Project-based Internship

"I didn't do anything wrong," I choked out. "You stuck your nose into my private matters," he hissed. "No one can sentence me without proof," I challenged him. He straightened up. Any traces of a smile abruptly disappeared from his face. "You still don't get it, do you? I own this city. It means that if I say you go to jail, that means you go to jail." He leaned over me again, his stare piercing right through me, "And if I say that I want you, that means you are already mine." My jaw tensed as I resisted an urge to talk back. This wasn't a battle I could win, and this wasn't a man I could win against... How did I get myself into all that mess?! *** My name is Cora Bell, and I'm about to marry Aren Lan, New York's most wanted bachelor. A dream come true? I highly doubt that. The guy is an arrogant, wealthy beyond imagination, asshole. Not to mention that our relationship is based solely on a contract, a contract I was forced to sign when I accidentally ruined this guy's engagement... I used to dream of a simple life. I wanted to graduate from university and work as a software programmer, but my fate chose a different path for me to follow. First, I had to give up on my studies to take care of dear Grandma, and now I'm forced to play the role of a manipulative jerk's loving fiancée! The problem is that my husband-to-be is insanely sexy and enjoys teasing me a bit too much. How the hell am I going to survive being close to him throughout the two years of our fake marriage?!

I was a child who was born in a vocational school's toilet. To my mom, I was a stain in her life that she was given birth to after having her cherry popped by a delinquent when she was still young. I knew that Mom had been trying to kill me. Unfortunately, she hadn't succeeded so far. The first time she tried to get rid of me was when she decided to give birth to me in the toilet. It was a cold, winter month, yet she didn't give me anything warm to wear. The second time she attempted murder was when she got into grad school, which was based in the north. No one was around to take care of me, so she turned on the gas while holding me in her arms and clutching her train ticket. The third and last time happened when Mom was about to marry the man she loved. On the night before her wedding, she had tears streaming down her cheeks as she told me, "You're nothing but a burden. You ruined my life! "Do you know that I can only forget about all the pain and suffering you caused me after you die? Only then can I start a brand new chapter in my life!" I wiped Mom's tears off her face with my tiny hand. So, her wish was for me to die. On my birthday, my fever hit 104 degrees Fahrenheit. That was when I finally received the first slice of birthday cake in my entire life. I didn't have the heart to eat it, so I made my wish solemnly. "I hope that I will die soon." I heard that birthday wishes often came true. That way, Mom would be very happy.

Isang gabi ng pagkakamali ang bumago sa tadhana ni Lana Serrano. Matapos ang isang mapusok na one-night stand kasama ang ruthless CEO na si Eros Knight, akala ni Lana ay iyon na ang huli nilang pagkikita. Ngunit isang positive pregnancy test ang nagdulot sa kanya ng matinding takot. Nang marinig niya ang mga sinabi ni Eros na kailanman ay hindi ito magkakagusto sa isang “low-class woman” at lalong hindi nito kailangan ng tagapagmana, pinili ni Lana na lumayo. Bitbit ang kanyang sikreto, tumakas siya patungong ibang bansa at mag-isang pinalaki ang kanyang mga anak. Pagkalipas ng limang taon, nagbalik si Lana—hindi na bilang isang mahinhin at mahirap na babae, kundi bilang isang world-class structural engineer. May iisang mission siya na tapusin ang huling project ng kanyang career at tuluyang kalimutan ang lalaking minsang sumira sa kanya. Ngunit hindi niya inaasahan ang takbo ng tadhana. Sa unang araw ng kanyang pagbabalik, muli silang nagtagpo ni Eros Knight. Mas lalong naging mapanganib at mapang-angkin si Eros, lalo na nang makita nito ang tatlong batang lalaki na halos carbon copy ng kanyang mukha. "The triplets are mine, Lana. And as for you... you’re not escaping this time." Handa na si Eros na habulin siya. Ngunit handa na rin si Lana na ipatikim sa kanya ang tamis ng paghihiganti. Sino ang unang susuko? Ang bilyonaryong sanay makuha ang lahat… o ang ina na gagawin ang lahat para protektahan ang kanyang mga anak?

