Perfect Imperfections

At three in the morning, I stare at the unknown transaction record on my phone screen, my fingertips turning cold. The record is for a payment of 2980 dollars, made for an executive suite at the Wisteria. The time of payment was 8:00 pm last night. My husband, Tristan Griffin, is a detective. He was on the night shift last night. I clutch my phone, my knuckles turning white as I text Tristan, "I just saw your credit card bill for a hotel stay last night. What's up with that?" His reply is instant. "Our team had to work overtime at the last minute, so they put us up at the hotel. I forgot to tell you about it." I scan the text and sputter. The Wisteria is located in the western region of the city, which is on the other end from where his squad is stationed. I don't press him for more details and click on the bank app on my phone. Having found the vendor's address through the payment record, I sent it to my best friend, Rowena Sheffield, who works as a private detective. She replies instantly with an "OK" emoji and follows up with, "Give me a second. I'll find out everything you want in a jiffy!"

I wasn’t even pregnant, yet I ended up popping abortion pills like they were candy. It was all because in my past life, the moment my widowed sister-in-law got pregnant, every single side effect of her pregnancy became mine. She strutted around happily with her big belly, consuming spicy tamales, while I was rushed to the hospital for violent nausea and stomach pain; she showed off her flawless skin in crop tops every day, while my stomach broke out in hideous stretch marks. When I told my husband what was happening, he just shoved me away impatiently. “Enough with the jealousy! My brother’s dead, and she’s carrying his only child. Of course, I should look out for her. Do you really have to put on such an act?” After that, my sister-in-law went even further. She kept testing her limits during pregnancy and even ate a mango she was allergic to. And me? I went into anaphylactic shock, landed in the hospital, and nearly died. Doctors couldn’t explain it. They just brushed it off, saying I was overly jealous and it was all psychological. Later, my sister-in-law tried to brand herself as a “hot single mom”. She went live, belly and all, to show off her weight-loss workouts. She jumped around for three straight hours. And me? My uterus literally gave out, and I hemorrhaged to death. When I opened my eyes again, it was the exact day she first announced her pregnancy.

After getting divorced and arrested by her husband, billionaire tycoon Oliver Quinn, who believed she had tried to kill his ex, Nella is unexpectedly saved by his business rival, Michael Hills. He offers her a shocking proposal: A contract marriage, in exchange for providing for her and the child she carries, Nella must supply Michael with information that could potentially bring Oliver's company to its knees. Five years later, Oliver wants both Nella and their child back, and his heartfelt gestures surprisingly move her. Will Nella fall for him again and end her five-year marriage with Michael?

I had just gotten home when a parent in my son’s class group chat erupted: [Ms. Zinn, what kind of place are you running? Do you let just any random stray off the street become a teacher?] [My daughter came home, grabbed two forks, and tried to jump off the balcony. She said it was Miss Never who told her to!] The homeroom teacher panicked and denied it at once, insisting there was no such person as Miss Never at the kindergarten. She even posted the official teaching schedule in the chat to prove it. On the security footage, there was not a single trace of this so-called Miss Never. However, later, my son whispered to me in secret, “Mom, Miss Never is an old lady with a cat’s face.” “She says only kids can see her.”

Ikakasal na ang pinakapopular na babae sa amin noong high school. Inimbitahan niya ang lahat sa aming klase para sa kaniyang kasal. Gusto kong kumilos na parang hindi ko nakita ang message na ipinadala niya sa akin pero walang tigil niya akong tinag sa group chat. “Nagkunwari kang mayaman gaya ko noong high school, pero hindi kita masisisi sa ginawa mo. Sa totoo lang, iniimbitahan kita sa kasal ko bukas para makita mo kung paano maging isang tunay na mayaman.” Agad na nagsalita ang iba naming mga kaklase. “Napakabait mo talaga, Haley. Kaya hindi na ako magtataka kung paano mo nagawang pakasalan ang isang miyembro ng pamilya Baumer. Hindi ako makapaniwala na mapapatawad mo ang isang materialistic na kagaya ni Emma!” “Ano ba ang deserve ng isang kagaya ni Emma Larkin para makaattend sa kasal ni Haley? Masyado siyang mayabang.” Habang tumitindi ang mga pangiinsulto, umabante si Haley Stockwell para mapanatili ang kapayapaan sa chat. “Sige na, kalimutan na natin ang mga hindi maganda nating nakaraan. Hindi na ako naaapektuhan sa mga ito dahil masyado nang matagal mula noong mangyari ang mga iyon. Anyway, huwag na tayong maghinanakit kay Emma dahil masyado na itong mahirap at pangit.” Walang tigil na umulan ang mga papuri sa kaniya ng lahat sa group chat habang tinatawag siya ng ilan sa amin na mabait at inosente. Napasinghal ako sa aking nakita. Si Haley ang babaeng nagkukunwaring mayaman sa amin—ako ang tunay na tagapagmana ng isang mayamang pamilya pero pinalabas pa rin niya na sinungaling ako. Ginawa niya akong target ng mga pangiinsulto ng lahat. Tiningnan ko ang digital wedding invitation para makitang gaganapin sa aking villa ang kaniyang kasal. Mukha ring pamilyar ang kaniyang groom—hindi ba’t ito ang driver ng aking asawa? Ngumiti ako nang maisip ko ang mangyayari. Sumagot ako sa chat ng, “Sige! Kailangan kong umattend ng kasal mo!”

