Stop Lines

My mother-in-law’s final wish was simple—she wanted one last trip to Hawaii, to bask in the warmth of the sun before her time ran out. But her son, Vincent, didn’t see it that way. He thought I was manipulating her, using her as an excuse to drag him on a vacation he didn’t want. So, out of spite, he refused to grant her dying wish. I begged him. Pleaded. Swallowed my pride and all the hurt his accusations brought. After relentless persuasion, he finally relented. I thought, at last, I could give Lucy the happiness she deserved. But on the day we were set to leave, Vincent was nowhere to be found. And that same day, Lucy suffered a heart attack. She passed away with only me by her side—never getting to feel the warmth of the sun on her skin one last time. And then I saw it. A picture. Vincent, tagged at a luxury resort with his ex. The caption from her read: Thank you for abandoning your job to take me on this trip. You’re the best. I didn’t scream. I didn’t cry. I didn’t even confront him. I just packed my bags and left. And this time? Vincent found out about the truth and begged me to stay.

On the day that I returned to the country, Lola Lawson, the one who was once the love of my life for ten years, sent me a picture of a baby. She told me to think of a name and meet her at the city hall to register the baby, as she had prepared a welcome-home gift for me. So, I rushed over with bags full of baby supplies. But when I arrived, she and her girlfriends were bent over with ridicule and laughter. "I told you! Even though he was gone for a year, he's still a loyal lapdog! Just a wave of my hand and he'd even be willing to raise someone else's kid for me!" She sized me up with mocking amusement. "Kevin Sheraton. How could you still be this naive? Just one joke and you come running?" They laughed without any restraint, calling me names and hurling insults, saying I'd do anything for Lola. But when I walked past them and took a number to register my own child's birth, and later wrapped my arm around my wife as the three of us took a family portrait, Lola's eyes were completely reddened with tears.

Reign Abbot is a reporter, who is trying to navigate through life while in a toxic work environment with Bethany, who seemed hellbent on making life miserable for her. Driven by ambition and the overwhelming urge to surpass Bethany, she covers a story on the billionaire, CEO, Ivan Hamilton without further verification. The news was later debunked, however Ivan's reputation had already hit rock bottom. All hell breaks loose as Ivan is hellbent on having her pay the price for her actions. ******************************************************** “ Why? ” he smirked. “ Do you feel wrong? You think it's unfair? ” I felt tears fill my eyes at his words. I hated how easy it was for me to cry. If I was sad, I would cry. Angry? Cry. Happy? Cry. Overwhelmed? Cry. And I had never hated it as much as I did in that moment, especially when my oppressor looked delighted at the sight of my tears. I hate this man. “ What do you want me to do? ” I asked, admitting defeat. There was no need to hold on to hope that was not there. Ivan was not a nice man and it was my mistake for thinking otherwise. “ Good, that's what I want to hear. ” he said, standing up and burying his hands in his pocket.

My boyfriend found my menstruation disgusting and forced me to undergo subdermal implantation. From then on, I no longer had periods and couldn’t conceive. One day, I had a fever reaching 40°C and couldn’t contact him. I went to the hospital alone, only to stumble upon him attending a prenatal checkup with his secretary. He told her: “Baby, don’t worry about Claire. She only listens to me here, doesn’t she?” “We can postpone the wedding for another five years. She’s loyal to me like a dog anyway.” “In the meantime, keep fulfilling your end of the arrangement I’ve promised you.” “Of course, I’ll continue loving you... until I’m tired of you.” My heart shattered. I’d proposed to him 43 times in seven years, only to fail every single time. It turned out he just hadn’t gotten bored of me yet? This time, I decided not to wait any longer. I turned my back on him and agreed to the marriage my mother arranged in the countryside. On the day my ex was supposed to accompany me to try on wedding dresses, he found an empty room and a wedding invitation I left for him to celebrate my marriage to someone else. Panic consumed him as his world fell apart...

