Misery Loves Company

"I was sold to pay a debt I didn't owe, to a man who isn't even human. My father’s gambling cost him everything, so he gave away the only thing he had left: Me. Now, I am a substitute bride, delivered like a package to the doorstep of the 'Scarred King'—Alpha Silas. He is a monster cloaked in muscle and scars, a ruthless ruler who everyone fears. I expected a life of misery and chains. I expected him to break me. Instead, the moment his eyes meet mine, the air shifts. He doesn't want a servant; he claims I am his fated mate. But Silas is a man of secrets, and his obsession is as terrifying as his power. As I am pulled deeper into his dark world of pack wars and blood oaths, I realize that being his bought bride is only the beginning. Between his possessive touch and the secrets behind his scars, I am faced with a choice: run from the beast who bought me, or embrace the fire and become his Queen. He paid for my body, but he will have to fight for my heart."

"Kylie, this year's annual bonus is evaluated based on two factors: performance and peer reviews. "Since your team never participates in company social events, your coworkers all gave you poor ratings. That's why this is your year-end bonus." Around me, the male employees were receiving bonuses in the tens of thousands. And yet, the women I led—developers who had worked for over ten years and built every core system the company relied on—each received nothing more than a coffee gift card and a mug engraved with the company logo. I laughed out loud. Then I turned and walked into my office and submitted resignation requests for the entire technical team. The manager, Preston Alec, sneered. "Good riddance. AI can replace women like you who only know how to have children." A few days later, the very people who had mocked me were standing in front of me, begging me to come back. I smiled in return. "AI conquers everything, doesn't it?"

Not even halfway through the Thanksgiving holidays, my boss, Bill Griffin, calls me back to work. He demands I cold-call customers for sales and promises generous overtime pay. Eager to give my son a better learning environment, I seize every chance to earn more money and agree without hesitation. But once the holiday ends, the management posts a notice. "An employee has generated an excessive phone bill working overtime during the Thanksgiving holidays and incurred company losses. Please reimburse the phone bill immediately." Bill, whom I had worked alongside since graduating from college, swiftly turns on me. "Some people in their 30s are about to be laid off. Having a job at all is a blessing, yet they don't know how to appreciate the opportunities the company gives them." Refusing to bow to the absurd demands and open threats, I hand in my resignation that very same day. A company that discards its employees the moment the job is done isn't worth a second of my time. They will learn the hard way who holds the leverage.

There's a common secret kept by everyone in the upper crust. Liliana Coolidge loves me, her husband, to the core, and yet she loves the thrill of sleeping with others behind my back. She pampers her side pieces a lot, but there's one taboo that they must follow no matter what. They must never show up in front of me at all. Everyone knows that I'm the man whom she's loved for a decade and the one she almost died to marry. Liliana has made it clear that if I were dead, she'd definitely follow me to the afterlife without a doubt. But this time, her latest side piece is a rebellious one. He actually shows up before me, thinking that he has Liliana to back him up. He spams my phone with tons of used condom photos, together with Liliana's sleeping visage. "Mr. Rivero, the strawberry ribbed condom overstimulates Ms. Coolidge too much, judging from the way she kept moaning the whole night. Had she used it when she was with you in the past?" Only at that moment do I realize that my wife, who loves me to the moon and back, has chosen to pour all the love she has for me while giving her body to other people. As I stare at the photos, I weep until I don't have any tears left. Then, I draft a divorce agreement and leave my signature there. But when I turn around, I notice a 17-year-old version of Liliana standing behind me with tears streaming down her face.

Lucius Denovan loves game. And Alicia Lucero happen to be his only game that he loves to play. *** Saat Alicia berusia sembilan tahun, orang tuanya pergi dan dia dititipkan kepada pamannya. Namun, pamannya adalah seorang pria gila harta yang kemudian menjual Alicia pada seorang pria bermata merah kelam itu. Alicia kemudian diasingkan ke sebuah desa. Sampai usianya menginjak angka delapan belas, pria itu datang menjemputnya. Dan dia adalah manusia terkejam yang pernah Alicia temui. Pria itu menyukai sensasi ketika permainannya melukai Alicia. Dia tersenyum ketika melihat Alicia menangis. Dan tertawa ketika Alicia menjerit sakit. Namun, Alicia tidak pernah sekalipun merasa bahwa dirinya harus pergi dari jerat pria itu. Karena Alicia tahu sesuatu yang Lucius tidak ketahui. *** 2020 by Asia July Cover illustration by Asia July (@layaciart)

