Sad Things To Draw

On my twentieth birthday, my parents placed a stack of photos in front of me—eligible bachelors from elite families all over the country—and told me to pick one for an arranged marriage. I told my dad to leave it to fate and draw lots. In my past life, I had chosen without hesitation the man I’d long admired: Lucas Whitmore, the most eligible bachelor of Astor Hill's elites. But after we got married, I found out the truth. His first love—the girl he had always held dear, Claire Monroe—was devastated by our marriage. One night, heartbroken, she went out drinking and was assaulted by a group of thugs. Claire attempted suicide three times after that. And Lucas blamed it all on me. He handed over my family’s fortune to Claire, draining every last cent from the Meyers. In the end, Lucas even helped her cut the brake lines on our car. My parents and I died in that crash. Now that I’d been given a second chance at life, the name I drew was Liam Morgan—the reclusive heir from Orchard Valley, known for shunning the world and dedicating himself to Buddhism. But when I showed up arm-in-arm with Liam at our engagement party, Lucas lost his mind.

I was prepping the ceremonial cloak for our seventh mating anniversary. The front door suddenly banged open. My son rushed inside, tears streaming down his face. "The teacher yelled at me," he sobbed. He shoved the wrinkled drawing into my hands before burying his face in my shirt. I smoothed out the paper to see what the drama was about. It was a sketch of a faceless woman titled: The Substitute Mom. My heart stopped as I read the scribbles underneath. "Daddy said she is the backup." "She does the chores but gets no wages." "The Real Mom is responsible for being beautiful and guarding the treasury." My fingertips turned ice-cold against the paper. My mate, Ethan, had just returned from a patrol. He kissed my forehead. "What did our pup draw?" The next second, his smile froze when he saw the content. His voice tightened, and he reached out to snatch the book. "He watches too many cartoons! He's writing nonsense!" I stared at the man I had shared a den with for seven years. He looked like a stranger now. If I was the substitute. Who was this beautiful real mother? And where had my true son been all these years?

On my twentieth birthday, my father asked me to draw from a box of straws. It was to pick a husband between William Smith and Austin Smith to inherit North Town. The short straw represented Austin, while the long straw represented William. No matter how hard I tried, I could not get the long straw. However, I was certain that I did not want to marry Austin. I drew straws for three years, but it was to no avail. I had no choice but to tamper with the straws to marry William as I wished. However, ten years into our marriage, he was no longer gentle and kind. He had turned into a really cold person. He neither returned home nor touched me. Even when I threatened him with a knife, he refused to talk to me. Despite feeling hurt, I was unwilling to let him go. That was until I watched him kick away the only medicine I had for my asthma while I was writhing on the floor. “I was the one who switched out the straws. There was no long straw, yet you forced me to marry you. Mandy died from a broken heart, so you should pay with your life.” When I opened my eyes again, I was holding a short straw. I calmly said, “Since it’s the short one, I choose Austin.”

“Go on ten dates with me. I’ll prove I’m not the man you think I am. And I’ll give you a million dollars.” Cas said, looking at me like he was making a business deal. “Is this another way to have sex with me, because it’s becoming kind of desperate. ” “One million dollars. I will draw up a contract. Sex will not be one of the requirements to get the money.” “And what do you get out of it?” I asked, wondering if this was too good to be true. “You won’t get me.” “We’ll see,” Cas replied with an arrogant smirk that I wanted to smack off his face. “Do we have a deal?" ----- The arrogant billionaire Cassius Hemming is intrigued by the single mother, Ripley. Not only does she show no interest in him, while most women throw themselves at his feet, she actually shows distaste when talking to him. Cassius has always wanted what he can't have, and as a billionaire, there isn't much he is unable to buy. He is determined to win Ripley over and then punish her for rejecting him in the first place. So Cas makes Ripley a deal she can't refuse. Go on ten dates with him, and he'll pay off all her debt. But what happens when the billionaire's plan backfires?    

Amelia Hutton, an 18-year-old with a captivating charm, exudes an effervescent brightness that draws people towards her. A girl whose heart is a sanctuary for love, her family occupies the topmost rung in her priorities. In the tender embrace of her familial bonds, her elder brother Jonathan emerges as a formidable protector, his love for her an unshakable foundation. But life takes an unexpected turn when Amelia crosses paths with Gabriel Hamilton, a man whose mere presence exudes an aura of power and ruthlessness. With wealth beyond imagination at his disposal, he's not just a billionaire; he's a force of nature. Handsome as he is enigmatic, Gabriel's entrance into Amelia's world shatters her equilibrium. Yet, his intentions transcend mere curiosity. A dark obsession burgeons within him, a compulsion to possess Amelia, to draw her into his shadowy existence. His fixation on her grows like an insidious vine, weaving its tendrils around his thoughts until she's all he can see. Gabriel's heart is cloaked in darkness, a void he yearns to fill with her light. In this saga of love and power, innocence and darkness, the tale of Amelia and Gabriel emerges as a gripping narrative. Their destinies are intertwined, bound by a tumultuous journey that will test the limits of their hearts, challenging them to rise above the suffocating grip of obsession and claim their own fates.

