Sixteen Candles Dresses

Gabriella Halim woke up in a luxurious room she didn’t recognize. When she looked in the mirror, she nearly fainted. Her face was still beautiful, but… more mature. She was no longer the twenty-year-old girl she remembered—she had become a thirty-year-old woman. Even more shocking, she had been married to Adryan Lewis for five years, a young, ambitious, and notoriously cold politician. Gabby immediately realized one thing: her husband hated her. Cold glares, cutting words, and an impenetrable distance left her bewildered. What had happened in the past ten years? Rather than crying or pleading for love, Gabby chose a different path: enjoying the luxury she now had. A grand house, wardrobes full of designer dresses, and an unlimited bank account. Why bother chasing love when life could be this comfortable? But the world of politics was never simple. Public scrutiny, rival political intrigues, and scandalous gossip forced Gabby to take on a role far greater than that of a mere “trophy wife.” And as Adryan began to notice the dramatic changes in Gabby, the question remained: would his hatred persist, or could it transform into something he never expected?

My boyfriend Julian is a chess grandmaster, a genius. At sixteen, he became the youngest grandmaster in North American history. I gave him ten years of my life, but a ring was never on the table. But when he reached the pinnacle of his career and won the Grand Slam, he still refused to break the pact he'd made with his family about his career. "According to my plan, I'm not considering marriage or any other form of long-term commitment until all my goals are achieved." I didn't argue with him. I quietly packed his luggage for the World Championship and wished him the best. He had no idea that at the very moment he was lifting the championship trophy with the world watching, I was dragging my failing body to sign my own name on a euthanasia consent form.

Rebecca Sally decided to move to the street at the age of sixteen, after being thrown around foster homes. She lived her daily life begging for arms and constantly hiding from the police, until the day she met Jake. A nineteen years old boy who didn't have any money to give her but was willing to share his dinner. They soon became friends, a friendship that would soon develop into something special. Rebecca soon discovers that she is the only successor to her father's throne far away in London, a position that comes with lots of responsibilities, one of which is that she must marry only an heir. Will their paths ever cross again and when it does, will their love be able to conquer all their obstacle, or will their new responsibility and status drive them further apart? Find out in the romance theme story Homeless Heiress”

Ethan Carter, a socially awkward and bookish young man, moves into a run-down apartment in the city, hoping for a quiet and uneventful life. But his world is turned upside down when he meets his neighbor—Sienna, a mesmerizing, confident woman with an intoxicating aura. From the moment he lays eyes on her, he's smitten. She’s everything he isn’t—bold, beautiful, and effortlessly seductive. As Ethan struggles with his feelings, he begins noticing strange things: the way men come and go from Sienna’s apartment, the way she dresses provocatively at odd hours, and the soft, intimate sounds that seep through the thin walls at night. But he convinces himself that it’s all in his head. One night, however, the illusion shatters. When Sienna forgets to fully close her door, Ethan sees the truth with his own eyes—she’s with a client. The shock leaves him reeling. But instead of disgust, his fascination deepens. Why does she do this? Is there something more beneath her exterior? And most importantly—can love exist between two people from such different worlds? Ethan’s desire soon turns into obsession, and as he delves deeper into Sienna’s life, secrets unravel that neither of them are prepared to face.

I've been married to my Mafia Boss husband for 15 years. When we first got married, he couldn't even afford a ring, but I didn't care; I loved him. I hid my identity. I secretly used my family's influence to help him build his empire from scratch, and I even bore him two children. His adopted sister always mocked me, calling me an old-fashioned housewife and saying I wasn't good enough for him. To avoid embarrassing him, I always endured it. Until our 15th anniversary, because both me and his adopted sister wore red dresses, he told me to stay in the kitchen: "Sofia's right. That red doesn't suit you. Don't come out until the banquet actually ends. Stay in the kitchen. I don't need the Dons from New York seeing you and getting the wrong impression." I was completely heartbroken and didn't argue anymore. I dialed a number I hadn't made in 15 years: "Principessa?" "It's me," I said, my voice steady. "Tell those old fossils on the Council... Isabella Corleone is coming home."

