Rice By Manuel Arguilla

Unloved. Unwanted. Abandoned. Those words have followed Kayla since birth. Abandoned by her pack as a pup and left for dead in the woods she was taken in by the Cedar Wood pack. Raised as their servant and deemed a runt too weak to hunt with the pack, her life is one of servitude and that's all it'll ever be. That's all she's worth. Or at least that's what people keep telling her. So why does the visiting Alpha of the most powerful pack ever to roam the land keep looking at her and what is he whispering about?

Love does not appear with any warning signs. You fall into it as if pushed from a high diving board. No time to think about what’s happening. It’s inevitable. An event you can’t control. A crazy, heart-stopping, roller-coaster ride that just has to take its course. Hazel was rejected by someone she loved and was told that he would be engaged to her deadly foe. In great despair, she went to a bar and met this handsome guy (Zac). They drank a lot and played games. Under the influence of alcohol, they got married. However when they came back to her senses, they decide to make things right, but it's hard to get a divorce now because she wants to use the dramatic yet genuine marriage to keep her proud in front of her deadly foe. Zac on the other hand was the future heir to one of the richest and prosperous families. Although he was endowed with an otherworldly handsomeness, he was known to be as cold as ice and had a natural dislike for women although they always craved after him like bees to a honey pot. But for some unknown reason, he finds something unique about Hazel which he can’t explain. Perhaps, it were her eyes which were limpid and pure like autumn water and sparkled like azure pools in the morning sunlight… Would it be possible that they fall in love with each other in the future? Take part in this amazing piece, and experience a story filled with various mysteries and incredible twists as she uncovers the mysteries surrounding Zac who decides to hide his identity and tremendous background in order to win her heart genuinely.

His family was like Messiah in her life. Everything in her life she achieved was because of them. Otherwise how a maid's daughter can study in the best college in New York? She was returning to Italy with a heart filled with respect and gratefulness only if she knew what awaited her. Leonardo Rossi was a terror in the Italian business world. Any deal he wants he would achieve it. But only one thing that his heart wanted to achieve. A sweet innocent girl Isabella Beth. This was forbidden in many ways. But when did he care? Her Innocence was the thing he wanted to possess.

The stench of silver dust filled the air, and every breath seared my lungs. My broken body lay twisted among the jagged rocks of the abandoned silver mine, where even the strongest werewolf would feel their strength waning. Beside me, my mate’s first love, Sophia, whimpered softly. A shallow scrape marked her knee. The tunnel was collapsing. Only two people could pass through the exit at a time. Lucas did not hesitate to scoop Sophia in his arms and abandon me. His golden eyes, once filled with unwavering loyalty toward me, now burned with something colder—indifference. I reached out, my fingers trembling as they grasped the hem of his clothing. My voice was hoarse with despair. "Lucas… please… don't leave me here." “I am your mate. I’m carrying your pups.” He glanced at me with a clenched jaw and broke free, shoving me back onto the silver-laced ground. Agony burned through my veins, consuming my soul like fire. “Are you serious, Ava?! After pushing Sophia into this damn abyss and getting her injured, you still dare to compare with her.” “You know what?! You deserve to be left here and reflect on your mistakes!” With that, he vanished into the light, and the tunnel collapsed behind him. His words cut deeper than silver ever could, and the last thing I heard before darkness swallowed me was the sound of their retreating footsteps.

When rising interior designer Valeria Mendoza took a job as an executive assistant at Herrera & Sons, the last thing she expected was to accidentally marry her cold, infuriatingly handsome boss. After a chaotic mix-up with legal paperwork during a corporate event, Valeria finds herself legally bound to Alejandro Herrera, the guarded CEO who doesn’t believe in love but desperately needs a wife to close a multimillion-dollar deal. What starts as a reluctant agreement to "keep up appearances" quickly turns into a tangled web of stolen glances, sizzling tension, and midnight confessions. As the lines blur between fake and real, Valeria must hide the biggest secret of all — her true identity as the daughter of a billionaire family she left behind. But in a world where business and love don’t mix, what happens when the truth comes out? Will Alejandro see her as a liar... or the woman he’s been designing a future with all along?