Meredith, a cooking club’s new member, has grown up always feeling like she is waiting for someone. Being riddled with sad dreams that always left her waking up with a wet face, fear of loud noises, and a birthmark on her temple, has always felt like there is someone she is missing. Randall, her classmate, swimming club’s new member at BSU has also spent his life searching for someone whose faces he can not remember. Until destiny brings them together due to some circumstances that they have to pretend to fulfill Don Warrick dying wish which is a fixed marriage. Meredith accepted it because her mother wanted her to get married for reasons she didn’t know and to pay off all the debt left by her late father. And Randall to get its inheritance. The pretense that led to a beautiful love story. But when they finally love each other, they will be disturb by their bad dreams about the two people they have been looking for for so long. Would Meredith and Randall accept it if they knew that the person closest to them was the root of the tradegy in the past?

I was four months pregnant when I discovered that my husband had fallen for our young family helper. He dropped to his knees and started slapping himself repeatedly with such force that blood rolled down from the corner of his mouth. He sobbed, swearing it was just a drunken mistake, swearing to me he'd never see her again. Thinking of the baby growing inside me, my heart softened, and I tore the divorce papers. The day I went into labor, I suffered serious complications. The baby was stillborn, and the umbilical cord was wrapped around his neck. He didn't even get the chance to cry. I was drowning in grief, but then my husband walked into the delivery room holding the family helper's baby in his arms. "Don't be sad, Kelda. She's willing to let you raise her child." My anger ran so deep that I bit my lip until it bled. It was all my fault! I had been treating him too well all these years. He had completely forgotten what I, Kelda Shaw, was really capable of.

Introducing the next chapter in the Dark Side of Fate series!Liam's heart is broken on graduation night when the father of his long-time crush decides to whisk her away for reasons best known to him. The situation gets him distraught. Suspecting she is in danger, he tries to pull the strings to help find her. In the process, he is surprised by fate as his mate shows up in the midst of everything, and he is now torn between his fated and his long-time crush. He tries to navigate through with wisdom, but love isn't a battle of will but that of the heart, and his wolf isn't relenting either.This book continues the exciting journey of the children of our beloved characters as they face challenges in their unique world.Follow Liam, the son of Tamia and Sylvester, as he deals with unexpected struggles in his life. Despite feeling sad, destiny has something special in store for him. Will it turn out to be a blessing or a curse? This story revolves around Liam's love journey.If you haven't read The Dark Side of Fate Books 1 and 2 yet, consider giving them a read. It will help you better understand the characters and their backgrounds.

Sabi nga ng iba... Love can be sad and love can be happy. Yena Suarez. Kung magkakaroon man ng katawan ang salitang 'maganda' ay siya na iyon. Noong walong taong gulang pa lamang siya ay alam na niya sa sarili niya na naka takda silang ikasal ng kaniyang matalik na kababata na si Nikko. Masaya naman sila noon, ngunit nang mag laon at namatay ang Ina ni Nikko ay doon nagbago ang pakikitungo nito sa kanya. Lalong lalo na ng malaman niyang may lihim na kasintahan pala si Nikko na matagal na palang ikinukubli nito sa kanya. Nadurog ang puso niya sa nalaman. Tinulungan siya ni Dwight, ang nakakatandang kapatid ni NikkoNikko sa labas. Doon niya pa mas nakilala si Dwight Collymore. Ngunit paano kaya kung malaman niya kung ano ang lihim na matagal ng ikinukubli rin ni Dwight sa dalaga? Paano kung... siya ang Adiksiyon niya?

Claire thought she had it all: a handsome billionaire husband, a luxurious lifestyle, and the promise of a bright future. But behind the glittering facade of her marriage to Leonard Parker, CEO of Parker Industries, lies a heart-wrenching reality. For five years, Claire has played second fiddle to Charlotte, Leonard's childhood friend and constant priority. Despite her unwavering love for Leonard, Claire finds herself suffocating in the shadow of a woman who seems to hold her husband's heart. When Claire discovers she's pregnant, she sees a glimmer of hope for her failing marriage. But a tragic accident at a family gathering shatters her dreams and forces her to confront the painful truth: in Leonard's eyes, she'll always come second to Charlotte. Determined to reclaim her identity and protect her unborn child, Claire makes the heart-wrenching decision to leave Leonard. But walking away from the man she loves and the life she's known proves to be only the beginning of her journey. As Claire navigates her new reality, she finds unexpected allies and rediscovers her passion for architecture. But Leonard isn't ready to let her go, and Charlotte's true nature begins to surface, threatening everything Claire holds dear. Can Claire find the strength to stand on her own and build a new life for herself and her child? Or will the powerful pull of her love for Leonard – and his for her – draw her back into a world where her heart may never truly be first?