The Simple Life

I woke up to the morning sun shining dimly into my room, directly into my face. The feeling of a rough hand resting lightly on my stomach, I turn over and my eyes widen with shock. How the hell did my Chief end up in my bed? What did I do last night? I tried my hardest to remember what all went down at the mandatory command picnic… I remember going out to a bar outside of base. I remember dancing, after running into a friend from my previous command, that left a year after I got there, because she got transferred to a new command. I remember her buying me shots, to celebrate our reunion and working together again. But then everything went blank….

On the night of our wedding, my wife, Carol Lockhart, leaves me and goes to stay at a hotel instead. It's because she's an aloof, arrogant young woman who has always been in love with my younger brother, Thomas Shaffer. Over the next ten years of our marriage, I treat her as sincerely as possible and give her my entire heart, but the only response I get in return is her mockery. "Marcus Shaffer, I would rather be a nun for the rest of my life than fall in love with you!" However, when a heavy truck comes skidding toward me, the woman who has hated me all her life suddenly throws herself at me and shoves me away, saving my life. Before passing out, I see her grabbing the doctor's hand, while blood flows from her mouth, begging, "Don't tell that idiot that I was the one who saved him… "And don't let my parents blame him for my death…" My eyes fill with tears. I finally understand now that she wasn't the only one who made the wrong decision during our wedding. After I'm reborn and given a second chance at life, I decide to join the International Peacekeeping Forces and head out into the war as a frontliner. Since I can no longer live out the rest of my life with her, I wish her a lifetime of happiness, and I hope that we will never meet again.

I was dying soon. However, both of my childhood friends, who swore to protect me forever, did not realize that. It was because they were busy throwing a celebration party for their junior from the research lab. I went through hardships and got infected by this incurable virus to retrieve this special seaweed from the deep sea. However, that junior claimed that she was the one who got the seaweed! My childhood friends, whom I had known for decades, believed her. Due to their accusations, I became the evil senior who was taking credit for a junior’s work. I wanted to explain, but they said, “Mandy Smith is a good kid. Why would she lie?” “You’re busy playing tricks and acting like a pick-me girl instead of focusing on your research. Trust me, I’m going to get you removed by our supervisor.” After I was discharged from the hospital, I left the research lab and disappeared just like they wanted. However, they started to desperately look for me.

I know that I don't have much time left after getting poisoned by wolfsbane. I don't want to have any regrets, so I travel to the Sacred Crystal Lake, a place I have always wanted to visit. I don't tell anyone that I plan to end my life there. I didn't expect to run into my ex-mate there. We haven't seen each other in ten years. He has become the Alpha that he has always wanted to be, and he's wearing a ring that has another she-wolf's name engraved on it. As for me, I've already thrown away our token of love and erased him from my heart. We're exchanging pleasantries when he suddenly asks, "Do you still hate me, Giselle?" I shake my head. My life is about to end, after all. I don't need to hold on to anything anymore. In the last moments of my life, I just want to see the sea of irises that the Moon Goddess has blessed.

I become paralyzed after trying to save my wife. Seven years later, she holds a knife to our young son's neck and forces me to donate my kidney to her male best friend. She says I'm worthless now that I'm already paralyzed—what does it matter whether or not I have my kidneys? What she doesn't know is that I already lost a kidney many years ago when trying to save her. Now, she's taking away the only one I have left!

From as far back as I can remember, I knew my mom hated me. She gives me sleeping pills when I'm three. When I'm five, she tries pesticide instead. But I'm hard to get rid of. By the time I'm seven, I've already learned how to fight back. If she refuses to give me food, I flip the table so no one can eat either. If she beats me up until I'm on the ground, writhing in pain, I go after her beloved son the same way, leaving him bruised and bawling. That's how we stay locked in battle until I turn 12. Everything changes when my youngest sister is born. I'm clumsily trying to help with her wet diaper when Mom suddenly shoves me against the wall. The look in her eyes holds both disgust and fear. "What were you trying to do to my daughter? I knew it. You take after that monster of a father. Why didn't you just die with him?" I hold my aching head. For the first time, I don't fight back. I believe she's right. My existence is a mistake. I should never have been alive.

