Non Zero Sum Chapter 1

Beatrise Mendoza, sa batang edad ay nangarap nang maging isang artista hindi lang upang makatulong sa kanyang pamilya kundi para matamasa rin ang karangyaang mayroon ang mga ito. Kaya nang dumating ang isang hindi inaasahang pagkakataon sa katauhan ng kanyang tiyahing taga-Maynila ay agad niya iyong sinunggaban. Pero ang inakala niyang abot-kamay na pangarap ay hindi pala gano'n kadaling abutin. Dahil hindi pala madaling makapasok sa industriyang iyon. At dahil sa natamong kabiguan ay hindi niya naiwasang humanap ng masasandalan at makakapitan, at natagpuan niya iyon sa katauhan ng kanyang pinsan na si John Carl, ang panganay na anak ng kanyang tiyahin. Ngunit hindi niya napaghandaan ang isang malaking dagok sa kanyang buhay. Dahil unang kita pa lang sa lalaki ay nahumaling na siya rito kaya ng maging mas malapit sila at makilala ang tunay nitong ugali ay lalong nahulog ang kanyang loob. Paano pa niya haharapin ang pag-abot sa kanyang pangarap na tila kay ilap kung maging pati ang paghihirap ng kanyang damdamin ay nakakadagdag sa kanyang dalahin?

Dahil sa mga masasamang nangyari sa buhay ni Adella, napilitan siyang pumasok bilang dancer sa isang club, para lamang mabuhay. Hindi niya akalaing doon niya makikita at makikilala ang iniidolong sikat na surfer na si Apollo Williams. Unang pagtatama pa lamang ng mga mata nila, alam na ni Adella na may kakaiba siyang nararamdaman dito. Ngunit paano siya magugustuhan ng isang tinitingalang taong katulad ni Apollo, gayon ang tingin lamang nito sa kanya ay isang mababang uri ng babae. For him, she was just his whore. Magkakaroon kaya ng katugunan ang nararamdaman ng dalaga patungkol dito? O mananatili na lamang siyang bayarang babae para kay Apollo?

"You're either brave," Aaron said quietly, his accent thickening just enough when he was irritated, "or you have no sense of self-preservation." I didn't look away. His dark eyes burned - calculating, controlled, dangerous. The kind of Alpha who didn't need to raise his voice to be obeyed. The kind who was born into power and sharpened by it. "Maybe I just don't scare easily," I said smugly. A muscle ticked in his jaw. Slow. Controlled. He stepped into my space, close enough that the air shifted, close enough that I could feel the heat rolling off him and smell the faint scent of coffee on his breath. "You should," he murmured, eyes focused on my lips. ⸻⸻⸻ Xavier has one rule: survive. After being betrayed and left for dead by his own pack, he doesn't trust Alphas. He doesn't trust loyalty. And he sure as fuck doesn't trust powerful families who smile too easily. Aaron D'Amico is everything Xavier avoids - a strategic, dangerously composed Alpha raised in legacy and control. His pack is strong. His leadership is unquestioned. And his mother's influence runs deeper than anyone realizes, even him. He doesn't make reckless decisions. He doesn't let emotions interfere. And he doesn't lose control. Until Xavier. What starts as irritation turns into a battle of dominance neither of them expected. But beneath the tension simmers something more dangerous - quiet political maneuvering, shifting loyalties, and a matriarch who watches every move. Because in this pack, power isn't taken with claws. It's taken with strategy. And the Alpha who prides himself on discipline? He's about to meet the one wolf who refuses to behave. WARNING ‼️‼️‼️ CONTAINS MATURE AND SEXUAL THEMES

Elowen Garcia, never expected to fall for Jacob Aldeguire, her fiancé’s uncle. Older than her, confident, and dangerously protective, he watches her from the shadows, fighting a desire that could shatter him. But obsession doesn’t just fade. It was waiting for its time to be fulfill. And as the secrets surface and temptation turns reckless, she’s pulled into a forbidden connection fueled by stolen moments and undeniable need. Loving him could destroy everything… yet resisting him feels impossible. Some desires should never be awakened. But once they are, there's no door to escape.

