Ji Soo Picture

"You have a thing for kissing, don't you?" "Try starving for 3 years with your craving staring right at you. You would have this crude desire too" Romance is that one topic that triggers anxiety in Sarah Patel–A sweet and sexy realtor who had just landed a milestone in her life, a new house. Who could be better to guide her in the topic if it wasn't for her childhood best friend, Michelle Ricci– A hot Italian version of a psychiatrist. They have shared all the sweets and sours their 26 years of life have to offer. Mike's attachment to her has blossomed into something a little bit more tangible during his 3 years of overseas stay. Confessing his feelings to himself is one thing but confessing to her and earning her love in return is a whole other thing, especially with her insecurities in life, rooted deep by childhood abuse. To make matters worse, Suman Mehtra, a rich businessman barges into the picture; also after her hand in marriage. Things take the worse turn possible when Mike's moments of anger get his best and pulls Sarah down a hell path. Will he ever own her love to be cherished as his sweetheart–forever and after?

Late one night, I was scrolling through social media and stumbled upon a trending post. "Does your husband ever say you're obsessed with your brother?" One comment sat at the top with thousands of likes. The profile picture showed a cartoon girl covering her mouth, laughing. "Oh, I can answer this one! My husband used to say that too, but here's the thing: he's actually the son I had when I was 19!" Every word oozed with smug satisfaction. Some commenters tore into her, calling her manipulative and her husband a total sucker. She only got bolder. She posted a screenshot of a bank transfer with the details blurred out, right next to a photo of limited-edition sneakers. "All my son had to say was he liked them, and my husband caved! Then he gave him extra cash for a fancy dinner!” "A guy like this? If I don't milk him, who will?" I stared at the sneakers and the transfer amount. They matched exactly what I had bought for my "brother-in-law" that afternoon and the money I had just sent him. Down to the last cent. Ice shot through my veins. That sucker she was bragging about? That was me.

A rich kid offers to pay anyone who'll be his companion to a ball ten thousand dollars. My roommate stops me from responding. "He's just a rich guy fishing for fun—he's using money to play around with women! Are you going to offer yourself to him for money? We can't be gold diggers!" My mother is sick, though. She needs my scholarship money to save her life. To my devastation, my roommate latches onto a school board member and takes away my scholarship. She even mocks me. "With your looks, you could've sold yourself for money. Here's a hundred bucks to compensate you." That's not all—an AI face-swapped picture of me are posted online. Countless people harass me because of them. My mother doesn't want to drag me down, so she takes her life. I break down and choose to jump off a building. When I open my eyes again, I'm taken back to the first day of the semester. The rich kid is looking for a female companion. I immediately say, "I'm the companion you've been looking for, sir!"

Zara Adigun never believed in fairy tales especially not the kind that involved arrogant billionaires and cold, calculated marriages. But when her father fell ill and her family is drowning in debt, she agrees to a one-year marriage contract with the most powerful and emotionally detached bachelor in Lagos (Dami Adeyemi). The deal is to pretend to be the perfect couple in public, live together under strict conditions that she must comply with, and leave when the contract ends with no strings and no emotions attached. But Dami’s icy rules begin to melt as Zara’s fire draws out the man he’s buried deep beneath his grief and guilt. The closer they get, the harder it becomes to stick to the rules, until secrets from the past threaten to destroy everything they were nurturing. Jide Adeyemi—Dami’s estranged brother and Zara’s first love came into the picture to reignite old flames and dark family secrets, Zara finds herself caught in a dangerous love triangle where trust is fragile, and the truth is a weapon. Now, she must decide: 1. To follow the terms of the contract. 2. Run back to the man who once broke her heart, or 3. Fight for a love that was never meant to happen. When hearts are bound by fate, will love survive the truth?

Jane Duncan is able to secure a job at the best publishing company in the country, France Publishing, where she does her best to achieve her dream of becoming the best writer in the country. But what happens when Jane falls in love with her Superior? A love so strong that she's unable to set herself free from that, felt like she has been chained to him. That she would love him for the rest of her life as if she was bound to him. And what if a very determined ex-boyfriend comes into the picture? Will she be able to get the love she so yearns for or not? Will she be able to achieve her dreams? Have you ever fallen for someone so bad that it hurts? You get this burning sensation in your chest like someone is ripping your chest out, or maybe it's just your heart that's shattering into pieces bit by bit? Have you ever fallen for someone you knew it would be impossible to have, but you couldn't stop yourself from falling deeper? I know it sounds cliché and all, but that's how I feel right now. And the surprising part is that I don't know when it happened or how it happened, but it just did. ----Jane Duncan

