The Good Left Undone: A Novel

"I've thought about it. Please draft up a divorce agreement for me, Mr. Chastain," Carina Sherwood says to her divorce attorney, Leo Chastain. It's her fifth wedding anniversary with Aster Ducant, but Carina spends it at the lawyer's office instead because Aster is busy having fun with his secretary, Stella Winters, at home. Carina is his wife, but she ends up being the one chased out of the house. They have been married for five years, but Aster hasn't announced their marriage to the people at the company. At first, Carina thinks of bringing it up to him. However, it just takes a few sentences from Aster for her to know that there's no need for that anymore. "Stella's home alone, and the electricity at her place just went out. She has nowhere else to go. I'm asking her to come over for dinner. You're fine with that, aren't you?" The best way Carina can think of to end the last five years of their relationship is through divorce.

Kahit pagkatapos makaranas ng dalawang buhay, hindi pa rin magawang tunawin ni Rose ang yelong puso ni Jay Ares. Durog ang puso, napagdesisyunan niyang mabuhay nang nagpapanggap bilang isang tanga. Dahil dito ay nagawa niyang lokohin si Ares at nakatakas kasama ang dalawa nilang anak. Ito ay lubos na kinagalit ni Ginoong Ares, at ang lahat ng tao sa paligid nila ay sigurado na ito ay ang magsisilbing sanhi ng kamatayan ni Rose. Gayunpaman, sa sumunod na araw, ang dakilang si Ginoong Ares ay makikitang nakaluhod sa isang tuhok sa gitna ng daan, sinusuyo ang makulit na babae, “Pakiusap ay maging mabuti ka at umuwi kasama ko!” “Sasama ako kapag pumayag ka sa mga kundisyon ko!” “Sabihin mo!” “Hindi ka maaaring kawawain ako, magsinungaling sa akin, at lalong-lalo na ang ipakita ang hindi mo natutuwang mukha sa akin. Dapat ay palagi mo akong tinuturing bilang ang pinakamagandang tao sa mundo, at dapat ay nakangiti ka sa tuwing pumapasok ako sa isip mo…” “Sige!” Natuliro ang mga saksi dahil dito! Ito ba ang sinasabi nilang mayroong panangga sa lahat ng bagay? Si Ginoong Ares ay tila nababaliw na, ang taong kaniyang nilikha ay nautakan siya. Dahil hindi niya ito magawang disiplinahin, ibibigay na lamang niya ang lahat ng kaniyang gusto!

In the quiet of the forest, the darkest fears are born. The people of Dunballan, harbour a dark secret. A secret more terrible than the Beast that stalks the dense forests of Dunballan. A secret that holds David McCavendish, last in a long line of Lairds, in its unbreakable grip. It’s down to Sally, David’s lover, to free David from the sinister clutches of the Beast. But, with the whole town against her, she must ally herself with an ancient woodland force and trace Dunballan’s secret back to its bitter origins. Those origins lie within the McCavendish family history, and a blasphemous heresy that stretches back to the beginning of time. Some truths are too terrible to face, and the darkest of these lie waiting for Sally, in the Quiet Places. ©️ Crystal Lake Publishing

After my mother shot down my pleas to cover my medical bills the 100th time, I clutched my bone cancer diagnosis papers and trudged to the crematorium. "Hi, I'd like to reserve a cremation slot ahead of time," I muttered to the clerk. Half an hour ticked by before my parents and adopted brother arrived in their car. My dad, a forensic pathologist, cracked me across the face. "You're pulling a fake-death stunt now, just to steal the spotlight from your brother?" My mom, a hospital director, snatched the papers from my hands and shredded them into confetti. "Faking records using my credentials and tying up hospital resources? You've crossed the line!" My brother cried, tugging at their sleeves. "It's all my fault. I'll skip the amusement park forever. I don't need a thing. Just quit riling up Mom and Dad." I spun around, my hand pressed against my throbbing chest, and begged the crematorium staff. "Please, when it's time, cremate me and scatter the ashes in the river. I've got no family left in this world."

