Morning Prayer Before Starting Work

Ythaniel delos Reyes is the campus heartthrob. Tahimik, seryoso, at laging inuuna ang pamilya at pag-aaral. He rarely talks, but he has a soft spot for one person: his step-sister, Ashannah Zacharias. Ashannah is his total opposite, magulo, masayahin, at tila laging sinusundan ng malas. Trouble seems to find her, kahit anong iwas niya. Mabait siya, pero parang may sumpa. And every time may gulo, si Ythaniel ang laging sumasalo. Hindi sila tunay na magkapatid, pero may natural na koneksyon sa pagitan nila. He’s always there for her, whether it’s a late-night rescue, school drama, or family conflict. At si Ashannah? Sa kahit maliit na bagay, si Ythaniel agad ang takbuhan niya. Hanggang sa dumating ang puntong hindi na lang “kuya” ang tingin niya sa kanya. At si Ythaniel? Hindi na lang basta “kapatid” ang turing niya kay Ashannah. They didn’t plan it. They didn’t want it. But they fell in love. Mali sa paningin ng iba. Bawal sa mata ng pamilya. Pero totoo sa puso nila. Will they fight for their love or choose peace for the sake of family? Can love survive when the world sees it as wrong? This is a story of forbidden love—between two hearts brought under one roof, not to fall in love… but did. --- DISCLAIMER: This is a work of fiction. Any similarities to actual people or events are purely coincidental. NOTE FROM THE AUTHOR: This book is unedited. Please bear with the flaws. I poured my heart into this. Thank you for supporting my story. 💗

Aiko Belle Velasco is a determined cashier at the fast-food chain she works for. The only thing on her mind was to build a family with the man she thought would accept her and her son — Asher. Aiko did not know who the father of her child was, but she loved her son despite her parents disowning her. The night she found out her boyfriend was cheating on her, she got drunk even though she was scared and the unexpected happened... She could not accept that for the second time a man had hurt her again. But when Aiko woke up the next day and was about to go to work, the police officers and a handsome but scary man were outside her apartment — the face of the man she will never forget. What if the car she crashed into was the billionaire father of her son? She didn't think that their paths would cross with the man who got her pregnant. She will never forget his face. The man doesn't seem to know that she is the woman he slept with six years ago. The father of Asher is the scary billionaire who just came back to the Philippines to unwind from the chaotic life in America, but it turns out that he already has various businesses here in the Philippines and just chose to live in America. Sixto Emmanuel Miller is one of North America's and Asia's most feared businessmen. Because of her collision with his beloved car, Aiko found herself as the man's personal servant and got to know better the man who got her pregnant and she didn't realize that she already falling deeply in love with him. But what if the father of his child is hiding something worse?

Solemn Marrie Vartivo, a determined criminology student who's path is to dive into the PNP career on a mission to seek her father's justice. Driven by her unwavering determination for her father, Solemn find herself torn between her pursuit of truth and the complicated emotions stirred by her past with Ardent -her Senior officer and was her close acquaintance before they part ways in college. Solemn's path takes an unexpected turn when she met Ardent again and was brought by fate as she begins to uncover unsettling connections between him and his family to her father's death. Mahahanap kaya niya ang hustisya para sa kaniyang Ama o mananatili itong nakatago dahil sa pagmamahal niya sa taong hindi niya pa naman lubusang kilala?

Stella Kaysyee Gonzales-Vasco grew up haunted by the absence of a father she never knew—dead before she was born. That void twisted into a desperate hunger for a father’s love, a craving only older men could fill. But what started as a need soon spiraled into an all-consuming obsession. Lisandro Giovell Constanzo—ten years older, dangerous, and untouchable—became the object of her darkest desires. She vowed to have him, no matter the cost. Married or not, nothing would stand in her way. When she discovers his wife cannot bear children, she seizes the chance to claim him completely—body and soul. Carrying his child, Stella is blind to the cruel truth: Lisandro is a beast—a ruthless, heartless monster. And now, she’s caught in his unforgiving grasp, trapped with no way out and no hope of escape.

