Excitedly

Keep your friends close, sleep with your enemies if you can. It’s not the original quote, of course, but it would sure as hell have been if I had invented the quote. If anybody understood the quote completely, it would have to be my parents. You don’t see people receiving dinner invites from their biggest rivals with such enthusiasm like they do. They chatter excitedly in the back of the limo about how much fun tonight’s dinner party, organized by the Sinclairs, founding family of one of the biggest real estate agencies in the country. Alexandra Bennett's life takes an unexpected turn when she is forced into an arranged marriage with the brooding billionaire, Adrian Sinclair. Beneath their initial attraction lies a tempest of conflicting desires and hidden agendas. As they navigate their unconventional relationship, a shocking twist threatens to expose a long-buried secret, testing their trust and love. Will Alexandra and Adrian overcome the storm that looms over their relationship, or will their shared past and undeniable connection crumble under the pressure?

I receive news of my husband being hospitalized after accidentally eating mushrooms causing hallucinations. I ignore the pain in my sprained ankle and limp to the hospital. When I enter the hospital ward, my husband sidesteps me. Instead, he excitedly throws his arms around the young woman behind me. "You're finally here, honey! I missed you so much!" The young woman gives me a challenging look. Then, she wraps her arms around his neck and kisses him, her face red. They cling to each other and act all lovey-dovey like there's no one with them. After a while, my husband seems to realize I'm there. He scratches his head in embarrassment, looking like a young man who's just fallen in love. "Mom has done a good job in maintaining her appearance, honey. She doesn't look like she's 50 at all."

Tyla never imagined that the person she loved could bring her to the brink of death. As a vulnerable Omega working as the Prince's personal maid, she fell in love with Reynold, and after three years of dating, she dreamt of a future together. Her hopes were like a dream come true when she learned that Reynold was her Mate, filling her with joy. Excitedly, she shared the news with him, expecting to see his happiness, only to face rejection. Tyla soon discovered that Reynold was set to marry Loara, the Alpha's daughter, in just two days. While dragging the matter, Loara was fueled by anger and pushed Tyla, causing her to hit her head and bleed. Scared of the consequences, Reynold and Loara dumped her at the edge of the pack territory, abandoned in favor of another pack. As Tyla gasped for breath, fearing for her life, a group of soldiers arrived to rescue her. Among them is Arthur, the Lycan Alpha, who happens to be her second chance mate Now, for a weak Omega like Tyla, what will it mean to have a second chance mate who is a powerful Lycan Alpha? How will she navigate this unexpected turn of events?

My brother wants to become the godson of a Mafia don. As his sister, I was picking out his burial plot. In my last life, I overheard the truth that the selection wasn’t an honor but a suicide mission—used once, then erased. I did everything I could to stop him, but he cursed me for blocking his path to power. With no other choice, I secretly called the police. So, my brother was arrested; his dream shattered. Instead, someone else took his place, and during a bloody shootout, that man proved himself. He became the don’s sole successor. Our family lost its home, paying the price for offending the Mafia. My parents and my brother went insane. Convinced everything was my fault, the three of them worked together and buried me alive in the hills behind town. When I opened my eyes again, I was back on the day my brother excitedly announced he was going to take part in the selection. Looking at his stupid, clueless face, I smiled. This time, I’ll watch with my own eyes as he becomes nothing more than a replaceable lapdog.

In the tenth year of my diagnosis with selective mutism, my mother decided it was time to bring home a little brother for me from an orphanage. Her eyes immediately landed on a boy in the back row, but the head of the orphanage opposed without hesitation. "Ms. Lane, this kid has been nothing but trouble since he was small. Just two days ago, he made an old man on crutches play goalie. If you take him home, your life will never be peaceful!" I looked on without the slightest interest. My mother, however, was exhilarated. Pointing at the boy, she declared excitedly, "Then, he's exactly the one I want!" And suddenly, lines of bullet comments scrolled before me. 'The mom cracks me up. Her eyes practically sparkled like spotlights.' 'Our brooding female lead grew up friendless. Her mom's been worrying about that for years. Now she's found this rascal, there's no way she's letting go.' 'Honestly, fate is wild. The mom instantly picks her future son-in-law. In their past lives, the female lead died trying to save him. Now that they've both been reborn, maybe they'll finally get a second chance together.'

After my best friend, Amber Stone, gets addicted to gambling, she excitedly tells me that she wants to take me to Las Gavas on a trip all of a sudden. "I just won a huge sum of money! I'll treat you to a night in a grand, luxurious hotel there!" But after the plane lands on the tarmac, Amber leads me into a private room tucked away in the depths of a casino. "The truth is, the casino's boss is looking for a woman with a crescent-shaped birthmark. If she's found, all debts will be cleared on the spot. "Don't you have one on your belly? I saw it when you were taking a shower in the past! I'm so sorry, bestie, but I really don't want to die!" While I get pinned on the couch by four men, I suddenly notice a child's doodle being hung on the wall. It was a doodle I had drawn for my father before I got kidnapped. He viewed it as his treasure and told me that he'd cherish it forever. I perk up immediately at the sight. A sneer appears on my face soon enough. Oh, Amber… You definitely have won this time. Unfortunately for you, you won't gain anything.

