Painted Scars By Neva Altaj

After an unfortunate incident 18 years ago, Sadie Trinity is now back in La Cuevas, to forget and move on from the past. Unfortunately, her scar on the upper part of her chest always reminds her of her dark days back then. That's why she always tend to abominate her scar and hide it from everyone. She thought it's just fine to live her life despising her scar, but not until she met Luke Harisson- the lead guitarist of the famous band in La Cuevas, together with her brother. He taught her things she have never learned before, and that is to accept and embrace her beautiful scars.

Rainy nights in Sicelia were always thick with the stench of rust and gunpowder. Rumors had circulated that the newly appointed Don of the Romano family, one of the most powerful mafia clans, had been badly disfigured in a fire. His temper had grown brutal, and three fiancées had already been driven to terror. When the news reached the Deluca family estate, my so-called sister had collapsed in tears and begged me to take her place and honor the engagement. I had watched her act in silence before kicking her to the floor. I had said calmly, "When I was brought back into this family, you were afraid of losing your status. You rushed to secure the marriage alliance to protect your position. Now that your fiancé is disfigured and you can't bear to face that scarred monster, you want to shove me into the flames instead?" At that moment, my childhood sweetheart had burst through the door. He bent down and helped my fake sister to her feet, his concern plain to see. "Elena, don't be so ungrateful," he snapped. "This marriage was yours from the beginning. Now it's simply returning to its rightful owner. Tomorrow, I'll be holding a grand wedding with Rosa. As for you, you can obediently go and serve that monster." My parents had stormed in as well, pointing at me and cursing without restraint. As I looked at the selfish faces before me, I drew a slow breath. Resolve hardened in my eyes. "Fine," I had said quietly. "Then all of you can come down to hell with me."

On our wedding day, Ethan got a call and bolted from the ceremony. Grandma was so furious she started coughing up blood, and everyone just watched. Not one person stepped in to help. I raced her to the hospital, but it was too late. She was gone before they even got her inside. Then, as I sat alone in the morgue, my phone lit up. It was Ethan. "Grace, get to the hospital. Bella's hurt and needs your blood!" "Ethan Carter, it's over between us." I ended the call, leaving the last pieces of my heart—and him—behind. Months later, he was on his knees in the pouring rain, begging for forgiveness, saying he'd do anything, give anything, if I'd only look back.

Sadie, a young wolf raised in a restrictive and cold pack in Georgia, has spent her life suppressed by tradition. In her world, wolves are "fostered" out to distance them from their primal nature, and intimacy is a sterile, regulated duty. Her life changes forever when she is claimed by Caleb Miller, the powerful and unconventional Alpha of the Montana Ridge. Upon arriving at Caleb’s vast ranch, Sadie experiences an immediate culture shock. Unlike the Elders back home, Caleb is a "modern" Alpha—a man who cooks, plays video games with his Beta, Nash, and leads with a blend of fierce protection and playful warmth. More importantly, Caleb reveals a world-altering secret: Sadie isn't just a displaced wolf; she is a Sovereign, a rare and powerful lineage that has a primal, spiritual connection to the land itself.

I married my vampire husband ten years ago and gave him a half-blood heir, abandoning my career as a painter to become a full-time mother. Fortunately, my son inherited my talent. At just six years old, he held his first solo art exhibition, inspired by the theme "My Mother." But he never let me attend, and he never let me see his paintings. My husband said my presence would make Luke nervous---that I should stay home and do the housework as a good wife and mother, and wait for them to come back. I told myself he was just young and didn't know better, that he was only pushing back against my discipline, not truly rejecting me. Until the day I snuck into the gallery wearing a surgical mask pulled low. In the center of the crowd, my husband held our son's hand while tenderly pulling a woman in a red dress into his arms. He turned to the guests and announced: "This is Luke's mother---my wife." The three of them stood together, beaming with perfect happiness. And I---the one who'd stayed up all night setting up this exhibition---stood before the paintings while not a single person recognized me. That was when I finally understood. My seemingly gentle, caring vampire husband had long ago given our son a replacement mother. And I was nothing more than the human nanny who'd served her purpose by producing an heir.

Michele Giuliani successfully takes the throne as the leader of the mafia forces in Costa Morala. During an interview, a reporter asks, "According to our observations, you've never concealed or removed the old alphabetic tattoo below your collarbone. Does that mean it has a special meaning to you?" Michele shakes his head with a sneer. "Five years ago, my fiancee, Alma Rossito, looked down on me because the Giulianis had lost their power and authority among the families. So, she ran off to be with another rich man. "Whenever I wanted to give up, I'd be reminded of her betrayal as soon as I laid my eyes on this tattoo. "Now that I've lasted this long, I just want to personally ask her a question." Michele digs out his phone and dials the number he has pinned at the top of his contact list without hesitation. "Alma, do you regret dumping my ass the moment I was kicked out of my family?" I turn the camera toward the chaotic underground casino and reply lazily, "Yeah, I regret doing that to you, Don Giuliani. But I've lost every cent under my name on horse-betting. Can you transfer 50 thousand dollars to me first so that I can earn my money back?" Michele ends the call instantly before punching the mirror next to him. The cracks in the mirror happen to reflect the dark tattoo beneath his collar. What Michele doesn't know is that I'm being held in the casino by loan sharks. Five years ago, I had taken out a huge loan from them and bribed the necessary connections as an anonymous party. That was how Michele got the opportunity to turn the tides in his favor and become the mafia king.

