If I Die

I never believed in second chances. Not after Cynthia. She was my confidant… until death tore her from me and left this mansion echoing with ghosts. Inilibing ko na rin ang puso ko kasabay ng pakamatay ni Cynthia . She was my wife. My peace. My mistake. Then her daughter moved in. Liza. The forbidden reminder of everything I shouldn’t want—young, alive, reckless in ways her mother never was. She looks at me like she sees through the monster I’ve become. Sa tuwing ngingiti siya,  the ache in my chest returns—violent, dangerous, hungry. Every brush of her skin ignites something I can’t bury anymore. I tell myself it’s guilt. I tell myself I’m just protecting her. Pero ang totoo? I want her. Hindi bilang stepdaughter. Not as Cynthia’s child. I want her as mine—completely, ruinously, irredeemably mine. They’ll call me a sinner. A man who crossed the line. Ngunit sa tuwing tinitingnan ako ni Liza, trembling, wanting... I knew I’d already crossed it. I tell myself I’m protecting her, but each night, the lie weakens. Because when she looks at me, it isn’t fear I see—it’s want. And God help me... I want her too. This isn’t love. It’s a beautiful disaster. And I’d burn the world just to feel her breathe my name again.

"You're saying?" "I'm saying, I know you're avoiding me." She froze. "I see the way you look at me Tarah." Their eyes met. But she quickly looked away. "Look at me darling." He said huskily. He lifted her chin. She finally looked at him in his soul sucking eyes. "Are you attracted to me?" "No." She lied. TARAH What do you do when you feel things you never felt before? Feelings you never thought you would feel, towards someone you shouldn't feel that to. Feelings you should never feel towards your husband's brother. And what if it happens, he feels the same. What do you do? What do I do? How could I keep myself away from him, when we live under one roof. How can I not get attached to him, when he's all I am into. He showed me my darkest desires I never thought I had. He awakened my deepest feelings. He opened the door to my heart, and my damn legs as well. He was the greatest temptation that I failed to resist. I never thought of getting married through a contract. More so of falling in love with my husband's brother. EZEKIEL The marriage contract wasn't entirely legal, but still, a grooms valid name was needed. There was no second bastard son at all, and I couldn't come up with a name. So, I put my name on it. Making Tarah married to me. Yes. To me. She's married to me. Which she didn't know. And wouldn't know. I know she's just adopted, but I'll still mess around her, as planned. And what could I do? She's undeniably very pretty. So pretty. I wanted her attention on me. I want her. I want my wife. I want what's mine. I'll do everything to get her.

"Chloe Hades Mondragon, do you take Mr. Hanz Levi as your beloved husband for the rest of your life till death do you part?" Halos mahilo ako sa sobrang kaba ng sandaling sambitin ng pari ang mga katagang Yun, hindi ako makasagot na Tila ba nalunok ko na ang aking dila. "Ms. CHLOE I will repeat... Do you take Mr. Hanz Le-" Para akong nagising sa isang panaginip ng biglang may pwersang humapit sa bewang ko, at bumulong sa tenga ko. " What are you doing! Do you want to D*e!!" He whisper cold in my ears making me feel the shivers all over my body, my hands which is holding the ring shakes as i look at the man's dark eyes, glaring at me.. Because of fear I was force to marry him.. "I--I do" I lost, I can't run away from him now..if I know his real identity before then I shouldn't agree with this Arrange marriage... Now I'm OFFICIALLY married to him, I'm afraid that I can't live my life like I used to.. My family are in danger, my life is not the same.. Why did all of this happen to me? What did I do wrong to deserve all of this.. I'm a good person, I didn't hurt anybody.. Why me? I want to live a normal life, I want to study and travel all around the world, I want to have a job, I have a lot of dreams for me and my family.. But why all of that change? All my dreams crumbled that easy.... I guess I need to deal with this, I need to be strong.. Please hold on Chloe.. You can survive with this.

I thought I could bury the secret that I have been keeping all my life That was what I assumed. There really is no secret that you can't unravel. I'm Almira, this is our story.

"Get up, I'm hungry. Cook for me NOW!" The authoritative tone jolted me awake, not giving me a moment to freshen up or even change. We don't sleep side by side; he stays in the master bedroom while I occupy the guest room. He can't stand being near me. It hurts deeply when those words come from him, but it's a recurring pattern. I hurriedly made my way downstairs, still tying the robe around me. In the kitchen, I began preparing his breakfast. You see, I'm his secret wife. No one knows except our parents and a few friends. Since we got married, not a day goes by without him reminding me that he doesn't love me. Not a day goes by without him hurting me. But that's alright because, as I've mentioned, I love him so much that I'm willing to do anything just to earn his love in return. A single tear escaped and fell onto the clove of garlic I was chopping. I quickly wiped it away. From the corner of my eye, I noticed Manang watching me. I took a deep breath to regain my composure before turning to her with a forced smile. "I'm sorry; I got emotional over garlic." I lied.

