Midsummer By Manuel Arguilla Summary

She is a French-Filipina model, began her career at a young age and worked with renowned designers. Although she was born in France, she spent her formative years in the Philippines. However, her life took an unexpected turn when she fell deeply in love with a man who ultimately broke her heart. Despite putting her modeling career on hold and expecting a child, fate had other plans in store for her. Determined to confront the man who caused her immense pain, she discovers that there may still be a chance for love to reignite in her heart.

She buried her name the night her pack was slaughtered. He inherited a throne built on her family's graves. When a girl with no past stumbles into Nightshade territory, the future Alpha claims her as his mate, defying his father's warnings about the strange newcomer who hides a burned mark beneath her sleeve. But some secrets are written in blood, and when the truth emerges that she is the last daughter of the enemy pack his father destroyed, their love becomes the spark that could ignite a second war. Caught between a brother who demands vengeance and a mate who feels betrayed, she must choose whether love can truly heal what violence has broken, or if some wounds run too deep to ever close.

Orphaned in a border attack and raised by the Crescent Moon Pack, she’s spent her life trying to earn her place—not just as a werewolf, but as one of them. When the powerful Shadowclaw Pack comes to negotiate a tense truce, she meets him—their cold, formidable Alpha. They are fated mates. But he takes one look at her and refuses the bond. She’s from the wrong pack... the one he’s spent his life fighting. And claiming her would mean betraying his own. But the bond doesn’t care about blood feuds, and neither do the growing feelings neither of them can deny.

I thought my life was already a disaster— In my father's eyes, only my perfect sister mattered. I was always the forgotten second daughter. My sole comfort was my upcoming wedding to the man I loved. Until the night before my wedding, when everything changed. "You're going to take your sister's place and marry the most dangerous mafia don in New York." I had to pretend to be my sister and fool a man who could end my life without hesitation. Most importantly, a car accident two years ago had left him blind and wheelchair-bound. He couldn't even make love, yet he demanded I bear him an heir. However, when I'm straddling his powerful thighs, when he takes me night after night and fills me so completely that I'm left trembling and breathless... my legs give out beneath me. I'm the one who's truly powerless. The disability and blindness were all part of his elaborate deception. When my sister returned, filled with regret and determined to expose my identity and reclaim him, I thought I would lose my life for deceiving the mafia don. "You thought you could deceive the devil himself? You've been mine since that first night." His fingers find places that make me arch and beg. His mouth claims every inch of my skin. His touch fills me so completely I forget my own name.

Pinakasalan ni Stella si Charles sa tulong ng abuelo nito dahil sa pagmamahal. Lahat ay gagawin niya upang mahalin din siya ng binata. Naging makasarili siya at inagaw ito sa babaing tunay nitong mahal.Sa loob ng tatlong taon, ang akala niya ay nagkaroon na siya ng puwang sa puso ng asawa. Ngunit lahat ng sakripisyo at pagpababa sa pagkatao ay hindi nagbunga ng maganda. Matapos pirmahan ang divorce paper, umalis siyang baon sa puso ang lungkot at saya.Sa paglipas ng panahon, her true identity was exposed. But her soft heart was totally gone. Sa muling pagtatagpo ng kanilang landas, maibabalik pa ba ang dating Stella?

"Who is she?" My voice came out weak, foreign to my own ears. I despised the way it sounded--like a scared child-and I hated how he made me feel so small, so powerless. He let his breath out in a noisy sigh-a low, suffering sound, as if he was putting up with something beneath him. "Are we really doing this?" His voice was low now, tined with irritation. "It's not what you think. And even if it was, what are you going to do about it? You blind bat?" I froze, as tears slid down my face. I was just blind to him. A burden.