Growing up poor, Francesca Ynes Gomez really knows the importance of hard work and perseverance. Lumaki siya sa paniniwala na lahat ng minimithi niya sa buhay ay makukuha niya basta’y magsipag lamang siya at magtiyaga. Ngunit binalewala niya ang prinsipyong ito ng tanggapin niya ang alok na magpanggap bilang ibang tao, bilang fiancee ng isang playboy. Upang magawa ang misyong iyon ay kailangan niyang pakisamahan sa iisang bubong si Damon Dela Rue, ang eredero ng isa sa pinakamayamang angkan sa bansa. Ang magarbong mansiyon nito ang magiging entablado niya sa mga pagpapanggap at mga kasinungalingang pikit mata niyang isasagawa. Magtagumpay kaya siya? Sapat na kayang dahilan ang kayabangan at pagiging babaero ni Damon upang maprotektahan niya ang kaniyang puso mula rito? Subalit ano ang gagawin niya kung mahulog siya sa lalaking mapapangasawa ng babaeng pinagpapanggapan mo bilang ikaw? Kaya mo bang isuko ang lahat kahit kapalit naman nito ang kapakanan ng iyong mga mahal sa buhay? Ng dahil sa bunga ng kanilang pagmamahalan ay mapipilitan si Francesca na balikan ang mga taong matagal niya ng binaon sa nakaraan. Sa muli niyang pakikipagsapalaran ay may matutuklasan siyang magdudugtong sa kaniya sa mga taong kaniyang kinamumuhian. Handa na ba ang puso niyang magpatawad at...muling balikan ang lalaking minamahal?

Aiden and Wyatt have been best friends since they were kids. Wyatt's grandfather wished to see his girlfriend before he died, but the problem is Wyatt doesn't have one. And so, he thought of hiring a fake girlfriend. Since Wyatt is popular, a lot of girls applied to be his girlfriend, but he didn't like any of them at all. And that's when the craziness hit Wyatt, he asked for his best friend- Aiden to pretend to be his girlfriend in exchange for paying his father's hospital bill. Will Aiden accept the offer? If yes, what would happen with their friendship? Will something change or will they still be friends? Will they get a happy ending? Will their friends and family accept them? How do you think the judgmental world will comment on them? Can they overcome the problems that await them?

Ga-eul was born in the lowest class status in Joseon. He belonged to the cheonmin or vulgar commoners—like butchers, shoemaker, shamans, magicians, etc. He never had a real name since he was born. Ga-eul was the one that is use to call him because of it's literal meaning that a baby boy born during fall. His family earns a living by performing at town alleys and even in gisaeng's places—typically located near the center of a town. After the early death of their parents, Ga-eul was forced to work harder for him and his sister to survive. Being a performer is not enough that's why he was urged to enter the gisaeng—trained to be courtesans, a prostitute, especially one with upper-class clients—world even though he is a male. He knows that he has a soft heart like a woman but doesn't want to be one. The life of Ga-eul is indeed miserable and unfortunate. He is literally going crazy on how he can managed to send his sister into a hospital—who has a osteosarcoma—tumor in the bone. A huge amount of money is needed for his sister's recovery. One night, while having a mental breakdown, he went to the gisaeng house to plead for his advance payment but the head gisaeng threw him outside. He cried out but then, a nobleman in his 20s approach and asked him to come inside again. He never knew that the nobleman was also struggling in a problem. He thought that the nobleman was just like the other middle class people. He plead but the nobleman offer him a huge amount of money. All he need to do is to marry him. The money offered was extremely helpful to resolve his problem, but should he really let the nobleman buy him?

