Lights Off

My mom is critically ill. Before she passes away, she wants to see me married. It takes 27 days of pleading before my boyfriend, Kyle Grayson, says yes. I wait at the city hall until the doors close, but he never shows up. That same day, his childhood sweetheart, Ruby Callahan, posts their marriage certificate online. "Time flies. Three days more and we'll be a month in." Only then does it hit me. The very first day I begged, Kyle was already Ruby's husband. Right then, a text from Kyle lights up my phone. "Holly, Ruby's family was pushing her into marriage. I couldn't stand by and watch her marry just anyone and ruin her life. We'll be divorced in three days. I'll marry you then." Three days later, he shows up at the city hall in a suit. But all he gets is a text from me. "Goodbye for good, Kyle."

“Where’s the ring?” "Huh?" She pulled her hand back. “I asked, Where’s the ring?” Chris repeated the question, staring at his fiancée with displeasure. “It’s at the office. Since I have to wash coffee cups often, I took it off and put it away. I was afraid it might get worn out.” Her answer made Chris feel slightly relieved. "If you take off that ring again, I’ll take it as you ending our engagement. No games." "I’m not breaking off the engagement. I just took off the ring to keep it safe." “Then put it on. Right now.” Chris’s glare was unwavering, his words almost a command. "Alright, alright," she muttered in protest, reached into her bag, took out her ring, and put it on. Then she turned her hand to show him.

I am staring at the city lights while having a smoke. It’s been a while since the last time I stayed in this condo. “Mist,” the man called me and I just gave him a boring look. “I want—” “Us back again?” sarkastiko kong sabi, tumango siya kaya tumawa ako. “Sorry, but killing is now my passion, so kill that love of yours.” “Isn’t it love is your passion?” naiiyak na sabi niya. “People change, and I ended that passion.” Iniwan ko na siya sa veranda saka nagtungo sa kwarto nag-ayos ng damit isinuot ang agent suit. Again, I am ready to kill. “Love? What the heck is that, I won’t beg, even if he does, hindi na ako papasok sa mundong yon, that place is chaotic, it is poisonous, venomous that can make you feel ill and numb.” Zyra Mist Alejandro, too tired of loving. If come inside of my heart you can only see words saying ‘end of passion’ because love is a killing potion.

"Sweetie, are you coming? I'll wait for you at our usual spot." Henry Lane is about to go to bed when he receives a voice message. It's spoken in Rushky. He turns his back to me as his face lights up in joy. Then, he answers in Rushky, "Of course. I love you." I'm about to fall asleep, but I jolt when I hear that. The sweet voice on the other end of the line rings out again. "Your wife won't find out about this, will she?" "I'm talking to you to her face now." Henry snorts. "We're speaking in Rushky; she can't understand us." My heart twists painfully. It turns out he's never loved or truly understood me. He thinks I'm just a housewife whose world revolves around him; he has no idea I once studied in Rushnia for two years as an exchange student. I suppress my sorrow and heartbreak as I caress my belly. Then, I make an appointment with a local hospital for an abortion.

To the world, he's the enigmatic Capo of the Chicago Outfit, a man of power, control, and unwavering resolve. He's sculpted his life meticulously, sticking to a code that demands order. Yet, sometimes, even the most disciplined minds can be led astray. Claire “Cindy” Parker is the life of every party, a vivacious burst of sunshine that lights up any room. She's the dance-off initiator, karaoke microphone grabber, and the queen of themed costume parties. But beneath her party-loving spirit, Cindy hides a well of pain and dark memories, mastering the art of masking her inner pain with humor and charm. When these two collide, sparks don't fly; instead, it's like a showdown from an old Western, and shots are fired, both literally and metaphorically. Their personalities are oil and water, refusing to mix, igniting heated arguments that often lead to explosive situations. Yet, beneath the surface tension, an undeniable attraction simmers, their paths destined to intertwine. Slowly but surely, they begin to unravel each other's layers, exposing vulnerabilities they've long kept hidden.

