Face-Slapping

The hotel called, politely reminding me that the condoms used last night were unpaid and had been charged to my membership card. I was stunned. I'd been working late until midnight and hadn't set foot in any hotel. I confronted my husband, the only person who knew my card code. Nathan Phelps looked at me, bewildered. "Honey, that hotel costs over $10,000 a night. I'd never go there. It's probably a system error. Someone must have mistyped the card number. I'll file a complaint tomorrow." Unconvinced, I called my best friend, who managed the hotel. "Tracy, check who Nathan was with at the hotel last night. I'm catching him red-handed."

I am someone you wouldn't pray showed up in your nightmares… I am no devil incarnate. I am the devil itself.I do not hunger for women, but just one became a reason for my starvation. I would exploit her meekness. I would make her beg to be mine.When I claim her, it won't be kind.It will be savage. Raw. She would fall on her knees, but it wouldn't be a reason to pray. When she parts her lips, not even a worship to the Moon Goddess would be heard, because those lips that bring me to sin would only call my name and worship my body.She was something forbidden. She was never meant to be mine. She is my father's new little wife. But I am ready to break the rules of the Bratva and the Nightshade Pack. I would spill my father's blood like paint on a canvas.

My husband's parents were stung by an unidentified venomous queen hornet and rushed to the hospital. As soon as I heard the news, I hurried to the entomology research institute to seek help from my husband, who was the director, hoping he could assist the doctors with the diagnosis. Instead, he called for security to block me at the entrance. "I don't handle work matters after hours," he said coldly. "Penny's mother is sick, and I need to go take care of her." I tried to show him the critical condition notice from the hospital, but he tore it up in one swift motion. "People die every day. So what if your dad and mom died?" After my in-laws passed away, I filed a lawsuit against Penny Madison, who had deliberately disturbed the beehive that led to the attack. My husband, who had disappeared for several days, suddenly showed up as an expert witness in court. He fabricated a false professional opinion to exonerate Penny. When I decided to leave the country, he lost his temper. "What do your parents' short lives have to do with me? Is it so hard to understand that after a long day at work, I just want to rest? And now you want to drag Penny into this mess. Just because your own family is broken, you want to ruin someone else's? How can you be so vicious? You deserve to lose your parents!" Watching his brazen attempts to twist the truth, I suddenly realized something. He still didn't know that he had become an orphan.

Isang gabi ng kahinaan. Isang lihim na hindi nakalimutan. Raine Valencia is a brilliant doctor—confident, composed, and always in control. Pero magbabago ang lahat nang tanggapin niya ang trabaho bilang private doctor ng isang masungit, strikto, at mapangahas na General ng Army. Ang hindi niya inaasahan? Ito rin ang lalaking minsan niyang pinagbigyan sa kama... limang na taon na ang nakalipas. Si General Magnus Silviera.

"Don’t talk. Just listen.” Chloe tilted her head, her eyes gleaming with cruel amusement. “Do you remember what happened on October 13th, 2014?” she asked. Mira’s eyes widened. “Why are you bringing back my pain, Chloe?” she whispered, her voice trembling. Chloe giggled, a soft, wicked sound. “On that day, you lost the one thing that ever mattered to you,” she said slowly. “The one thing you wanted so badly with Ethan… a child.” Tears gathered in Mira’s eyes. Her heart ached with the memory. But Chloe wasn’t done. She leaned closer and said, “Have you ever wondered how your son really died, Mira?” Mira’s eyes flickered with confusion and fear. Chloe smiled and sat down beside her. “You see,” she began, “when I was abroad, I had a bone marrow issue. I needed a transplant. And guess what? Ethan and I were still in contact back then.” Mira’s throat went dry. She swallowed hard but said nothing. Chloe continued, her voice dripping with pride. “Ethan was the one who brought up the idea of using Adrian’s bone marrow. Your son’s.” Mira froze, her heart pounding painfully in her chest. “Yes,” Chloe said, grinning. “He secretly brought me back to the city to get it done. And do you remember the car accident he had around that time? It was all staged. Ethan did it to cover up what happened—because Adrian couldn’t make it after the transplant.” Mira stared at her, tears spilling down her

