The Smoking Mirror Chapter 1

Payne Nivanna Warwick never imagined that she will be following a man, just to get the partnership she was aiming for so many years. As a business woman, para kay Payne ay walang kasing halaga ang partnership na ito kumapara sa iba. She badly needed this partnership to secure her good spot in the business industry. Isa pa ay ito ang pangarap ng mga magulang niya kaya kaylangan niya itong tuparin. Akala ni Payne ay magiging madali lamang ang lahat sa kanya, pero mukang hindi lang sabi-sabi ang titulo ng binata na sinusuyo niya. Hindi nga ito tinawag na Ruthless Businessman dahil lang sa wala, at ultimo ang karisma niya ay hindi tumatalab sa lalaking iyon. Lahat ng paraan ay ginawa na ni Payne pero talagang nagmamatigas ang binata. Kung tutuusin nga ay madali lang ito para sa kanya, kayang-kaya niyang gumamit ng dahas makuha lang ang gusto niya. Pero hindi niya malaman kung bakit ba pagdating sa binata ay tila nakakalimutan niya kung sino ba talaga siya.

Zara hates Harper because he is an egotistical player, sleeps with every girl, and has broken her sister's heart. She has had her whole life planned out. For now, she plans to go through her senior year with her two best friends. But all her plans seem to go down the drain when suddenly, one day Harper notices Zara. Zara is thrust into a world she never knew existed and now has to fight the battles that were never her's, to begin with.

Katanaya Sandoval ang nag iisang tagapagmana ng pamilya Sandoval. Pamilyang kinatatakutan ng marami dahil sila ang kanang kamay ng Reyna. Ngunit ang lahat ay nagbago nang mamatay ang kaniyang magulang at mapadpad sa Low Town kung saan lahat nang nakatira doon ay mahihina at patapon. Ano kaya ang magiging reaction nila kapag nalaman nilang nabubuhay pa ang kaisa-isang Sandoval at sasali sa survival game na Code:Hero. Will she be able to find the Code or she will be killed inside the Game? Let's find out.

Zahara De Costello is a fierce and independent civil lawyer working at a prestigious law firm in Italy. She’s smart, driven, and never lets anyone walk over her—lalo na ang mga mayayabang at feeling powerful na tulad ni Arden Velasquez, the ruthless and arrogant CEO of an exclusive perfume company. Their first meeting? A disaster. Arden’s cold and demanding attitude instantly turns Zahara off. Pero hindi rin niya maitatangging may kakaibang presensya ang binata—dangerous yet intriguing. Kaya lang, bakit siya? Bakit siya pa ang gustong kunin ni Arden bilang personal lawyer nito? At first, Zahara refuses. Pero nang malaman niya ang mabigat na kasong kinahaharap ng CEO, she starts to wonder—what is he hiding behind those emotionless eyes? As she gets tangled in his world, she realizes that beneath Arden’s icy facade is a man carrying deep scars.

Hillary Amelie Marquez is a beautiful and smart-witted woman who has a strong soul and owns a big heart. Despite the rumors attacking her to be an infertile woman, behind her fit and young figure, she has kept an undisclosed secret any person should not intend to know. A secret that answers her mysterious background as the faceless heir of the Marquez Corporation, the infamous 'Yama queen' who wrecked the business world as she was titled the very first woman that succeeded in handling a company better than the articles told about her. Hillary is well-known to have pushed her family's company rankings, where she managed to trample on two of the most influential 'Big five' after two years of her reign that's still a mystery to everyone. And so her title as the 'rising phoenix' begins. Inside the walls of the renowned Marquez's main mansion, a three years old boy was hidden from the prying eyes of the media. A boy whose eyes were like the deepest part of the ocean, its beauty was remarkable than the rarest gem. Nothing was more realistic than the truth she holds, no one not even her parents knew, that the father of her child was a man who is defined to be god's favorite masterpiece. A man whose blood and eyes were considered royal and divine in the race of humankind. He goes by many names, but everyone knew him as, The Grim Reaper. A man who is infamous for brutally slaughtering heads and fiddle over human souls under his fingers. When fate favors their hearts to be one again, will Hillary be willing to attach herself again towards the overbearing, malicious, and coldblooded man who was said to live a life without mercy and is more cunning and inhuman by nature?

Harley Callanta is one of the youngest governor in San Miguel. At the age of 25, he is already a governor. He followed the footsteps of his father who was also a former governor of San Miguel. Kaya bilang isang governor ng kanilang lalawigan ay dapat malinis ang kaniyang pangalan. Ngunit nang makita niya ang isang babae na mas bata sa kaniya ay mukhang gagawin niya ang lahat kahit na madungisan pa ang kaniyang pangalan. Ayaw niyang maagaw pa ng iba ang babaeng matagal niya ng hinihintay. Nasa tamang edad na rin si Jane Requez kaya hindi na napigilan pa ni Harley na bakuran na ang dalaga. At dahil takot sa sasabihin ng mga tao sa kaniya, pinipilit umiwas ni Jane kay Harley. Ngunit ang governor naman ang lapit nang lapit aa kaniya. Hindi niya kayang ipaglaban ang nararamdaman niya para kay Harley. Takot siya sa sasabihin ng mga tao. Nang malaman ng mga tao ang tungkol sa kanila ni Harley ay nag desisyon si Jane na umalis ng San Miguel at ipinagpatuloy ang matagal niya ng pangarap-ang maging fashion designer. At sa muli nilang pagkikita ay hindi pa rin sumusuko si Harley na ipaglaban ang nararamdaman niya para kay Jane. Ngunit kaya na bang ipaglaban ni Jane ang nararamdaman niya para sa Governor ng San Miguel?

