Social Beings

Caspian Henderson has been rigid and restrained throughout his six-year marriage to Juliet Bennett, and their life together feels dull and uneventful. Even their nights together feel like a chore with a set time. He arrives on the dot, does what he came for, and leaves. Everyone in their social circle believes he's the kind of man who will never bend for any woman. That was true until a month ago, when he returned with an orphaned girl who claims to have saved his life. Her name is Willow Everly. She's cold and unapproachable—the polar opposite of Juliet, who has been doted on all her life. Juliet's girlfriends attempt to warn her. "That young woman looks like a handful. You'd better keep an eye on your husband." Juliet beams. "Don't worry. Caspian doesn't even waver when I tease him. There's no way he'd be interested in that delicate little thing." Yet in just a few days, she finds out just how wrong she is.

He bit his lip for a while. "Just because we kissed doesn't mean that I like you." I chuckled. "I know." "I still hate you." "I heard you the first couple of times." He hesitated. "And if we kiss again, I still don't like you." ~ Henry Young is an antisocial highschool student. Due to the death of his older brother, Nate, his fear of abandonment made him distance himself from others. He stayed low, only talked when necessary and never joined many social circles. One day, a young man moves in with his family and despite Henry's anger, he can't seem to take his eyes off him. Because of Andre's outgoing nature, Henry is convinced that they're complete opposites and will never come to good terms with each other. But each moment they spend around each other keeps proving him wrong and maybe, just maybe, he doesn't see Andre as a brother figure.

Elena Cordova designed revolutionary algorithms for a multi-million-dollar company. The only formula she couldn't solve? Her own marriage. After seven years of being the invisible wife to a cold billionaire, Elena is finally trading in her wedding ring for her worth. Marcus Ashford married her for obligation, hid her from the world, and replaced her with a woman who played the perfect stepmother. But when he finally pushes her too far, he discovers that the brilliant, betrayed woman he dismissed has been running calculations all along. Now, Elena is back in the boardroom, her mind sharp, her fortune growing, and a handsome rival billionaire watching her every move. She wants revenge. She wants vindication. She wants her daughter back. Marcus thought she was a social climber. He thought she was docile. He thought he could replace her. He was wrong. He used her for her brilliance. Now, she'll use her brilliance to take everything back. Divorce is just the beginning of her beautiful, calculated comeback.

My roommate was Rachel Travis, and something about her behavior always felt… off. On social media, she hit the like button on every single person’s posts, except mine. Whenever she asked for help, I was always there. However, the one time I asked her for a pad, she wrinkled her nose and called it "disgusting". For my birthday, I invited the whole dorm to dinner. When hers rolled around, she invited everyone, except me. Then, I saw my boyfriend, Ryan Cooper, at her birthday party. That’s when I finally snapped and confronted her. She looked at me, wide-eyed, all innocence. "What? Everything’s fine. Why are you acting like this? You’re just too sensitive." Even the other girls in the dorm piled on, saying I was overreacting and telling me I needed therapy. So maybe I was "too sensitive". Fine. Then, I would treat her exactly the way she treated me. Let’s see how she liked it.

Freya was auctioned for sale as a bargain for her father's debt to the Dago social club. A place where big men of the society gather to bet, get high on drugs, enjoy life to the fullest and made away with any available whore. Her life crashed when she was bought by a ruthless man with no emotions and pity for anybody. They call him 'Master Hell' as he is feared by many, controls lots of empires and sends many people who disobey him, to hell. Freya was tortured, brutalized and used as an object to satisfy his urges in the most horrible way. Her world turned in when she found out she was pregnant. Unable to find herself bearing the child of the man who had leveled all sorts of hatred towards her, she plans to escape and fight for her life and that of her unborn child. Will she succeed in escaping from the man who has the world at his command? Author's guide: This is a dark bully romance, very dark that blood will spill, unexpected rape scenes and brutality. Kindly seek for cover if you're going to read it.

