Hold Up Let Him Cook

Annalise Carter’s life shatters when her husband Sam, betrays her in the most horrifying way — revealing a secret child with another woman. Alone, heartbroken, and pregnant, she narrowly survives an attempt on her life. In the aftermath, a mysterious stranger, Aiden Blackwood — a famous designer — rescues her. What begins as a contract marriage to satisfy Aiden’s powerful mother and protect her from Sam spirals into a story of betrayal, revenge, and redemption. As Annalise fights to reclaim her life, she discovers secrets about Aiden, his family, and the dangerous forces working against her. In the end, power, love, and justice collide, forging a woman who will never be a victim again.

"I asked you a question, Olivia," he murmured. "Are you going to see him?" "No," I choked out, the word broken and final. "No, Daddy. I’ll stay. I’ll stay here with you. Just please... please..." "Good girl," he growled, the praise vibrating against my skin. "You finally learned how to beg properly." ———— Chandler Sterling came back bound by a promise—nothing more. At least, that’s what he tells himself. Olivia Perez was never supposed to matter. She was off-limits, untouchable, too young—the daughter of the one man he could never betray. Once, she was just a little girl in the background. Now, she’s grown. Defiant. Reckless in a way that gets under his skin and refuses to leave. And the more he watches her, the more something inside him starts to unravel. It begins with control—stepping in, setting limits, reminding her who she belongs to. But it doesn’t stop there. Because his anger lingers too long when she’s with her boyfriend. The thoughts he’s having were never supposed to exist. On the other hand, Olivia knows something has changed. Chandler isn’t the same man she once admired from a distance. He’s colder now. Harder. Watching her like she’s something he needs to keep in line… or something he’s trying not to take. And maybe she should be afraid of that. Of him. Of the way his control feels less like protection and more like possession. But fear isn’t what she feels. Because the line they’re standing on isn’t just dangerous— it’s already breaking.

Leah Culverton – Shannon Rivers’ roommate and fiercely loyal best friend. A stubbornly independent and free-spirited soul, Leah takes orders from no one, least of all a bossy FBI man…no matter how attractive she finds him… Larry Fuller – The FBI agent working to bring down a huge money laundering operation. With Shannon Rivers in harm’s way, it’s his job to make sure she’s safely hidden until the bad guys can be caught. But he has his hands (and his heart) full when he meets her feisty roommate, Leah.

“Ako ang nauna sa kanya sa buhay mo… Ako ang unang nagmahal sa ‘yo, Denmark. Hindi siya! Kaya akin ka na, noon pa man!” — Frances Alva Nang magdalagita si Frances Alva, alam na niya ang papel ni Denmark Mondragon sa buhay niya. Ang lalaking pakakasalan niya balang araw, ang magiging ama ng mga anak niya, ang lalaking nakalaan para sa kanya. Ngunit sa mata ni Denmark, isa lamang siyang kapatid ng kaibigan. Walang higit pa roon. Walang pagtingin. Walang puwang sa puso nito ang gaya niya. Subalit hindi niya akalain na ang tadhana mismo ang magbibigkis sa kanilang dalawa. Isang iglap, isang pagkakamaling hindi sinasadya, naabutan sila ng kapatid sa iisang kama, at nauwi sa isang kasalang mali na sa simula pa lang… dahil may ibang mahal ang binata. Ngayon, nakatali na sila sa biglaang kasal. Kasalang walang pagmamahal at puno ng sakit dahil sa paraan ng pakikitungo nito. Magkakapuwang pa kaya siya sa puso ng binata? May pag-asa pa kaya siyang mahalin ni Denmark? O mauuwi lang ito sa pusong sugatan?

I thought I understood control. As a respected dermatologist in Paris, I built my life on precision. Every decision calculated, every emotion contained. My daughter lives in excess, untouched by consequence, while I exist in quiet discipline, balancing a reputation that must never crack. But discipline is a fragile thing. Especially when temptation learns your name. Severino Haynes enters my life under the most ordinary pretense—my daughter’s tutor. Young, struggling, disarmingly honest, and entirely inappropriate in ways that cannot be justified. He disrupts the careful silence of my home with laughter, defiance, and a gaze that lingers too long to be accidental. At first, I mistake him for a distraction. Then, for a problem. I do not realize he is something far worse. A man with intent. Behind his careless charm lies a quiet resentment, one rooted in a past I unknowingly helped destroy. What begins as curiosity turns into a dangerous game. One where boundaries blur, roles collapse, and desire becomes indistinguishable from revenge. He wants to break me. And I am beginning to want him enough to let him try. But in a city like Paris, where beauty is currency and secrets are inevitable, nothing stays hidden forever. Not my double life. Not his true intentions. Not the consequences of wanting the wrong person. Especially when the cost is not just my reputation. But my daughter, my past, and everything I have built to survive it.

