Midsummer By Manuel Arguilla Summary

When Eliana lost her job and faced a heap of debt, a lifeline event happened in an unexpected form. A marriage contract with wealth and emotions scarred Geoffrey. Geoffrey's father's life is hanging a string, and the pressure to secure his family legacy is mounting. Eliana, out of options, agrees to the agreement without hesitation, stepping into a world where love is a transaction and trust is a luxury. But their fragile agreement is threatened when Geoffrey's Ex discovers their Union and would stop at nothing to win him back. Will Geoffrey be swayed by his ex's manipulation or will he see the potential to build something genuine with Eliana? Will their reel marriage turn into a real marriage, or will it crumble when the terms expire?

When Chloe Samson married her childhood sweetheart, CEO Tom Hayden, at twenty, she thought she'd found her forever. But forever shatters fast when April Sunday—Tom’s enigmatic childhood friend—accuses Chloe of a violent assault and has her committed to a mental hospital. Now, trapped between the sterile walls of the institution and the crumbling illusion of her perfect marriage, Chloe must piece together the truth. Is April lying? Is Tom hiding something? And how much of her own past can Chloe trust? To survive, Chloe must confront betrayal, untangle buried memories, and find the strength to escape—not just the hospital, but the life she thought she wanted.

After getting betrayed by people she thought she could trust, Lyra must now find a way to help her dying brother.

Alva has been arranged to get married to Lucas, the young heir to the Rossi Empire. On the day that has been arranged for her engagement, Lucas changes his mind, choosing to marry her timid, less attractive servant and throwing the family into chaos. Lucas Rossi is the, strikingly handsome, yet intimidating heir to the Rossi Empire. A man barely seen, completely avoidant of the paparazzi and with rumours spreading here and there about how he is only half human, yet no one can tell what the other half of him is. When he agrees to marry the politician's daughter in paper alone for the sake of business bonds, he is astounded by his sudden pull to the Hazel, whose life is turned upside down when she catches his attention instead. Why has he left the ethereal looking heiress to settle for a mere maid?

"I will leave the decision in your hands and marry whoever you choose for me but you must be honest and tell her everything about me," "I refuse to marry a man who I do not love and I'm already in love with someone else," Damian, ruthless Mafia lord needs a mother for his children Gianni, sweet medical student needs to save her brother's life. What happened when a medical student save an injured Mafia Lord? What happens when two opposite people paths cross in a form of marriage? Love, anger, hatred, disappointment, misunderstanding, secrets and most of all enemies that lurk in the shadows

She was the Luna they broke. He was the Alpha they feared. Together, they'll bring down a kingdom. After being betrayed by her husband and sister, beaten and left for dead, Samantha Walker rises from the ashes of her past with nothing but a vow for vengeance. Saved by Thorne Vale—the Mad Alpha of the Nightwalker Pack—she finds a new world of secrets, power, and dark allure. When a fake marriage becomes the only way to stay in the Nightwalker Pack, Samantha agrees, seeing it as a step toward her revenge. But as she plays the game of seduction, she discovers Thorne is far more than a means to an end—and maybe, just maybe, more broken than she is. She plans to use him. He plans to tame her. But neither is ready for the storm they’ll unleash when passion meets fury, and secrets come clawing back. Would they succeed? Or their secrets would tear them apart? Find out in this gripping tale of love, revenge, betrayal, and crimes.

He never knew how hungry his heart was until he had the taste of her love. He is infernal. She is angelic. Marcello Colombo, the third in command in one of the biggest crime families in New York, is well known for being relentless, cruel, strategic, notoriously violent when it comes to getting what he wants—and for having absolutely no interest in love and commitment. Not until he met Mariana Anderson and suddenly he found himself thirsty for her with an unquenchable desire. As the eldest and unfavourable daughter of her father, Mariana Anderson, was oblivious to her father's crimes until the day she met Marcello, the devil himself. She knew getting involved with a man like him would be dangerous. But who would have known that what fate had in store for her was different and shocking? Not only did he kidnap her and take her as his hostage, he was also going to marry her, and she had no say, but that is not even the worst of what she was going to experience as the wife of a Mafia consigliere. As Marcello began the quest to seek his parents' killer, he was forced to accept a horrible truth, one that would unfold more and more secrets along the way.

Sierra Morgan once believed in fairy tales—until her prince turned into a nightmare. After surviving a brutal marriage and rebuilding her life from scratch, Sierra emerges as a fierce, self-made billionaire. But just when she starts to taste freedom, a secret pregnancy, a ruthless ex, and a dangerously charming rival CEO threaten to pull her back into chaos. Now, with enemies circling and her heart on the line, Sierra must choose: run from her past—or rise and conquer it? In a world where love is a risk and power is survival, can she win it all without losing herself?

“Promise me, you will hide her and keep the truth from her. I never want her to know what she is or where she came from.” Esmes mother begged on her death bed as she handed her infant child over to her friends. “Raise her as your own, please!” She had spent years running, hoping to find a way out of the deal she had made with a demon that would cost her not only her life but her only child’s freedom once she turned 18. With her mother gone and her wolf stirring Esme finds herself rebelling against the ties of family and friendship as she nears her 18th birthday. Sneaking out to a party Esme finds herself auctioned in an underground world where mafia reign and rules don’t apply. At least not for the formidable alpha and mafia boss Matteo Accardo, who thrives in the dangerous world of corruption and sin! She may be his mate, but that doesn't mean she gets a happy ending- no one does in the chaotic world of sex, money and power! At least until now…

Evelyn tried to open the door and pulled it hard but all her efforts were in vain. "Tsk... Tsk.. Looks like this bird didn't like her cage." Sebastian said while putting both his hands around her. Defeated, Evelyn turned her face and started looking at him, but finding him so close to her, she pressed her forehead against the door. "Pl-please let... me go." She said suppressing her hiccups. The teeth started grinding with fear. "Please...." "Hmmm....Why don't we make this time useful?" He whispered while he was close to her ear. Feeling his breath on her earlobe, she shivered again. Evelyn pushed him with all her strength, which caused Sebastian to take a few steps away from her and started laughing like a madman. "You... you... are you crazy?" He started laughing more on this and then he became silent at once and started looking at her with his cold eyes which were devoid of any emotion. "No my dear. I am not crazy. My reality is just different from yours." Saying this, he smiled sarcastically and then moved towards her. Evelyn immediately ran to the left. There must be another way in such a big house. "You can't escape from me. Not until I want to." He was enjoying this game now. Evelyn's fear had begun to provide him with a different kind of tranquility. He slowly put his hands in his pockets while whistling and started walking in the direction where Evelyn had run.