El Filibusterismo Kabanata 23

"What I do for a living isn't a crime. It's a necessity." 23 year old adult script writer Ravine Renaldi is chased down by Aaron Skiez, a budding human arts film director. One day Aaron discovers the woman he hooked up with was Ravine herself - The woman he admires to no end. She laid out a deal. 3 months of their intimate relationship shall decide if she will write a script for him or not. In the meantime, many of Ravine's friends fall in love with each other as well. Ravine finally realizes that second chances can be given and not every man is abusive.

Normal is overrated; that’s what my mom always said. My mom didn’t know the half of it. For 23 years, I thought my biggest problem was being an adopted child of a single mom in a tiny house, then I burst into flames. My first thought was mental breakdown, but that didn’t explain the fact that real flames were put out by real firefighters, so I fled to the city. The plan had been to check myself into a mental hospital, but I’d been too afraid, so I looked for a temporary job while I worked up the courage. My first interview is where things really went off the deep end. I found myself submerged in a world of monsters, and I was one of them. By my 24th birthday, I would supposedly be set into my immortality, with supernatural powers and all. With not one, but two handsome immortals watching out for me, hatred and hostility still lurked around every corner.

Six months." That’s all he offered her. “I can only help you for six months. After that, I have to go back to my world," Victor said, his dark eyes piercing as he spoke. There was something about this man that sent chills down her spine, and yet, that same thing pulled her to him.   Sophia Martins, a sheltered 23 year old, had spent six years living a lie. Forced into marriage with her childhood crush, John Smith, she believed it was the only way to keep a fraction of her late father’s company. But when she learns the truth,that the company had always been hers,she files for divorce, determined to take back what was stolen from her.   Her plans for freedom, however, take a deadly turn when John sends a hitman after her. Just as her life hangs by a thread, a mysterious and devastatingly handsome stranger intervenes, saving her and offering to be her bodyguard,but only for six months.   As the days unfold, Sophia finds herself irresistibly drawn to him, only to discover that William, her charming protector, is not who he claims to be. He is Victor Falcone, the ruthless Mafia Don feared by all. As she’s thrust into his dangerous world of power and violence, her questions multiply.   Why did he lie to her? Why had he been protecting her?   Will their love be able to withstand the truth, or will Victor’s reality tear them apart?

There’s a thin line between desperation and destiny ****** Sophia Jenkins has lived her life in the shadows of hardship. At 23, she juggles multiple jobs, trying to lift her family out of debt while caring for her terminally ill mother. Her only dream is to escape the weight of her broken home and rewrite her family’s fate. But fate had other plans. On her birthday, when relentless debt collectors humiliate her and her father, Sophia’s world shatters—until a mysterious man steps out of a sleek black car, commanding the chaos with nothing but his presence. Leonard Morano. At 40, Leonard is the ruthless head of the Morano mafia empire, a billionaire controlling over a hundred businesses and underground casinos. What no one knows is that he was once Martin Jenkins’ best friend—and the man who silently watched Sophia grow from afar before vanishing when she was fifteen. Now, he’s back. And he’s not offering help. He’s demanding marriage. With the chilling words, “Marry me, and I will smash every obstacle in your way,” Leo pulls her into a world of luxury, power, and deadly secrets. But can Sophia survive the dark underworld Leo rules? Can love truly bloom in the cracks of fear, obligation, and a past that refuses to stay buried?

“I can never be with you. I am your teacher and your elder!” What happens when the moon goddess decides to play a dirty matchmaker game and pairs up a teacher and a student as soul mates? Meet Xena Michael, a 23-year-old teacher at Cold Zone College. She had been single for 23 years, feeling like she may never find her mate. But guess what? Fate has a surprise in store for her. It turns out, her mate is none other than the Alpha's son, who is also her most brilliant student. He had just turned 18 and became the Alpha of the Silver Dominion pack. Will Xena really accept a junior and her student as her mate?