A never-ending lie starts with a desire for something. How far can you go for the person you treasure the most? How deep can you dig to make everything go according to your plan? Solana Stone was deprived of love and yet her heart never seeks for revenge. She was forced to marry the illegitimate son of the Evans family, replacing her adoptive sister who stole her boyfriend. Her life with her husband was simple. She learned to live a comfortable life in a small house with him and later found herself falling in love with her husband. It was like magic, she was enchanted. But how can she be happy with the life she has when she’s been living in a lie?

Melissa Brant, a poor vegetable seller, from the poorest family in Rio Hondo finds herself sourcing for fund to pay her mother’s medical bills. Fanny Luis, the richest mogul in Rio Hondo offers to grant her the money but for a price. “I will give you the money but you must sign a contract marriage with my mad son.” Melissa never knew what she was opting for until she shared roof with Brian, the most violent mad man in Rio Hondo. Later Fanny reminded her, “You must give me a grandchild. Didn’t you read the contract marriage agreement?” She was a virgin and never expected to get intimate with her mad husband. Fortunately, after she helped Brian regain his sanity, obsession possessed them. “Now I am fulfilled you have regained your sanity. The contract marriage agreement says you can divorce me once you regain your sanity. Please, Brian let me go,” she pleaded. “I don’t mind losing my sanity again if I deny what this heart feels for you now. I crave to stay with you forever. To hell with the divorce,” Brian replied coldly. What will be their fate? Lets’ turn the pages. It is going to be a bumpy ride.

First day of school, and my roommate Sharon hits me with a $50k guilt trip over some "limited-edition" suitcase. "You're blind or just too dumb to walk straight?" My boyfriend? Useless. Classmates? Total sheep. The dean? Clown. Then I really looked at Sharon. Wait a sec—wasn't she the same scholarship case my family covered?

My little sister Willa? Always played the noble princess—even during the freaking apocalypse. She was pregnant and still trying to look like some graceful queen. I told her to end it. Safer that way. She slapped me. "Shut up. How can you be so heartless?" Meanwhile, I skipped meals so she and her rescue-pet gang could eat. When I collapsed from hunger, she snorted. "Drama queen. Think of it as a free weight-loss plan." I dragged her to the base, the safe zone, and nearly died doing it. She snatched the last of my rations. "The baby and I are good. Give the rest away." I died from my injuries—frozen, starving, forgotten. Willa? She got crowned a saint. Even landed the baby daddy—the Deputy Governor—and kicked off her perfect little fairytale. Then I woke up. Back to the moment she asked me to swear I'd protect her and the baby. This time, I laughed in her face. "Die for all I care."

I'm representing the Rosa family at a mafia trade summit when we're ambushed on the road. In the chaos, I get separated from the only bodyguard assigned to protect me. When I finally overcome all hurdles and make it home alive, I see him step down from the vehicle that attacked us. The Soldati line up before him respectfully. "Mr. Marco, if you like Leonora, you could just tell the Don. Why pretend to be Viviana's bodyguard? You had us chase Viviana into the dangerous Neralis Rainforest so that Leonora could appear at the trade summit. She's been missing for three days now. Shall we send our men to look for her?" Marco Santis furrows his brows, and his fingers clench around a ring carved with the Santis family's crest. "Leonora has always been insecure about being an illegitimate daughter. I haven't secured my position as heir. If I tell my father now, I'm afraid he'll never agree. As for Viviana, she's capable. She'll be fine." I realize Marco tried so hard to stay by my side for my illegitimate sister, Leonora Rosa. She's the one who drove my mother to her grave. It feels like someone had dug a hole in my chest and left it open to the cold wind. I force myself to stand and head to my father's room. "Papa, you wanted me to marry the dying heir of the Santis family. I accept."