Si Sudara Boone ay isang taong lumaki sa pangangalaga ng mga taong lobo. Siya ay iniwan ng kaniyang tunay na ina sa kagubatan ng Aerabella at siya’y kinupkop ng prinsesa na si Sadi, at kaniya itong itinuring na anak. Nilihim ng ina ang tungkoll sa kaniyang tunay na pagkatao, kung kaya’t namuhay siya sa kasinungalingang natatangi siyang taong-lobo. Tahimik at masaya siya sa kaniyang kinagisnang buhay, ngunit nagbago ito nang kaniyang makilala ang litratistang binata na si Azro. Sa unang pagtatagpo ng kanilang landas ay ang malagim na panaginip, kung saan pareho silang napahamak sa isa’t isa, ngunit naging daan ito upang kanilang kilalanin ang bawat isa. Naging madalas ang kanilang pagkikita hanggang sa sila’y naging magkaibigan at nagkamabutihan ng loob. Hindi ito ipinagsabi ni Sudara sa kaniyang tribo, hanggang sa lumalim ang kanilang samahan. Ngunit walang lihim na hindi nabubunyag at nalaman din ito ng tribo at nagpasiya silang patayin ng lihim kay Sudara si Azro. Dahil sa kaniyang matalik na kaibigan, naipagtapat kay Sudara ang tungkol sa plano ng kaniyang tribo. Alam niyang wala siyang laban dito. Sa kadahilanang iyon, nagpasiya si Sudara na ibuwis ang kaniyang buhay para sa kaniyang minamahal at naging sanhi ito ng pagkatalo ng tribo, at walang nagawa kundi ang hayaan si Azro na lumaya kasama ang ala-alang masaya’t puno ng pangarap ngunit mapait na pag-iibigan.

[Is it wrong to fall in love with someone who already belongs to another?] One day, a post I stumbled upon caught my eye. The most liked comment was a brazen boast from a self-proclaimed mistress: [Dating isn't marriage. If you can steal the heart of someone taken, you deserve to keep it. If they don't love their partner enough to stay loyal, their partner is the real outsider in the relationship.] [I took my husband from another woman. He was just a broke college student back then, but I knew who he really was. He's the only son of the country's wealthiest man!] [His ex only knew how to study and work. She had no idea how to keep a man. How unfortunate! I heard she never even got her diploma. Her life must be miserable now.] I stared at the comment for a long time because I recognized the woman who wrote it. Her name was Camila. She was talking about me. Miserable? I was now a famous attorney, renowned for never having lost a case, and I had also adopted a sweet daughter. My life was anything but 'miserable'. I blocked the author of the comment and assumed our paths would never cross again. However, fate had other ideas. While taking my daughter for her passport application, I ran into some people from my past in the most dramatic way possible. Camila used her position to make things difficult for me. My ex-boyfriend Alexander stood by her side and even threatened me, phone in hand. "Apologize to my wife, or I'll have my father hire that so-called 'Victory Queen'. We'll sue you until you lose everything!" I smiled and said, "Go ahead and call that lawyer." The next second, my phone rang.

She thought she’d found her fairytale… until the fairytale turned into a nightmare. When Sarah married billionaire Austin, she believed her life had finally taken a beautiful turn. But behind the mansion doors and expensive smiles, Austin's love became her prison. His charm turned to cruelty. His promises became bruises. The final blow came not from his fists — but from her best friend’s betrayal. Broken and humiliated, She swore to rise again, no matter who stood in her way. Then came Richard, a stranger with kind eyes and a past as dark as hers. He offered her help, but what Sarah didn’t know was that Richard carried a secret that could destroy them both. Now, trapped between love and vengeance, Sarah must decide: Will she heal the scars of her past, or use them as weapons against the man who made her bleed?

Serviano Series # 1 - Lexie Amanda Serviano Lexie Amanda Serviano faced the biggest plot twist in her life, upon going back to the Philippines. She had no choice but to have a place to move on, to heal her heart. With the help of her cousins, she began to move to a place where she used to call home. She hated the idea of failing in love because she thought that love was only made to last a few years and it would be gone. She was set to find her journey of healing. The scars that wounded her heart were enough for her to doubt men. Because her father betrayed her family. "Behind the scars, I wish someone would understand how it is hard for me to trust and to love. I hope to be loved and valued by someone..." - Lexie Amanda Serviano