Dua kali rumah tangganya tak berakhir bahagia, menjadikan Kainan Arshad sosok tak tersentuh oleh wanita. Hidupnya yang sudah menginjak usia 38, ia dedikasikan sepenuhnya untuk memajukan perusahaan. Menjadi owner sekaligus Chief Executive Officer yang dingin, datar, dan seolah tak bernyawa, membuat julukan anti romantic CEO melekat kuat padanya. Suatu hari, hidup Kainan berubah 180 derajat ketika ia membuka cabang perusahaan di kota kecil yang padat. Seorang wanita mengaku sebagai si empunya tanah yang sedianya akan ia bangun anak perusahaan. Pemilik wajah elok dengan kulit eksotik itu tidak terima jika lahannya dijadikan ladang usaha. Gantari Mahika, namanya. Ia menolak sejumlah uang yang Kainan bayarkan, karena tidak ingin kehilangan warisan dari orang tua. Hanya satu hal yang perlu Kainan lakukan, agar Mahika mengikhlaskan hal paling berharga miliknya. "Jadikan aku istrimu, maka kamu berhak atas apa yang aku punya." Cover picture from pexel.com Edit by canva free. Follow author on ig: @elitalestari563 FB: Elita Lestari

Kaia has always been an obedient daughter. Following and pleasing them was her own way of earning her adoptive parents’ love and approval. But despite her unwavering efforts to make them happy, lagi itong kulang. She always feels like an outsider, lalo na nang mabiyayaan ang mga ito ng totoong anak. When her sister came into the picture, pakiramdam niya ay lalo siyang nawalan ng pwesto sa pamilya. However, a chance to prove her worth to her family comes when an unexpected proposal lands on her lap—an arranged marriage to a stranger. She is torn at first but eventually agrees to this to prove that she’s willing to go to great lengths just to gain their acceptance. But everything takes an unexpected twist when Kaia discovers the identity of her mysterious groom-to-be: the one and only Aril Verlon E. Adriatico, her first love, who she believed was buried deep within her past. Hindi niya inaasahan na muling mag ku-krus ang kanilang mga landas. The rush of emotions, old wounds, and unresolved feelings resurface. Will Kaia find the strength to confront her past, which is also apparently her future?

“You’re mine.” “No,” she corrected, stepping closer until their chests nearly brushed. “I’m your obsession. There's a difference.” Then—again—that wicked, infuriating smirk. He leaned in slowly, lips ghosting over her ear. “I don’t share, Elara.” “Then you should’ve tried harder to keep me.” She turned and walked away, disappearing into the shadows of the garden without looking back. Killian stayed there, jaw tight, fury simmering below the surface. She thinks she’s winning. But she hadn’t seen obsession at its peak. Not yet **** Elara Beckett picture perfect life crumbles when her step sister, Ivy, stole her fiancé, Aiden, and her father’s company. Heartbroken Elara leaves then returns five years later as a successful fashion designer who is determined to take back her legacy and bring her sister down. She teams up with billionaire Killan Hayes, a ruthless man who has his own vendetta against ivy. A fake engagement is created and they work together to defeat Ivy and Aiden. In the process, sparks fly between Killan and Elara, this complicates their alliance. Dark secrets about her family and Killian's hidden motives come to light threatening to destroy everything. Elara must rise up and reclaim her destiny and find love in the chaos.

I did three years in prison for my wife, Lilian Parson. The day I got out, she handed me an envelope for her company's grand opening. Inside was a single dollar bill. For a second, I thought it was a mistake. Then I saw her colleague, Nathan Ramsey, holding his envelope—his also contained a single dollar. Relieved, I pushed my doubts aside. I smiled, stood by Lilian's side through the entire ceremony, the picture of a proud, supportive husband. That night, scrolling through Instagram, I saw Nathan's latest post. A photo of a check. [Congratulations to Lilian Parson on the grand opening! So generous—100 million as a gift!] The comments section exploded with envy and blessings, congratulating him and "the boss" on finally becoming a couple. Lilian offered no explanation. Instead, she hurried to draw a line between us. "You just got out of prison," she said coolly. "It's not a good look to go public right now. Let's keep our marriage a secret. In front of others, just call me your boss." Then she turned around and liked Nathan's post. I wiped the tears from my eyes, picked up my phone, and dialed the number of her greatest rival. "From now on, I work for you," I said.

Venessa was always the picture of innocence—a sweet, gentle soul who never knew the dark truth that kept her alive. As a child, she was involved in a tragic accident that left another girl, Sophia, fighting for her life. But a powerful, heartless billionaire had a deal to make, one that would change everything. In exchange for Sophia’s heart, her life would be traded away so that Venessa, dying from a congenital heart defect, could survive. Fast forward years later, and Venessa has grown into a beautiful young woman, blissfully unaware of the dark secret that beats inside her chest. But when Alex, a charming yet cold billionaire, entered into a contractual marriage with her , things start to unravel. Venessa is swept up in a romance with the man who, unbeknownst to her, is the son of the man responsible for her father’s untimely death. As their love deepens, Venessa uncovers a devastating truth: the heart that keeps her alive is the heart of Alex’s first love—Sophia, the very girl she unknowingly doomed. And Alex? He’s now torn between a love that could heal him and a betrayal that could destroy them both. In a tale of passion, secrets, and vengeance, Venessa and Alex must navigate a twisted fate neither of them ever saw coming. Will love conquer all, or will the truth tear them apart?