Playing Pretend Stomach Book

My younger brother told me he was overwhelmed by school stress and had developed depression. I tried to help by encouraging him to seek treatment, drawing from my own experience with the illness. However, my mother blamed me, accusing me of passing the depression onto him. She took me to a witch, who locked me in the house. Every day, the witch used willow branches to drive away evil spirits, beating me until my skin was raw, forcing me to drink filthy water, and making me bleed. "This is the only way to banish the evil and bless your little brother." After enduring days of torment, my depression worsened, and I chose to end my life. However, when I opened my eyes again, I was back to the day my brother first confessed his depression. I looked at my body—whole and unharmed. This time, I will make them pay for everything I endured.

“It was supposed to be fake… until it wasn’t.” Elena Ramirez was never supposed to catch Adrian Harrington’s attention — billionaire CEO, untouchable, and dangerously charming. One moment, she’s a struggling intern juggling bills and caring for her younger sister, Maya… the next, she’s signing a contract that turns her entire world upside down. The deal is simple: pretend to be his girlfriend. No feelings. No complications. No lines crossed. But Adrian Harrington doesn’t do simple. One gala. One stolen glance. One soft touch that lingers too long… and suddenly, the line between pretend and real begins to blur. The media calls her a gold digger. Socialites like Clara Vance want her gone. Paparazzi stalk her every move, and Elena finds herself drowning in a world of secrets, lies, and scandals she never asked for. And then — the contract leaks. Every signature. Every clause. Every proof that her “relationship” with Adrian is nothing more than a carefully staged performance. Now the entire city is watching, waiting for her to break. But Elena refuses to be their victim. Because somewhere between the chaos and the cameras, Adrian’s cold walls are cracking… and the one thing more dangerous than pretending to love him is realizing she actually might. Fake dating. Real feelings. Endless betrayal. Some lies build empires. Others break hearts.

When Sophia finds out that her sister is getting married to the man who cheated on her best friend with her, she is furious. To appear less bitter and less pitiful after an argument with her sister, she foolishly makes up a boyfriend who she could invite to her wedding and present to her family. The only person who could possibly save her from embarrassment is her man whore of a neighbor, Ethan. Sophia despises Ethan to the utmost. Every night she hears him bring a different girl home, yet he still makes an attempt to flirt with her on a daily basis. When Ethan unexpectedly plays along to pretend dating, the two get close and soon start to develop feelings towards each other. Sophia is reluctant, considering Ethan’s sexual past. Forcing Ethan to work harder to prove he is the right man for her.

"Let's just say I'm tired of playing games and want to quit this? I want to be close to you because I like you. I want to know if we both like each other or I just misinterpreted your actions?" "No, you're right," she admitted. "But just this afternoon you said I was a complication you didn't need." "Over-analyzing is second nature to me. It helps me more often than I care to count. But not this time." "It doesn't seem like that," she said deliberately. "Maybe you just realized that there is no good chance of success in a relationship with me." "I don't care about the future. The only thing that matters is what's here and what's now." He stepped towards her, then another, until he could almost inhale the scent of her skin. "What can you say, Lara?" He asked hoarsely. "Are you ready to take a risk with me?"

Liam Jones was a self made arrogant billionaire who hated women with passion all because of his mother,who left him and his father after stealing away his father's property which resulted in his father dying of heart attack. His hatred for his mother affected his love life ,as he refused to ever have anyone in his life until he crossed paths with an orphan called Amelia latest who lost her memory and mistook him for the love of her life. He started developing feelings for her without noticing it. The second thing Liam hated the most was liars.What happens when Amelia gains her memory and acts like she didn’t?And what will Liam do when he finds out she has been lying to him? Will everything end when she comes in contact with Andrew who wanted her back in his life?

Claire, a stunning and talented actress, is unexpectedly thrust into a role far more dangerous than any she has ever played. Hired to act as the wife of the enigmatic and powerful mafia boss, Lucas. As Claire navigates this treacherous new world, she finds herself increasingly drawn to Lucas, blending seamlessly into the opulent but perilous lifestyle of the mafia. The plot thickens when Anton, Claire's former acting partner reappears, igniting a fiery love triangle. Torn between her growing feelings for Lucas and unresolved emotions towards Anton, Claire must navigate a web of deceit, loyalty, and passion. With action-packed sequences and steamy encounters, Claire's journey is fraught with danger and desire, leading to a climax that will leave her questioning where her true loyalties lie and what price she is willing to pay for love.

