The Beginning After The And

<> - Vanessa thought rock bottom was signing divorce papers with Derek Holland, a man with the emotional depth of a teaspoon. Turns out, rock bottom had a basement, and Ryker Holland was waiting for her down there with a smirk and a plan. Ryker, Derek's older half-brother (aka the family's dirty little secret), shows up offering Vanessa a deal: help her make her ex-husband, Derek Holland, jealous enough to come crawling back. In exchange, he secures his position as CEO. But Ryker isn't doing this out of kindness for he is petty and cruel. He would do anything to trample all over Derek, and now he has the perfect weapon. Vanessa, freshly dumped and just desperate enough to play along. And if she happens to enjoy making her ex suffer too? Well, that's just a bonus. As Vanessa sinks deeper into Ryker's twisted world of fake romance, secrecy and family dysfunction, things start getting real. Because fake love? It's a lot easier to control than real feelings. And Ryker has no idea what to do when the game stops being a game. Is Vanessa walking into a trap or building one of her own? Either way, the Holland brothers are going down. One's going to break, and the other's going to enjoy every second of it. _Disclaimer: This story features morally complex, flawed characters with twisted motives. It includes themes of manipulation, deception, and emotional cruelty. Reader discretion is advised.

My boyfriend is a forensic doctor. I've been abducted and tied to a bomb—there's only ten minutes to detonation. The abductors force me to call my boyfriend, but all I get is a scolding. "What the hell do you want, Michelle? What are you playing at, using your life as an excuse just because you're jealous? "Vi's cat has already been stuck in a tree for three days. She loves it like it's her life! If you delay me from saving it, you'll be a murderer!" I hear a coquettish voice ring out on the other end of the line. "Thank you for this, Kev. You're amazing!" I recognize that voice—it belongs to my boyfriend's childhood friend. I text my boyfriend when the bomb is about to explode. "Farewell forever. I pray we won't meet each other again in another life."

Distressed by the evidence of her husband’s unfaithfulness, Emily found herself fallen prey to her best friend Maya’s scheme. Between her husband Louis’ distrust and the intensifying strife within her family, Emily found help from Damian, the heir to a multinational conglomerate. This is a story of two people who are skeptical about love but ultimately discover genuine affection for one another.

I was diagnosed with stomach cancer, so I went online to hire an undertaker in the hopes that he would collect my body. That way, I could die and be buried. I would like to finally be at peace, even if it meant that I could only achieve it after death. I packed up my bags and left home in search of a place to die, only to receive a message from my undertaker. [Sorry, something came up. I can’t come now.] …Excuse me? I’m already half-dead, and you’re blowing me off?

On my wedding day with Jack Miller, he ran off with his first love As if to taunt me, he would send a photo of himself with her from every new destination they visited. I was getting a manicure and enjoying imported French pastries with my afternoon tea when I received their ninety-ninth photo. But after three years of absence, Jack suddenly returned. He pointed at my wedding photo with someone else and shouted, “How dare you fool around with another man while I was gone!" I couldn't help but laugh. "What other man? I've been married to my husband for three years now." "Jack, you didn't actually think I was waiting for you all this time, did you?"

Lucy's love for Logan was without question. She had built her life around him. But her heart is broken into a thousand pieces after she found out about his affair with her secretary and their plot to take everything she has from her. As Lucy’s perfect marriage and life shatter, she swears to have her revenge. But everything takes a weird turn when a mysterious ally appears and offers to help, and his price was just one date. But what will happen when Lucy learns that he is not just an ally? He’s her ex-husband’s estranged half-brother. As lines blur between loyalty and love, Lucy must decide: can she trust a man driven by vengeance... especially when her heart is on the line?

Pregnant with the employer's son and forced to abort the fetus in his content, Amelie Anderson, a girl working on a rich family decided to escape to the village where she was grandfather's grandimacy, on the father's advice. In her escape, amelie successfully conceives and gives birth to a very handsome, healthy baby boy, inheriting his father, Jonathan Hayes. The consequences of raising a baby alone are not easy. Would Amelie be able to raise a baby boy by herself?

“Sign the papers and leave!” He spat, his cold eyes stared at anywhere but her. **** Jessica has loved Brian since she met him and getting married to him felt like her wish came true. She devoted herself to him and tried her best to make sure their marriage did not fail even after Brian had repeatedly told her that he did not love her. He made no attempt to even touch her during their marriage. With his ex-girlfriend back in town, it was only a matter of time before he slipped through her fingers. One day, he returned home and told her that wanted a divorce and unfortunately for Jessica, she had received news that she was pregnant. She could not tell him about the kids and resorted to leaving, with the vow that she would have nothing to do with Brian knox and Angela White, his ex-girlfriend again. Years later, an unforeseen circumstances pushed Jessica back to where it all started and what happens when the first person she meets is her ex-husband? “Come back to me, Jessica.” He pleaded, his brows furrowing. Jessica smirked at him and shook her head. “The Jessica you know is dead. Now, this Jessica is a different person and wants to have nothing to do with you.” Brian decided that he will stop at nothing to win her back. What happens when he comes across three little cuties who looked so painfully like Jessica and him. “Whose kids are these?” He asked her. Her eyes hardened. “Mine, Mr. Brian Knox.” Will Jessica break her resolve and return to him or will Brian stop when he sees a man close to Jessica, thinking she had moved on?

Genius medical student Chris Green saved Jessica Wilder during a car pileup. Out of gratitude, the Wilder family paid for the medical expenses of Chris’s mother, who had also been injured in the crash. In that moment, two lives that should have remained like parallel lines became unexpectedly intertwined. To repay the Wilders for their kindness—and surrendered to Jessica’s tears—Chris agreed to marry her. Though they shared the same bed for five years, their hearts were never truly close. And their marriage came to an end when Jessica’s first love returned to the country—with his child. After the divorce, Chris believed Jessica was relieved to be free of him. But to his surprise, she began chasing after him—from home to abroad. Jessica didn’t want him to leave. Chris had depleted all his love. But for Jessica, her feelings for him were only just beginning to grow. Life without Chris felt impossible, and she began to pursue him with all her heart. However, after everything had shattered, could they get back together?

Keelin, the only daughter of the Morales family is madly in love with Lars, a young Ceo of Osmund city, she uses her innocence to tie him into an unhappy marriage. Three years passed, unable to withstand Lars' inattentiveness, coldness, Keelin decided to give up. But unexpectedly, Keelin accidentally discovered Lars was a vampire when she came back to Ramos' mansion to retrieve the forgotten necklace. Lars looked at Keelin, eyes bloodshot red, fangs clearly visible: “Kee, this is the second time you've given yourself to me. The first time I've missed, but this time, you won't be able to escape.” Keelin's eyes widened, her body trembled, and her heart almost stopped. "Lars, don't come near me!" "Rest assured sweetie, I'll take it easy" Saying that, Lars' large body slowly approached Keelin, his shadow covering her entire body under the bright moonlight. ___ When a vampire shows fangs to you, it means you have become the termite he was aiming for. But, also in front of you, he hides his fangs, which means he has chosen you to be the most important person in his life