On Father's Day, I received a heartwarming gift. My one-year-old son called me Dad for the first time. But moments later, he convulsed, foamed at the mouth, and died before we could reach the hospital. My wife was shattered, and I was devastated. The doctors couldn't identify the cause of his death. Three years later, my wife emerged from her grief, and we welcomed our second child. But the moment this child called me Dad, they, too, died instantly. To spare her further pain, I suggested adoption. Yet, even our adopted children met the same fate. Unable to bear the losses, my wife divorced me. Everyone said I was cursed, never meant to be a father. Defiant, I remarried and had another child, vowing never to let them call me Dad. For years, we adhered to this rule. But when our daughter turned four, she came home from preschool, eager to celebrate Father's Day. Holding a card, she read aloud, "Dad."

On the seventh day after my daughter goes missing, I kidnap an entire kindergarten. I lock away all 27 students and two teachers in a classroom. I tell the police that if they can't find my daughter, I will kill a kid every 30 minutes. The principal falls to her knees, wailing and begging, "It's not my fault that your daughter is missing. Why should other children pay for it?" I glance at my watch. "29 minutes left. Find her." I know she's in this kindergarten.

Spin off My Arrogant Lawyer Season 2 -- Bagi Yasmen Malya Sagara, hanya ada dua pilihan yang harus dihadapi setelah menikah dengan pria pujaan hatinya. Pertama, bertahan dan meneruskan drama di dalam pernikahan mereka, atau, melepas sang suami dan menyambut uluran tangan dari pria lain.

Aksi Diandra dalam membalas ketidakadilan yang diterimanya, terutama atas kematian sang kekasih malah membuatnya terjebak pada keadaan yang tidak pernah terbayangkan. Awalnya Diandra merasa sangat puas karena tujuan utamanya dalam balas dendam tercapai. Namun, ia harus membayar mahal perbuatannya, sebab aksinya tersebut mendapat pembalasan. Bahkan, membuahkan hasil. Diandra mengandung benih dari laki-laki yang dulu menjadi kekasih sang kakak. Laki-laki yang seharusnya sangat ia benci. Di samping itu, kejadian yang menimpa Diandra ternyata menjadi pemancing terbongkarnya suatu rahasia. Rahasia besar yang selama ini disembunyikan rapat-rapat oleh keluarganya sendiri tentang dirinya. Rahasia yang selama ini membuatnya mendapat ketidakadilan dari orang tuanya, terutama sang ibu. Rahasia yang sangat menyakitkan dan meremukkan hati setelah ia mengetahuinya. Akahkah Diandra bisa menjalani kehidupan pernikahannya bersama suami yang seharusnya menjadi calon kakak iparnya? Note: Baca juga Unexpected

Caraline Emilia Wattson mengambil keputusan paling gila dalam hidupnya saat tiba-tiba meminta pria lumpuh yang bernama Jacob Aberald untuk menikahinya di saat pertemuan pertama mereka. Meski terdengar tak masuk akal, Jacob Aberald atau Deric—sapaan kecilnya, akhirnya setuju untuk menikahi Caraline dengan syarat Caraline akan membantu perusahaan milik ketiga kakaknya agar selamat dari jurang kebangkrutan. Begitu syarat itu dikabulkan, keesokan harinya, Calarine dan Deric melangsungkan pernikahan dan memulai kehidupan baru sebagai pasangan suami-istri. Apa sebenarnya tujuan dari Caraline sesungguhnya? Untuk apa wanita itu menikahi Deric yang tuna daksa jika ada seorang pria sempurna bernama Diego yang jelas-jelas mencintainya? "Apakah kau benar-benar mencintai pria tak sempurna sepertiku?” - Jacob Aberald "Ya, aku mencintai pria tak sempurna sepertimu dengan cintaku yang sempurna.” - Caraline Emilia Wattson