Mahal na mahal nina Mathia at Draken ang isa't isa at halos hindi sila mapaghiwalay ng tadhana. Nangyari ang nangyari sa kanilang mga buhay at magbubunga 'yon ng isang bata na nasa sinapupunan ni Mathia. Ngunit imbis na sumaya ay nalungkot at halos bumigat ang pakiramdam ni Mathia nang bigla siyang iwan ng kasintahang si Draken. Hindi niya alam kung ano ang gagawin ngunit nagpakatatag siya para sa anak. At sa hinaba-haba ng panahong lumipas, muling magkikita ang dalawa gayundin ay masisilayan ni Draken ang kaniyang anak sa dating nobya. Bakit nga ba nagawang iwan ni Draken ang kaniyang mag-ina?

Luisa's state in life pushes her to do something against her will in order to save the life of her dying father she gave up her purity to a stranger man through one night stand. Ngunit kung kailan maayos na ang lahat ay saka naman nagimbal ang mundo ni Luisa nang malaman niyang siya ay nagdadalang tao hindi niya lubos akalain na magbubunga ang isang gabing iyon, pero wala na siyang magagawa bagkus ay buong puso niyang tinanggap ang bata na muling nagbigay ng kasiyahan at lakas sa kanya at wala siyang hindi kayang gawin para sa anak. Pero sadyang mapaglaro ang tadhana sa katulad ni Luisa ng namasukan siya bilang katulong sa isang bilionaryo na siyang ama ng kanyang anak. Ngayong pinagtagpo ulit ang kanilang mga landas ay muling napukaw ang pagnanasa sa katawan ni Jaron at bilang isang makapangyarihang tao lahat ng kanyang kagustuhan ay nakukuha niya sa pamamagitan ng pera. At sa ikalawang pagkakataon ay muling naulit ang minsang pag-iisa ng kanilang mga katawan, pero paano kung unti-unti ng nahuhulog si Luisa sa ama ng kanyang anak maipagtatapat niya na rin ba ang katotohanang tinatago niya gayong narinig niyang ayaw ni Jaron maging isang ama.

As the CEO of Sebastian Pictures, I have power and authority. I was the one who called the shots, constantly in the spotlight. I was meant to be the man in charge. Until I met Eloise, she was a junior art director at my subsidiary company. She also happened to be my best friend’s ex-girlfriend. To her, I was Mr. Dangerous in a suit—her new boss. For me, she was a challenge I couldn’t resist. I was used to getting what I wanted. I craved to own her, possess her. Now, we’d gotten ourselves tangled in a game where neither of us could win. But here’s the thing: the more we played, the more she turned the tables. She had me breaking my own rules.

Seventeen-year-old Harper Lane has always flown under the radar. A curvy, quiet junior with a passion for sketching dragons and acing calculus, she’s the kind of girl people borrow notes from but never invite to parties. That’s fine by her—Harper has no time for popularity contests or high school heartbreaks. Until he starts talking to her. Jaxon Brooks is Madison Grove High’s golden boy—star quarterback, arrogant heartthrob, and very much taken. He’s everything Harper avoids... and everything she secretly can't stop watching. But when fate—and an unfortunately timed biology assignment—forces them together, Harper discovers there’s more to Jaxon than flawless abs and Instagram fame. He’s been watching her too. Caught between late-night texts, hallway tension, and the spotlight glare of Jaxon’s cheerleader girlfriend, Harper is suddenly drowning in attention she never asked for and feelings she doesn’t know how to handle. And Jaxon? He’s playing a dangerous game—torn between the girl who fits his image and the one who sees through it. In a world where likes mean love and screenshots can ruin lives, Harper must decide if risking everything for Jaxon Brooks is worth the heartbreak... or if some boys really are Out of Her League.