Rice By Manuel Arguilla

Isabella Marino has spent her life toeing the line between duty and desire, torn between her family’s expectations and her dream of freedom. When her father arranges her marriage to Leonard Ricci, the most powerful and ruthless mafia boss in Italy, she’s thrust into a world of power, violence, and deception. She knows Leonard’s reputation—a man feared by his enemies, respected by his allies, and untouchable in the criminal underworld. But as their marriage forces them into each other’s lives, Isabella soon discovers the man behind the ruthless façade—a man scarred by betrayal, driven by loyalty, and desperate to protect the empire he’s built. In the shadowy world of mafia politics, where trust is a rare commodity and enemies lurk at every corner, Isabella and Leonard must navigate a dangerous game of power and survival. As secrets unravel and bloodlines are tested, Isabella faces an impossible choice: follow her heart and risk everything, or remain loyal to a family that sees her as a pawn in their game. But Leonard has his own battles to fight, and in a world where love is a dangerous weakness, the only thing more treacherous than their enemies is the growing connection between them. Power. Betrayal. Love. When the stakes are life or death, can two souls caught in the crossfire find a way to save each other, or will they be torn apart by the very forces that brought them together?

Emily's world comes crashing down when her uncle sells her into an arranged marriage to pay for his debts. Her uncle sends her to the remote mountain estate of Lord Rotterford. Hating her fiancee Emily escapes at the first opportunity. Once she escapes she quickly realizes that she is alone in the wilderness with no idea of where to go. While crossing a river to cover her tracks Emily finds an injured wolf cub locked in a cage. Freeing the wolf cub and helping him leads her to meeting her mate the Alpha King and the world of werewolves and hunters.

“I need a bride,” Drayce said, eyes burning into hers. “And the moment I saw you, I knew—I’d burn the world just to make you mine.” Noong mamatay ang mga magulang ni Zseya ay naiwan siya sa pangangalaga ng kaniyang Auntie Isadora. They treated her like a maid, at tinanggap niya ’yon ng walang angal. Ngunit nang dahil sa isang pangyayari ay pinalayas siya ng kaniyang Auntie Isadora, at itinakwil siya ng kaniyang Lolo Delfin sa pamilyang Arguelles. Sa labis na hirap at sakit, mas pinili na lamang niyang umalis — she didn’t expect to meet the man who’s gonna change her life. Drayce Zamora is a multi-billionaire. A man sculpted by power, precision, and pain. Born into wealth but shaped by loss. His father died under scandal. His mother abandoned the limelight. Drayce rebuilt the Zamora legacy from ashes, swearing he would never be weak again. He owns half the city, but no one owns him. Love? That’s a distraction. Until he met her — Zseya Arguelles. Inalok niya si Zseya na tumira sa mansion niya, pag-aaralin, at handa niya itong protektahan mula sa pamilyang umabandona, kapalit ng pagpapakasal nito sa kaniya. Tatanggapin kaya ni Zseya ang alok ng binata o mas pipiliin niyang tumayo sa sarili niyang mga paa kahit alam niyang mahihirapan siya? Eh, paano kung no choice na siya dahil Boss niya rin ito? Naku, mukhang wala na talaga siyang kawala!

Titan was supposed to be Kari's forever, until he rejected her on their wedding day for her own stepsister, Indira. Broken and betrayed, Kari flees the pack she gave everything for. But when a mysterious stranger saves her from the edge, she finds something she never thought she’d get again: a second chance. She discovers that this mysterious stranger used to be Titan's beta who was also wronged by him. When her own parents are callously killed by her stepsister, her thirst for revenge only increases. A rejected mate, a second bond and a burning need to make them all pay. Will Kari get the happily ever after she deserves?

In the electrifying world of Formula 1, Alex Dupont and Marco Bianchi are more than just fierce rivals; they're each other's obsession. As they race towards the championship, their secret passion off-track intensifies, threatening to unravel their careers. When a devastating crash brings their hidden feelings to the forefront, they must decide if their love is worth the ultimate risk. "You know, I can't stand how you're always pushing me on the track," Alex said, frustration lacing her voice. Marco leaned in closer, his eyes locking with hers. "I can't help myself when l see you out there, Alex. You bring out the best- and sometimes the worst- in me." "Driven by Desire" is a captivating story of forbidden romance, high-speed rivalry, and the perilous balance between ambition and desire.

