The One A Novel

​Daphne Clarke has spent her life keeping her head down. Juggling classes, part-time jobs, and dreams of a better future. One impulsive night at a party shatters her careful routine when she wakes up next to Zachary Moreau, the enigmatic heir to a billion-dollar empire. Years later, as a single mother struggling to rebuild her life, fate leads her straight back into his world. Only this time, she’s working for him, and he has no idea they share a son. Bound by secrets, a looming arranged marriage, and undeniable chemistry, Daphne and Zachary are on a collision course that could change everything.

Matapos malaman ni Mallory Natividad na ang kapatid at boyfriend niya ay may relasyon at suportado pa ito ng mga magulang niya ay naisipan niyang pumunta sa isang bar sa pag-asang makakalimutan niya ang nakita at ilabas lahat ng sakit na nararamdaman niya. Pero nagkakamali siya dahil kahit ilang baso na ang nainom niya ay hindi pa rin siya nakakalimot. Naglasing siya nang naglasing hanggang sa may lumapit sa kaniya na lalaki. Sa sobrang kalasingan niya ay hindi na siya umangal nang inaya siya nito papunta sa kung saan. May ideya na siya sa kung anong mangyayari sa kanilang dalawa pero sa halip na matakot siya ay para bang gusto niya rin ito. Ang gabi nila ay parehong nagtapos sa isang mainit at masarap nang magkasama sa iisang kama. Kinabukasan, nang makita niya ang lalaking nakasiping niya ay hindi siya makapaniwala nang nakilala niya ito. Ito ay si Cargorios Mertimor, kilala bilang isa sa pinakabata at pinakamayaman sa buong mundo— at higit sa lahat ay kilala bilang isang womanizer. Hindi niya alam kung ano ang gagawin niya kaya dali-dali na lang siyang umalis nang hindi nagigising ang lalaki. Ilang linggo lang ang nakalipas ay hindi niya inaasahan na magbubunga pala ang nangyari sa kanila at mas lalong hindi niya aakalain na magtatapong muli ang landas nila. Inaakala niyang magiging maayos lang ang lahat nang sumama siya kay Cargorios, pero hindi niya aakalain na ito na pala ang simula ng pagkagulo ng buhay niya. Hindi niya inaasahan ang natuklasan niyang plano ni Cargorios na nagpawasak sa kaniyang puso. Dahil doon ay kailangan niyang mamili. Pipiliin niya ba ang sarili niyang kasiyahan, o ang kapakanan ng kaniyang anak na nasa kaniyang sinapupunan?

I'm Victoria Corsini, the only daughter of the Corsini family's Don in Iberny. The marriage alliance partner whom Father has picked out for me is Cesar Romano, the new mafioso upstart in the underworld. Cesar is an ambitious man who intends to take over the casino industry in Navoles City. However, he's in the middle of getting oppressed by the alliance of powerful families due to his shaky foundation. In short, he might file for bankruptcy anytime soon. This means his only way out is to marry me and ask for the Corsini family's protection. In order to uncover his true colors, I put on a disguise and infiltrate Cesar's casino as a greenhorn dealer. On my first day at the job, I feel someone gripping my wrist tightly. "What makes you think you get to deal in the VIP hall? You really think a nobody like you has the right to touch the chips here?" I look up to see Liliana Conti, the casino's manager. She happens to be wearing an arrogant look at the moment. Everyone else begins muttering among themselves. "Liliana is Mr. Romano's beloved lover. He has stated more than once that he'll give this casino to her as a gift." Liliana flashes me a contemptuous smirk. Then, she slams a tray of casino chips that are made of gold in my face. "Drag her out of the casino and chop her hands off! Make her understand that I, Liliano Conti, am the one who determines the rules on Cesar's turf!" I just chuckle icily in response. To think that I, the future mistress of this casino, am being threatened to get kicked out of the casino by a worker right now… After shaking the bodyguards off me, I dial Cesar's number and set the call on speaker mode in front of everyone. "Cesar, your manager is threatening to chop my hands off. She even declares that you've given her the right to set the rules in place. "It seems that your casino doesn't really need the Corsini family's support, after all. I suppose we can call off our marriage, then?"