18 year old Caitlin Paine finds herself uprooted from her nice suburb and forced to attend a dangerous New York City high school when her Mom moves again. The one ray of light in her new surroundings is Jonah, a new classmate who takes an instant liking to her. But before their romance can blossom, Caitlin suddenly finds herself changing. She is overcome by a superhuman strength, a sensitivity to light, a desire to feed--by feelings she does not understand. She seeks answers to what’s happening to her, and her cravings lead her to the wrong place at the wrong time. Her eyes are opened to a hidden world, right beneath her feet, thriving underground in New York City. She finds herself caught between two dangerous covens, right in the middle of a vampire war. It is at this moment that Caitlin meets Caleb, a mysterious and powerful vampire who rescues her from the dark forces. He needs her to help lead him to the legendary lost artifact. And she needs him for answers, and for protection. Together, they will need to answer one crucial question: who was her real father? But Caitlin finds herself caught between two men as something else arises between them: a forbidden love. A love between the races that will risk both of their lives, and will force them to decide whether to risk it all for each other… "TURNED is an ideal story for young readers. Morgan Rice did a good job spinning an interesting twist on what could have been a typical vampire tale. Refreshing and unique, TURNED has the classic elements found in many Young Adult paranormal stories. Book #1 of the Vampire Journals Series focuses around one girl…one extraordinary girl!...TURNED is easy to read but extremely fast-paced....Recommended for anyone who likes to read soft paranormal romances. Rated PG." --The Romance Reviews

Besar di panti asuhan. Dididik menjadi sosok manusia yang sangat ahli dalam menyamar dan mempertahankan diri. Mengalami hidup menggenaskan semasa kecil, hingga diperkosa saat berusia sepuluh tahun. Nina Averin menjadi mesin pembunuh yang sangat berbahaya. Wanita itu dituntuta untuk mematikan emosi juga perasaannya. Ketika memutuskan untuk menyudahi hidupnya sebagai pembantai, Nina justru menemukan tujuan dari dirinya dilahirkan. Alter Fidelis, malaikat terbuang yang memberi tugas Nina untuk menyelamatkan gadis kecil bernama Abigail Castain dari kejaran kultus pemuja Lucifer, kekuatan yang dahsyat diperolehnya. Gadis kecil yang berada dalam lindungannya ternyata anak dari Lucifer sendiri! Setelah menjalani perjalanan menuju vatikan bersama gadis berusia sepuluh tahun tersebut, Nina dihadapkan satu kenyataan, bahwa baik dirinya maupun Abigail bukan manusia biasa. Nina Averin menjadi seorang huntress atau pemburu wanita yang memiliki kemampuan mengusir iblis dan membunuh makhluk tersebut!

Nisha Eumerriah Normandeou, woman who wanted nothing but peace. However, that dream suddenly disappears when she found out she was one of the successful experiments called Fentanyl. After being isolated, as she steps into Ottawa Green University, one of the luxurious university, she will gradually discover everything. Until the massacre began without knowing what the reason was. And when she saw the corpses, she discovered to herself that dead bodies were one of her weaknesses. The question is, can she handle being one if her weakness is related to dealing with a corpse? Will they find the mastermind of the trouble in the city called Ottawa? And can she control the demon that infiltrates her mind?

Alice is the future ruler of the Kingdom of Bridgeton, and she is expected to rule when she reaches the age of 18. An angel-like lady conceals the true might of a Queen, and her sympathy for regular citizens allows her to garner their support. However, just before her 18th birthday, the Kingdom of Dehova unexpectedly invaded them, hurting half of the citizens and murdering half of the royal soldiers. As the Bridgeton Kingdom faces its demise due to the attack of the Dehova Kingdom, Bridgeton's long-term foe. Alice was instructed to travel to the Kingdom of Mesuria and seek assistance from the recently appointed King Rembrandt, who is known for his ruthlessness in dealing with opponents. Will Alice be able to complete her quest and save Bridgeton? Will she be successful in luring the wise King? Will she succeed, or will she fail?

In the world of high-stakes tech, Theodore Zayne Vidalle Montenegro is a god. He is cold, calculated, and lives by a strict code of honor. He doesn't do distractions, and he certainly doesn't do love. Coleen Alexandra Enriquez is the only one who can handle his moods. As his secretary, she knows his coffee preference, his darkest secrets, and the exact way his jaw tightens when he's angry. She's been the silent shadow behind his success for years. But when a corporate scandal threatens the Montenegro legacy, Theodore proposes a deal that isn't in her job description: A temporary marriage to save the family name. In this game of power, honor is everything. But when the lines between professional and personal blur, will Coleen survive the fire of being Mrs. Montenegro?

Celine Galvez, a graduating law student and a famous man hater from the University of the Philippines, dedicated her life to fulfill her promise to give justice to her father's death. She pledged to make her family her greatest priority in everything, until she met Lorenzo, the notorious playboy and star of Ateneo Medicine, who slowly wrecked her principles in a way that she surprisingly found pleasuring. Will she be able to keep both her promise and Loren whom she learned to love, when all the hindrances are starting to surface against them? How can she forget him when he left a beating heart that reminds her of him every day? Should Celine just move on and live alone with their child, or will she risk it all to find the star that once fell for her?