Mock Heroic

To help Sean pay off his high-interest loans, I sold my house. He hugged me tightly, crying, and promised to marry me on next year's Valentine's Day. It happened to be Valentine's Day when I paid off the last of his debt. However, what I saw shattered me—he was in bed with another woman. He arrogantly mocked me: "What are you staring at? You're not much different from her, are you? Go buy some rubbers for us." That's when it hit me—he had lied to me. Later, I agreed to marry the man my parents had chosen for me before they passed away. On the wedding day, Sean and his friends came to mock me: "Ella, do you think that I'll marry you if you just wear a wedding dress and follow me around? You're so shameless!" However, everything changed when the priest announced the exchange of rings. At that moment, as Sean's uncle knelt and placed the ring on my finger, I saw a flash of fear in Sean's eyes.

For the 23rd time, I'm left standing at the altar as Jace Larkin hurries off because his foster sister, Celine Keaton, threatens to end her life again. The guests mock me, saying that we'll never tie the knot and attending our wedding will bring bad luck. I tune them out, holding on to Jace's promise that he'll come back and marry me. I buy his promise yet again, only for him to prove me wrong one more time. After I clean up the mess and pacify the angry guests, I reach home in the middle of the night. While passing the study, I hear Jace's voice. "Cece's always been mentally unstable. Of course, I have to stay with her. Regina will never leave me, even if I postpone our wedding a hundred times." Sorry, Jace, but I'll have to disappoint you this time. Blinking back tears, I unlock my phone and text my childhood friend, Clement Halloway. "Let's get married in three days."

Tessa Finley, a female werewolf who lived in the family of humans, particularly hunters. All this time, she thought that fate had been trying to mock and make her suffer. But when she found out that she’s a shifter—a werewolf, her life instantly changed. Migrating to the world full of shifters, Tessa thought that she’d finally have a life she’d live to the fullest. However, when the mating season started, she’d fall into the biggest dilemma she’d ever have. Two hot male werewolves claimed that she’s their mate. What's even worse? They are the new Alpha and Beta of the Crimson Shadows pack. With her wolf remaining locked and inactive, she’d have trouble choosing between the two powerful werewolves. As Tessa goes through such decision making in life, she’d slowly unveil the secrets of her identity, and unlock powers that she, herself, never imagined she’d gain in no time. In the midst of all these circumstances, would she ever find out who her true mate is?

It's close to impossible for a naturally disabled person to find love. Yvette Snyder was born weak of hearing; even her own mother detests her. After getting married, her affluent husband, Xavier Lane, and the people in his life mock and humiliate her. Then, her husband's ex-girlfriend comes back into his life and publicly announces that she wants to take back everything that should've been hers. She even goes so far as to stand before Yvette to say smugly, "I bet you won't know what it's like to be loved by someone—not in this lifetime. Has Xav ever told you he loves you? He used to say it to me all the time." Only then does Yvette realize how wrong she's been. But it's too late. Her love has gone down the drain; she shouldn't have married someone who doesn't love her. She decides to let go and return Xavier's freedom to him. But Xavier's the first to object. "If you want to get a divorce, you'll have to do it over my dead body!"

In the fifth year of our bland marriage, I receive a message that my husband has booked a hotel room with a woman. Within the next second, seductive pictures of me show up in the work group chat. In the pictures, I seduced my husband but failed. My colleagues in the group chat mock me by saying, "She gave Mr. Reed an ultimatum and forced him to marry her. He was forced to break up with the woman he loves." "Mr. Reed put up with her for five years. It only makes sense that he could no longer resist and decide to reunite with his lover." My sick father dies out of shock, yet my husband does not show up to his funeral. That night, I inform Belinda that I wish to divorce her son. "Back then, you told me that I'm Caleb's blessing in life. You said that he'd have endless success if we were to marry. "As long as I married Caleb for five years, you promised to pay for my father's medical fees. Now that the time is up, you should let me go too."