"But why me?" I asked the question that was bothering me. "If you hate me so much, why did you decide to marry me? Why didn't you just pick anyone else? Maybe Chiara, or some random lady in Trinigad, why does it have to be me?" I wasn't staring, but I knew he probably looked at me like I was naive or stupid. He clapped his hand, quite loudly, staggering me, "I never said I hated you," he declared, taking me off guard. I looked at him. His hazel eyes pierced at me with an intensity unmatched, making my stomach clench. "You are merely a pawn in my grand plan, a stepping stone. I do not hate you, but I do not need to love you either, I just need to make the most of you." Annalisa, the princess of Trinigad, was born in a world where Omega's were highly revered, and her father — Alpha king of the kingdom of Trinigad, showered her with immense love and gifts as a result. She was spoiled, ruthless. No one had ever refused her anything until she crossed paths with Alpha Alexander. Love at first sight. Alpha Alexander, a man of mystery whose being was an orchestrated falsehood, was the Alpha of the white pack. A pack concentrated in the kingdom of Trinigad. After receiving a marriage proposal from Annalisa, he accepted without hesitation. Albeit, making it clear to her that he only needed her for her womb and he didn't plan on loving her since his heart already belonged to another. As Annalisa and Alexander begin a relationship based on hate, hormones come into play, mate bonds are discovered, secrets are unraveled, one that could potentially orchestrate the downfall of the werewolf species, hanging in the balance of an ultimatum.

I'm the daughter of the Alpha King of the Werewolf Alliance that's based in Valdoria. In order to give my Alpha fiance whom I've never met before, Lucas Howell, a surprise, I've specifically hidden my scent as a royal she-wolf. Clad in a seemingly ordinary white T-shirt and a pair of jeans, I walk into the venue, where the Dark Shadow pack is hosting their annual celebration. As soon as I take my seat at the main table, which has been reserved for me, I feel someone dumping a glass of red liquid onto me. A she-wolf wearing a red dress that comes with a deep V-neck can be seen standing in front of me. Her expression is one of disdain. "Where did you come from, you filthy Rogue? You really think you get to sit at the main table, huh?" As I wipe the wine stains off my clothes, I do my best to suppress the ferocity of my wolf. "Lucas has specifically reserved this seat for his mate. Why can't I sit here?" The she-wolf acts as though she's heard the biggest joke ever. She then point at her work badge that's pinned on her chest while saying mockingly, "I'm Lucas' personal secretary as well as the future Luna whom everyone has acknowledged. In this pack, my word is the law here. "Guards, drag this delusional half-breed away and throw her out!" What a coincidence. Lucas has just texted me, pleading with me to announce our relationship as soon as possible. I dig out my phone and dial his number. Then, I put my phone on loudspeaker mode. "Your personal secretary claims that she's the future Luna, and she has commanded the guards to throw me out. What's your explanation for this matter, hmm?"

**When ambition blinds you to what truly matters, but one woman helps you see the light...** Victor Difabio once believed that winning the **Best Actor Award** would fill the emptiness in his life. He sacrificed everything—his time, his body, and his very soul—only to find that success comes at a devastating cost. The moment he finally achieves his dream, tragedy strikes when his beloved, **Phinea Lawson**, takes her own life, leaving Victor with nothing but a trophy and a heart full of regret. --- *"I need to make things right,"* Victor vows, awakening to find himself back in time, just before his wedding day. *"This time, I will prioritize your happiness, Phinea."* As he sets out to spoil her and repay the debts of his past, Victor embarks on a new project that intertwines their fates: an adaptation of Phinea’s favorite novel, **"Suddenly, I Know Nothing."** He works tirelessly to ensure its success, unaware of the profound connection between the story and their lives. --- *"You think you can change the future?"* Phinea asks, her eyes filled with hope and skepticism. *"What if the past is already written?"* Victor's heart races as he faces the challenges of fame, jealousy, and the haunting shadows of their past. With adversaries lurking in the wings, including Phinea's twin sister, **Peregrine**, he must navigate a treacherous path to protect the woman he loves. --- *"You don’t understand, Victor,"* Phinea says, tears glistening in her eyes. *"I’m not worthy of your love. I’m not even a true Lawson."* Victor steps closer, his voice firm. *"You are everything to me, Phinea. Your worth isn’t defined by your name. You are the woman who saved me from myself."* --- **What happens when a man driven by ambition learns that true happiness lies in love and connection?**

Ten years ago, the world of billionaire Elias Thorne collided with the grounded simplicity of recent grad Vivian Holloway during one scorching, unforgettable summer fling. For a few perfect months, they lived in a bubble of passion and promises, believing their connection could overcome anything. But Elias was the heir to Thorne Global, and his ruthless family—determined to secure a crucial business merger—intervened. His controlling father orchestrated a painful lie: Elias was forced into an arranged engagement, believing Vivian had coldly abandoned him for her career. Meanwhile, Vivian's fervent attempts to contact Elias went unanswered. When she discovered she was pregnant, she made a difficult choice: she would protect her child, from the manipulative Thorne empire, choosing a life of quiet independence over battling a family that clearly didn't want her. She built a quiet, fiercely independent life for herself and her son, far from the cold reach of the Thorne empire. Elias Thorne, a cold and driven CEO, arrives in Vivian’s small coastal town. His latest ambitious real estate project requires him to acquire her property, bringing him face-to-face with the woman he never stopped mourning—and the undeniable, ten-year-old proof of their shared past. The shock of seeing Leo shatters a decade of misunderstandings. Elias realizes he was betrayed by his own family. He demands his place in Leo’s life, furious at the time he lost. But Vivian, fiercely protective, has built a life without him and refuses to risk her son's happiness on the word of the man who vanished. As Elias fights to earn back her trust, proving he is more than just the Thorne name, his family discovers the truth and prepares a new attack. Elias must choose: the corporate legacy he was born into, or the family he fought his way back to.

