Hugs Pillow

After my girlfriend's father hit someone with a car, he took his own life because he didn't want to get arrested. But in doing so, he left behind a huge debt he had racked up. In order to help my girlfriend pay off the compensation, I work around the clock as a food deliveryman. Every day, I sleep less than four hours just to squeeze in more work. But when I finish delivering a new order, I notice a man clad in a bathrobe standing in front of me at a hotel suite's doorway. He's completely covered in hickeys. A young woman dressed in a sexy nightgown hugs him from behind. "I'm absolutely famished right now because of how long you've been tormenting me in bed earlier, darling! Hurry up and grab the takeout!" I can only stare at the woman, completely shell-shocked. That's when the bag of takeout slips off my fingers and crashes onto the floor. The woman takes a step backward. Her brows drawn into a frown, she exclaims, "How are my boyfriend and I supposed to enjoy the food now that it's all dirty?" After that, she kicks the takeout at me right away, spilling grease all over my clothes. I remain rooted to the spot, still stunned. This woman… is Irene Swensen, my girlfriend who's about to get engaged to me.

Sometimes, love isn't just about a feeling. It's not just hugs and kisses. It's not just I love you's and I miss you's. There's more to love if we choose to see what's beyond it. There's sacrifices. Yeah, a sacrifice is truly one of the truest forms of love. Kasi naman, hindi ka naman magsasakripisyo kung hindi mo mahal, diba? You choose to sacrifice because there's more at stake than your feelings alone. Kaya kahit mahirap at masakit, you will always end up choosing the right thing to do. Iyon ang nasa isip ni Hope. Kapag magmamahal siya, she will be more than willing to sacrifice for that person. Dala-dala niya ang thought na 'yon everyday. What she didn't know is that it is easier to say it than do it. Kasi naman, she was never in love before. Hindi niya alam na ganoon pala kahirap kapag nasa sitwasyon ka na. Then there goes Sir Troy who came to her life one day. Bigla-bigla. Walang sign. Walang babala. Iyon na sana, kaso reality has its own way of slapping her. He's an instructor. She's his student. It's forbidden. Now, she's stuck between fighting for that love and letting go. Alin ba ang dapat gawin?

On my 16th birthday, I treat myself to the most delicious cake I can find. On that day, before I can even take a bite, my parents, who are always at odds with each other, sign their divorce papers right in front of me. So, on my wedding day, I tell my wife, Keira Jarrett, "If you ever want a divorce, just get me a birthday cake." She hugs me tightly and promises me."Don't worry. 'Birthday' won't even be a word in our home anymore." Seven years later, on Keira's birthday, her assistant, Jackson Price, throws her a surprise party. She slaps him across his handsome, gentle face and kicks him out of Jarrett Group. That day, I am convinced I have chosen the right woman for life. But three months later, on my birthday, I find out the supposedly fired Jackson has been promoted to Keira's personal secretary. He personally delivers a custom-made birthday cake to me. I call Keira to demand an explanation, but her voice on the other end is cold and distant. "Jack meant well. Don't be a spoilsport." I freeze for a moment, then hang up. It turns out my parents are right all along. The only way a birthday cake tastes right is when it's served with divorce papers.

In the coastal quiet of Baler, a studio is born—not of architecture, but of intention.* Founded by Yam, a poet whose words cradle pain gently, and Franc, an artist who paints tenderness into walls, the studio becomes a refuge for those learning to stay—with grief, love, longing, and themselves. As visitors arrive, they leave behind more than footprints: a sigh recorded in bamboo, a poem tucked into the “Found Letters” shelf, a mural painted in crooked lines. Through zines, tea, silence, and sketchbooks, the studio teaches softness as revolution. Ren creates the *Window of Soft Returns*, an installation of anonymous voice recordings—each whisper forming a community of echoes. Drew builds the *Staircase With No Wrong Turns*, inviting people to walk through emotions without shame. Franc offers brushstrokes as brave work, and Yam curates writing circles that map healing in half sentences. Together, they host festivals that feel like hugs, and they begin traveling their archive, letting softness cross oceans. Even those who once left—like Miguel—return, discovering that some doors never truly close. Others, like Tala, capture the studio’s sound and turn it into a podcast of breath and becoming. Over seventy chapters, the studio transforms into something larger than itself: a mural of memory, a sanctuary for second chances, a place where return is sacred and voice is proof of survival. In the final bloom, the studio stands not as a monument—but as a reminder: > *“Staying isn’t easy. > But chosen together, > it becomes home.”*

Stabbed in the Back by her so-called mother-in-law, husband, and Bestfriend. Hannah Rodriguez was fired from her place of work and at the same time, she received a call from her lawyer that her husband had filed for a divorce. Heartbroken she ran to her best friend’s house to cry out her despair but she unexpectedly saw her husband having sex with her best friend. She felt her heart torn into pieces, she decided to go home to cry on her pillow only for her to meet a more heartbreaking scene, her mother-in-law had thrown her things out of the house. She felt more than heartbroken, having nowhere else to go she was left on the street where she was kidnapped and raped. She unexpectedly woke up on the street with her clothes torn and marks on her body. Shamed and humiliated, she packed her stuff and left the country.Fast forward, five years later. Hannah is back with a set of Beautiful octuplets, ready to make the people that hurt her in the past pay for what they did to her but what happened when a mysterious man came from nowhere claiming he was the father of the octuplets? What happens when she finds out the man has a striking resemblance with her octuplets?