She is the future mafia heiress but because of her real father's identity and dangerous line of work, her family keep it to her. Being the unwanted daughter, Jaydah May Angeles, grew a rebel and a feisty woman, she is the epitome of a war goddess, walang sinasanto, palaban at hahamakin ang lahat para sa pag-ibig, sa kanyang pagrerebelde ay makikilala niya si Kent Saavedra, a good for nothing bastard na Consigliere ng isang Mafia Queen, minahal niya ang binata ngunit ito ay salawahan at hindi nakuntento sa iisang babae kung kaya't iniwan niya ito at lumabas ng bansa at doon ay nalaman niyang buntis siya at ito ang ama ng batang dinadala niya. Alam ni Jaydah na hindi tatanggapin ng mga magulang niya ang bata at ang lalaking kanyang pinakamamahal kung kaya't napagdesisyunan niyang itago ang kanilang anak sa States. Because of Jaydah's decision, she left Kent a broken man dahil totoong minahal niya ang dalaga. Kent hated her to death to the point that he became cold and arrogant. Five years later, Jaydah came back with her son and they met again. Sinabi ni Jaydah na ampon niya ang bata ngunit nalaman ng kanyang pamilya na nagsinungaling siya na siyang nagpasimula ng sigalot sa buong crime family na kinabibilangan ni Kent. Makatanggi pa kaya si Jaydah kung buhay niya na ang nakasalalay at ang mismong anak niya na ang nagmamakaawa sa Daddy nito na pakasalan siya?

Xyrine Marie Caballero thought it was the end of her life, not until she meet her new lawyer—Iñigo Kang Alcantara, he's a typical, arrogant, handsome, but smart and wise lawyer. The murderer accused Xyrine Marie Caballero of killing her step-father. Since Xyrine Marie defended herself because her step-father tried to rape her, the only self-defense would have, ended up killing her step-dad. Her mother was unable to defend her because she loved her partner more than her daughter—Xyrine Marie. Xyrine Marie's life will change when she meets her new lawyer—Attorney Iñigo Kang Alcantara. Attorney Iñigo Alcantara promised that he will help Xyrine Marie's case be acquitted if she also cooperates with him. Xyrine Marie also promised that she will owe Iñigo for the rest of her life if her case against her step-father's family and her mother. The case against the daughter and his step-father became trend when the fake evidence came out. Due to the injustice of the law, Iñigo himself used his connection with his father who won their case. Since Xyrine Marie didn't graduate from high school, she agreed to serve the Alcantara's family, but Attorney Iñigo Alcantara didn't agree to the girl's wishes. Instead of serving his family, Attorney Iñigo hired Xyrine Marie as his personal assistant. And the agreement, she'll work with his lawyer for five years, and follow everything that he asked of him even his personal needs.

"You don't need money or connection here. You'll be hired. You just have to accept my condition and do your work well." *** Hindi inakala ni Jaxen na ang huling sabak niya ng paghahanap ng trabaho para iligtas ang kaisa-isang babaeng mahalaga sa kanya ay ang pagbebenta ng sarili niyang katawan. Sa harap ng napakaganda ngunit napakalamig na milyonaryong si Kestrel Vianne Montero, dalawang kontrata ang nakalatag—parehong para sa trabaho sa kompanya at para sa trabahong kailangan ay pagsilbihan siya. He was hired to be more than just an employee. He was hired to be her Sex Slave. Sanay si Jaxen sa laro ng apoy. Sanay siyang kumuha ng atensyon. Sanay siyang makipaglaro sa sarap. Ngunit ang dating ginagawa niya para sa sariling aliw, ngayon ay magiging isang obligasyong kailangan niyang panindigan—anumang oras, saanmang lugar, o sa kahit anong paraan dipende sa kagustuhan ng kanyang amo. Sa ilalim ng kapangyarihan ni Vianne, unti-unting lulunukin ni Jaxen ang kanyang pride kapalit ng bawat sentimong magdudugtong sa buhay ng isang ispesyal na babae sa buhay niya. Ngunit sa bawat maiinit na haplos, bawat nakakaakit na daing at bawat gabi ng pagsunod, may isang tanong ang palaging gumugulo sa kanya... "Hanggang saan niya kayang ibigay ang kanyang katawan kung ang kapalit nito ay ang unti-unting pagkaka-alipin ng kanyang puso?"