Soulmates? Terkadang sulit sekali membedakan antara Soulmate dengan Pasangan hidup. Tapi Aku yakin pasti ada yang membedakan dua kosakata itu. Yang pasti, Aku menginginkan dua kosakata menjadi satu dalam hidupku. Hidup yang bahagia selamanya. Bersama.__Erina Eshal Mislav_14 Feb' 1990, 27 Tahun. Cinta yang tulus? Aku tidak yakin itu ada dalam hidup sekarang ini. Selama bertahun-tahun, Aku tidak pernah merasakan Cinta yang tulus itu. Semuanya Munafik. Tapi...semuanya berubah saat Aku bertemu denganmu, dan berubah lagi saat tidak sengaja Aku melukaimu.__Arthur Eryk Shaquile_12 April 1989, 28 Tahun. Semua orang di dunia ini sama saja. Selalu saja tidak bisa lepas dari yang namanya“Uang. Apalagi saat hati dan cinta kita sepenuhnya untuk seseorang, tapi seseorang itu lebih memilih "Uang" dan pergi meninggalkan ketulusan Cinta kita, apa yang terjadi padamu? Yup, Dalam sekejap merubah pribadiku menjadi sedikit apatis terhadap Wanita.__Zhafar Basrian Rafael_27 Nov' 1988, 29 Tahun.

Left at the altar by her fiancé, film industry beauty Christine Ledesma, also known as Cassandra Mendez rebuilt her shattered life. Just when she thought she had finally gotten over him and turned over a whole new leaf, Marty Jacobs the infamous playboy billionaire showed up again to reclaim her. "Mommy, you're back." The little girl sweetly said. Marty came in and walked towards the living room. He put down Christine on the couch. The little girl was delighted to see Christine carried by Marty. The little girl held Marty's hand, looked up to him and spoke, "Mommy, is he my daddy?" The little girl's eyes were twinkling like the stars in the sky. Memories of five years ago came flooding her mind. Christine couldn't utter a word, for she was overwhelmed by the memories of five years ago. The little girl concluded that her mom's silence meant yes, the little girl spoke to Marty "Daddy, did you come back to take us with you?" Baffled, Marty couldn't speak and looked at Christine. Christine had regained her composure and said, "Cassie, sweetie, he is mommy's business partner."

Steve, the brutal, evil man who happens to be the son of the Mafia, had his eye on a lady who had a distinctive build. Before the appearance of Steve, Ashly had everything figured out. Meet the man who intends to destroy Ashly Novanches' beautiful and innocent existence. Steve Biloner, who will become obsessed by Ashly's unique beauty and compassionate personality. Ang katapangang nananalaytay sa dugo ni Ashly Novanches ang kukuha sa atensyon ni Steve Biloner. Dahil lamang sa pagligtas ng dalaga sa buhay ng binata sa isang insidente, malapit sa kanilang paaralan kung saan doon sila mismo unang nagkita, ay doon na nag-umpisa ang kahindik-hindik na pagkahumaling sa kan'ya ng lalaki. Dahil hindi maalis alis sa sistema ng binata ang dalaga ay nakuha n'yang gawin ang pinakadelikadong plano. Pagkaraan ng limang taon ay kinidnap ni Steve si Ashly at inalok ng marriage contract kapalit ng kaligtasan ng pamilya n'ya. Mahuhulog kaya si Ashly at babaguhin ang binata? O sasabay s’ya sa agos na gusto ng lalaki upang makuha ang tiwala nito, dahilan para mapabagsak n'ya si Steve Biloner?

At 22, as the Santoro heiress, I'm choosing a husband out of the three Guerra brothers to honor the marriage pact between our families. I pass on Aurelio Guerra and choose the eldest brother, Cesare Guerra, the one with the burn scar on his face, leaving everyone in the Mafia reeling. Everyone knows I put aside my pride as a perfumer for Aurelio and shrank myself until I barely exist. For him, I even leaned on the Santoros' muscle to build his power base. In my last life, I married him, just like I'd always wanted. With the Santoros behind him, he became the youngest Don in the Mafia. After he was established, he hooked up with my stepsister, Maeve Santoro. Together, they stole the new perfume I created, "Reverie", locked me in the lab, and set the place ablaze, reducing me to ash. Now that I've been reborn, I decide to drag those two cheaters to hell myself. But then Aurelio comes back too, carrying the memories of our last life.