For 23 years old woman, Gia Florence went through lots of breaks up and she never been in a relationship for more than six months. All because she ends up being cheated or any other reason. She always thinking of a fairytale where the princess meets her prince charming and they live happily ever after but didn't find the right guy to be her prince charming yet until one day, she encounters Lucas Santiago who also her father's business client. She had this feeling that he is different from any of her ex and wants to get to know him. She tries various ways to get his attention but it's hard than her thought. So, she gains all her courage and tries again and again. ***** I waited for a few rings before he picks it up. "Hey Lucas, it's me, Gia," I said. "Yes, I know it's you, Miss Florence. What do you want?" He asks. "You save my number?" I ask to ignore his question. "Even if I didn't save your number, I'd probably already memorize your number because this is not the first time you call me. So, what do you want from me, Miss Florence? I am busy right now," "Come on, it's weekend. Stop working on the weekend, will you? Take a rest and enjoy the weekend." "If you don't have anything important to say, then bye." "Wait! Don't hang up yet." "Yes?" He asks and I know he annoyed right now. "Can you accompany me for dinner tonight?" I ask hoping he will agree. "No." With that, he hangs up. I look at the screen and sigh. ***** Wants to know what happens? Give it a shot! It will be a roller coaster love story but also it is worth it to read it.

Betrayed by love. Bound by revenge. Tempted by a man she never saw coming. Her world shatters when Briella discovers her fiancé and best friend making out in a club’s vip room. But heartbreak births vengeance, and her plan? Marry the enigmatic and dangerously irresistible Braun El Cueva, a man with power, secrets, and a kiss that scorches her soul. She was supposed to use him, but instead, she craves him. He was supposed to protect her, but now he wants to possess her. Can they turn a fake marriage into something real?

Two ancient royal bloodlines survived the fall of empires — not in castles or crowns, but in billion-dollar corporations and global influence. In the dazzling metropolis of Aurora Country, the Vale and Albourne families remain as symbols of wealth, power, and legacy. Bound by a centuries-old friendship, their alliance is now cemented in secret: a marriage contract between their only heirs. Valerie Vale, 22, the unseen princess, lives quietly as a team leader in the creative design department at AV Tech, the flagship company owned by both families. Free-spirited, bright, and hidden from the public to protect her rare lineage, she loves her ordinary life — and has no plans to give it up. Leon Albourne, 23, is Aurora’s golden boy. Nicknamed “The Perfect Prince,” he’s admired for his brilliance, composure, and leadership. Every move he makes is under scrutiny — except the most important one of all: marrying Valerie Vale in secret, on the eve of her 23rd birthday. Now, they must live together under one roof. To the world, Leon is married — but no one knows to whom. To each other, they are bound by duty — and three house rules. But behind Leon’s cold gaze is a truth hidden for 11 years — he’s loved Valerie since the moment they met. And now, the game begins.

A young woman's life is turned upside down when she is forced into an arranged marriage by her father. In a desperate attempt to outsmart her father's plan, she unknowingly marries the identical twin brother of her intended groom who turned out to be on a desperate hunt for a wife in order to slot in as his family's heir. By the time she discovers her mistake and her husband's true intentions, it was already too late—she had consummated her marriage with him. Will this mistake of hers become the best thing that ever happened to her, or will it be her biggest regret?

Zara Thomas is 23, broke, exhausted, and desperate. A waitress clinging to dead-end shifts and shattered dreams, her world collapses further when her mother is diagnosed with cancer.and the bills are more than she could ever afford. Out of options, out of time, and out of hope, Zara does the unthinkable: she sells one night of herself for money. She walks into a luxury hotel suite expecting shame. she meets Alexander Sterling a dangerously magnetic billionaire who strips her down with his eyes and undoes her with a single touch. One night. No names. No emotions. Just survival. Until fate twists cruelly. A week later, she lands a dream job… as his personal secretary. He’s cold, commanding, and acts like she’s invisible. But his gaze lingers. His touch remembers. And so does hers. What begins as tension spirals into a relationship laced with passion, pain, and everything neither of them expected. But just as Zara starts to believe in something more, a ghost from his past returns, lines blur between duty, desire, and something deeper, past secrets begin to surface, and one devastating truth could change everything. Will love be enough to rebuild the empire they lost or will the weight of their past destroy everything they almost had?