Harper loves Alex, and vice versa. Their relationship had collapsed three years ago due to Alex's dishonesty towards Harper. When Harper gives her whole heart to Alex, she gets another painful fact that Alex already has a wife and a very beautiful daughter. Three years later Alex asks Harper to help his daughter who suffers from PTSD due to witnessing her mother's murder. Alex uses the encounter to win over Harper. Deep down he still loves Harper. Harper is tempted to get back together with Alex. His charm was too hard to resist, and she still had feelings for him. But when she begins to believe in loving Alex again, she gets another— even worse surprise, Alex's ex-wife is found murdered. And Alex is suspected of being involved in the murder of his ex-wife. Will Harper continue to love Alex or will she give up on her love for Alex?

The moment they released the year-end audit notice, I just stared in disbelief at the mention of my car, which I had paid for in full and in cash. It was boldly listed under the company’s fixed assets. “Our company practices a ‘family-friendly’ culture. What’s yours is the company’s. We’re a family. There’s no need to get picky about what’s yours or mine.” As if that was not enough, the company fired the driver and handed the chauffeuring duty to me. “Here’s the reception schedule for this month. Also, please pick up my dad at Babolle at 3 a.m. tonight.” My expression had darkened. Nonetheless, the human resources manager continued, “In a family, there’s no ‘yours’ or ‘mine’. My dad is your dad, right?” I was so furious that I almost exploded. ​ “I’m taking my car back, then!” She immediately took out a loan contract. “Simple. Pay by instalments. Work here for three years and you can ‘buy’ back your car.” So not only did I have to work as a driver for free, but I also had to pay to reclaim my car. Ever since the human resources manager parachuted in, she cut perks and cancelled vacations. She even started to dig into my wallet! “I quit!” She sneered. Then, she brandished a thick employee handbook. “Clause 1867 states that an employee who resigns of their own accord will need to pay double their salary. You’re under a six-month probation starting from now. Pass it, then you can leave.”

Andy Alf, a twenty-six-year-old professional multimillionaire CEO of the largest export company in town, obsessed with order, organization, discipline, cleanliness, and much more, is recognized in high society for the way he manages his business and makes good decisions. Camille, a humble twenty-five-year-old girl, graduated from the psychology faculty of a small university, manages to get a job outside her hometown in Andy's company, to take a position in the human resources area, she accepts it far from home, since the pay is quite striking and her mother now requires treatment for cancer. A few days after working in the ALF company, she meets Andy, her immediate boss, who regardless of the fact that he is about to marry one of the most beautiful women in the world show business, becomes obsessed with that girl, taking him to the point of committing crazy things and persecutions, when he finally manages to establish a relationship with her, it becomes a toxic courtship and full of sentimental problems, reaching the point of questioning the sanity of the two of them, can Andy and Camille be together despite their problems? A thousand separations in the same relationship, only one ending.

A Cinderella without a shoe? Lyra Thorne had been abused by her step mother and step siblings before being sold to Vander Clegane, The Alpha of Crimson pack as a treaty from her pack but then he turned out to be her mate and because of that, she thinks her life has changed only for her to be rejected in the walls of his room. Rejection makes her ruthless and years after, she is the unstoppable billionaire CEO of a human company, engaged to a another and only needs a partnership with a tech company to make her the most successful CEO in New York. But what happens when the CEO of that tech company is no other than Vander Clegane who has come to claim her back with a harsh truth that he never rejected her. It was his jealous twin brother. She has built her successful life base on lies, she must choose whether to keep it or embrace who she is, especially after his presence comes with a shocking revelation that she is a celestial wolf goddess meant to either destroy the supernatural world or save it.

For three years, I’d used my family’s connections to bring the company hundreds of millions in revenue. But at the quarterly meeting, the new intern stood before everyone, displaying my attendance and expense reports, and accused me of “unexcused absences” and “squandering company funds.” “These high-end clubs, these restaurants…” she declared, her voice ringing with self-righteousness. “She spends thousands of dollars every time! These are completely unnecessary expenses.” “I strongly advise the CEO to fire her immediately and save the company’s cash flow.” I glanced at Claude, the CEO. My old classmate. He knew exactly how much revenue each of those meetings generated. He also knew that when I wasn't in the office, I was at some bar, negotiating with investors, sometimes drinking until my stomach turned. But he just stared at me coldly. “Caroline, what’s your explanation for the absences and expenses Lia has presented?” I smiled. “I have nothing to explain.” They would all learn, very soon, the consequences of this little stunt.