Ang first love ng asawa ko ay nag-post ng isang video sa kanyang social media. Sa video, nagpapasa silang dalawa ng playing card gamit ang kanilang mga labi. Nang mahulog ang card ay nagtagpo ang kanilang mga labi sa isang halik. Hindi sila huminto—parang nawala sa sandaling iyon, mapusok silang naghalikan sa loob ng isang minuto. Ang caption niya: [Still the same clumsy piggy! PS: Ang mga skills ni Steve ay kasing galing tulad ng dati!] Tahimik kong ni-like ang post at nag-iwan ng komento: [Congrats.] Sa sumunod na segundo, tumawag ang asawa ko, galit na galit na sumigaw, "Walang ibang babaeng kasing drama mo! Nakipaglaro lang ako kay Lanie. Bakit naman ummakto ka na parang baliw?" Noon ko napagtanto na ang pitong taon ng pag-ibig ay walang kahulugan. Oras na para umalis ako.

On my fifth birthday with Zachary Murdock, I sit once again in front of a full table of cold food, just like every year before. Zachary had promised, as always, to spend the day with me. And, as always, he breaks that promise. This year, it's because his childhood sweetheart wanted to shoot a set of "artistic photos". She invited him and a few of his close buddies to be part of it. Without hesitation, he ditches me again and runs straight into her arms. At 11:00 pm, his childhood sweetheart posts a photo to her social media and sets it so that only I can see it. In the picture, four men are in nothing but black briefs and Windsor-knotted ties. They kneel around her while she is draped in sheer fabric like a goddess. The caption reads, "Some people beg for crumbs, but I own the entire bakery." I take a screenshot. Then, I send it to the girlfriends of all three of Zachary’s best buddies. If they all look down on me this much, let's hope they don't end up on their knees begging me someday.

When the world ends, Lilly James awakens. After a cataclysmic event fractures Earth and shatters the veil between realms, Lilly a seemingly ordinary woman who discovers she is the last tether holding the balance between divine order and infernal chaos. Hunted by celestial beings and demonic lords alike, Lilly is thrust into a war that has raged for eons in secret and now exposed and burning across the remains of the world. Caught in the eye of this divine storm are four men, two gods and two demons, sworn enemies from rival factions, each drawn to Lilly for reasons that go beyond destiny.     •    Kael, a fallen war god with a rage that could burn empires, hides a tortured honor behind his blade.     •    Theron, a stoic god of time and decay, holds the secrets to the apocalypse—and to Lilly’s past.     •    Riven, a charming demon prince of desire, masks deadly ambition with silken words and stolen touches.     •    Draven, a shadow-born demon of vengeance, silent and cold…except when he’s near her. Each of them needs her. Each of them wants her. But their desires might tear her and the world apart. As ancient prophecies unravel and her own powers begin to awaken, Lilly must navigate a brutal new reality where love could be her salvation or the catalyst for humanity’s final ruin. The gods demand devotion. The demons crave possession. But Lilly? She was never meant to bow. She was meant to rise.

Marriage is a Sacred and Safe Haven. But in Business Traditions, it is a merge deal between two families wanted their wealth to become secure. Both parties agreed upon merge marriage, except those people who will be involved and will be continually granted each family's will. Carly, a 24 year-old aspiring Geographer doesn't really get and agree upon the idea of arranged marriage. Even as a nerd, she wanted a social life outside of the box that she never had when she was studying. A geek by appearance, an adventuress at heart. And Calvin, a 28 year-old full time and successful Business man. But the company he worked so hard in his whole life time will never be on him unless he will agree upon this deal. A hard worker and doesn't have time to socialize and doesn't know how to take a break. These two people meet and agreed that they both don't agree at this marriage. They both wanted to escape this situation but how? By mere pressure and desperation, it came up an opportunity. It wasn't really planned nor an idea but they unexpectedly had an Accidental Escapes.

My sister had struggled with severe depression for years, and the only thing that seemed to ease her pain was her dog, Toto, who had become her constant companion. But when her illness flared up again, Toto was nowhere to be found. Then, my husband, Lionel Cress's childhood sweetheart posted a picture of Toto on social media. [With her, it feels like you're here with me.] I lost it. I called Lionel in a frenzy, but despite being my sister's psychologist, he was completely indifferent. "Your sister has been sick for so long. How could she suddenly relapse just because Toto's gone for a few days?" When I rushed back home, I found my sister in the bathroom, her wrists cut. Later, Toto's body was discovered outside our building, with Lionel's gift to his childhood sweetheart—a ring—lying next to her. I buried both my sister and Toto, and left behind nothing but a divorce agreement. Lionel went crazy, desperately trying to find me.