Adrian Cain has no past. At least, not one he remembers. He woke up at eighteen with a name, a guardian, and a carefully constructed identity that led him to build one of the most powerful tech empires in the world. Now, as the CEO of CainTech, Adrian is feared, admired, and emotionally impenetrable, his past locked behind clinical amnesia, sealed files, and a steel wall he doesn't dare breach. Until the suicides start. After two employees from his most classified division die under suspicious circumstances, trauma counselor Sera Vaughn is brought in to assess the psychological impact on staff. But Sera has her own reasons for stepping into CainTech, her older brother vanished fifteen years ago, and the only lead she has left is a face in an old photograph: Adrian’s. But his name back then wasn’t Adrian. It was Daniel Ward. As Sera begins digging into Adrian’s history and as Adrian’s carefully managed psyche begins to crack, long-buried memories start surfacing: a mysterious basement, whispered codewords, and a girl calling his real name. What neither of them knows is that they were both part of a covert experiment known as Project Phoenix, designed to erase identities and rebuild human obedience from the ground up. Together, they uncover a trail of lies, altered files, and fractured lives along with a chilling truth: Adrian may have been programmed to forget what he did… and who he destroyed. Now hunted by the people who created him, stalked by a version of himself he doesn’t remember becoming, and drawn to a woman whose trust he doesn’t deserve, Adrian must face the darkest corners of his past before they both disappear into it. Because some memories don’t stay buried. Some were never meant to.

The newly hired genius programmer was a proud woman who always thought she could turn the entire industry on its head. When an investor tried to pressure her into drinking, she flipped the table and slapped him across the face. "My worth is in my programming skills, not my ability to network. Asking me to drink with you is an insult." Enraged, Clint Warner immediately withdrew the eighty-million investment agreement. He even swore he would never work with us again. As the Head of Product, I scrambled to apologize. The situation was only salvaged after I drank so much that I ended up hospitalized. … Later, I complained to the boss and demanded that he discipline the new hire. To my shock, he dismissed the matter. "If the employee causes any problem, it's because the supervisor failed in their duty. The promised million-dollar dividend bonus is cancelled. Take this as your warning." Fed up, I wrote down Mary Hansen's name on the Counseling-Out List. She couldn't care less. "I have abilities you’ll never match, unlike a scheming bootlicker like you. If anyone tries to go after me, the project will be halted. Don't come crying to me when everything collapses." I did not argue with her then. However, when the Counseling-Out List was announced, I found my own name on it. The boss claimed it was a mistake to force me to leave. Then he promoted Mary to my position and even granted her the authority of a vice president. "You were only great because of the company's support. Mary's not the same. She's young and truly talented. She’ll lead us to greater heights." With a cold smirk on my face, I made my way to our competitor, taking the crucial piece of our company's technology with me.

The day I finally secured an investment worth over 20 million dollars, I walked into the office and immediately caught sight of that calculating assistant wearing a smug look as she spread gossip around. According to her, my husband, the CEO, was planning to strip me of my position and exile me to some forgotten branch in Northreach. Contract in hand, I headed straight for the CEO's office. I stood behind my husband and rubbed his temples while joking casually, "You won't believe what I just heard. Apparently, you're sending me off to a branch office. If only they knew we've been married in secret for seven years and are about to make it public." He didn't look surprised at all. He gently pushed my hand away and smiled. "It's not a rumor. Andrea messed up the last project, and the board is breathing down my neck. They want someone sent to Northreach, and they picked her. That place is brutal. She wouldn't survive it. She's not like you. She doesn't have the luxury of failure. If she goes there, her career is finished. She was my junior back in school. I can't let her life fall apart." He paused, then added softly, "Once you come back, I'll announce our marriage. And I'll make sure you get what you've always wanted. A child." I smiled, but it held no warmth. I turned around and walked out without another word. Before I reached the elevator, I made a call to his biggest competitor. "Looking for a vice president? I'm bringing 20 million dollars of funding with me. I only ask for one thing: Don't send me to Northreach."