Daisy’s heart raced with excitement as she entered the elegant wedding venue, the sweet scent of flowers filling the air. She held onto her boyfriend Noah’s arm, feeling a mix of nerves and anticipation. But as she laid eyes on her best friend’s soon-to-be husband, her world shattered. The man standing before her was the one she had been searching for all these years. The room seemed to spin as she struggled to comprehend the cruel twist of fate. Her heart sank as she realised he didn’t remember her, treating her like a stranger. The disappointment was crushing, but she accepted the harsh truth with a heavy heart. She steeled herself, determined to witness her best friend Julian’s wedding with the man she had longed to meet. But she didn’t knew that fate had a unique plan in store for her. Unbeknownst to Daisy, she was about to find herself standing on that very aisle, adorned in a wedding dress, instead of her beloved Julian. However, the man she has married - Dylan Astor, despises her with an intensity that is palpable. He has transformed into a completely unrecognisable figure from the man Daisy had encountered years ago. His once radiant, charming smile has transformed into a dark, icy countenance, causing Daisy to hold her breath whenever she sees him. The tension in the air is suffocating, as if a storm is brewing. Dylan knows very well that Daisy doesn't have feelings for him, which only makes him even more angry at her.

Kelsey Morgan thought she had the perfect life. Married to billionaire Flinn Morgan for three years, she gave up her architecture dreams to be his devoted wife. But at a glamorous party, her fairy tale shatters when she discovers Flinn's affair with Victoria Chen—his ex-fiancée and business partner. Heartbroken and humiliated, Kelsey receives an unexpected message from Sebastian Hart, her first love from seven years ago. Now a powerful tech billionaire, Sebastian has never forgotten her. He's been watching, waiting, and building a case against Flinn that goes beyond simple infidelity. Sebastian reveals the truth: Flinn isn't just a cheater—he's a criminal involved in financial fraud and illegal dealings. Victoria isn't just his mistress; she's his blackmailer, threatening to expose everything unless Flinn gives her what she wants. Caught between love and leverage, Flinn claims he's protecting Kelsey, but his lies run too deep. With Sebastian's help, Kelsey files for divorce and prepares to destroy the empire built on deception. But as she navigates this dangerous game of revenge between two powerful billionaires, she must ask herself: Is Sebastian truly her savior, or is she just another piece in his war against Flinn? In a world where billions can't buy loyalty and betrayal comes with a price, Kelsey must choose between the husband who broke her heart and the ex-lover who promises to heal it—before both men destroy her completely.

He has made it crystal clear that I’m not to call him ‘boss’ except on certain occasions, like right now, when his dominating gaze carries a hint of playfulness. I can’t help but smile every time he gets like this, all lovey-dovey, but when he whispers in my ears asking me to go on an adventure with him, it is like an invitation to a forbidden feast and the thought sends a shiver down my spine which unlike you would think, is almost painful. Maybe this is because I have been on an adventure with him for as far as I want to recollect. My memories, if you peeked inside, would be overflowing with every moment with him, each one a brushstroke painted with his boldness and my, well, let’s call it a touch of recklessness. I now wear a souvenir, a mark etched onto my soul. It’s like a silent agreement, a reminder that our fates are tangled, intertwined like climbing vines. He’s the puppet master, my very own Mr. Strings, and every twist and turn of his whims gets woven into the fabric of my being. Maybe you find that hard to believe, like something out of a fairytale. But trust me, my darling, as I unravel the threads of our adventure, one by one, you’ll understand. With each turn and twist, you’ll find yourself hooked, a willing captive in the captivating narrative of our lives, possibly harnessed in the labyrinth of our love, where danger dances with delight, and fate is etched in the footprints of a love like no other. So buckle up, dear reader, for this isn’t a mere tale, it’s a thrill ride, a love song made of equal parts fear and freedom.

“Andronikos, stop,” I said, not meaning it one bit. “Stop?” he echoed, his breath hot against my skin, eyes like molten silver. “Tell me to stop again, Adira. Say the word, and I’ll walk away.” Silence. Neither of us moved. Neither of us spoke. Then I broke. He was supposed to ruin her. She was supposed to hate him. But when blood, secrets, and obsession collide, Andronikos Karas finds himself torn between vengeance and the woman who’s slowly setting his world on fire. Adira Abara knows she should run. He’s dangerous, unhinged, and he's a literal warning sign. But when desire turns lethal and the truth threatens to destroy them both, can she resist the man who was never meant to love her? One thing is certain: Andronikos will stop at nothing to claim both his justice... and the woman who’s become his greatest weakness.