Eleanor Sutton was in love with Harrison Luther since she was 20 years old. She married him when she turned 22. Five years into their marriage, they had yet to have a child together. Harrison kept protecting Eleanor from his family while enduring the pressure they kept inflicting on him. At that time, everyone claimed that Eleanor was Harrison's weak spot. But everything changed once news of Harrison having an illegitimate child was leaked. He kneeled in the downpour for the whole day afterward as a form of punishment. Then, he explained to Eleanor that it was just an accident, and that he vowed to love her and her only. So, Eleanor accepted the outcome of the illegitimate child being kept in the family, while the mistress was exiled far, far away. But despite Harrison's promise, his mistress, Winona Birch, still ended up moving into Eleanor's home, where she'd be cared for during her pregnancy. Harrison began skipping meetings for her sake, and he'd also ditch Eleanor just so he could go on strolls with Winona. In fact, he'd even abandon Eleanor halfway during their dates in order to be with Winona. The first time Eleanor brought up divorce, Harrison slit his wrists in the bathroom. He left a suicide note, claiming that he'd rather die than not being able to grow old with Eleanor. When divorce was brought up the second time, Harrison hurriedly pleaded to Eleanor to not leave him. But after multiple conflicts, his attitude toward her became wishy-washy. After their 100th argument, Eleanor ran away from their home. Harrison no longer went after her, thinking that she'd eventually return to his side. But she died in that rainy night. When Eleanor opens her eyes again, she finds out that she has returned to the day Harrison's illegitimate child is exposed. This time, she dials a number. "I shall accept the offer of becoming a war correspondent." Her editor reminds her that she won't be able to get in touch with the outside world once she embarks on this journey, and that she needs Harrison's permission in order to accept the offer. Eleanor merely replies, "I'll divorce Harrison soon. I'll depart on time in a week." She wants to make sure that Harrison will never be able to find her anymore.

On the night I discovered my husband, Charles Lockheart's affair with the secretary, Whitney Keaton, both of them ended up dying in a fire. I was left with a pair of twins. Despite my family's objections, I decided to adopt the twins. For the next 18 years, I put in all of my resources, blood, sweat, and tears to raise them. Finally, they are accepted into Hallwood College, a globally prestigious college. But on the day the twins get into Hallwood College, Charles and Whitney, who are supposedly dead, make a shocking appearance before us. Whitney links arms with Charles, a wide smile on her face. "As expected of our biological sons! They really are amazing for getting accepted into Hallwood College! It's all thanks to you raising our sons that we got to spend so many years in our honeymoon phase!" Charles wears a victorious and smug look. He doesn't feel guilty in the slightest for faking his death. "Let's get a divorce, Brittany. Now is the best time for the twins to be reunited with Whitney and me." Everyone turns to look at me, waiting for me to have an emotional breakdown. But I remain cool and composed as I reply icily, "What a coincidence. I feel the same way."

I gave up everything to become a housewife—all for Tristan Fowler and our daughter. But ever since his first love got divorced, everything has changed. Tristan despises me, and my daughter orders me around like a maid. Crushed, I sign the divorce papers, give up everything, and leave for a faraway place. So why are they the ones now full of regret?

Today was my birthday—the day Jason promised he would propose. Instead, I found him in bed with my cousin. My heart shattered into a million pieces. I had grown up in my uncle and aunt’s house after losing my parents, enduring their cruelty and coldness, and Jason had been the only light in my dark world. Now even he sided with the people who had tormented me the most. As if betrayal weren’t enough, my own family drugged me, planning to hand me over to some man to secure a business deal. I thought my life was over—until fate intervened. I ended up in the bed of Adrian, Jason’s untouchable, powerful uncle.  One night changed everything. I had decided to bury it forever in my heart, but he grabbed my wrist and said slowly, “If all you need is a marriage… how about we get married?”

At the company's year-end awards ceremony, just as it is supposed to be my turn to go on stage and officially announce the relationship between my wife and me, my wife's first love suddenly proposes to her in front of everyone. Angela Reed does not refuse. Instead, she laughs brightly and promotes Samuel Hayden to the new department manager. Employees throughout the entire company cheer loudly for their romance. Seeing that I have no reaction, someone beside me cannot help but ask, "Ronald, you've worked for Ms. Reed for nine years. How can you show no response at all?" I smile as I walk onto the stage, take off my wedding ring, and toss it to Samuel. "How can you propose without preparing a ring? Here—it's yours."

I made a mistake, a terrible mistake that I regret so badly. “Alex, can you get off my back, you bother me so much over unimportant things. You need to act like a real man” the horrible things I say to my husband. But I regret them and want him back but he doesn't want me anymore. I don't think I can live with this pain. What happens to Tracy when she realizes how much her husband means to her but she already lost him? Will she be lucky enough to have a second chance or forever live in regret?