Open When You Are Sad

Fake it 'til you make it has been the motto I live by since my mother died. I'm also doing a really bad job at the making it part. The night we met, I was at my lowest. But you gave me a reason to feel happy again. For the first time in over a year, I was optimistic. You and I? We're the same. Don't form attachments. Follow the rules. Don't dream of a future. Too bad our hearts wouldn't listen. And this storm we're going through? The one that threatens to rip us apart? It doesn't care that I'm falling for you. Falling for You is created by Jennifer Van Wyk, an eGlobal Creative Publishing author.

Aron and Ashley have been enemies since childhood. Their fathers' hate each other which caused them to compete in everything. Ashley was happy when she got accepted by the top law school in London but her happiness didn't last long when she saw Aron on her first day. Their story takes a turn when they have to team up for a project. Will they be able to forget everything that happened in the past or will they come to hate each other even more? Will they be able to find the truth behind their fathers' dispute?

Isn’t it funny how love works? I have always loved Dreston, and he has always been the one for me—my first love. As a child, I loved him, as a teenager, nothing changed. And now, even as his wife, I still couldn’t love him any less. But he only ever loved Tina—my teenage best friend. She came into our lives and didn’t just take him away from me. She took my happiness, my laughter, and even the girl I used to be. I still remember her words to me: “You knew he was mine, yet you married him.” She made me feel like I was the villain. Maybe I was foolish to believe that love alone would bring him back to me. But nothing changed. He would always love her. I finally gave up the day I signed the divorce papers. I learned to let go, to move on, and to start fresh. And just when I had finally decided to start my life again—just when the universe rewarded me with a man who loved me unconditionally… Dreston came running back. Now he wants a second chance.

To make up for past regrets with his first love, my husband, Pierce Ronan, lied that he could see everyone’s lifespan. He told me I had sixty years left, but his first love, Jessica Stone, had only seven days to live. So, for those seven days, he said he had to fulfill the promises of their youth. He brought her home, cared for her, and when they went back to their old college campus to relive their love, I didn’t protest. When he confessed his love to her and planned the wedding of the century, asking me to be the bridesmaid, I didn’t raise my voice. It wasn’t until he wanted to break the final taboo — in our marital bedroom — that he looked at me with guilt in his eyes and begged me to move out. The housemaids watched, snickering behind their hands, but I only smiled and nodded in agreement. I packed my bags, carried our child, and moved into the guest room next door. Seeing how obedient I remained, Pierce was touched. “I promise, this will be the last time I wrong you. Once Jessica passes, I’ll make it up to you.” What he didn’t know was that I had already seen through his lies. What he also didn’t know was that the one truly dying of cancer, the one with only seven days left to live, was me. Three days remained. Then, I would be gone.

It all started at Ari's wedding. When she saw her sister and the groom making out in a room, anong dapat gawin ng isang babaeng niloko ng dalawang mahal niya sa buhay? Edi ang tumakbo palayo sa kanila. She fled on her wedding day with the best man, Geoffre. A man who also fled on his best friend’s wedding. Both heartbroken from the person they love. But they say, two broken people can help each other to get better and be fixed. She didn’t expect that the runaway she did will change her life 180 degrees. Will love blossom between them? “The best thing that happened to me is when I runway with you on my wedding day.”

Love makes the world go round, sabi nila. Pero iba para kay Alexena dahil pinatigil nito ang isang bahagi ng buhay at pagkatao niya. Kahit na dala ang sakit ng kahapon ay pinili niyang mag-move forward at ngumiting muli upang ipagpatuloy ang buhay. Ngunit pagkatapos umalis nang walang paalam makalipas ang ilang taon ay hindi niya kailanman inakalang maglalaro ang tadhana at pagtatagpuing muli ang kanilang landas ng nag-iisang lalaki na kanyang minahal at iniwan sa nakaraan. Pero nagbago na ito, wala na ang bakas ng pagkatao ng lalaking kanyang nakasama noon. Wala na ni anino ng suyo kapag tinatapunan siya nito ng tingin at lambing sa tinig kapag kinakausap siya. Sa halip ay puro pang-iinsulto at masasakit na salita na lamang ang lumalabas sa bibig nito sa tuwing bubuka iyon. At ang nakakaloka pa ay napapansin niya na palagi na lang siya nitong pinag-iinitan at pinepersonal. Palagi ring iritado at akala mo ba ay may buwanang dalaw sa sungit. Aminado naman siyang may malaki siyang kasalanan dito. At mukhang dumating na rin ang panahon ng paniningil nito, ayaw man niya ay kailangan niyang magbayad. Ngunit sa kabila ng mga iringan nilang dalawa at hindi pagkakasundo ay hindi maikakailang ito pa rin ang nag-iisang tao na may kakayahang patibukin nang mabilis ang puso niya. Akala niya ay okay na siya, akala niya ay naka-move on na siya rito. Pero mukhang mali ang lahat ng naging paniniwala niya dahil tutol man ang isip niya sa kanyang nararamdaman ay sadya namang may pagkatraydor, suwail at balimbing ang puso niya basta pagdating na rito ang usapan. Love is sweeter the second time around, maging applicable naman kaya ang kasabihang iyon sa dalawang ito? O sa halip na maging matamis ay baka naman pait ang malasahan at maging kapalaran ng mga ito sa dulo?