The day Pedro Palmer's mom was supposed to get my kidney, I ghosted. He waited outside the OR for ten hours. What did he get? A death notice. After that, he went full beast mode on his career. Five years later, his company blew up. Media darling. CEO. Power suit. And yeah, he was holding another girl's hand, all smiles for the cameras. "Do you have anything to say to Ruth Rackham? We heard she supported your early days," a reporter asked. Not even a pause. "Yeah. Thanks for vanishing. For letting my mom die with questions. For wrecking me. She taught me not to trust anyone." He stepped in closer, eyes cold. "This is what you wanted, Ruth? Too bad. Love's gone. And you? Not even worth my hate." That's when Nellie Lyon, the reporter, went pale. "Mr. Palmer... Ruth Rackham died five years ago. She was the test subject. She donated her body—before she passed..."

After the SAT results came out, Ethan Blake—the poorest student in our class—had scored just over 660. And yet, he somehow managed to convince my two childhood friends to apply with him to the worst community college in the state. Under his influence, they both happily agreed to go to the same school as him. I tried to talk some sense into them over and over, but they accused me of having bad intentions—of just being jealous of Ethan. When that didn't work, I reached out to their parents. At the very last minute before the application deadline, I managed to get their choices changed, securing them spots at a good university. Ethan had no choice but to enroll in the community college alone. Less than six months later, news broke that he had jumped from a campus building. After Jessica Miller and Megan Flores went to the school to claim his body, they came back and dragged me up to the rooftop. "If you hadn't stopped us from applying to the same school as Ethan," they said, "he never would've been bullied into jumping to his death. Now you can die with him!" Without hesitating, they pushed me off the roof. I hit the ground and shattered into pieces. When I opened my eyes again, I was back at the exact moment they decided to follow Ethan to that community college. This time, I'll just stand back and watch them throw their lives away.

I got back from a six month work trip and found my pet hamster dead. I couldn't just bury it. I wanted to preserve it, keep it whole. But when I carefully opened it up, I went still. Its lungs were pitch black. That kind of damage couldn't happen fast. It meant months of breathing toxic smoke. But my husband and I never smoked. So who'd been living in my house while I was gone?

I run into my fiancé's childhood sweetheart at the entrance of a bar on Valentine's Day. She's been drugged and is unconscious. This time, I pretend not to see her and leave without another look back. I didn't know who she was in my past life and saved her out of kindness. Then, I accidentally saw my fiancé's name tattooed on her collarbone. I thought it was just a misunderstanding until I answered her phone and heard my fiancé's voice on the other end of the line. I hung up out of jealousy and anger. I ignored the 99 calls he gave me. I took his childhood sweetheart to one of my family's hotels and made sure she was well taken care of before leaving. Unexpectedly, she was violated that night. She committed suicide out of shame. My fiancé acted like nothing happened after hearing of this. He proceeded to give me a grand wedding. Then, when I found out I was pregnant, he broke my legs and locked me up at home. I broke down and asked him why he was doing this. He laughed manically. "Averie wouldn't have been violated if not for you. She wouldn't have taken her own life! It's all your fault!" To my surprise, when I open my eyes again, I find myself back to the day I run into Averie Lancaster outside the bar.

My husband chooses to stay in a honeymoon suite with his secretary during a company teambuilding event. "I'm in poor health, so I need Mr. Lowe by my side to care for me when I'm taking a dip in the hot springs. I'm sure Elaine won't be mad because she's so generous, right?" My husband wraps an arm around her waist, sounding displeased as he says, "Ignore her. I'd have wasted my time on her if she's so petty!" Our colleagues chime in. "Exactly! It's best to get a divorce if your wife gets jealous so easily! Now, Ms. Klein is gentle and considerate. You're a lucky man, Mr. Lowe!" I'm the one who recruited all of these people into the company, yet they all now despise me. Since none of them like me, there's no need for the company to exist anymore. I text my parents. "Don't bother investing in the company anymore. I no longer want it."