Lemari Wine

At our Thanksgiving family dinner, my stepbrother brought his beautiful girlfriend to meet the family for the first time. She held up her wine glass and flashed me a malicious smirk. “I heard you had a first love you can’t forget, Summer.” I kept my head low and focused on my food, unsure how to respond. After all, my first love… was her boyfriend. When I was seventeen, my stepbrother Ethan Cole tricked me into crossing the line we should never have crossed, while our parents were blissfully unaware. Even right now, under the table, his foot was rubbing mine sensually. He did not bother holding back. On the table, he held his girlfriend’s hand tenderly as he mocked me with a smirk, “You’re twenty-seven, sis. Your shelf life is running out, and you’re such a plain Jane. Who would ever want you?” I stood up abruptly and looked at him, my tone calm and resolute. “I’m married, Ethan.”

Ilang beses na naghanap ng trabaho si Gianna para kumita at nakahanap naman ito ng trabaho sa isa sa pinakamalaking kompanya ng inumin sa Pilipinas. Pero sa hindi nya inaasahang pagkakataon magiging boss pala nya ang taong kina-iinisan nya ng gusto at ito ay si Francis Locan the CEO and President of one of the most famous Wine Company in the Philippines, The Golden Scenery. Cold ito at ayaw sa mga taong pera lang ang habol sa kanya. Pero sa kabila ng malalamig nitong mga mata ay nakakubli ang secretong tinatago nya ng mahabang panahon. Meron itong karamdaman na tinatawag na monochromacy disorder , kaya't hindi ito nakakakita ng mga kulay at malabo rin ang paningin nito kumpara sa normal na tao. Ngunit nang makilala nya si Gianna hindi nya maipapaliwanag kung bakit nakikita nya ang kulay ng dalaga. Kaya gumawa ito ng paraan para gamitin si Gianna para tuluyan na itong gumaling. Pero habang tumatagal ay nagiging totoo na ang nararamdaman nya sa dalaga kahit na ilang beses man nya itong balewalain. Ayaw nya mang tanggapin pero sya narin mismo ang nahulog sa sarili nyang patibong. At paano kaya kapag bumalik ang unang babaeng inibig nito sino nga ba ang mas mahalaga sa puso nya? Ang babae bang una nyang minahal o ang babaeng handang mahalin sya kahit anong oras at pagkakataon? Paano kaya kapag nalaman ni Gianna na planado ang lahat ng ipinaparamdam sa kanya ng lalakeng natutunan na nyang mahalin? Mapapatawad nya pa kaya ito o pipiliing umalis dahil sa nasaktan nyang puso?

I wheel myself into the birthday celebration that Wales Price has thrown for me. The atmosphere is originally lively, but a brief silence descends when everyone sees me. The guests are there for different purposes, but celebrating my birthday is not one of them. "Is that Mr. Price's crippled fiancée, Joey Hertza?" "Yeah, but the one he really loves is Anna Giovanni. I saw them kissing in a corner earlier." They use their wine glasses to block their mouths as they speak loudly. They think I'm still the crippled deaf I used to be. They don't know that I regained my hearing last week. I can hear every mocking comment they make. Meanwhile, Wales stands there and allows it to happen. He doesn't stop the guests from talking about me. He seems to have forgotten that I only ended up like this while protecting him. I shoved him away when the accident happened and got trapped underneath the car myself. When I was rescued, Wales swore to stay with me and care for me for life. It's only been three short years since then, but he's already changed. I receive a message on my phone. "Ms. Hertza, the lifelike corpse that you've ordered is now complete. Reply to this message with your confirmation, and your death-faking service will be immediately effective. We will send the corpse to your and Mr. Price's wedding in five days." I don't even hesitate as I reply with my confirmation. Enjoy your wedding, Wales.

Maxine is arguably the most bitter girl in town. Ever since her ex-boyfriend Leander left her, she has been rude to all men. It all started at a nightclub. Maxine was sad, sulking and drunk at the counter. She was still asking for many bottles of wine, but the bartender already refused her because she was already drunk. She was broken; she loves Leander so much, but he cheated on her. She thought he was the kindest man she'd ever known. Maxine couldn't even walk properly, she swayed and she almost fell. But the next moment she knew, she had already fallen to a man chest. And that was the time she met Law. The moment she looked up to see it. She saw her past. Her past that keeps hurting her till now. It was her last day here at the clubhouse and she promised herself that she would never come back here, but the pain of yesterday returned when she saw him. Leander and him look similar Law was a bit surprised when Maxine grabbed his white collar and kissed him aggressively. And that was the first and last encounter they had. Amari pulled her sister away from the unknown man. One year later. Maxine changed a lot, she was bitter and hot tempered as always. Maxine can't accept that her sister is getting married. She didn't want it to be like her who would only get hurt at the end. She was pissed, so she walked out of Amari's wedding venue with no one knowing. Destiny seems hilarious and playful. Law finally found her in the parking area. Maxine can't remember everything about him. But since that day, it seems destiny is really bringing them closer because Law Del Fierro is also her new Boss.

