Never Truly Over

My younger brother, Owen Rivera, and I are playing in Dad's refrigerated truck. Owen wants to grab my ice cream from me, but I refuse to let him have his way. He shoves me forcefully, causing me to lose my balance and fall to the floor, knocking me out on the spot. When I finally wake up and locate him in the freezer, I find out that he's gotten reduced to a frozen statue. The security footage shows that Owen has been screaming the words "Mommy, help me!" hysterically for three hours before his death. After Mom is done watching the footage, she breaks down on the spot. Then, she yanks me by my hair before slamming me against the wall. "What were you doing? You were at the entrance, dammit! Why didn't you open the door for Owen?" With reddened eyes, Dad throws me into the freezer. "Owen was cold and frightened in the freezer! You should have a taste of the same thing too!" The thick and heavy door is slammed in my face. Darkness and a bone-chilling coldness devour me instantly. I curl into a small ball in the corner Owen has just died in. My teeth are starting to chatter, and my consciousness is starting to slip away. I'm sorry, Mom and Dad. I don't feel cold. I'm not cold at all. I will never eat ice cream ever again in my next lifetime.

Everyone in the underworld knew Rosalie Thorne, the "Thorn Principessa" of the North. Wild, rebellious, notorious. Street racing, high-stakes gambling, guns, and drinking, she had mastered them all. The rose-and-thorn tattoo on the nape of her neck drove countless men wild. But what they didn't know was that for Rocco, the new mob boss of the South, a single sentence, "I prefer a more obedient woman," was all it took. At his word, I had the tattoo lasered off and swapped my leathers for long, conservative dresses. I am Rosalie. For five years, I hid my identity and played the porcelain doll Rocco wanted. Until the night he eliminated all his rivals and was crowned the new Don of the South. That was when he let his men bow to another woman, hailing her as their "Donna." I watched Rocco. The same hands that had just executed a traitor were now gently placing a pair of red high heels on the feet of his adoptive sister, Vivian. "Rosalie, she has a temper. She'll make a scene if she doesn't get the title." "You're the good one, the obedient one. Just let her have this." That day, I walked straight out into the rain and never looked back. I was never truly obedient. I just made myself smaller for him. My family had already chosen a husband for me. They had been waiting five years, just for me to say yes.

"I'm not the jealous type. But what's mine is mine. I could kill for what's mine. No one has the right to kiss you, touch you, or care for you. That's what I was born to do." His words echoed in the depths of my soul. "I'm leaving, and you can't stop me!" I tried to put up a fight, but it was all futile against his dominating form. "The only way you can leave me is through death. And even after you die, even the devil will make sure you serve me in hell because I am his master," A sinister smile spread across his face. That was the moment I knew I was doomed. *** Lance and Viella have been married for four years without conception. Enduring the persistent nagging from Lance's mother was becoming hell on earth for Viella, and the only way she could live a happy life was to get pregnant by any means possible to produce an heir for the Rollins family. The perfect plan was set in motion, and Viella brought in a surrogate to bear a child for them while she pretended to be pregnant. This was the biggest secret they were to guard with their lives. But what happens when this secret not only spills but Viella loses her husband to the surrogate? What happens when Viella finally finds a man who is ready to burn the world for her, only to be haunted by the demons of her past? Let's find out in this toe-curling romance story of love, betrayal, and lust.

I’d been in love with Cassian Cross—my brother’s best friend, the one and only mafia boss in the NYC—for as long as I could remember. On the night of my twentieth birthday, my brother promised me a surprise. I didn’t expect that surprise to be a very drunk, very kissable Cassian. One reckless night. One baby boy. Cassian agreed to marry me after giving birth. But the day I gave birth to Leo, Cassian said nothing. He just packed up and vanished to France for nearly five years. Then he returned with Alessia. His first love. And when she saw Leo and me, she ran away and disappeared. After that, Cassian never left my side. Like he was trying to be the man I needed all along, that we were finally going to have our chance. But fairytales are lies wrapped in pretty paper. On Leo’s sixth birthday, we were driving to dinner. The brakes failed. The car spun onto the highway, flames licking at the engine. Cassian got out. And then he locked the door. “If it weren’t for you, Alessia would still be by my side. Now? It’s your turn to suffer.” It wasn’t until that moment I understood—Cassian had never loved me. When I opened my eyes again, I was back at my twenties birthday. Cassian was in my bed, exactly where I’d left him in the past. This time, I didn’t hesitate. I ran. And on my way out, I made the call I should’ve made the first time. To Alessia.

