The Happiness Trap Audiobook Novels & Stories

The six-thousand-dollar sneakers, new designer bags, and high-end accessories he dreamed of all turned to dust. When I was called in for questioning again, I could clearly sense Caleb's emotions on the verge of collapse. His inner voice was chaotic and desperate. [Why is this happening? Why did the system fail?] [All the money is in my account, but I can't spend a cent. What kind of insane rule is this?] [I only wanted to make five thousand dollars for a pair of sneakers. Did I do anything wrong? Why should I bear everyone's losses?] [It has to be Julian's fault! He must've done it on purpose. He saw through my system long ago!]

In the moonlight, he looked almost young again—not the cold killer I'd married, but the man who'd fallen in love with a traumatized girl in a burning doorway. Fair enough. I'd fallen in love with the monster who'd made me a queen. The garden smelled of roses and gunpowder. Somewhere in the distance, a siren wailed. Just another night in Brooklyn. Just another chapter in the story of the Moretti family. And we were just getting started.

The officer monitoring the call gave me an "OK" gesture. My hands were trembling as I picked up the receiver. A nearby officer held up a card with a reminder. [Stall for time.] I took a deep breath, but my voice still quivered as I spoke, laced with a desperate sob. "I'm getting the money ready. Please, I beg you, don't hurt my parents." The kidnapper's sneering laugh crackled through the line. "Then move faster! You've got one hour left. I told you—if you're late, I'll kill them!"

Other times, I just take it and I cherish it, I cherish the way it made me feel and I declare that I never want anyone else to feel this- ever. No, I'm not happy, not always. But I can be. I've learned how to be. I know that once I feel something hurtful or painful that I can always learn. Just as I had from this breakup and just as I have from a few others. Because, after all of this, we will be nothing but echoes in the wide space of the universe so let's make it count. Don't listen to fate. Listen to yourself, make your own path, learn how to be happy. You will never do it by laying in bed and wishing it over and over. You don't learn from hope. It's the hope that gives you the ability to

- I care about you. — But you're too selfish to try to act in a way that your happiness doesn't destroy mine! — Firm game. — I don't know what made you like this, and I've asked myself a lot. I don't hate you, Kaanadan, but I won't say that I wake up happy being trapped in a golden cage. Trust generates freedom and, if we cannot trust each other at least once... I think there is no salvation here, but rather destruction. What we have left is to choose.

Mira ducked into the space once she was on her own. She sat by the stream, staring at the fish swimming happily in the water. “How can I resolve this without bringing trouble upon myself?” she mulled softly. “Am I being greedy, wanting to hold on to my happiness?” “Greedy… yes.” Mira jumped in fright at the aged—yet soft, almost soothing—voice. This was her space. How could anyone get in here? She nearly fell into the stream, but a firm arm caught her in time.

Letta slowly stepped out of the hospital after spending a week in the medicine-scented room. Even though Desi had gotten permission from the doctor for Letta to go home, she still felt weak and devoid of any zest for life. Somehow, after the incident, Letta seemed to have lost interest in living. Her efforts to disappear from this world felt challenging, as if God wouldn't allow her to leave peacefully and was punishing her for her mistakes. Since then, Letta had become quiet and seemingly indifferent to her life and herself. She felt like a statue forced to live.

"Is it a deal?" "I'm starting to think I really got trapped." "In that case, I welcome you to a life full of traps." Olive turns and gazes at Thomas with an investigative look. "Right?" "I feel the same way, Bee. So we got trapped by our own parents. But," Thomas quickly straightens his back. Don't let Olive think otherwise. "I've never regretted today. Because today is a very historic day for me."

“You see it with all kinds of people. They’re so used to bad things happening to them that good things terrify them, so when good things start to happen in their lives they sabotage it because while the bad things are bad, they’re now familiar and comforting in a fucked up way. Maybe that’s the case for Azadou. I mean, it’s no excuse to treat people like shit, but it might explain a few things.” “If you’re right, then how do you counter that? How do you get someone to embrace or try to embrace happiness when they don’t want to?” I question as that wave of despair in the pit of my stomach makes a comeback. “I don’t know,” he answers sombrely. “But I think there comes a point where you can’t b