On the day before the marking ceremony, my Alpha mate, Zev Briarwood, is wounded in a battle and loses his memory. He forgets everything… including me. To help him restore his memories and Alpha pride, I go all out. I seek out an evil witch to trade my precious heartblood and fangs for her magic, nearly dying in the process. I sketch jewelry designs day and night, selling them just to earn money and to find every possible memory cure. When I drag my battered body to visit Zev at the clinic, I overhear him laughing with his buddies. "Your acting's next level, Zev! Kira still hasn't figured out you're faking it, and you've delayed the marking ceremony!" A buddy snickers. Zev gulps his wine and grins. "I'm definitely winning the bet that I'd sleep with 100 women at parties. Once I've had my fun, I'll go back to her for my mate duties and complete that marking ceremony."

My mate-to-be, Ethan, said he had some urgent work come up right before our planned full moon trip. He bailed. I was missing him like crazy, so I immediately drove for over ten hours to his city. I hadn’t told Ethan I was coming. There I was, flowers in hand, standing outside his mansion, ready to give my destined mate a sweet surprise. But then I caught the mixed scent of Ethan and another female werewolf. The scent was sickeningly familiar. Amber Collins. Ethan’s ex-mate. I fought back the burn in my nose, my eyes already red, and pushed the door open. And what did I see? Them, sharing a glass of red wine, cuddled up, practically on top of each other. When Ethan finally noticed me, he jerked his arm away from Amber, walked stiffly over, his voice laced with panic. "Scarlett, why didn't you tell me you were coming?"

My dormmate invites me to a college mate's engagement party. I choose an expensive tailor-made gown for the occasion. When I arrive at the hotel, I see several of my former classmates are already there. Everyone looks like they're doing well—they're wearing expensive clothing. Someone is even wearing something from a luxury brand. As soon as I enter the private room, a familiar classmate rolls her eyes at me. "Look at who it is—the woman who was once the most outstanding student in our class. You're dressed so plainly for such an important occasion." Everyone is circled around the classmate who's wearing something from a luxury brand. They ignore me. Only our former class monitor clinks glasses with me and consoles me softly. "It's good enough that you're here. You're dressed plainly, but don't give up. You'll succeed one day." I sip my wine and smile. "My outfit may not be too opulent, but it's an expensive, tailor-made piece. It's 100% handcrafted by a master designer."

"Do you trust me, Hailey?” he asks as he looks deep into my eyes. Our eyes locked and the whole world fades away, it looks deep in my soul as if the answer to his question is there. Thinking about it my mind tries to come up with something not to trust him but nothing. “a little... maybe” is all I could say, while I take another sip of the wine still locked onto his gaze. “If I asked that you must submit to me with your whole body, will you?” his voice was husky. Again, I do not know what to answer. Can I give in just for one night? Would I give in for once, to feel for once how it would feel to be desired? To know how it would feel to be the only one he wants even if it was not real. Even if it was just for one evening. Not trusting my voice, I slowly nod. My Angel, will you break the spell? Are you my only true love? Lying next to her, I take her in my arms as she places her head on my chest. Soon I drifted off to sleep. What happens when myth and reality come together to find love?

Aceia Louise Christenson was living her life to the fullest. She was using her family wealth to live her lavish life, but that ended when she got into a scandal: "You were kissing a married man. What were you thinking? I didn't raise you as a family wrecker." That was what her father said, and she knew that she was doomed. But what makes her feel more wretched is when she hears about her father's decision. "You need to marry Hudson Blake Vasco—" In other words, she needed to get married to a stranger in order to clear her name. She knew that doing that would cost her freedom. Would she allow it to happen or just run away? Hudson Blake Vasco was the successor of the Vasco chain of hotels and Rixco Wine enterprises; he was bound to marry Aceia Louise Christenson as per his father's order. He doesn't have a choice but to obey because of what he did two years ago. But the question is, would Hudson tie the knot to a woman who only brings a bad image to her family's name or just think of another way? What will happen if the two meet? Would it be romantic or a disaster? What if what happened two years ago happened again but was even worse?  

That night, Liam served me my usual evening tea. I trusted him completely—he was my mate, after all, and a respected healer of Thornpack. I shouldn't have. When I woke up the next morning, my head was spinning. The special safe where I kept the morphing inhibitor—the one I'd spent my entire savings to import from Europe for our daughter Isla—was empty. Racing to the healing center, I found Liam celebrating. He was handing out moon-blessed wine, beaming with pride as Natalie's daughter Anna showed off her perfect transformation. My inhibitor had been used on his first love's pup instead of our own daughter. The shock triggered something in my brain. When I collapsed, they diagnosed me with the rare tumor that plagued our kind. Without inhibitors, I couldn't stop Isla's transformation that came early, her six year old body couldn't handle the massive wolf form and the force ripped through her young body. And I, for one, don't even have enough money to keep her in a treatment center. She died in my arms three days later, her little claws drawing blood as the pain overwhelmed her. Until her last breath, she kept asking why Papa hadn't come. Now, in my cold, empty home, with the white porcelain urn containing her ashes on the table, I touch her and decide to sever our partnership.