Smiling But Crying

In my previous life, my husband had suddenly died of a brain hemorrhage, leaving behind a massive mountain of debt. For the sake of my son, who was still in high school, I sold the house my parents had left me, gritted my teeth, and worked three jobs to pay off the debt. Overworked and exhausted, my health deteriorated, and I eventually collapsed in the hospital. From my bed, I could hear my son, now a graduate from a prestigious university, smiling as he spoke on the phone. "Hello? Dad, it's me. Yeah, she's about to die. I bought insurance for her, so we should get close to one million. You and Aunt Rena should come back home right away." The "Aunt Rena" he spoke of was none other than my husband's childhood friend and neighbor who had known him for years. It turned out that the debts were all part of a massive money-laundering scheme between my husband and his childhood sweetheart. They had fabricated false accounts to hide their crime, and he had faked his death to escape the law. My son, eager to become the heir to wealth, had stood by and watched me work myself to death. When I next opened my eyes, I was back in the moment of my husband's feigned brain hemorrhage, the day it had all begun.

Maya had never imagined one day she would be babysitting her ex-fiance's son- the very fiance she had begged to call off their wedding on the eve of their big day. After few years Maya finally escapes her abusive marriage only to collide with Dante. Dante Martinez is a man of few words. He is ravishingly handsome and is a top businessman. He doesn't talk much, he only has one friend and prefers to live alone. People dub him a cold CEO because no one has seen him smiling, not even a crack. He had a baby through surrogacy after his first love- Maya Diaz left him on their wedding eve. However, things begin to take an interesting turn when she returns all of a sudden. She asks him to let her stay with him until she finds a place to stay. Little does she know Dante has always been in love with her. He offers her to babysit his son and she takes up the offer. The more she stays with him, the more she realizes he is more than his cold exterior. There is a beautiful heart throbbing underneath his icy facade. The attraction between them intensifies, leading to the inevitable question: How long can two people who are immensely attracted to each other can resist the pull?

Yvette Warren, personal secretary to billionaire Orson Cox, announced that the heiress who was accidentally switched at birth 20 years ago was living in this orphanage. Whoever could prove their identity would inherit a billion-dollar fortune. In my first life, the two-faced Laurel Marsh tricked me into giving her my keepsake to claim the family. The Coxes tore her mouth apart. "Fraud!" In my second life, my frenemy, Rebecca Vargas, tattooed a fake birthmark on herself to claim the family. The Coxes had her skin slashed to shreds. "Still a fraud!" In my third life, my sworn enemy, Vita Davidson, took out online loans to get plastic surgery, reshaping her face to resemble Orson's wife. She tried to claim the family and was thrown straight into a mastiff cage by the Coxes. By my fourth life, no one dared steal my identity anymore. They packed me up overnight and delivered me straight to the Cox residence. When the DNA test confirmed I really was the heiress, everyone thought the nightmare was finally over. But on my very first night back, the Coxes shoved me off a high-rise building. "Anyone who dares steal our real daughter's identity deserves to die!" When I opened my eyes again, Yvette was smiling as she asked who the heiress was. Everyone backed away in terror, insisting they weren't the heiress. Yvette's voice turned low and eerie. "But our investigation shows that the heiress is definitely in this orphanage."

My fiance, Simon Rossi, is a mafia Don with a reputation for brutality. He suddenly takes in an orphan girl and spoils her rotten. He names her Giara, saying she's pure, like a beam of light. But that is the name he has promised for our future daughter. He thinks he's hidden it well. But the night before our engagement party, I notice his cufflinks. The ruby ones I gave him are replaced with cheap plastic cartoon cats. I don't believe he's really cheating, so I abduct Giara to get answers without hurting her. Then Simon bursts in with his men. 50 people die, and three armories go up in flames. "Ivina Coleo, consider this a lesson. But don't worry. I'll send her away. Remember, this is the first time you touch her, and the last." But at the engagement party, Giara sits with Simon's parents, smiling right at me. The sight sparks a fury I can't control. I lunge forward, determined to send her away myself. Simon tells Giara to leave, coaxing me through the ceremony. But that night, he binds my limbs with stones and sinks me into the sea. "I told you that was the last time." Cold water fills my lungs. When I open my eyes again, I'm back on the day I first abducted Giara. This time, I don't want Simon or the wedding anymore.

My fiancee gets drunk the day before our wedding. While I'm taking her home, she mistakes me for my best friend. "Jackson, don't bring our child to the wedding tomorrow. I don't want Samuel to know about us." I slam on the brakes, causing Madelyn Wilkinson to hit the seatback and come to her senses. When she realizes it's me, she freezes for a moment before slowly explaining, "Since you heard that, let's call off the wedding for now. You don't have to worry. Jackson doesn't plan on getting married again. But I'm still that child's mother no matter what, so I need to help out. "Jackson's your best friend. You feel sorry for him if he has to raise a child alone, don't you? I'll marry you after my son starts school." I can't help smiling bitterly. "Alright then… I don't have a problem with that." When we get home, she packs up a suitcase and leaves without another word. Feeling a sting in my eyes, I suppress my emotions as I sit on the couch, falling into a daze. That's when my phone rings at the worst possible moment. My childhood friend, Hazel Parsons, says in a hoarse voice, "Sam, don't marry her. Please." I fall silent for a beat. "Alright."

