One Seat Apart

It was our wedding anniversary when my husband's high school sweetheart posted a sonogram picture on her social media, with her captioning a public thank-you to my husband: [Thank you to the man who's been there for me for ten years, and for giving me a son.] The room spun, and anger surged through me as I quickly commented: [So, you're proud of being a homewrecker?] Almost immediately, my husband called, his voice full of rage. "How can you think such disgusting things? All I did was help her with IVF, fulfilling her dream of becoming a single mom. "And by the way, Ruby only needed one try to get pregnant, while you’ve been through three rounds with nothing. Your body is useless!" Just three days ago, he told me he was going abroad for business—ignoring my calls and messages the entire time. I thought he was just busy. However, it turned out he was with her, attending her prenatal checkup. Half an hour later, Ruby posted again, showing off a table full of delicious food. [I got tired of French food, so Ash made me all my favorite dishes. He’s the best!] I stared at the pregnancy test in my hand, the joy I had felt earlier now completely gone. After eight years of love and six years of swallowing my pride just to keep the marriage alive, I’m finally ready to let go.

The notorious Alpha of the Black Wolf pack, Kellen Blackwood, is feared throughout the entire pack for his violent temper. Yet, everyone knows he adores his mate, Lilith Hayes. I am only an Omega, the lowest rank among werewolves, and I haven't awakened my wolf by the age of 18. Even though I became a laughingstock in the Black Wolf pack, Kellen still treats me as the love of his life. He always says I am as pure as moonlight, and he's willing to bow his head and surrender his pride for me. I believe him. Despite my family's objections, I become his mate. For five years, we have been together. He cherishes me like a priceless treasure. The Alpha Kellen, who shows no mercy outside, cooks meals for me and takes care of our home with his own hands. The fearsome leader, who never bows to anyone, gently lowers his head and shows deference to me. When my brother, Rex Hayes, breaks werewolf law, Kellen is the one who accompanies me to find someone who will testify for him. But on the day of the trial, the only person who can prove Rex's innocence, Ella Foster, is nowhere to be found. Rex is convicted of assault instead of being cleared for self-defense. The moment Rex is found guilty, Kellen is the first to stand and applaud in agreement. I lose control and run to confront Ella, demanding to know why she turned her back on us at the last moment. Ella clutches her stomach, tears rolling down her face, her voice trembling as she says, "Rex really is at fault. I can't just stand by and let my father be blamed for something he didn't do!" I stand there in shock, and then Kellen appears behind me. "Lilith, Ella is pregnant with my pup. I can't let anything happen to the pup she's carrying. Rex's punishment is exile to the Frozen Wastes. Compared to everything Ella has lost, that's already merciful."

He called me his princess and he promised me a ring, our life together was going to be Epic but when I turned 18 and my wolf cried “Mate”, He rejected me and claimed another girl in front of my eyes before he disappeared from my life, until……one night he caught me in that nightclub, I couldn’t believe it was him but I was sure it was him but then he pinned me to the wall and whispered through gritted teeth. “I don’t know you, and certainly do not love you. You have got the wrong man. But I don’t mind having you for tonight’s appetite.”

Lisha is a young woman trapped in a marriage arranged by her father, Mr Wellis, who views her union as a business transaction rather than an act of love. Despite pleading not to marry, her wishes are ignored. On her wedding day, Lisha runs away in search of freedom and falls in love with Dave, a bakery owner and the son of her family’s maid. Although they come from different social backgrounds, their love grows strong, and Lisha sacrifices her wealth to marry him. However, on the night of the wedding, Lisha makes a blood oath under a sacred tree believed to grant desires of the flesh. Instead of bringing happiness, the oath becomes her downfall, trapping her in spiritual bondage. As her marriage begins to suffocate her, Lisha once again longs for freedom. She seeks help from a spiritual healer, who warns her that the oath cannot be undone. Desperate to escape the marriage and the curse, Lisha considers killing Dave as the only way to break free. Dave eventually finds out about Lisha’s plan. This leads him to strike before Lisha stokes him. Both husband and wife plot death against each other however will this bring doom to their marriage or will they choose to rekindle their love?

Para masalba ang kompanya ng kanyang ama, napilitan si Bianca na pakasalan si Lucien Hoffman—isang ruthless at disabled na lalaki. Ngunit sa mismong araw ng kanilang kasal, nagulat ang lahat nang makita nilang nakakalakad ito nang maayos. At hindi lang iyon, napakaguwapo pa ni Lucien! Nang magtagpo ang kanilang landas, malamig na sinabi ni Lucien kay Bianca, "I will never love you or sleep with you. To me, you're nothing but a contracted wife." Ngunit dumating ang araw na hindi na niya magawang sundin ang nakasaad sa kontrata. Malumanay niyang sinabi, "I don't know, but I lose my mind when you're not here with me. Now, I’ll treat you as my wife. I will love you and… make love to you.” Umiling si Bianca. “It's a breach of contract! Do you know you'll have to pay for it?” Ngumiti si Lucien. “I can pay for that breach of contract even multiple times, as long as you'll be mine." Ngunit paano kung ang kontratang nagbuklod sa kanila ay siya ring maging dahilan para magkalayo sila?