“เรียนยังไม่จบก็มีเมียได้ ไม่มีกฎหมายข้อไหนห้ามเอาไว้สักหน่อย มีแต่พิ้งค์นั่นแหละไม่ยอมใจอ่อนเป็นเมียผมสักที ไม่รู้จะให้รอไปถึงเมื่อไหร่ ทนไม่ไหวขึ้นมาจับปล้ำแล้วเช้ามาก็ให้แม่ไปขอเลยดีไหมนะจะได้จบ ๆ ไป”

Hindi aakalain ni Heaven Langit na magbabago ang buhay niya pagkatapos nang napakalagim na pangyayari sa bar kung saan siya nagtatrabaho. Bilang isang pole dancer ay hindi niya aakalain na darating ang kinakatakutan niya kung saan magkakagulo at maraming tao ang madadamay lalo na't kilalang sikat ang pinagtatrabahuan niya na binibisita ng mga bigating tao. Isang gabi bago ang sakuna, lahat nagbago nang makilala niya si Dark Silva. Isa sa mga pinakamayaman at pinakadelikadong tao sa lugar. Nagkatinginan lang pero iba na agad ang apekto nito kay Heaven hanggang sa napansin niya ang lalaking araw-araw na itong bumibisita sa pinagtatrabahuhan nito at araw-araw na ring may gulong nangyayari. Sa mga titig na pinagsaluhan nila, hindi niya lubos na aakalain na mahuhulog siya sa kadiliman hanggang sa hindi niya namamalayan ay nagugustuhan niya na ang kadilimang ito. Darating ang pag-ibig na siyang hindi nila aakalaing dalawa na pareho silang tatamaan. Mga pangyayaring hindi nila aasahang sabay nilang susuungin. Ang bawat matatamis na luha, mapait na mga tawa at ang nakakalasong pagmamahalan ay siya pa lang magbibigay sa kanila ng labis na tuwa. Bawat pagsubok ay tatanggapin at bawat laban ay hindi uurungan sa ngalan ng kanilang pag-ibig.

10 years have passed and she got everything, so they said. A face that no one could ever deny its beauty, a body that makes men go crazy and a successful career in the legal profession. She has it all, except him- the man she so dearly loved but has to let go of for her to get all these things she has now. Cattaleya Rillera really thought then that it would be worth it. Afterall, she was only 17 at that time when an elderly couple chose her to be their adoptee. Hindi niya inakalang may magkakagustong ampunin pa siya dahil sa edad niya. When she reached the age of 16, hindi na siya nangarap pang may magkakainteres sa kaniyang maging parte ng kanilang pamilya dahil isang taon na lamang ay aalis na siya ng bahay-ampunan dahil magiging isang ganap na siyang maygulang. At ngayong may gusto siyang ampunin, hindi niya papalampasin. This is all she ever wanted. Lahat naman sila doon sa bahay-ampunan. Thus, she consented to such an adoption even if she would have to break her promise to the boy she loves- Caleb Sanchez- the boy she promised to marry when she left the orphanage. Isa ding orphan na naunang umalis ng orphanage dahil mas matanda ito sa kanya ng 2 years. Ang taong nangakong magsisikap para makapag-ipon at paghandaan ang kanilang pagsasama sa oras na umalis siya sa bahay-ampunan. Now that she has finally achieved the success of her chosen career, she thinks it's time to locate him. And if she succeeded, she could only pray that he was still single and that he would find it in his heart to forgive her.

Bradley is faced with a difficult decision: let go of the past, give up on the present, and give the future a chance. However, no decision becomes easy when it comes to sex, love and fears. This is when Bradley questions everything. Is it possible to help others to the point of sacrificing your own happiness? He has no idea what to do: Claire or Chelsea? Which of the two will he really get to know, to the point that his heart chooses the right woman?