Selene Quinn Six years ago, I walked away from Lucien Ashbourne. No goodbyes. No confrontation. Just silence… and two unborn children he never knew about. They said I was lucky to marry into power — even though he was half-dead man. They didn’t see the contract, the coma, or the cold man who treated me like a threat. Even after I saved him. Now I’m back. Different name. Bigger title. And the first face I see on a Manhattan billboard? His. He doesn’t know I’m here. He doesn’t know we’re about to become competitors. And he has no idea what I’ve built while he was busy forgetting me. Lucien Ashbourne She left without a word. Good. She was a mistake forced into my life while I was too broken to stop it. But I never signed those divorce papers. And now… she’s back. New name. Same eyes. Running the company threatening my biggest deal. She’s hiding something. She always was. But this time, I won’t let her vanish. Not until I know why she left. Not until I remember what we did that night. Not until she realizes... she was mine all along.

"Ms. Hall, these are the details of the feigned death service you booked with us. The date of death is set for the wedding, half a month from now. The cause of death will be suicide by drowning, and the deceased is yourself. Please confirm and sign here." Wendy Hall nodded. Without hesitation, she signed her name at the bottom of the document. The bustling street was alive with chatter and movement. As Wendy walked home alone, she glanced up, and there it was—the giant screen on a nearby building, looping a video of Grayson Bryce proposing to her.

“I’m pregnant too.” Sonia, my husband’s girlfriend said to me with a voice lifts with theatrical innocence. “Chase doesn’t know yet,” she continues casually. “I wanted to wait till the divorce is finalized. That way everyone will know I didn’t need to trap him with a baby… like you did.” There it is. The knife twist. Her eyes glitter with triumph as she walks out. I open my tote bag. The divorce agreement slides out easily. A thick stack of paper demanding my complete surrender of any claim to the Warren empire. In exchange for freedom. The woman who fractured herself trying to build a family out of dust is gone. I slide the signed documents into the top drawer of Chase’s desk. Let him find it. Let him choke on it.

Nang dahil sa isang car accident na kinasasangkutan ni Mayumi Santillan at ng first love ng kanyang asawa na si Xavier Valerio ay nawala ang kanyang anak sa kanyang sinapupunan. Hindi pa alam ni Xavier ang tungkol sa kanyang pinagbubuntis dahil palagi itong nakatutok sa first love nitong si Ysabel Cotez. Oo, isang kasunduan lang kung bakit sila kinasal ni Xavier. Sa limang taong pagsasama nila ay hindi man lang siya nito nakuhang mahalin. She knows that Xavier doesn’t love her at hindi na niya kayang tumagal pa sa piling nito. “Xavier... I want a divorce!” “WHAT???” Sandaling natigilan si Xavier. Iniisip kung tama ang kanyang narinig. “You heard me, Xavier. I want a divorce.” “Mayumi, what game are you trying to play now?” “I’m serious!” “Xavier, pinapalaya na kita na makasama si Ysabel nang tuluyan. Nakikipag-usap na ako sa abogado. Andito ako sa ospital room sa itaas. Pumunta ka dito at pag-usapan natin ang tungkol sa diborsyo.” Pero bago pa siya makapagsalita ay pinutol siya ni Xavier. “Wala akong oras!” mabilis nitong sabi saka pinatay ang telepono. Nakatitig lang siya sa kanyang telepono. Bakit may pakiramdam siyang umiiwas si Xavier sa usaping diborsyo? Could it be… NO!… wala siyang pakialam sa akin. Hindi niya ako mahal at hindi kailanman mamahalin…

Binayaran si Emerald upang paibigin at sirain ang engagement ni Lucian Monteverde sa kasintahan. Dala ng pangangailangan at lihim na pag-ibig sa binata ay pumayag siya. Matagumpay ang misyon ngunit naging kapalit ang buhay ng babaeng pinakamamahal nito. Hindi siya nakahanda sa matinding galit at ganti ng bilyonaryong CEO. Pinakasalan siya nito at pinagmalupitan. Pinagbayaran niya ang lahat ng kasalanan hangang sa puntong tapusin niya ang sariling buhay. Makalipas ang dalawang taon ay muling nag-krus ang kanilang landas. Iba naman ang pagpaparusang ginawa ng asawa, naging possessive at obsessed ito sa kanya! Ayaw siya nitong pakawalan ngunit hindi siya babalik kailanman. Wala sa plano niyang ulitin ang katangahan. Gusto niyang mabuhay ng malaya at may kapayapaan ng isip. Ngunit bakit ayaw mapatid ang gahiblang tila sinulid na nag-uugnay sa kanilang dalawa?

Betrayed by his fiancée hours before their wedding, CEO Mason Caldwell impulsively finds a last-minute bride, Gianna to spite his ex. Gianna is bound by a contract to Mason, who has vowed to never open up his heart to anyone ever again. But when some unexpected feelings begin to bloom between the two, it seems there might be more danger looming, as well as bitter truths that surface from the past to tear them apart.