Suddenly Zeva Adelia, a freelance photographer, got a client who expressed his interest in her after spending a day together on the first day they met. However, without clarifying what their relationship was and only introducing his name as Zero, the next day Zero immediately returned to his country. He left only a trail of his handmade sketch of Zeva's face and a tiny letter asking Zeva to keep her heart's loyalty to him only. Strangely enough, by only communicating via chat, even without video or phone calls, Zeva feels that Zero has succeeded in conquering her heart. Then, can Zeva undergo a status-less relationship and a long-distance relationship with Zero? How long can Zeva endure waiting for Zero to come back for her? Also, how much does Zeva trust Zero's loyalty to her, when there's another girl like 24/7 beside Zero?

My husband, Malcolm Thorpe, has low sperm motility. After 33 rounds of IVF, I finally got pregnant. On delivery day, I start hemorrhaging, and the medical team calls for an emergency C-section. Malcolm signs the consent form, then rushes straight back to his childhood sweetheart's birthday party. But instead of starting the C-section, the surgeon says, "Ms. Jacobson, the electronic medical record lists you as single. This consent form isn't valid." I stop breathing for a beat. The happy marriage I believe in turns out to be a sham. Later, Mom and Dad rush in and sign the consent for me. But by then, the baby is gone. The asphyxia lasted too long. After surgery, I scrawl my name on the cremation consent with shaking hands, then dial a number without thinking. "Samuel, are you free now? Meet me in front of City Hall."

After I get off work from the hospital, I decide to exercise by taking my mountain bike out on a ride. However, that's when I find out that the seat of my mountain bike has been lowered. There's even a blue sticky note with a scribbled heart pasted on the bike handle. I call my wife, Sabrina Yellin. "Who took my bike on a ride?" After a few seconds of silence, Sabrina replies nonchalantly, "Kelly's boyfriend wanted to learn how to ride a mountain bike yesterday, so he practiced a few laps with your bike. What's wrong, though? Is the bike damaged in any way?" Kelly's boyfriend? But he had boasted about going on an overseas vacation for one whole month last week on his social media account. My gut feeling tells me that something's fishy about this whole thing. So, I just curl my lips into a smirk. "Nah. He can keep using it." After that, I push the mountain bike back to its original parking slot. Then, I find myself two needles so that I can insert them into the seat. Three days later, when I'm working the night shift at the hospital, a nurse rushes in hurriedly. "Dr. Hart, there's a male patient in the ER right now. He claims that his crotch was stabbed by needles when he was riding his bike earlier."

At the celebration where Lorenzo Alvarez is crowned the new mafia boss, his men arrange a few performances. A dancer in a backless top and short skirt twists around the pole under the lights. "Don't look," he murmurs, covering my eyes with his hand. "This kind of cheap entertainment isn't worthy of you." His men jump in immediately. "Lorenzo still spoils Ms. Valenti after all these years. That kind of devotion is rare. We're so jealous." "A man as loyal and single-minded as Lorenzo is hard to find." I rest a hand on my belly, planning to tell him tonight that I am pregnant. But when I return from the restroom, I see the same man who had just held me in his arms leaning back in his chair while the dancer straddles his lap. Lorenzo slips his business card and a thick fold of cash into the waistband of her skirt. He laughs, relaxed and unbothered. "Isabella is wonderful, sure, but life needs a little passion. This ragazza is just something new. A bit of fun. "Keep your mouths shut. Don't go running to Isabella and upset her. Otherwise, you'll have a problem." Cold rushes through me. I do not approach or confront Lorenzo. I simply take out my phone and answer the email I have been avoiding for days. "I agree to participate in the confidential experiment."

Ang masayang pagsasama ng mag-asawang Celeste at Elijah ay nabahiran ng pagdududa nang maramdaman ni Elijah na tila niloloko siya ni Celeste. Pagdududa na nauwi upang sumiping siya ng isang gabi kay Selena na isang estranghera. Ngunit nagsisi si Elijah nang malaman niya na mali siya ng hinala kay Celeste. Inakala ni Elijah na tapos na ang kabanata ng buhay niya kay Selena dahil one night stand lamang ang nangyari sa kanilang dalawa. Ngunit ganoon na lamang ang gulat niya nang malaman niya na lumipat si Selena ng bahay na malapit sa bahay nilang mag-asawa. Doon na nagsimula ang pamba-blackmail ni Selena upang makuha ang gusto nito sa kaniya. Si Elijah nga lang ba ang pakay ni Selena o meron pa siyang mas malalim na dahilan kaya nais niyang masira ang pagmamahalan nina Celeste at Elijah?