Melissa Milo

My roommate is the kind of person who has to get to the bottom of everything and doesn't stop asking questions until she's satisfied. One night, while I'm sound asleep, she suddenly stands by my bed and calls my name, "Melissa, are you asleep?" Having been awakened by her, I shoot her an annoyed glare, but she just says, "See? You weren't really asleep. Otherwise, how could you have answered me?" One day, she decides to skip class. Thinking that I could help by signing her in on my phone, I do just that. However, near the end of the lecture, she suddenly bursts into the room and asks the professor, "I wasn't here today, so why does it show I was marked present? Is the system down?" The professor traces it back to me, fails me on the spot, and makes me retake the class. Later on, I join a speech contest. My roommate stands up in front of everyone and asks why my speech sounded exactly like her ideas. I get disqualified, lose my scholarship, and am labeled a plagiarist. Devastated, I climb onto the rooftop late at night. When I open my eyes again, I'm back to the night when my roommate first asked if I was asleep.

“Limang taon mo akong iniwan… akala mo ba papayagan kitang umalis ulit?” Si Isabella Reyes ay isang simpleng sekretarya na nagkaroon ng isang gabing puno ng bawal na pagnanasa kasama ang billionaire mafia boss na si Marcus Villanueva. Isang “mistake” lang daw iyon para sa kanya—pero para kay Isabella, nagbunga ito ng kambal. Nang malaman ni Marcus, pinilit niyang pakasalan siya sa contract marriage. Cold, possessive, at walang pag-ibig—puro galit at hate-sex lang ang namamagitan sa kanila. Natuklasan niya ang betrayal ni Vanessa, ang ex-fiancée na lihim na spy, at nagising ang galit niya. Habang buntis pa, tumakas siya patungong Italy. Doon niya pinalaki ang kambal na sina Mia at Milo bilang single mom, habang lihim na binubuo ang sariling imperyo—bilang ang hidden heiress ng Monteverde clan, karibal na mafia family ng Villanueva. Limang taon ang lumipas. Bumalik siya sa Pilipinas—hindi na mahina, kundi makapangyarihan na CEO na may hawak na sa shares ng Villanueva Empire. Paghihiganti ang nasa isip niya. Pero nang muli silang magtagpo, hindi na makapagpigil si Marcus. Chasing, begging, at intense na passion ang sumunod—habang natutuklasan ang mas malaking lihim: ang kambal ay may mafia bloodline powers, at ang bagong pagbubuntis ni Isabella ay nagbunga ng quadroplets—kasama ang “Stormbringer” na baby girl na may kapangyarihan sa elements. Sa gitna ng digmaan ng tatlong clans—Villanueva, Monteverde, at ang misteryosong Salvatore—lalaban sila para sa pamilya nila. Mula sa isang sinful mistake, magiging eternal obsession ba ang pag-ibig nila? O masisira lahat sa kapangyarihan ng Stormbringer?

Ang kwentong ito ay iikot sa buhay ni Ahtisa De Guzman, isang inosenteng babaeng nag tiwala sa itinuring niyang kaibigan na akala nya ay tutulungan sya makahanap ng side line upang makatulong sa nag -aagaw buhay niyang ama, ngunit sa halip na trabaho, sya pala ay ibinenta nito na nagbunga iyon ng isang batang lalaki. Kinamuhian niya ang kaibigan na nagtago na matapos siya nitong ibenta. Kinamumuhian din niya ang lalaking bumili sa kanya at nais niya itong makaharap Milo upang pghigantihan ngunit sa ngayon ay mag iipon muna sya ng lakas ng loob, tapang, at kompiyansa sa sarili bago niya ito balikan. Hindi man niya gaanong natitigan ang mukha ng lalaki matapos niya itong pukpukin ng flower vase sa ulo ay hindi naman niya nakakalimutan ang lugar kung saan siya binaboy nito. Hindi rin siya makapag focus dito dahil sa sobrang busy niya sa trabaho at sa pag aalaga sa anak niya. Gayonpaman, nangako sya sa sarili na hahanapin niya ang lalaki at paghihigantihan ito. Hindi siya titigil hanggat hindi nagagantihan ang taong umabuso sa kanya. Ngunit ganoon man ang kanyang sinapit, sa halip na kamuhian ang bata, minahal niya ito at siyang naging dahilan niya para lumaban, at harapin ang mga pagsubok sa buhay ng buong tapang, at mulling bumuo ng matayog na pangarap. Ngunit ang lahat ng Ito ay maglalaho nang umabot na sa ikalimang taon ang bata at doon napag alaman na may malubha itong sakit, sakit na ang tanging lunas ay bone marrow transplant mula sa sarili nitong ama dahil hindi nagmatched ang sa kanya.

