Future Phone

I'm about to marry Andre Lawson, a Waller Street tycoon, while my boyfriend of ten years, a blue-blooded attorney, still has no idea. His first love returns from Galoria, and now his phone floods with intimate photos of the two of them reliving their Lierre League alma mater days. On Valentine's Day, he reserves a private room at one of Zradstin's top Talision restaurants and orders a mango-nut cake, completely forgetting I'm allergic to both. We end up in a full-on whipped cream fight before he recalls my allergy. When the doctor arrives, I'm the one signing the emergency paperwork alone. That's also the moment I agree to the marriage my family arranges.

“Who is he?” The cold voice asked as his broad shoulder backed the nervous fragile little being while facing the down-to-ceiling window of the luxury penthouse. Hazel doesn’t know how to explain that the man who hugged her and dragged her to a corner while leaving the restaurant was her ex. “ I said who is he?” The tall figure turned towards Hazel who swallowed hard as the cold eyes stared at her blue ones making her breathe cold air while finding it difficult to swallow her saliva and also breathe. Alex stares at his little contract wife as he brings out his phone from his pocket. “Bring him in,” he said hanging up for Hazel to frown….

My older sister Katie said she missed me and requested I visit her. The second day at her place, the apocalyptic heatwave arrived. I fought tooth and nail in the supermarket for food and coolant—she told me I'm shameless and have no self-respect. I offered a high price in the community chat for supplies—she sneered at me and said that anything stored for so long must be disgusting, contaminated by bacteria. Yet, she threw herself into the arms of the man living across the hallway just for a bit of food. While cuddled in his arms, she watched me die in the heatwave. When I opened my eyes again, I heard her on the phone saying she missed me. Well, keep on missing me!

My wife—Nancy Valente—had been "missing" for three months after some fake skiing accident. I spotted her at a bar. She was draped over Finley Bennett's shoulder, laughing like she hadn't wrecked my life. "Good thing you came up with this plan. I almost forgot what freedom felt like." Her crew kept clinking glasses, asking when she planned to pop back up. She glanced down. "Maybe in a week. I'll show up once he's lost his mind." I stayed in the shadows, watching her bask in her little escape act. Then I grabbed my phone and called a buddy at the Vital Records Office.

On our wedding day, Ethan got a call and bolted from the ceremony. Grandma was so furious she started coughing up blood, and everyone just watched. Not one person stepped in to help. I raced her to the hospital, but it was too late. She was gone before they even got her inside. Then, as I sat alone in the morgue, my phone lit up. It was Ethan. "Grace, get to the hospital. Bella's hurt and needs your blood!" "Ethan Carter, it's over between us." I ended the call, leaving the last pieces of my heart—and him—behind. Months later, he was on his knees in the pouring rain, begging for forgiveness, saying he'd do anything, give anything, if I'd only look back.

Orlando and I had been together for ten years. I'd looked after his sick mom, sweating out a fever of my own, and where was he? Knocking back drinks with Rosalind, playing therapist to her broken heart. I swallowed my pride at work, getting chewed out by my boss, while he spent the night companying Rosalind because she had cramps. Then, when I got the news my mom had passed, I tried calling him, desperate for support. But nope—phone off. After a wild goose chase, turns out he was at Rosalind's graduation. That was it. I gave up. But Orlando wouldn't let go. Red-eyed, he begged me for just one more chance.

Lamia and Kellen return to a realm different from what they left. Overrun with Senko’s creations and monsters from the underworld, they have one goal as they struggle to come to terms with their new identities. To rid the realm of Aodh and send him back to the hell hole he came from. They had faced Aodh once before in their past lives. This time round is different. They remember everything and hope they can defeat him this time. Not just for their future but the future of their realm. Love and bonds need to be healed while they prepare for a war that could cost them everything. Determined to ensure a peaceful future, Queen Lamia will stop at nothing to ensure the god of the underworld doesn’t get his hands on her or her immortal child.

My family hates me for causing my brother's death. From then on, I become a child no one loves. Meanwhile, my cousin, Evelyn Green, who looks like my brother, becomes the apple of my parents' eyes. From the age of ten to 18, my days are a cycle of beatings and forced apologies. On my 18th birthday, Evelyn wears a gorgeous gown and basks in everyone's adoration, while I'm shoved around in a maid's uniform and hit like I'm not even human. In my darkest moment, Morgan Oakley, the mafia boss, saves me. He takes me home, and step by step, wins his way into my heart. Because of him, I learn what love can feel like. He treats me like a treasure and promises me forever. However, on the day we're supposed to register our marriage, he keeps me waiting for a whole day and night. He never shows up. As I'm about to leave, my phone starts buzzing. A text from Morgan pops up. "Jasmine, I'm sorry. I ran into an enemy and couldn't make it to the city hall. A storm's coming, so make sure you get home quick!" My heart clenches in panic. I'm about to text back and ask if he's okay when Evelyn's message comes right after his. "Jasmine, I'm the one he loves. He skipped marrying you today because of me. You must be devastated, right?" Then, she sends a video. In it, Morgan holds her gently, his voice soft as he comforts her. "Evie, don't cry. You once saved my life, so I'll do anything for you. If you don't want me to marry Jasmine, then I won't. I love you. I only took her in so I could keep her close. That way, she'd be right there when you needed blood." My parents were off to the side. They chimed in tenderly, "Don't cry, Evie. Morgan loves you. He only pursued Jasmine because of your condition. You have a coagulation disorder and need transfusions of Rh-negative blood whenever you get hurt." I stagger back when I hear that, dropping my phone to the ground. So, Morgan's sudden passion is laced with poison. He only pretends to love me just so he can turn me into Evelyn's walking blood bank! Everyone goes to so much trouble to hide the truth from me just so Evelyn doesn't need to suffer from her condition! Rain mixes with my tears as they slide down my face. I stare at my phone on the pavement as bitterness floods me. A thought forms—I want to leave them forever. I want to disappear so they'll never find me again.

How do you secure both a great love and a great future? Can we have it both at the same time, when we want it to happen? What it the great love does not provide us with any assurance that that we will have a bright future as planned? Will you give up your great love in order to have a bright future? Or will you take the risk of foregoing a bright future in exchange for a once-in-a-lifetime love? Raven made the most difficult decision of her life by breaking Zebastian's heart. Zebastian Dawson is Esmeralda and Mateo Dawson's youngest son. He just came from a simple family which is why Raven's family doesn't want her to take him seriously. Raven was guided by her mother to select Axel Hayes, a well known businessman in town who owns a large car company in the country. She gave up her love to make her parents proud and to ensure her future and the good life she has had since birth. A life she believed that Zebastian is incapable of providing.. But life is full of surprises... Zebastian and Raven's paths crossed again inside the world's largest corporation where Raven needs to speak yo the CEO amd asked for assistance.. To her surprise, Zebastian owned the company and he promised to make Raven suffer in exchange for the assistance she was asking for.. A man's retaliation against a woman who turned her back on him when he had nothing to offer...

A man fades away, but not before ensuring his legacy is passed on. A boy becomes a man, and starts to awaken to his destiny. A monster lurks among men, and thus becomes more than what he is. A young woman comes to terms with her future, then works to protect the future of others. And all of this comes about from the edge of a blade, as a hero is not born, but rather made.