, who looks exactly like Marcus, and thought Oliver was Marcus's illegitimate child. Concerned that Oliver's existence would affect his inheritance rights in the Smith family, Dennis planned to run over Oliver with a car but ended up severely injuring Jessica. Marcus, wanting to help Jessica seek revenge, inflicted severe injuries on Dennis. At this point, Marcus's father, Oliver's grandfather, planned to send killers to kill the grandson he had just met. Why did Marcus's father do this? It involves the love and hate of the previous generation. Marcus was subjected to abuse from his father during his childhood. As an adult, he concealed his sharpness and stayed by his father's side, only to seek an opportunity for revenge. Marcus finally regained his memory. He and Jessica went through hardships and finally got married.

After getting reborn, the first thing Holly Webster does is to spend five billion dollars on an island that's completely alienated from the rest of the world. The employee in charge of the procedures is flabbergasted, to say the least. After all, the particular island isn't well-known on the world map at all. Not only do people not know about its existence, but it's also excluded from the rest of the world. Not even the GPS navigation can form a route leading to it. "Are you sure you want to buy this island, Ms. Webster? If you choose to move onto this island and live there, it'll be difficult for you to keep in touch with the outside world." Holly nods immediately, her tone taking on a relieved edge. "That's exactly what I want. I don't want anyone to get in contact with me."