**They wanted to choose my husband. So I bought one instead.** --- "You'll be meeting your soon-to-be husband at the next family dinner." Aunt Melissa's words hit like poison. I choked, shock stealing my breath. Family dinners at my grandparents' estate were already hell—arguments shattering crystal, curses wrapped in concern, smiles hiding knives. But this? This crossed every line. Who the hell did they think they were, choosing my husband like I was some pawn in their twisted game? *That's never happening.* I built Phias Empire from the wreckage of my inheritance, clawed my way up from the car crash that killed my parents twenty years ago. I survived being trapped underwater, survived my family's hatred, survived my cousin Sophie's lifetime of cruelty—always my shadow, desperate to eclipse me. I didn't survive all that to let them control who I marry. Then I saw him. David Kane. Six-foot-three of devastating perfection, commanding my manufacturing floor like he was born for it. Dark hair, ice-blue eyes, a body that made me forget how to breathe. A contractor. The branch manager's son. Nobody important. *Perfect.* My family wanted to force a husband on me? Fine. I'd bring them one—on my terms. A contract so airtight no one could question it. And God, I wanted him. I couldn't wait to see Sophie's face. Couldn't wait to watch their plans crumble. They forgot who I am. I'm Sophia Ashford. I don't play by their rules. And I'm about to make the most dangerous deal of my life.

Alpha Jax Blackwood discovers his destined mate in Lola, an ordinary human girl with an extraordinary twist. Lola is soon forced to leave the town she tried to call home. However, Jax, driven by the primal need to claim his mate and secure his Alpha title, intervenes, claiming Lola as his own against her wishes. Trapped in a world she never imagined, Lola must navigate the dangers posed by both the man to whom she’s linked and Jax's mischievous cousin, Alpha Ash, who harbors a dangerous fascination for her. As the battle for Lola's safety intensifies, Jax faces the challenge of fending off growing threats and keeping his cousin at bay, all while convincing Lola to stay by his side. "I'll give you two choices," Ash humored, taking a step, "Chase after your friend or leave, start anew somewhere else away from all the crazy." He grinned mischievously. "You were letting her go, weren't you?" he stated, eyeing Jax. Jax tensed, fists clenching at his sides. "What's your call, little one?" Ash pressed. Lola envisioned Melissa's reaction, then glanced at the bag near her feet. She picked it up, feeling the cold leather wrap around her shoulder. Ash cheered as the choice was made, and Jax seethed. As Lola moved towards the door, Ash intercepted and gazed in amusement. "There's one little thing," he said leaning in "I lied," he whispered, snatching the bag from her hands as Jax restrained her from behind. "What are you doing?" Lola protested, trying to create distance. Ash ignored her, relishing her discomfort. "You don't get to choose," he declared, ripping the bag from her hands as Jax covered her mouth.

Before the contract was even signed, the client's representative casually said he was craving pancakes with maple syrup. I didn't hesitate. I texted my fiancé, Nigel Cross, and asked him to stand in line and grab some. He came back with the box, all proud of himself. The client took one bite, and within seconds, his face went red. Hives bloomed across his neck. He shot to his feet, furious, and called the whole deal off on the spot. Then he turned around and handed the million-dollar order to Olivia Field, the intern who had rushed to grab him allergy meds. Three months of grinding work were gone just like that. I stood there, my throat tight, trying not to fall apart. Nigel squeezed my shoulder, his voice soft as he said, "It was just bad luck. Don't beat yourself up." I nodded weakly, drained of energy. But the second I stepped away, I heard him laughing in the break room with his friend. "That guy's seriously allergic to mango. Good thing I added mango syrup to the pancakes. Olivia's about to score a huge year-end bonus. Enough for a down payment on her new apartment." His friend hesitated. "Melissa hasn't slept in a month over that deal. She was working while she was sick. She needed that money for her mom's surgery—" Nigel waved him off, already annoyed. "She has me. Isn't that enough? Olivia earned this." My hands curled into fists so tightly that my nails dug into my palms. Bad luck? Yeah, right. Nigel had planned every second of it. And now, he thought he could smooth it over by marrying me someday, toss me a few cheap words, and I would just swallow it. I was done with that disgusting man.

When I opened my eyes, I found myself supposedly transmigrated to some ancient era. Every morning, before light touched the sky, someone would yank me out of bed to haul trash, chop wood, and do whatever filthiest job needed doing. Somehow, I'd become the lowest-ranked servant in the entire estate. The estate lord's son would climb onto my back and ride me around the courtyard like some pet he was proud to show off. Anyone in the household could hit me, kick me, or shove me aside, and not a single soul would speak up. Five years passed like that, so awful that I almost lost my mind, as if I were living in hell. Then one day, a group of servants cornered me. They didn't bother hiding their intention. The moment I saw their faces, I knew I was in trouble. Fists flew, boots landed, and everything blurred. Just before I passed out, I heard them whispering, "We're going to kill him if we keep this up." "Come on. This place only looks like some old noble estate. It's not an actual one. If he dies here, we're the ones who'll get dragged to court!" "Relax. Ms. Shaw will handle it. The idiot pissed off her childhood sweetheart. Getting tricked into this place is exactly what he deserves." Fear swallowed everything, and the world went dark. When I woke again, the lady of the house had conveniently "returned from visiting her family." The lord threw a grand celebration with tables full of food, wine flowing, and musicians playing like nothing had happened. I carried dishes into the banquet hall and lifted my head. Her face was the same as my wife's, Melissa Shaw. I set the final dish down, stepped closer, and in a voice only she could hear, asked, "Ma'am… are you enjoying your little game?"