WARNING: MATURE CONTENT Emily Simpson believes she would get her happy ever after and can't wait to say her vows to Brian, the love of her life but her dreams are shattered when Daniel Straw walks into the church. Daniel straw, the leader of the "Blood Dragon Mafia gang is known to be ruthless and is greatly feared by everyone in Texas. What most people don't know is that he doubles as the Alpha of the Blood Moon Pack. Having stayed twelve years without being mated to anyone, Daniel has long given up on the possibility of ever having a mate which is why he feels extremely surprised when he gets mated at the age of thirty. He excitedly searches for his mate and finds her in a church, ready to tie the knot with another man. What is worse, he realizes that she is a human. Disappointed, Daniel decides to reject Emily but changes his mind when he overhears a conversation her fiance makes on the phone. He ends up marrying her forcefully and takes her captive. Emily displays nothing but hatred for the seemingly cold-hearted Mafia boss and wants to reunite with her Brian at all costs. Daniels's heart finally softens and he chooses to let Emily go despite his love for her. But, what happens when Emily realizes that she is not yet ready to let go of her captor?

When Lisa's stepfather's advances became too much for her jealous mother, she framed Lisa, accusing her of having an affair with her stepdad and throwing her out. Lisa seeks solace at a club, only to drown her sorrows in a night of heavy drinking. This leads to a fateful encounter with Branden, a mysterious stranger who rescues her from a predatory man at the club after he falls for her upon seeing her for the first time. As the night unfolds, Lisa's life takes a surreal turn when she ends up in Branden's bed, only to wake up the next morning with no memory of what transpired. A month later, Lisa discovers she's pregnant, and the only clue to the father's identity lies in the hazy memory of that wild night. Returning to the scene of the encounter, she meets Jim, Branden's younger brother. She goes ahead to tell him, believing he's the father, but is shocked as she's been interrupted by the famous and wealthy Branden Grevor. Confusion ensues when Jim excitedly claims he's the father, leaving Branden stunned that his brother had been intimate with his guest. As tensions rise between the brothers, Lisa flees in confusion, leaving her torn between two brothers and a truth she never expected. Will the truth tear the brothers apart? Who is actually the father of Lisa's child? Can Lisa find love and acceptance amidst the tangled web of betrayal and blurred lines?

I've been in a relationship with my brother's best friend, Emilio Slater, for three years, but he's never been willing to make our relationship public. Still, I never doubt his love for me. After all, he's been with 99 women before, yet he stops looking at anyone else because of me. Even if I have a slight cold, he drops billion-dollar projects and rushes home to take care of me. But on my birthday, when I'm excitedly preparing to share the news of my pregnancy with Emilio, he forgets my birthday for the first time and vanishes without a trace. The housekeeper tells me he's gone to pick up someone important from the airport. I rush there and see him holding flowers, his face full of nervous anticipation, waiting for a woman—one who looks strikingly like me. Later, my brother tells me she's Emilio's first love, the one he can never forget. Emilio defied his parents for her, and he fell apart after she dumped him. He sought out 99 women who resembled her to fill the void. My brother speaks with admiration for Emilio's deep devotion, unaware that I'm one of those stand-ins. I watch Emilio and his first love for a long, long time. Then, I return to the hospital without hesitation. "Doctor, I don't want this child anymore."

Stanley Porter, my wife Jessica Evans’ close male friend, and I are both competing to be the next fire captain. In my first lifetime, I was chosen by a unanimous vote. On my very first night on duty as captain, Jessica came over to the fire station to celebrate with me. Sticking to my duties as captain, I didn't touch a single drop of alcohol. Yet, after drinking the chicken soup Jessica gave me, I fell into a deep sleep. That night, a massive fire broke out in the old district, resulting in the deaths of 58 people. Because I missed the station's alarm, I was accused of dereliction of duty and labeled as the main person responsible for the tragedy. The enraged families of the victims ended up beating me to death. In my second lifetime, I withdrew my name from the selection for captain. I handed the badge over to Stanley instead, saying, "You're better suited to be captain than I am." I'd assumed that this was enough to ensure that the fire couldn't be pinned on me. Yet, when the authorities looked into the fire, they ended up seeing me appear in the security footage from where the fire began. Everyone assumed I'd deliberately started the fire to get back at Stanley out of jealousy for losing out on the captain position. I now open my eyes again to live my third life. I watch as Stanley excitedly gives his speech on the podium after being made the captain. This time around, I submit a request for annual leave and take a cab straight to the airport.