Quote Independence

The company had just taken off when a project my wife, Lenora Peterson, was in charge of ran into trouble. To ease her mind during her pregnancy, I went overseas in her stead, spending ten perilous years abroad before finally returning home, barely alive. Instead of the joyful reunion I had imagined, she greeted me with cold detachment and thinly veiled disgust. "Why are you back?" Lenora asked. "Today is Nathan’s housewarming party," she added. "Let’s head there first—we’ll talk later." We rode in silence the entire way. When we arrived, a ten-year-old girl came dashing over and clung to Lenora affectionately. “Mommy, why did you take so long? Daddy’s been waiting for you forever!” Daddy? My eyes burned with rage—until I saw my old friend Nathan Grant stepping out to greet us with a smile. "Lily, come to Daddy. Mommy’s tired—don’t bother her now." When I met Lenora’s eyes, the guilt I saw there told me everything I needed to know. I turned away and texted my assistant, Morgan Williamson, to begin acquiring the company that, by right, had always belonged to me. He soon reported back. "Mr. Brooke, the acquisition process will be completed in three days."

Pagkatapos ng tatlong taon naming pagdadate ni Nathan Foster, inakala kong alam ko na kung saan kami tutungo. Pero hindi siya kailanman nagpropose sa akin. At sa halip ay nagawa pa niyang malove at first sight sa aking stepsister. Naging direkta at walang tigil ang ginawa niyang panliligaw dito na hindi nagiwan ng pagdadalawang isip sa aking isipan. Pero sa pagkakataong ito, hindi na ako nagbreakdown o naghintay pa sa mga mangyayari habang umaasa na babalik pa siya gaya noon. Napagdesisyunan ko nang makipaghiwalay. Itinapon ko ang lahat ng regalo niya sa akin, pinagpunit punit ko rin ang wedding dress na lihim kong binili at noong kaniyang kaarawan, iniwan ko sa aking nakaraan ang Riverdale. Nang sasakay na ako sa aking flight, nagmessage si Nathan sa akin: “Nasaan ka na? Hinihintay ka ng lahat.” Ngumiti ako, pero na ako nagreply sa kaniya habang binoblock ko siya sa bawat platform. Wala siyang ideya na dalawang linggo na ang nakalilipas mula noong tanggapin ko ang proposal ng aking college senior na si Eustace Cooper. Nang lumapag ang eroplano sa bagong siyudad na aking titirhan, nakahanda na kami ni Eustace na simulan ang bagong yugto ng aming mga buhay nang magkasama—bilang magasawa.

When witch Brenna escapes the Englishman enslaving her and using her power for his own evil ends, the only place to run is to the dragon-shifters of the Highlands. The Scots are at war for their independence, and as the Bloodiest Eye, the notorious Seer who has caused the death of many, however reluctantly, she knows they’ll kill her if they believe she’s a threat. One shared glance with Cameron Balfour has her imagining a future entwined with his. She lets the laird believe the lie that taking her virtue will drain her powers, but as their one night becomes more, she knows she’s going to have to admit her deception. With Sir Walstone still searching for her, eager to have her gift of Sight under his control again, she might not survive long enough to tell him the truth or accept his mating mark.

It was the day of our marriage. We were supposed to meet up at the City Hall, but my fiancee stood me up. I waited for her the whole day, and the only answer I got was a picture from her assistant. My girlfriend sat astride on his lap, and her arms were wrapped around his neck while they were locked in a deep kiss. "Sorry, Mr. Terraton. Sophie insisted on comforting me. You don't mind, do you?" I demanded answers from my girlfriend, but that only made her impatient. "He donated his blood to me. Yeah, I was with him, but so what? Man up, will you?" That killed any love I had for her, and I called my soon-to-be ex-girlfriend's sister. "Hey, Sylvie. Yeah, about your proposal. So will you marry me?"

Three years back, a crash wrecked Rhea's hearing—and the future she'd built her life around. At her lowest point, Eddie stayed by her side like a hero, pulling her out of the shadows. But the second she got her hearing back and thought she could finally tell him... she heard the truth: he'd planned the whole thing. For his beloved. So she could win. Yeah, he was already engaged. To that girl. Rhea didn't cry. Didn't scream. Just picked up her phone. "Grandpa, I'm ready. I'm taking back the Cliburn name. And I'm entering the international piano competition as your heir."