Lily was the little sister of my fiancé’s best friend. She was a mistress to a mafia Don—a sugar daddy—until his wife found out, and the clip of Lily getting beaten up ended up on the local news. Yet, somehow, everyone thought the woman getting dragged on TV was me. People at work who never liked me jumped at the chance to pile on. One of them even pointed right at my face and called me shameless. I tried to explain, “My fiancé is Sam Johnson, the CEO of Johnson Group. He’s handsome and ranked third on the Forbes list. Why would I become a mistress to a sugar daddy?” However, no one believed me. If anything, they looked at me like I was even more pathetic. One coworker sneered and pointed to the TV. “You’re not just morally bankrupt; you’re a liar. The CEO’s fiancée? That’s not you.” The TV was playing a breaking news segment titled: First Appearance of Johnson Group CEO’s Fiancée. And there Sam was, arm in arm with Lily, officially announcing their relationship.

It was a small pull, that had her confused at first, but kept bothering her like a strand of hair attached to your arm that you can't find and remove. When she focused on it, the pull drove her to touch his chest lightly. She cleared her mind to make sense of the foreign sensation that spoke to her and when she did, it was strange and dark. He was calling for fire. ---- Brianna is a witch that tends to the needs of nature by controlling the four elements. Nathaniel is a phoenix assigned to her village by a mysterious and suspicious organization, the Council. He is a master of fire, unwaveringly dedicated to his life's work. She is an untamable force of nature. Can their unexpected encounter alter the path of fate?

Story Of a Mysterious Professor, a girl full of life and Mr Stranger. **** "Now you'll just follow my command." As he told me, I nodded my head meekly, sitting on the desk. "Professor wants his favourite student to stand up and come to him." As he commanded, I stood up and sauntered to him. My heartbeat is accelerating with every step which I'm taking toward him. "Now remove your top for your professor, my favourite student." As he ordered, I flushed, moving my eyelashes down. "Do it fast, Princess. I'm waiting." As he spoke, I moved my eyes up at him shyly. He pointed his finger at my top. I held the hem of my green top and pulled it over my head, gazing at his handsome face sheepishly. "Now give it to me." As he said, I instantly gave my top to him, and he inhaled my scent from the top, closing his eyes. "Your scent is exquisite, Princess." He whispered after opening his eyes. He kept my top on the table. "Now this." He pointed his finger at my bra, asking me take it off. I blushed hard before taking my hands behind and unlocking it. This is really increasing my excitement. As I removed it, he moved his eyes down at my twins and then up at me. "You're really beautiful, Princess." He complimented me, touching my heart. He pulled out his hand, and I gave my bra to him. Then like this, I pulled out my jeans and undies too and gave them to him. This is arousing my desires more. He is gazing at my body like he's gazing at the stars. "I like you like this. You are so beautiful, Princess. For me, your body is perfect from every corner." I smiled at him.

Magnolia's life slowly falls apart when her step mother sells her to a ruthless Mafia boss, Orion, as payment for her parent sins. His wrath was known to be swift and painful, Magnolia knows this spells doom for her. But Orion's revenge comes with a price: her complete submission to him. He unleashes his inner vengeance and pain on her for the pain her parents made him pass through. Magnolia's world is slowly turned upside down. But Orion has no idea that this beauty would be the end of him. She is a spy sent by his rival Mafia clan to get Intel on him and take him out. Magnolia doesn't want to do it but he doesn't give her a reason to not want to. She is stuck in between the lines of pain, pleasure and love. She finds herself, craving for the very man who absolutely loathes her. Will Magnolia surrender to this intense passion, or will she fight to regain her once lost freedom? In this dark and mysterious world of mafia's, there is one saying that guides all: "Once you've submitted, there's no escape"

PART 2 - OWNED BY THE BULLY - IS OUT NOW! Alice only wanted to help her younger brother when she confronted his bully. She ends up agreeing to do whatever Adam wants in return for him leaving her brother alone. He goes one step further, befriending and protecting her brother, but only for as long as Alice agrees to follow his orders. Orders that become increasingly difficult for her to agree to.