Social Graces

Three days after giving birth, my husband leaves me alone at home to care for the baby, saying that he needs to leave on an urgent business trip. Three days later, I've just arrived at the hospital when I see a family photo his childhood sweetheart has shared on her social media. It's captioned, "This was taken during a trip. We're a happy family of three." I'm surprised to see my husband grinning in the photo and comment on it with a question mark. He immediately calls me to reprimand me. "Do you know how hard it is for her as a single mother? She doesn't have a man to care for her. All I did was take a photo with her. Do you have to be so petty?" That evening, his childhood sweetheart shares a photo of some monetary gifts. "He insisted on giving me this after taking the family photo." I know my husband gave that to her to pacify her. This time, however, I'm ready to leave him.

Out of the blue, I get a call from the Department of Labor. The officer tells me they received a complaint, accusing me of gender discrimination. Apparently, my treatment of the male and female employees is extremely unequal. I'm left feeling utterly bewildered. Out of compassion for my employees, I give the female employees paid leave during their periods and pregnancy. I also give the male employees the benefit of a family support allowance. I've never discriminated against anyone because of their gender, and neither have I ever mistreated any of the employees. But then, I proceed to see the social media post that has gone viral. "A certain company gives male employees an additional allowance of a thousand dollars a month! Male and female employees are given different treatment!" Having caught on right away, I call a staff meeting and announce, "All of the company benefits have been canceled. You will only receive the basic benefits listed in your employment contract." Everyone goes up in arms.

During the third year of our marriage, my husband's ex—whom he dated for eight years—suddenly shares a photo of a ten-million-dollar marital home on her social media. It's captioned, "I've finally gotten a mansion! Who's the best at dating? I am!" I gape at the image—I see my husband swiping his card at the real estate sales office in a corner of the photo. I leave a question mark in the comments. In the next second, my husband calls me to tell me off. "I'm just making good on a promise I made her when we were dating—to buy her a marital home. Why did you have to go insult her like that? Are you evil enough to turn me into a man who goes back on his word?" That evening, his ex shares another photo of a million-dollar renovation bill. I know it's a gift from my husband to appease her, but I don't care anymore…

I had just gotten hospitalization prior to my operation when my wife told me she was going on an urgent business trip, leaving me and our one-year-old daughter behind. Two days later, her childhood sweetheart proudly posted a family photo on social media with a caption that said: “Took a picture of our happy family of three on our trip!” I looked at my wife who was smiling tenderly in the picture and commented, “?” My wife immediately called and berated me, “He's a single father who doesn’t have a wife to help take care of his child! All I did was take a picture with them, what are you being so defensive about?” That same evening, her childhood sweetheart posted a picture of a million-dollar dowry given to him with the caption: “After we took the picture, she insisted on giving me this as a dowry.” I knew my wife gave it to him to appease him. But this time, I was going to leave her for good.

When I got off the plane, a notification popped up on my phone. It was an announcement of my wife's wedding to her lover on social media. I rushed to the company, but I was stopped by the HR director at the elevator. "You are fired. Our company doesn't need freeloaders like you." I was utterly confused. Wasn't this my own company? "Is this a direct order from Claire Luna?" I inquired. "Haha, you are just a nobody in the company. Why would our president Ms. Luna bother with you?" "This is Mr. White's order!" I laughed in disbelief. Since when did Evan White speak for my wife? "Where are they?" I asked the HR director. "They are finally having their wedding on the top floor of the banquet hall. You need to leave now as the top floor is only accessible to the executives." Upon hearing that, I pushed the HR director away. I immediately pulled out my identification card and tapped it on the access scanner. "Beep. Highest authorization confirmed. Welcome back."

