No Action Talk Only

For a year, I’d lived a double life. During the day, I am Lila Montgomery, the heiress of Montgomery Industries. At night, I am just Lila, the woman Ethan was falling for. Or so I thought.“Grace,” he’d murmured in his sleep one night, his arms tightening around me. “Don’t leave again.” That was the first crack in my fantasy. The final crack that ended our so-called relationship was when he accused me of wanting to trap him with a baby. Now just days later, my mother wants me to meet Nicholas Baldwin, Ethan’s uncle. “Might be exactly what you need to forget his nephew.” I ignored my brother’s teasing, walking past him. “I don’t need another Baldwin man in my life.” But seeing Ethan now in person and with Grace by his side… “Nick,” I whispered urgently, “I need a huge favor.” He must have heard the desperation in my voice, “Name it.” “Pretend to be my boyfriend.”

Cecilia Jones kept a forgiveness notebook. Six months ago, on Cecilia's birthday, Jeff Lawrence abandoned her to meet Yvonne Smith. It was the 93rd time she’d forgiven him. Three months prior, when Yvonne mentioned she was allergic to cat dander, Jeff gave away the cat Cecilia had raised for years. Cecilia forgave him for the 94th time. One month ago, Jeff got drunk and woke up in the same bed as Yvonne. He insisted that nothing had happened and accused Cecilia of having a dirty mind. Cecilia forgave him for the 95th time.

"Ms. Medici, you've officially purchased the island. It's completely off the grid—once you're in, no one can find you. Also, the custom-made family you requested is ready. They're professionally trained to give you nothing but unconditional love."

My father bought twin brothers from the black market to serve as bodyguards for me and my sister. My sister chose the tall, strong older brother, leaving me with the frail, mute younger one. Feeling sorry for him, I kept him close, seeking doctors for his silence and maintaining distance to respect his apparent OCD. I thought trauma had shaped him that way. But when our father's enemies kidnapped us, he abandoned me without hesitation, choosing to die shielding my sister. In his final moments, he spoke for the first time. "You finally see me." To me, he said, "In the next life, please don't choose me." I realized then that he was neither mute nor afflicted with OCD. His silence and aversion were directed solely at me. When I opened my eyes again, I was back on the day we chose the bodyguards. This time, I'd grant his wish.

Van Dominic Loudd grew up without a family. He was young when he became an orphan and was raised by a family lawyer. He had always wanted to have a big, happy family. And he thought he would be able to achieve that when he met and fell in love with Demani Dominico. As opposed to Van, Demani was born in a big, close-knit family. Lumaki ito sa isang kilala at respetadong familia; believing that family should stick together through good and bad times. Just like all other couples out there, they met, fell in love, and planned for the future. Van eventually became part of the Dominico family. His life became complete. And so he thought... Dahil ang pamilya ni Demani rin pala ang dahilan kaya hindi naging maganda ang takbo ng pagsasama nila. They loved each other to destruction, but her family was pulling their relationship down. And Van got tired of it, and so, they started to fight a lot and lose respect for each other. They went through a bitter separation, and Demani thought she would never hear from him again. Until two years later, nakatanggap na lang ito ng sulat mula sa abogado ni Van, asking for her help. Van had an accident and he needed her assistance. She was skeptical at first, she didn't want to have any connections whatsoever with him; but she still found herself standing in front of their old house, waiting for him to open up the door. Will there be a second chance for them? **

Durante cuatro años fui su secretaria y durante cuatro años calenté su cama. Lo sabía todo, desde los negocios de su familia hasta los secretos que me susurraba por las noches. Pero para él, yo no era más que un juguete al que podía recurrir cuando quisiera. En cuanto su primer amor, Sofía Costa, regresó al país, él me humilló sin pensarlo dos veces. La besó en una iglesia de Sicilia, me abandonó en una carretera, empapada por la lluvia con un corte de veinticinco centímetros en la pantorrilla, y luego me despidió con una frase fría y mordaz. Dijo que yo era alguien sin importancia, alguien a quien simplemente podía ignorar. Ella agitó el tulipán de peluche que él le había obsequiado delante de mí. —Yo soy la única a la que ama. Tú solo eras una sustituta. Mientras reconstruía mi vida en Northport y por fin encontraba algo de paz, este despiadado Don de la mafia se arrodilló frente a mi puerta, con los ojos rojos de emoción. —Elena, vuelve conmigo. Pateé su mano lejos con una sonrisa. —Tu supuesta devoción me repugna.

