that summer a novel

On my birthday, the dining table was loaded with all my favorites. My mom had been cooking and baking the entire afternoon, insisting everything be perfect for when Mike got home from work so we could celebrate together. But then, he called and said his first love had been drugged at a bar, and he had to go help her. I stopped him and begged him not to go. Mike snapped at me. "Jesus, Em, don’t pull this jealous wife crap. She’s alone, defenseless, and unconscious—I can't let some random dude take advantage of her!" My mother heard those words and was so enraged that she had a heart attack. She died on the spot. Just like that, my mom died on my birthday. I called Mike, asking him to attend my mom's funeral. But before he could reply, I saw Cathy Miller's latest Instagram post, captioned: [Mikey… after all these years, it was always you.] Mike had liked it. My thumb moved before my brain caught up, typing out the only words that mattered: [A homewrecker and a lying bastard. Hope you rot together.]

Itinakwil ng ama kaya't anim na taong nawala sa Pilipinas si Jenna. Kailangan lang niyang bumalik ng bansa dahil sa trabaho. Hindi niya naman akalain na magugulong muli ang buhay niya nang bumalik ng bansa lalo pa at bumalik uli ang ala-ala ng nakaraang gusto na niyang kalimutan. Dumagdag pa sa sakit ng ulo niya ang "out of the blue" na proposal ng isang Zian Walton Escobar. Ni hindi niya personal na kilala ang lalaki kaya't ipinagtataka niya ang pag-alok nito ng kasal sa kanya. Hindi na sana niya sasakyan ang kahibangan ng lalaki dahil maaaring pinag-tripan lang siya nito lalo pa't alam niyang isa sa pinakamayaman sa bansa ang angkan nito. Ang tanging nakapagpukaw ng interes niya ay ang malaking pagkakahawig nito sa anak niyang si Xavier. Sino nga ba si Zian Walton Escobar?

Master Ethan Thompson, the rich 25 year old lad returned to his father's hometown after 10 long years of living in Britain. Brought up in a broken family and seeing his parents divorcing, he owned one harsh personality to easily trust in relationships. Reason of his sudden return was one. The heavy inheritance of his father demanded his attention, being the only heir of the business. Certainly many things have been changed since he left. Sick father's health was giving up rapidly and it was time for him to take over all the duties as the only successor of Thompson's dynasty. Things were expected well until one mysterious woman entered in the picture. Gorgeous, attractive and a woman with positive morals. 23 year old Sylendra Louis was taken in by Master Ethan's father when she was just only 10. Brought up by the elder man, the woman was said to be raised like his own daughter. And that very fact wasn't so easy to digest by Sebastian who just returned to his father's home, what irritated him the most was the woman's involvement in his business too. Mysterious woman's closeness with his father and too way personal engagement on his family matters made Master Ethan insecure as he started showing his hate over everything related to Sylendra, obviously unknown to the knowledge of his life slowly being fated with her. "Magic was she, black magic!"

Everyone knew that Oceanford's most infamous rich kid, Ned Fletcher, was madly in love with his genius childhood sweetheart, Angeline Emmerson.But after an accident, Angeline falls into a coma, and Ned loses his memories.Two years later, Angeline wakes up from her coma. At this point, Ned already has another lover. For the sake of his new lover, he forces Angeline to agree to a divorce. Angeline leaves after being thoroughly disappointed.Five years later, Angeline is about to marry someone else when Ned shows up at her door."I remember everything now, Angeline. You can't marry someone else!"An adorable child says, "Mommy, don't talk to the bad guy. Daddy will get jealous!"After that, the child reaches for Sean Lawson, who has just gotten out of his car. "Carry me, Daddy!"

Sam Huston, a fresher having crush on Wil Heyworth (Mr.popularity), a basketball player. Later that crush develops into love before she even knows it. On the valentine's day she decided to tell her love to him but she came to know something big. Calix, a sophomore and a member of basketball team. He fell in love with Sam at first sight. He propose Sam eventhough knowing she already like someone. Things get complicated on Sam's journey of love. Will she know with whom did she really in love with?