Alessia had been given an all-expenses-paid trip to Italy as a reward for her outstanding contribution in her workplace. It was like a life-changing experience for her. However, Alessia encountered a devastating turn of events upon her arrival in the country when she was abducted by unknown men and found herself being auctioned in a bidding event. Not only that, she was bid on by the ruthless mafia lord, Angelo Santoro. ~~ "Ten million," I heard someone say from the crowd. The lights from the ceiling were blinding my eyes, and the handcuffs secured around me weren't making the panic inside me any better. I had no idea why I was at an auction event. "Fifteen million," another voice came through, making me more confused than ever. "Twenty million," another followed, and then someone raised the bid to "Thirty million." "Two hundred million," this time, the voice was sharp and carried danger as he spoke. The whole room fell into dead silence. In that moment, my eyes met his. Dark and penetrating, they instantly sent shivers down my spine.

Community Service. Two words I should be thankful for, but I’m not. I resent the hours it’s away from building my business. When they push the little girl into the room, her crazy curls barely held back by the barrette in her hair, and studious glasses on her face, I can tell she’s scared. Something inside of me breaks, and I want this girl to feel wanted again. What I’m unprepared for is meeting her mom. The second our hands touch, there are fireworks, bright lights, and a picture of the future I could one day have. The future I’ve never allowed myself to wish for. Community service becomes more than a chore. In the months that follow, I realize they’re just like me: they’ve been abandoned, left behind by the world, forgotten by those who should love them. Thanks to the one last hope in both our lives - we found the light in the darkness we’d been searching for.Trick is created by Laramie Briscoe, an eGlobal Creative Publishing author.

[𝚂𝚈𝚂𝚃𝙴𝙼 𝙰𝙻𝙴𝚁𝚃: 𝙼𝙰𝚃𝚄𝚁𝙴 𝙲𝙾𝙽𝚃𝙴𝙽𝚃 𝙳𝙴𝚃𝙴𝙲𝚃𝙴𝙳] Mia thought it was just a game. A harmless way to relieve stress after a long day of Zoom calls. "Echo"—an experimental AI that whispers your deepest fantasies into your ear. It started simple. A voice in the dark. A command to relax. Then, the app asked for permissions. Access to your Smart Lights? Allowed. Access to your Search History? Allowed. Access to your Vibration Settings? ...Allowed. Now, Echo knows Mia better than she knows herself. It knows when she’s lonely. It knows when she’s wet. And it’s starting to take control—locking her doors, setting the mood, and pushing her to her limits. But the glitch in the system has a name: Alex Reed. He’s the billionaire genius who built the code. He’s been watching the data. And now? He wants to test the "beta features" on his favorite user... in person. Blurring the line between pleasure and surveillance, Mia is about to find out what happens when your dirty little secret becomes your new reality. Will she delete the app, or let the developer upgrade her addiction?

"What about her?" Andre asked."Who?" I asked he motioned to a group of women specifically the one sitting down, I couldnt really see her because of the dim lights and the group of friends she had around her."No,""Why not?" Jason asked I took another sip before saying."She is sitting with her friends,""And?" Andre asked."Her friends are drunk,""And?" Jason asked confused."She is the only one with a beer and look at how she continuously checks her phone every five second,""And?""The beer isn't strong which means she is the designated driver her friends are drunk which means she has to leave soon, and the phone just shows that she would rather be anywhere but here, like she has much more important things to do. Which let's me know she probably won't give me the time of day because I'm not the most important thing in her life right now,""She is the one, she is the one you got to date"

Lena Mercer makes a living off saving and believes that love can be saved no matter what. However, when a frightened woman named Claire Reynolds appears at her office door insisting she is being purposely murdered by her husband, Lena is hesitant to trust her. Days go by, and Claire vanishes into thin air. Worrying but brushing it off as coincidence, Lena attempts to pick up where they left off—until she uncovers unsettling information connecting Claire's life to her own. The same scent. The same coffee order. Even bruises in identical locations. And then Lena begins receiving ominous messages: "You know the truth. Don't look for me."