Three years ago, on what was supposed to be the happiest day of her life, Lynell Gibbs was left completely broken. It was her 20th birthday — a day she had been so excited for — but instead of candles and wishes, she got heartbreak. Shaun Hernandez, the guy she loved with all her heart, broke up with her. No fight, no warning. Just a simple, cold explanation: “Nagising na lang daw siya at narealize na hindi na niya ito mahal.” Those words haunted her for years. And no matter how strong she tried to be, the pain left a scar too deep to forget. But she survived. She stood up, rebuilt herself piece by piece, and slowly became the woman she never thought she could be — stronger, wiser, and even more beautiful. Gone was the naïve girl who gave everything to someone who didn’t deserve her. She had learned her lesson. She moved forward and opened her heart again. That’s when Martin came into her life — kind, respectful, and everything Shaun wasn’t. For the first time, she felt safe. Finally, she believed she had healed. Until one unexpected announcement shattered her peace. Their company was under new management. At first, she didn’t think much of it — change was normal. But everything came crashing down the moment she heard the name of their new CEO. Shaun Hernandez. The same man who once tore her apart... was now her boss.

Soulmates. Everyone, between the ages of sixteen and eighteen, would have the names of their soulmates appear on their left or right wrist in a light grey ink that turned red when you meet them. Should your soulmates die then their name would turn white. *** *** Luca stood staring down at the water below him as he stood on the thick cement railing of the bridge. Looking down at his wrists he traced the names Williams Roswell and Jedidiah Roswell, the names of his soulmates who he had yet to meet. “I’m sorry,” He sobbed. “I can’t do it anymore. You both will be better off without me, you don’t need me… I’m nothing…”. “Goodbye.” He dropped his hands to his sides and took a deep breath then jumped in.

My fiancé’s first love Chloe had returned. Rumor had it she’d been overseas, treating some rare disease. I hadn’t believed it—until the day she showed up at my engagement party. And I watched as the man I’d been hopelessly in love with since I was sixteen left our party with her. “Wait for me,” Nathan said, “She is fragile. I need to make sure she is well.” He ignored me, but accompanying her to everywhere. I threw away the rings, trashed the wedding gown. When I was pale and trembling from a heart failure later. Nathan finally showed up. “Don’t you dare die on me, Emily,” His hands were shaking. His voice cracked. “We still have a wedding.”

Aaron, an FBI agent, pretended to be a driver to obtain evidence against Hilaire Clinton, accused of money laundering. He had planned everything except one thing: to fall under the spell of his daughter who would become an obsession for him. “Fuck me.” “No.” “Why?” “You are my boss's daughter.” Each has his little hidden secrets, his regrets, his moments of panic, his desires, his wounded hearts and his broken souls. Many people come in and out of our lives, some leave us scars, regrets and others leave us good memories. We live in a world where sex reigns, love almost disappears, a world where it is better to imagine or invent a life, a world where lies have taken over but whatever we do the truth will always be there and will burst at an unexpected moment. Hilary Clinton had just blown out her eighteen candles when the idea of discovering the effects of sex crossed her mind, she fantasized about the new driver, the latter, being a secret agent, had integrated into the Clintons' house in order to obtain evidence against the daughter's father who will become an obsession for him. Lost between work and envy, Aaron could no longer back down unfortunately. “Fuck me.”She told him in a breath. “No.” “Why?” “You are my boss's daughter.” Will he resist for a long time?

Ethan Hayes and I grew up together, but we ended up resenting each other for a lifetime. He blamed me for taking matters into my own hands, forcing his memories back, and causing his true love to jump off a building. I blamed him for going back on his word. He promised to love me forever, but after losing his memory, he fell for someone else. In the early stages of our ten-year marriage, we were as cold as strangers who knew each other too well. When I got diagnosed with ALS, everyone in town urged him to divorce me. He only carried me to a chapel, knelt among the burning candles for an entire day and night, and prayed for a miracle. On my deathbed, he held me through the night, his forehead against my cheek. "I've done my duty to you in this life," he whispered. "If there's a next one, I hope you don't make me remember. Just let me be with her." Tears slid down my face. I finally got it. I shouldn't have chained him down with our teenage love, dragging him through a whole life. When I opened my eyes again, I was back to the day I found Ethan. This time, I chose to let him be with his true love instead of waking his memories.