“By the way, I saved you from your mate that rejected you without thinking twice, what do I get for it?” Those were the exact words of the man I was sold to by my mate the day I stepped into his mansion. Thick saliva landed roughly into the pit of my stomach. I opened my mouth to speak but no words came out. Only bubbles. His eyes colour was dark but who is to say it wasn't as dark as his intentions. What are the chances I was not in more danger than I would have been with my mate that rejected me. ************************************************* Amaya went from learning that her mate was the Alpha of her Pack whom she detested, to being rejected and offered the role of becoming his slut by the same Alpha. But then her story changed in a way she never expected nor wanted. She would have preferred staying in the dungeon where her mate threw her than to be sold to the infamous tyrant Alpha to stop an impending war. With a new Alpha in the picture, Amaya's life was only getting started. The question remains if it was for good or for bad.

He has made it crystal clear that I’m not to call him ‘boss’ except on certain occasions, like right now, when his dominating gaze carries a hint of playfulness. I can’t help but smile every time he gets like this, all lovey-dovey, but when he whispers in my ears asking me to go on an adventure with him, it is like an invitation to a forbidden feast and the thought sends a shiver down my spine which unlike you would think, is almost painful. Maybe this is because I have been on an adventure with him for as far as I want to recollect. My memories, if you peeked inside, would be overflowing with every moment with him, each one a brushstroke painted with his boldness and my, well, let’s call it a touch of recklessness. I now wear a souvenir, a mark etched onto my soul. It’s like a silent agreement, a reminder that our fates are tangled, intertwined like climbing vines. He’s the puppet master, my very own Mr. Strings, and every twist and turn of his whims gets woven into the fabric of my being. Maybe you find that hard to believe, like something out of a fairytale. But trust me, my darling, as I unravel the threads of our adventure, one by one, you’ll understand. With each turn and twist, you’ll find yourself hooked, a willing captive in the captivating narrative of our lives, possibly harnessed in the labyrinth of our love, where danger dances with delight, and fate is etched in the footprints of a love like no other. So buckle up, dear reader, for this isn’t a mere tale, it’s a thrill ride, a love song made of equal parts fear and freedom.

“Just do it. Please." I begged, I was desperate and I needed to get my release. “You’ll get punished for this Valentina.” He held me in a way that I could not turn to face him, his voice was dark. "Then just punish me now, I don't mind and I won't regret it tomorrow.” I pleaded but I only heard him sigh. "I didn't want to do this.” He said in a low voice and my imagination bloomed… *** Valentina is betrayed by her husband and her best friend, she finds out their dirty plan and how oblivious she had been for the past three years of her life. Her life is ruined, she is completely destroyed and left with no other option, she seeks solace from the forbidden source – The deadly Mafia Lord. She would do anything to make them have a taste of their medicine.

Sasha Hawkins gave her best to save her marriage but her husband, Roland, never considered her his wife and when his childhood crush returned after so many years, he didn’t think twice before divorcing Sasha. His childhood crush, Anastasia, framed Sasha for hurting her wrist with a small knife at the welcome party. The incident went viral and caused a fatal blow for Sasha and most of her big investors pulled out from her business. With no one to turn towards and no home to return to, Sasha had no option but to turn to her worst enemy, her ex-husband’s step-brother, Noah Beck. Using her vulnerability against her, he offered to help if she became his wife for a year. Given the opportunity to get back on her feet and face-slap all who had made mockery of her, will Sasha accept the offer? Or will she seek help somewhere else considering the fact that she can’t stand staying in a place with her Ex-husband’s step-brother?

"In the world of shadows, loyalty is bought, love is a weapon, and once the mafia claims you, you're ruined—body, soul, and everything you once believed in." Enzo Mezzesalma was cold, aggressive, ruthless, and grim. He had no weakness until he met her and once he got a taste of her, she became his new addiction, now he couldn't let go and she became his only weakness and now, they all wanted her just so they could ruin that perfect facade he had built over the years but only if they knew he was worst than the monster they had never heard of, he was just too good at hiding it. There had to be a reason for Rule Number 3, right? *~* It was summer and Anastasia thought the rest of her days would be sunny but she was dead as she stepped into her home for the first in two years after moving to the university campus to be exchanged for her parent's debts and just like that, Anastasia was thrown into the Mafia world, working as a maid to pay off her parents debts and then she met Enzo Mezzesalma and rule number 3 said: Stay Away From Enzo Mezzesalma. Anastasia didn't know when she started breaking that rule and got herself buried in a hole she wouldn't be able to pull herself out. "My own death does not frighten me, but yours? Oh, that's my greatest and deepest fear," - Enzo Mezzesalma "Being his slut and being a slut are two entirely different things," - Anastasia Martin