Five years ago, Carla left her soul mate in their rumpled bed in a rented house in Mykonos, convinced she doesn’t deserve him, and he comes back to her life the secret lover of her best friend. Carla’s childhood friend Thera is visiting Greece after ten years, bringing Jake Winters with her, her boss whom she has been a long time secretly in love with. But Jake turns out to be Tom Sawyer, the pseudonym he used as a male escort five years ago – and he is still hotter than sin. It did not take long to see that the passion that drove them that blissful whole week together drives them still. He remains the only man who makes her feel that happiness is possible, but giving in to him means betraying her best friend, even though it’s evident that they aren’t lovers. That Thera made it all up. Billionaire programmer Jake Winters took over a gigolo trip for a friend once five years ago and that changed his whole life. But the culprit in doing so left him without a goodbye. When he finally finds Carla again, she turns out to be the childhood friend of his sweet secretary. As fierce as she is in bed, she is as loyal to people she cares about and he has to clear the air between him and Thera because the only thing he’s thinking about is becoming Carla’s gigolo again. For life. And as soon as possible. Like yesterday.

Isabel Grace Smith woke up one morning with a handsome man in bed next to her. What happened is against her will, but she knows that she only did that to earn money for the medicine of her brother who has asthma. She left the man without waking him up. Until she found out that the Resorts she worked as a waitress was owned by Gideon Tyr Fierro—the man she had one night stand with. Will Gideon recognize her? How far will she go to avoid him? Is there a chance that a particular night will lead to them ending up more intimate?

Woo Hana Lim and Park Kaden Lee. She loved him since kindergarten. He never noticed her. When he started dating a girl called Scarlet in high school, Hana realized that it was a one-sided love, and she became cold and stopped going after him, swallowing her feelings. After a big betrayal and a fight, Hana was the one who took care of Kaden, and that was the night when they slept together. But unfortunately for Hana, when he sleep-spoke his ex-name and when he woke up, didn't recognize her either and that was the stopin. A week after that fateful night, Hana got accepted to Harvard and started studying abroad. Sometime after that, she discovered she was pregnant, with him, and kept that a secret from her family, which knew his, but she decided to have the baby. Now, eight years after that, she's famous abroad, her son, Taeyang is seven and a genius. After an accident, she had to come back to South Korea with her son, having to face everything she left behind. What is Kaden gonna do when he discovers that he has a son? What is her family gonna do when they found out that Tae-Tae's father was closer than they ever thought?

“Why can’t I hit you?” Thomas yells, smacking the belt close to her feet. “Why,” he smacks it on the door above her head. “Why, why” to the right and left sides of her body. Melina trembles against the door with her eyes closed and head tucked between her knees. She jumps, sniffing Thomas’ cologne, and tries to hide more. He’s probably bending down. “I want to hurt you, Melina, but I can’t. Tell me why I can’t. Tell me why,” she bites her lips to muffle her sobs as she fears they will exacerbate her situation. “ look at me when I am talking to you,” Thomas says, grabbing her hair and pulling her head up. “I am- so-r-r-r-y,” she says as she turns to face him with her tear-stained face and bloodshot eyes. ******** Melina Davis was born with the face and body of a goddess. Her heart was as beautiful as her, but it never did her any good. Melina was the most unlucky woman in this world when it came to love. Her first love was an abusive con artist who made sure to exploit Melina's kindness. The second one who Melina felt was genuinely worthy of owing her heart was far more dangerous than her first. His name is Thomas Costanzo. He is the second in command of the Costanzo mafia. He was highly feared in the mafia world. Some even feared him more than the don of the Costanzo mafia. Melina didn't know she shouldn't cross him, and she did. She broke the heart of one of the most feared men on this earth, and now, he is out searching for her. Once he finds her, Melina will wish she never crossed paths with him.

I was the broke scholarship kid, stuck sharing a room with Sherry, the spoiled heiress. From day one, she was all fake smiles and "let's be besties." She'd take me out for fancy meals. She even introduced me to Kenneth—her rich childhood buddy. It was fine—until Kenneth and I started dating. That's when the claws came out. One day, she "accidentally" dumped hot soup all over herself and claimed I'd done it on purpose. Then she demanded I pay her back. I gave her every cent I had, but it wasn't enough. Next, she accused me of stealing her wallet. The school bought it. I got written up, everyone turned on me, and Kenneth? He dumped me with, "You're just an ugly duckling trying to be a swan." I couldn't fight back. Humiliated, alone, and dragged through online hate, I dropped out. Then I let the river take me. And then—I woke up. Back to the moment Sherry introduced me to Kenneth.