I WAS walking confidently on the red carpet. Today is the event of the Cohen Modelling Agency. The paparazzi immediately went after and lots of flash stroke in my eyes. I'm a bit nervous while walking in the midst of the red carpet. I chose the right path. This is what I want. Even though I chose my career and my unborn child, my heart was still empty. I opted to leave him and break up with him. I opted all of this that's occuring around me. Fame, money, and being a beautiful woman. Until I'd decided to walk inside the event. I grasp my clutch tightly when I saw how exquisite the ambience of it. The huge chandelier at the center and waves of people were chattering inside. I held up my chin and continue to walk and I saw Sophia walking towards to my direction. "You're just in time," she exclaimed. "Come with me..." "Okay..." Nakita ko yung pamilyar na lalaki na nakatayo. I felt my heart thumping so crazily. And butterflies were twisted in knots inside of my stomach when our gaze met. It's been a days... I haven't seen him. The last time I saw when I broke up with him inside of his office. My hands began to shudder in nervous. And his wife is there beside him. I smiled. This is what I want, right? To let go of him? "Oh, Miss Portugal," he acknowledged. "Good evening, Mr. Cohen..." We used to be sweet with each other. He used to snake his arms around my waist and whispering to me all the sweet things. But that was before... I knew we can't continue this kind of relationship. It is too forbidden. Too forbidden to taste because I'll get addicted to it again and again.

I am a headstrong woman. A black ship to my family. And a rebel to the society. Not until I met a stranger who blames me for something I am not even aware of and the next thing I knew, I became his prisoner.

I was staring at Leion. He was kneeling in front of me, begging like he would lose half of his life when I left him. "This is what you want, from the very beginning, right?" I said, while smiling from ear to ear, before I sipped on my red wine. I didn't know that red wine taste so sweet, when I feel the victory, I know I will win this one, because loathe makes me stronger, I will feel nothing, if not anger, resentment and pain. I am numb, and the day Leion hurt my feelings, over and over again. But now, look at him, acting like he loves me and he cares for me, that if his feelings are true, why couldn't he do it then? "Aubrey, I am begging you, please—" "Do you remember the day I begged you to stay, because I am weak and tired from all of your bullshits, I gave you patience and all the understanding, and now, do you think all of the so called kindness that you show me lately is enough to forgive all the things you've done to me?" "Why are you so heartless?" Leion said while his tears running down to his cheeks, a crocodile tears, I will never be taken away again. "My love, you're the reason, now deal with it."

Tres Salveirus, my gay bestfriend for six years. But one day he confessed that he was 0% gay—that he's only pretending to be because he doesn't know how to court me. My dislike of liars was the reason for the destruction of our friendship. I rejected him on the spot and slapped him with painful words. I called him a liar, a pervert because I once let him see my nudity since I am a model for lingerie brands, and accused him of exploiting my lack of idea about his gender. I actually told him to leave and never come back. But when he left, I was coated with heartbreaks realizing that I loved him too late, missing his presence, that I almost never gave up looking for him on social media but still no avail. It took five years his image is still in my head and I am coated with regret for pushing him away. I never thought that when we meet again, I will see him as an unreachable man. His Tres Salveirus name has now become Third Zachary Salveirus Deluco, reason why I can't search him in any corner of social media. And apart from being the CEO, I didn't think he was a member of the Deluco Titans—the dominant people in the field of business. I know I made a pledge to the eternal god that once I meet him again, I will not miss the opportunity to bring him back to me, but how can I do that if he is that high? I'm just a lowly lingerie bands model while he's a billionaire. Do I still have the courage to chase him?

"I had you once and I'll definitely HAVE YOU BACK AGAIN, and that's a PROMISE." My whole body shivered as he said those words... But I won't show him that I'm scared. I looked at him straight in the eyes with so much bravery even though I'm scared to his so called PROMISE. "You won't." I don't want to go back in his arms again. I don't want to go back to the person who broke my heart before... I don't know why he wants me back but on thing is for sure... I'm not the BILLIONAIRE'S QUEEN even from before up until now...