On the night Isabel Shore gets married, she catches her childhood friend—now her husband—cheating on her. They've known and loved each other for 22 years. Meanwhile, her adoptive brother helps to steal the scumbag for his own sister's sake. Yet, he also acts like he's a good brother to her. How hypocritical, he actually fantasizes about the best of both worlds. Isabel sneers. Do they think she's a pushover that they can walk all over? Even after a decisive divorce, her ex-husband thinks she'll reconcile with him once she gets over her tantrum. After all, he's the only one who loves her so deeply. Her adoptive brother also thinks she'll come crawling after suffering out there. She grew up in wealth and is used to being comfortable, after all. To their surprise, Isabel has long since made a name for herself in Jeriton, thanks to a particular big shot's support. Finally, her ex-husband panics. "She's just throwing a tantrum! I'm the one she loves, and you're nothing but a tool she's using to get back at me!" The big shot smiles. "Is that so? That sounds like a win for me." Her adoptive brother is furious. "Haven't you suffered enough in the hands of one scumbag, Izzy? Why have you found another one? Can't you see everything I've done for you?" The big shot slams the door shut in his face and pins Isabel to the wall. "Remember that I'm the only one you can use. Don't even dream about doing it to anyone else!"

The day before Chris Carter and I were supposed to get engaged, my parents sent me to prison. Three years later, when I was finally released, Chris was the only one who came to pick me up. I knew he despised me. I trembled, keeping my head down, hoping to slip away unnoticed. But he blocked my path, frowning. “Emily York? You stink.” He pinched his nose and told me to get in the car. I fell to my knees, desperately begging him not to take me home. If he did, I would die. He looked at me with chilling indifference and said, “Then go ahead and die.” I agreed. But later, he cried and begged me to stay alive.

In the seventh year of my engagement with Nathan Galloway, he has inherited everything from his dead older brother, including his newly widowed sister-in-law, Catherine Wilkins. Whenever Nathan is done sleeping with Catherine, he'll hug me and comfort me gently. "Just wait for a little longer, Jojo. Once Cathy gets pregnant, we'll have our own wedding." This is the Galloways' only condition for Nathan to inherit the family's assets. In the six months following his return to Ravelton, Nathan has visited Catherine's room 52 times. He initially started off with just one visit per month. But slowly, the visits have been increasing to the point that he now visits her once every two days. Finally, when I spend my 52nd sleepless night sitting in my room and waiting for Nathan's return, I receive the news of Catherine's pregnancy. But at the same time, the news of Nathan and Catherine's upcoming marriage breaks out as well. "Mommy, is someone getting married in this household?" As I stare at the wedding decorations in the villa, I just pull my son, Theo Huber, into a hug with a blank expression. "Yeah. Your daddy is about to marry the woman he loves. That's why it's time for us to move out." What Nathan doesn't know is that we Melshes couldn't care less about marriage.

Hilda Michaela has been in love with her crush Edwilson Autore ever since she was a child. When an unexpected nightstand between the two led to a pregnancy, their families arranged for them to marry. Even though Wilson was against their union, Hilda devoted her life to him, hoping that he would love her back. Years passed, yet Wilson was the same. He became even colder when Hilda mysteriously lost the pregnancy exactly after a month of their marriage. This infuriates him even the more and only viewed their union as a trap. One day, he thrust divorce papers into her face when she least expected. "I've been thinking about this for a while, let's go our separate ways" he bellowed. Years later, when their paths cross, yearning reflected in his eyes as he pleaded, "Hilda.. Can you take me in again?" Hilda let out a loud empty laugh before she gazed at him with zero emotions and sneered, " I would love to take you in darling but the last I checked, i didn't own a daycare."