Si Madison ay Broken-hearted na gustong takasan ang sakit na dulot ng pagtataksil ni Leo. Kaya nang ayaing mag-unwind ni Jane sa bar, agad siyang pumayag. That night, she made a bold decision—wala na siyang pake. Napatigil siya nang mapansin ang isang sobrang gwapong lalaki sa sulok, chill na chill habang umiinom. Parang magnet na nahila siya papunta rito. Sa lakas ng tama ng alak, walang sabi-sabing hinalikan niya ito sa labi. It was supposed to be just a kiss. Pero nauwi ito sa mas matindi—isang nakakapasong tagpo sa likod ng luxury car ng lalaki. It was reckless, raw, and exactly what Madison needed to forget her pain. That night, she felt alive again—walang iniisip, walang pagsisisi. It was supposed to be just a good memory. Isang gabing mapupunta sa limot. Pero lahat nagbago nang malaman niyang ang lalaking iyon ay si Sebastian Sanford—isang hot, mysterious, at sikat na billionaire. Ngayon, sobrang gulo ng isip ni Madison. Akala niya it was just a simple night—walang strings, walang drama. Pero turns out, it was the start of something way more complicated. And now, parang wala na takas pa para mag-back out.

Everette's world is thrown into disarray when she wakes up in a hotel room, disoriented and confused. Her heart sinks as she realizes that she has been drugged and taken advantage of by a stranger. With only three days left until her dream wedding, she must face the devastating truth and confess her secret to her fiancé. However, the confession only leads to the cancellation of the wedding, leaving Everette heartbroken and alone. To add to the chaos, she discovers that she is pregnant with the stranger's baby. Despite the turmoil, Everette bravely embarks on a journey of self-discovery, determined to find love and happiness amidst the pain and confusion.

Aniah Carlotta Quapenco went home with the hope that she will have a peaceful and relaxing vacation but it turns out that she will have a task. After finding out that her sister is pregnant after a one-night stand with someone from Heighberg University, she did not hesitate to start The OPERATION MAHANAP ANG NAKABUNTIS KAY INAH with the goal of finding the man who impregnated her sister. But what will happen if during her operation she will be distracted by someone and will also end with Just a One Night Stand?

Yvonne Larson, my housekeeper, has always been punctual, but she ends up being late today. "I'm so sorry, Mr. Carter. Dinner's not ready yet. I hope you won't mind. I had no choice. I waited for over half an hour, but no one got the door for me. I even called Mrs. Carter a few times, but she didn't take my calls. That's why I ended up running late." Halfway through changing into my house slippers, I pause and frown. "Yvonne, didn't Susanna give you the access card to the apartment?" Yvonne looks confused. "The access card? Mrs. Carter never gave me any card." "Never?" "That's right," Yvonne confirms timidly while wiping the sweat off her brow. "For the past month, I've always had to call Mrs. Carter and ask her to open the door for me. She wasn't picking up her phone today, so I had to wait outside…" That's strange. I've checked the logs before. The access card has been used multiple times throughout the past month.

I had a one night stand with the self-proclaimed businessman of Manhattan, New York. I have told myself it can't happen again, it just can't. I get to attached and scare them off, I want him, I can't get my mind off him, and according to him I can't get out of his. I get a letter from him and find out he still has his eye on me. Will he give me what I need? Am I what he needs? What will come of this? I guess I got nothing to lose, yet.

I had been married to Lucius Martin for three years, and in all that time, there was never a shortage of women around him. Each time he brought another woman home, he would give me a necklace worth a fortune. In just three short years, I had accumulated ninety-nine necklaces. When Lucius fastened the hundredth necklace around my neck, I no longer cried or made a scene. Because this time, the woman he cheated with was my own older sister, the one who had beaten and scolded me since we were children. The man I loved most joined hands with the person I hated most to torment me together. At that moment, my heart finally died. This time, I took the initiative and walked up to Lucius, placing a house purchase contract into his hands. "As long as you sign this," I said, "you can do whatever you want with her." A flicker of surprise crossed his eyes, but in the end, he signed without hesitation. For the first time ever, he even leaned down and gently kissed my cheek. "Good girl," he murmured. "You've finally learned to behave." I personally opened the car door for him and watched as he hurried off toward my sister. When the car disappeared completely from sight, I let out a long breath. Then I reached beneath the documents and pulled out the paper hidden there—a divorce agreement.

I help my students gain admission to top state art academies, yet my boss, Sebastian Emerson, withholds every cent of the pay I earned from 24 consecutive days of overtime. When I confront him in anger, he accuses me of stealing 120 thousand dollars in training fees from the students. "Honestly, being poor is no excuse for being shady. And having disabled parents doesn't give you the right to steal. "You've got two days to pay it back! Otherwise, I'll make sure you spend a few nights in jail, and I'll even inform your parents!" When a student calls, he snatches the phone and starts screaming, "There's no money! All your tuition went into buying your art supplies! If you've got a problem, go ahead and sue me, brat!" Meanwhile, Jayla Buckley, who is curled up in his arms, keeps placing order after order of Chaennal haute couture without the slightest hesitation. Watching the two of them colluding so shamelessly, I grip my attorney license in my pocket until my knuckles ache. Take it to court? Litigation? That's my arena. And I'll make sure both of them end up exactly where they belong—behind bars.