During the long National Day holidays, I planned a Golden Highlands trip for the whole family. I even booked tickets for a luxurious train ride so we could enjoy the scenery. But on departure day, my husband and son vanished. I called my husband. I could hear an airport boarding announcement in the background. My voice trembled. "Where are you?" He panicked and mumbled that the company had an emergency before hanging up. I tried calling again, but the line was busy. The next day, he posted an update on his social media. In the photo, he stood beneath the snowy peaks of Wintercrown with one arm around his old love while the other held our son. The caption read: [If we had been a little braver back then...] A friend commented: [Where is your wife?] I stared at his reply: [She's sick and resting at home.] Three expired train tickets sat on the table as my eyes welled up with tears. A decade of marriage. A pack of lies. It was time to bring it all to a close.

I attended a party that was supposed to kick off my career in Jewelry design and make me rich and famous. But that didn't go as planned, I did not meet any clients and I didn't climb up the social ladder like I imagined. All I got was the attention of a paranoid, possessive billionaire that would do anything, I mean anything at all, just to keep me by his side. “Why, Felix? What do you want from me?” I let out in frustration and sadness. He smiled and walked towards me, pulling me closer and forcing my face up to gaze into his eyes, “By now you should know the answer to that question, cupcake. I want you, Selina, and I won’t let you get away from me.” He affirmed in a hoarse tone that made me hate and love him at the same time. His words are always revealing his deep and possessive affection for me. "What am I suppose to do now, how can I hate and love him at the same time?"

The eighth time I proposed to Jason, he shut me down cold and indifferent, just like all the times before. He said he needed more time, and I was ready to keep waiting. However, out of nowhere, I saw a post on social media. He and my sister went and got their marriage certificate. When I confronted him, Jason was perfectly calm. "Tessa is pregnant and needs to avoid stress. Stop causing trouble for no reason!” Both were wearing wedding rings in the photo. Her baby bump was already starting to show. Something inside me just went quiet. I gave the post a like and left a comment. [Wishing you a lifetime of happiness and love!] A year later, Jason came to see me. He looked tired and defeated, asking to get back together. By then, I was already visibly pregnant. Before I could say a word, his best friend stepped forward with a smile and pushed him back. “Come on, man. The baby’s almost here. My wife already has a husband. She does not need a backup.”

Stephanie is a brilliant but nerdy student who gets bullied for her academic success. Dubbed "Teacher's Pet" by her classmates, Stephanie hatches a plan to get back at her tormentors by trying to seduce and then get her teacher Mr. Richard fired. However, her scheme backfires when she finds herself actually falling for him. Their secret romantic relationship begins to bloom, but the school's queen bee and Stephanie’s longtime bully Stacy has always had a crush on Mr. Richard herself. When Stacy discovers the forbidden affair between Stephanie and the teacher, she is furious and makes it her mission to destroy them no matter the cost. Stephanie struggles to make it through the school year as her academic future, social standing, and forbidden love all hang in the balance while her vindictive bully threatens to reveal the scandalous relationship. Will Stephanie’s connection with Mr. Richard continues even as it puts both their reputations and livelihoods at risk? Can she triumph over her bully's cruel schemes, graduate with honors, and find a way for her forbidden romance to survive?

In the world of werewolves, bloodlines and social status hold all the power. Ariel, the daughter of the Alpha of the Blue Moon pack, had always longed for her mate and all that comes with it but when she finds out her mate is a mere bodyguard, she rejects him without a second thought. Zeres, the bodyguard, is shocked and enraged by her rejection, but he's determined to get revenge. He has a secret power that only a select few are aware of - and he's ready to use it to his advantage. Ariel's father wanted to be one step ahead and appointed Zeres as Ariel's personal bodyguard, little did he know it was the perfect opportunity for Zeres to enact his revenge - and what better way to exact revenge than the proximity of the one you couldn't ignore. Besides the mate pull was still there even though she rejected him. But as Zeres spends more time with Ariel, he begins to wonder if his desire for revenge is clouding his judgment. Will his feelings for Ariel get in the way of his plans? And will Ariel's father's political ambitions stand in the way of their forbidden love?