Kinakabahan na pumunta si Quena papuntang school dahil hindi niya alam kung anong magiging reaction ng kanynag boyfriend na si Thom, sari sari ang kanyang nararamdaman masaya at nadismaya dahil paano nalang kundi matanggap ang pagbubuntis niya, kahapon lang niya nalaman dahil abala siya at ngayon 2 weeks na siyang buntis. Nang nasa harap na siya ng classroom ay excited siya at napansin din niyang subrang tahimik sa loob at nakasirado ang pinto. Kaya naisipan namna niya itong buksan at ng pagbukas nito ay hindi siya makahinga at nagbabagsakan ang mga luha hindi niya akalain na magagawa ito ng boyfriend at kapatid at mga kaibigan niya. "Anong ibig sabihin nito?" kaya napahinto naman sa paghahalikan ang boyfriend niya. "You're here!" he said smiling as if nothing had happened. "Thom pinagkatiwalaan kita pero ito ang gagawin mo sa akin!" iyak na sabi ni Quena. "At ikaw naman ate paano mo nagawa ito sa akin!" iyak parin na tanong ni Quena. Kayong lahat classmate at kaibigan ko kayo pero bakit niyo ako ginaganito!" iyak na sigaw ko bago lumabas ang sakit sakit lang isipin na akala mo siya na pero nagkamali lang pala ako.

After her boyfriend had an affair with her sister, Lani was deeply hurt and, at the advice of her best friend, decided to marry a strange guy as revenge. She married Kane, an ordinary office worker with a handsome appearance who took care of cooking and cleaning at home while she pursued her acting career. Life with Kane was relatively peaceful, and they grew close and sweet, like a genuine couple. However, one day, Lani discovered Kane's true identity as the wealthiest billionaire in the city. Unable to accept this deception, Lani leaves without a word, accepting a role as the lead actress in a movie and moving to another city, cutting off all contact with Kane. At this point, upon realizing Lani's disappearance, Kane felt deep regret and sadness. He relentlessly searched for Lani to explain everything. When he coincidentally ran into Lani on the street, Kane slowly followed her back to the hotel, holding her hand and crying, begging Lani for forgiveness, even kneeling to express his remorse. "Baby, I'm so sorry. You can hit me or scold me if you want, but please don't leave me." Everything happened unexpectedly and was chaotic, so what decision will Lani make?

Chamicka Ventura (Chika) hails from a powerful family of South America Hunters. She finds herself in the woods, crying on her way to school, escaping her abusive parents; today she was told that she will be sold to a family in exchange for their help in hunting down a myth; running from her parents at the age of five, she quickly learned where to go and hide. She is just twelve years old today, and she is out walking in the rain with her raincoat on when she comes upon a metal box similar to the one her father uses, which she opens to discover two pups inside. She stuffs them inside her bag. Despite the fact that they are enormous for puppies, she runs to school, claiming to the school that her parents had hurt her again, and they send her to the local orphanage, where she hides with her two rescued puppies and raises them. During this period, her parents made several efforts to locate her; long after, wolves appeared and took the puppies from her; yet, they always hid together, until the day she awoke next to two strong, attractive men in her bed; where did these guys come from?

WARNING— 18+ READ WITH CAUTION Slowly stroking her again he leaned down placing a kiss on her forehead. "Just calm down Kitten. No more crying." He extended a hand using it to wipe the tears that laid on her cheeks. Seeing them there didn't set right with him, she was suppose to be writhing in pleasure not crying in pain. "Do you not trust me?" Celeste nodded holding onto him for dear life. "I do." "Then spread your legs wider Kitten." **** Celeste always thought her life would change for the better, the future she had foreseen was one like no other; a mate that would love away her pain, a mate that would see only her, breathe only her. However, when she found herself mated to Zillon Macre; her life long crush as well as the future alpha of her pack, her dream remained just that, a dream. Her life did not change in the way she wanted it to, instead of better, it changed for the worst. Her insignificance didn't dissipate, it augmented, and somehow it left her being unwanted... By her pack members... Her family... And lastly by her mate who only craved for her twin sister.

Leah, Logan’s adopted sister, threw a tantrum at our first engagement party, an episode of her pup dependency anxiety. But after that night, I gave him an ultimatum: if he couldn’t bond me before I turned thirty, he’d have to choose—me or Leah. Logan believed I’d never walk away. After all, I was bonded by my dying mother’s last wish: to be bonded with the werewolf warrior who’d loved me for ten years. Ten years together. Twelve promises that he’d keep Leah in line. And then came my twenty-ninth birthday—our thirteenth engagement party. Leah locked me in a restroom, stole my gown, and stood beside Logan in my place. She was smiling, glowing, claiming everything that was mine. When I finally stepped out, my gown was tattered. I confronted Logan, but he only said, “Alison, forgive her. I promise, this is the last time.” I looked at the torn gown my mother had sewn through sickness and pain… and I laughed. Logan sighed in relief, thinking I’d let it slide again. But I didn’t. I turned and walked away without a word. After a decade together, he thought I belonged to him. Well, he was wrong. He didn’t know that there was someone else who could give me happiness and fulfill my mother’s wish.