The day I signed the divorce papers, I voluntarily gave up custody of my daughter. Because that day, in the courtroom, she clung to her father’s neck, sobbing with all the fury a six-year-old could muster: “You don’t even love me… do you? If you leave Daddy, I’ll stay with him… and you’ll be all alone forever!” In my past life, I had ignored her childish threats. I fought tooth and nail for her custody. I poured every ounce of myself into raising her. And yet… she spent her entire life hating me. Not once did she ever call me “Mom” until the day I died. On her wedding day, she even invited her father’s mistress to the stage to give a speech of thanks. Now, opening my eyes again, seeing that same cruel little face staring back at me, I simply nodded. “I don’t care.” After all… I never wanted a daughter like her anyway.

When I learned that Holly Jones had gone to deliver cold medicine to her young assistant, even though she knew I was trapped in the elevator and suffered from claustrophobia, I asked for a divorce. Holly signed without hesitation. Smiling at her best friend, she said, "Jim is just throwing a little tantrum. His parents are gone, so there's no way he'd really divorce me. Besides, there's a thirty-day cooling-off period before it's finalized. If he regrets it, I'll graciously forgive him and take him back." The very next day, she posted a couples' photoshoot with her assistant, captioned: [Capturing your every sexy moment.] I counted the days. Calmly, I packed my belongings and made a phone call. "Uncle, buy me a ticket to Hudson City."

After losing her daughter to a cruel betrayal, Evelyn is done being loyal. Her mate—Adrian, the Alpha she once trusted—broke his promise, chose another, and left their daughter to die. When Evelyn discovers the truth, rage takes over. One night of blood and fire forces her to flee her pack, hunted like prey. Wounded, broken, and barely alive, she crosses into forbidden land—territory ruled by the mysterious Lycan King, Damon. The villagers say he’s a monster. That he’s ancient. That he kills without mercy. But when Evelyn sees him for the first time, something deep inside her stirs. It’s not love. It’s not desire. It’s something older. Something dangerous. Known to all as a force to not mess with. Damon isn’t just powerful. He’s watching her. Waiting. And Evelyn begins to wonder if crossing into his world wasn’t a mistake… but fate. He sees the fire still burning in her. She sees the ruin buried in him. And in the ashes of everything she lost, something new begins to rise. A bond neither of them expected. A war neither of them can avoid.

After betrayal shatters her world, 17-year-old Julianne Ashwynd wants nothing more than to disappear. But when a glowing mark appears on her skin and powers she can’t control begin to stir, disappearing is no longer an option. Drawn to Blackthorn Academy—a school that shouldn’t exist—Julianne finds herself surrounded by Vampires, Werewolves, Incubi, Dragon-born… and somehow, Julianne fits right in. With her past cloaked in mystery and her magic dangerously unstable, Julianne must unravel the truth of who, and what, she is. But the four supernatural boys who orbit her each carry secrets of their own. One will betray her. One will protect her. One will awaken her magic. And one may claim her heart. But trusting the wrong monster boy could mean the end of everything.

Kairo Evel Monoxo has always been used to the life that he wants. Playing, non-committing, nagagawa niya ang lahat ng gusto niya. Nakukuha ang lahat ng nais. Until one day, he met an untamable, feisty wave along the way. He was mesmerized by it. He was challenged. He wants to hold her and have a grasp on her world. But she doesn't... A few years later and he found himself still chasing it endlessly. Still whipped and damned crazy for the thing that he has already been pursuing for years. It was the only thing that he still can't have. The only one that he can't manipulate or control. Sa patuloy na pagdami ng pagsubok sa buhay, magagawa ba niyang kamtan ang ninanais? Can trust allow you to risk yourself even when all odds are stacked against you? Kagaya ng ulan na madalas ay banayad, magagawa ba niyang hintaying tumila ito? Kahit na hindi alam kung bahaghari ba ang nasa dulo?

Theo Oblinger can't be arsed to admit that he feels a bit stuck. At 26, he's in the middle of finishing his PhD, thinks love just isn’t for him and plays the piano at an exclusive Club during the weekends. On a bleak Saturday night, he meets the owner’s son, Sam Wilcox, who might just help him get out of that place.