As the end of the year approaches, my wife, Sylvia Small, who is five months into her pregnancy, accidentally falls into a lake. Our neighbor who is a police officer, Raven Weber, jumps in and rescues her. Unfortunately, she slips into a coma after her heroic feat. As I rush over, I see that a crowd has gathered at the scene. Sylvia is drenched from head to toe, wrapped up tightly in a blanket. Water droplets keep dripping from the tips of her hair. "Are you alright, Sylvia?" I ask, drawing near. The moment Sylvia sees me, she moves toward me and burrows herself into my arms. She clings to me like she is clinging for dear life. "You're finally here, Zach!" she exclaims emotionally. I frown and push her away. "Just say what you have to say. This suit is expensive. Don't dirty it," I said indifferently. My words make Sylvia's eyes go wide with disbelief and shock. But that only lasts for a second before an anxious look replaces it. She holds my arms firmly and says in a choked voice, "Officer Weber is in a coma because of me. Please transfer a sum of money to me so that I can thank her for saving my life." I glance at Sylvia impatiently and reply, "What's that got to do with me? Why should I transfer you my money so that you can give it to her?"

On New Year's Eve, my husband, Max Davis, took me to a private dinner hosted by a big industry player. We had barely made our way around the room when a strange woman suddenly shoved me into the pool. When I insisted on checking the surveillance footage and calling the police, Max firmly held me back. He warned me to "remember my place" and not embarrass him in front of everyone. In the brief time I changed into another gown, I returned to find that same woman perched on my husband's lap, her red lipstick leaving traces on his collar. "Max, you're right! That nasty scar on her stomach really does look like a centipede. It's so hideous!" She giggled with mock innocence, adding, "It's been so fun messing with your wife. Next time, can I slap her when no one's looking?" Meanwhile, Max gazed at her like she was the only woman in the world, gently tracing his finger over her nose. "Of course, you can," he replied, eyes still locked on hers. "I'll even tie her hands behind her back for you."

My boyfriend, Christopher Linden, was short of 20 thousand dollars for his medical treatment. To get the money as soon as possible, I participated in a rich man's game onboard a lavish cruise. I didn't bat an eye as I jumped into the ocean to search for a bracelet one of their female companions had dropped in the water. As I choked on the ocean water, I heard the man in the lead mock me, saying, "I've seen plenty of the dirty things people are willing to do for money, but you take the cake. You're even willing to give up your life for it." Someone teased, "Your girlfriend doesn't like money and is willing to forgo everything to care for you. Do you love her?" He snorted. "She's just a peasant from the countryside; I'm only fooling around with her. You have no idea how coarse her hands are—they disgust me whenever she touches me. How could I possibly fall for her?" I turned ashen at his words. He was Christopher, who was supposed to be wheelchair-bound. He was also supposed to be too broke for surgery. The peasant from the countryside he was talking about was me.

He rejected her, yet he couldn’t do without her. He despised her, treated her like trash… yet he still wanted her. He still wanted that plump mate he never wanted to see, the same one he had treated cruelly, for reasons only he knew about. When obsession clashes with dominance, and trust collides with hidden lies, what becomes of the life Aurora now lives? **** “Why are you doing this?” “Doing what, exactly?” he asked, his tone filled with mock innocence. “Why are you still chasing me? Looking at me like I ever meant anything to you?” His lips curled into a slow, dangerous smirk. “That’s because I want you.” My brows lifted in confusion. “You rejected me. You despised me. You put me through hell… and worse.” “That was the past,” he snapped coldly. “The present is what matters.” A slow smile spread across my lips. Sharp and deliberate. “Then the present…” I said, my voice steady, almost daring, “…is exactly what I intend to rewrite.” His brows drew together, confusion slipping through his arrogance. Good.

Natalia has spent her whole life being the invisible twin. While everyone worships her confident, perfect sister Tasha, Natalia is the quiet one—awkward, overlooked, and easy to ignore. That is, until the three most feared boys in school decide she’s finally worth their attention. Cassian. Kade. Karl. Sons of the Alpha. Kings of the school. And Natalia’s worst nightmare. When they get their hands on her private diary, Natalia’s life explodes into public humiliation. Her secrets, her feelings, even her hidden crush are dragged into the open for everyone to laugh at. What should have been a cruel moment that ended quickly becomes something much worse. Because the boys don’t stop. They mock her, corner her, and push every button they can find, watching her reactions with dark amusement. The more Natalia fights back, the more interested they become. What started as bullying slowly twists into something far more complicated—and far more dangerous. Their attention is relentless. Their games are cruel. And somehow, Natalia has become their favorite target. But beneath the humiliation and anger, Natalia begins to sense something unsettling in the way they look at her. Like they’re studying her. Like they’re waiting for something. Because the three boys who love breaking her… Don’t seem willing to let her go.