The day Seraphina Lovelace steps out of prison is also the day her boyfriend dumps her. For him, she has been imprisoned for three years, but he betrays her, getting engaged with another wealthy girl. What's worse? He even sends killers to kidnap Seraphina to prevent her from divulging secrets. To avoid the killers, Seraphina serves as a waitress in an underworld criminal bar. One night, she happens to save a seriously injured young man. His name is Alfred, and the surname he conceals from Seraphina is Vanderwood. Vanderwood, the Alpha King Family. When Seraphina is about to be killed by the bar's boss, Alfred saves her. Finally, she knows his identity. The new Alpha King, also the most powerful were-wolf in the world. Seraphina thinks he will kill her as well since she once tied his wrists, pressed him against the pillow, and almost had a forced kiss with him. But he doesn't. The only thing he asks Seraphina to do is pretend to be his cousin. Excuse me? What the hell is he saying? Seraphina finds it ridiculous, but Alfred is serious. It seems like Seraphina has no better choice but to agree with his requirement. However, she has no idea that when she says "yes" to Alfred, she also selects a path that she is unable to turn back. Become Alpha King's Faked Cousin is created by Cara TaleSmith, an eGlobal Creative Publishing signed author.

"Ahhhh," I moaned into the pillow, not wanting the neighbors to hear as they would immediately tell Mom about it. "Ahhhh," this time it came out louder as I felt a shockwave of ectasy and satisification go through my body. This was the best feeling ever. Suddenly, a gentle night breeze blew through my open window, My curtains fluttered open, and I looked up to find myself face to face with those breathtaking green eyes, they were like two emeralds glittering from his dark room, it was like they could see right through my soul, Aamon Blackwood!!! My heart skipped a beat as our eyes met across the distance. I felt a wave of panic wash over me. Had he seen everything? I tried to sit up, to cover myself, but it was too late. My bully, step brother had just seen me pleasuring myself! Gosh! * * * Haven is a simple wolf human hybrid girl living her simple life, she likes to publish erotic novel online under a hidden name. She secretly has been crushing on the ice hockey captain Ryder since they were in highschool but she has never gathered the guys to tell him. One day, her annoying stepbrother, Aamon discovers her secret and blackmails her into becoming his "servant". Will they keep their relationship strictly just slave and master? Or will they break all boundaries and fall into temptation?

I dated my younger brother’s best friend, Dylan Lane, for three years. More than once, he told me how much he loathed arranged marriages and how he hated being chained by family interests. However, one night, after another bout of indulgence, he wrapped his arms around me and begged me sweetly to design a wedding ring for his fiancée—someone he had never even met. The smile froze on my face, yet he just said indifferently, “Aren’t people like us all destined to marry for our families' benefit?” Seeing the blood drain from my face, he even chuckled. “Vee, don’t you tell me you're still as naïve as a 20-year-old girl, thinking I would ever marry you? At most, we're just… pillow friends." Later, I agreed to the marriage my family had arranged for me. Dylan showed up on my wedding day, disheveled and red-eyed. He fell to his knees and begged me not to leave. I stood beside my new husband, hand in hand, and smiled faintly as I chuckled. “Didn’t you say people like us were born for arranged marriages? I’m simply doing what you always wanted me to do. Shouldn’t you be happy?”

In my previous life, I had married Luca Corleone, the most handsome Underboss in Cisilia. Everyone was envious of me. They all claimed that I became one of the most noble women in the country. My twin sister, Lia Rossi, went mad with jealousy. She pushed me down the stairs afterward. When I was at my weakest point due to a miscarriage, she used a pillow to smother me to death. When I open my eyes again, I've returned to the day the family meeting on the upcoming marriage alliance is held. Upon returning to the lounge, I witness Lia straddling Luca, clearly engaging in physical intimacy with him. Her legs are spread widely as her body rocks with every powerful thrust. "You came far too late, Elvira." Lia pants heavily while shooting me a smug look. "I'm the woman Luca loves now. See, we're even coupling with each other. In this lifetime, I shall be the one marrying him!" Everyone looks at me, waiting for me to back off from this relationship while suffering from a mental breakdown. But I just chuckle in return. Oh, my dear Lia… All she knows is that Luca is young, handsome, and insanely wealthy. But what she doesn't know is that he has a secret room tucked away in his bedroom that's completely filled with toys and tools meant to torture women. At the same time, he also plans to share her with the rest of his subordinates.

After the real son, Asher Vale, was brought back, everything in our house became tied to drawing lots. The chef of the day, who would have to cook a particular person's preferred dishes, had to be decided by drawing lots. Even our parents' kisses and hugs were chosen the same way. I always drew the short stick. The long stick, by default, belonged to Asher. He never had to do anything to receive our parents' love. Whenever I felt it was unfair and wanted to cry, Mom would scold me sharply, "I bought the lot-drawing box because I was afraid you'd feel hurt. I wanted to be fair to both of you. If you want something, decide it yourselves. Your father and I won't interfere. If you can't draw the long stick, you can only blame your bad luck." So I began practicing every day, shaking the box diligently, over and over, in hopes that one day, it would help me earn my parents' love. Unfortunately, for ten years, I never once drew the long stick. Until my birthday. Asher wanted to go to the amusement park, and Mom once again told us to decide by drawing lots. I secretly glued the two short sticks together and handed them to Mom, hoping to keep her with me. She slapped me hard across the face, screaming that I was cheating and disobedient. Then she stormed out of the house with Asher. When I fell to the ground, the short stick stabbed deep into my neck. 'I'm sorry, Mom. Next time, I'll work harder. Next time, I'll definitely draw the long stick.'