"You're either brave," Aaron said quietly, his accent thickening just enough when he was irritated, "or you have no sense of self-preservation." I didn't look away. His dark eyes burned - calculating, controlled, dangerous. The kind of Alpha who didn't need to raise his voice to be obeyed. The kind who was born into power and sharpened by it. "Maybe I just don't scare easily," I said smugly. A muscle ticked in his jaw. Slow. Controlled. He stepped into my space, close enough that the air shifted, close enough that I could feel the heat rolling off him and smell the faint scent of coffee on his breath. "You should," he murmured, eyes focused on my lips. ⸻⸻⸻ Xavier has one rule: survive. After being betrayed and left for dead by his own pack, he doesn't trust Alphas. He doesn't trust loyalty. And he sure as fuck doesn't trust powerful families who smile too easily. Aaron D'Amico is everything Xavier avoids - a strategic, dangerously composed Alpha raised in legacy and control. His pack is strong. His leadership is unquestioned. And his mother's influence runs deeper than anyone realizes, even him. He doesn't make reckless decisions. He doesn't let emotions interfere. And he doesn't lose control. Until Xavier. What starts as irritation turns into a battle of dominance neither of them expected. But beneath the tension simmers something more dangerous - quiet political maneuvering, shifting loyalties, and a matriarch who watches every move. Because in this pack, power isn't taken with claws. It's taken with strategy. And the Alpha who prides himself on discipline? He's about to meet the one wolf who refuses to behave. WARNING ‼️‼️‼️ CONTAINS MATURE AND SEXUAL THEMES

Beatrise Mendoza, sa batang edad ay nangarap nang maging isang artista hindi lang upang makatulong sa kanyang pamilya kundi para matamasa rin ang karangyaang mayroon ang mga ito. Kaya nang dumating ang isang hindi inaasahang pagkakataon sa katauhan ng kanyang tiyahing taga-Maynila ay agad niya iyong sinunggaban. Pero ang inakala niyang abot-kamay na pangarap ay hindi pala gano'n kadaling abutin. Dahil hindi pala madaling makapasok sa industriyang iyon. At dahil sa natamong kabiguan ay hindi niya naiwasang humanap ng masasandalan at makakapitan, at natagpuan niya iyon sa katauhan ng kanyang pinsan na si John Carl, ang panganay na anak ng kanyang tiyahin. Ngunit hindi niya napaghandaan ang isang malaking dagok sa kanyang buhay. Dahil unang kita pa lang sa lalaki ay nahumaling na siya rito kaya ng maging mas malapit sila at makilala ang tunay nitong ugali ay lalong nahulog ang kanyang loob. Paano pa niya haharapin ang pag-abot sa kanyang pangarap na tila kay ilap kung maging pati ang paghihirap ng kanyang damdamin ay nakakadagdag sa kanyang dalahin?

Spoiled but independent, Sereia Philomena Isolde can’t deny it. Kaya naman hindi sya papaawat kay Phoenix Mason Hill, heir to the successful Hill Corp, nang malamang nasa pangalan ng lalaki ang lupaing kanya dapat. So, all there’s left to do is come and “negotiate” him about the terms. She wants to change his mind, he wants to change her heart. Pataasan sila ng pride. Prepare to venture into a journey filled with mud, soil and fertilizer as they explore the beauty of nature in a simple life in the province area (with the simple life of the farmers in the Philippines). Awayan, bangayan, tampuhan, iyakan, at siyempre, pagmamahalan. ***Tagalog Version of Changing the Billionaire’s Heart and His Winter Heart

Emerald was loved and accepted by all of her family. However, two family members took out their hate and anger on her from the moment she was born. They hated her mother. Her parents knowing this took her to their closest friend and ally Alpha Jason. He was the Alpha of the largest and strongest pack in the state of California. Emerald's mother being of the fae people cast a spell upon his land that not only protected the pack but her daughter as well. It was not found out until later that Emerald and his twin sons Devon and Nate were her mates. Unknown to all of them Emerald's jealous family members had promised to give her to the rogue Alpha Connor. He wanted her for her powers so he could make his pack the largest and strongest. Emerald grew up returned to Alpha Jason's land, but she can't understand why she is drawn back here. Alpha Connor's son Ryder has become alpha. There is also a new threat to Emerald that no one is aware of. The Vampire King has become aware of her existence and wants her as his queen. With her as his queen, he would become the most powerful supernatural in existence. Emerald has once again met her mates but with all her insecurities can they make it work. Emerald just wants to be happy and loved but with everything stacked against her will she ever find her happiness?