Claire longs for independence, but her father's controlling nature obstructs her aspirations. Her life takes a tumultuous turn with the arrival of the Blackwoods, infamous hunters of the supernatural, in her town. In a twist of fate, she meets Nate, the youngest son of the Blackwoods, and they fall deeply in love. However, their families' conflicting interests put their relationship in peril. As tensions mount and betrayals surface, Claire must navigate her way while also dealing with a rogue werewolf who is vying for the Alpha position. Will Claire and Nate's love be enough to overcome the obstacles they face, or will they succumb to the forces pulling them apart? Find out yourself. But one thing's for sure, their journey is sure to be a wild ride, filled with plenty of twists and turns along the way

I had been married to Natasha Bates for ten years, and not once did she ever join me for our family's Independence Day cookout. This year, on the night before the celebration, I finally gathered the courage to ask if she wanted to come. She scoffed and said, "What are you, stuck in the past? Who even celebrates the Fourth with a family dinner anymore?" Yet that very evening, I saw a social media post of Natasha with her male best friend, Stanley Rogers. They were quite intimate in the picture, and the caption read: [True happiness is celebrating Independence Day with your bestie!] I commented back: [Hope you two lovebirds make it official soon.] Stanley did not hold back. He messaged me a bunch of intimate photos of the two of them. Then, he added, [You're just a leech living off his wife. What right do you have to question anything about Nattie?] Everyone always thought I was a gold-digger living off Natasha's success. However, they all forgot that I was the sole major shareholder of the company. This time, I’m done staying silent.

Trigger Warning: This story explores difficult themes including emotional and physical abuse, coercion, non-consensual drugging, obsession, and trauma. Reader discretion is advised. Love. Lust. Obsession. Three very different men, but they all have one thing in common... Me. I was just a waitress. A woman with burned bridges and a dream of starting over. I thought I was finally free. A clean slate. I was so close... so close to gaining the independence I fought so hard for, until darkness came again, only this time… tenfold. One’s lust wants to own me. Another’s obsession seeks to break me. The third... I’m drawn to. He treated me like no one else did. I thought I could trust him. Then something shifted. Something terrifying. Hope fades when your body is not yours, your voice is silenced, and freedom is denied. --- As my fingertips brushed the smooth metal surface of the handle, claw-like fingers sank into my fleshy hips. I cried out in pure terror, the wind knocked out of me as my back slammed against his chest. “You’re really not leaving without saying goodbye to me, are you, sweetheart?” he growled. His eyes glowed an eerie garnet. “Remember, you belong to me now, Laura. If you ever dare run, I’ll lock you away where no one will find you,” he snarled, his coarse face scraping against mine. --- I’ve survived everything up to this point... Now, I’m not sure I can. They say I belong to them... Yet what if I was never meant to belong to anyone?

Sa unang araw ko ng trabaho, isa sa mga bago kong katrabaho ang nagpapakita sa amin ng mga senyales na siya ang anak ng chairman. Sumipsip at pinuri siya ng lahat nang marinig nila iyon. At hindi pa rito nagtatapos ang lahat—dahil pinalabas din nila na isa akong sugar baby ng isang mayamang matanda! Galit akong tumawag sa chairman. “Tinawag ka nilang matanda na may sugar baby, Dad!”

Eighteen-year-old Ayesha dreams of pursuing her education and building a life on her own terms. But when her traditional family arranges her marriage to Arman, the eldest son of a wealthy and influential family, her world is turned upside down. Stripped of her independence and into a household where she is treated as an outsider, Ayesha quickly learns that her worth is seen only in terms of what she can provide—not who she is. Arman, cold and distant, seems to care little for her struggles, and his family spares no opportunity to remind Ayesha of her "place." Despite their cruelty, she refuses to be crushed. With courage and determination, Ayesha begins to carve out her own identity, even in the face of hostility. As tensions rise and secrets within the household come to light, Ayesha is faced with a choice: remain trapped in a marriage that diminishes her, or fight for the freedom and self-respect she deserves. Along the way, she discovers that strength can be found in the most unexpected places—and that love, even in its most fragile form, can transform and heal. Why Me is a heart-wrenching story of resilience, self-discovery, and the power of standing up for oneself, set against the backdrop of tradition and societal expectations. is a poignant and powerful exploration of resilience, identity, and the battle for autonomy. Set against the backdrop of tradition and societal expectations, it is a moving story of finding hope, strength, and love in the darkest of times.But at the end she will find LOVE.