The Summer Solstice By Nick Joaquin

Nagmadaling nagpahanap si Elijah Reigo ng babaeng papalit bilang bride sa kasal nila sa Isla nang biglang naglaho na parang bula ang kanyang kasintahan. Sakto namang na-stranded si Claudette Revista sa Isla matapos ang malakas na bagyo. Dinala siya ng mga tauhan ni Elijah sa isang rest house at pinilit na maging asawa ng isang mafia boss. Sa Isla na iyon, hindi basta basta ang buhay dahil kailangan sundin ni Claudette ang lahat ng utos kung gusto niyang mabuhay. Ang kalayaan? Nasa dulo ng panganib.

I was scrolling through reddit when I came across a post seeking advice. The poster said he had HIV but was hiding it from his fiancée. The post had tens of thousands of likes. Intrigued, I clicked to read more. As I went through the details, I realized—why did his description of the fiancée sound so much like me?

Nakatanggap ako ng tawag isang araw bago ang aking kasal. "Miss McPherson, may sumira sa venue mo." Nagmamadali akong pumunta sa hotel nang may pagkalito at nakasalubong ko lang ang isang babaeng winwagayway ang wedding photo ko "You homewrecking skank! Inakit mo ang asawa ko at ginastos mo ang pera niya sa kasal na ito!" Naniwala ang karamihan sa kanya at nagkagulo. Pati ang manager ng hotel ay galit sa akin. "Alam ko nang may mali dito dahil hindi nagpakita ang groom! Hindi ka niya tunay na asawa!" Ang mga tao ay marahas na nagkagulo. Sa kaguluhang iyon, nakunan ako. Sa kasagsagan ng aking galit, tinext ko ang secretary ko: [Kanselahin ang kasal, at sipain si Matteo Brando sa aking kumpanya!] Ang kapal ng mukha niya na itago ang kabit niya gamit ang kayamanan ko! How dare she challenge me! Sisirain ko sila!

“You clawed your way into this position, Arniya. Now sit there like a good girl”- Nathaniel Verano. ~ “Let me take you away from all this. You don’t belong in their cage.” - David Sev Calderon. ~ "Everyone has their agenda. I just know how to play their tricks” – Arniya Belle Santillan. ~ Arniya Belle Santillan thought she had her future figured out. Arrange marriage with Nathan Verano, the man she once looked at with nothing but love, she believed she was walking into a life of stability—maybe even happiness. But the more time passes, the more Nathan starts to feel like a stranger. Cold. Controlling. The kind of man who only cares about keeping his family's image spotless, no matter the cost. Trapped in an engagement she no longer wants and expected to play the perfect fiancée to a man she barely recognizes, Arniya starts to lose herself. Then, she meets David—a man with a quiet intensity, and his reasons for hating the Veranos. He offers her something no one else ever has: a way out. But it comes with a catch. Now, Arniya is torn between the life she’s always known and the unknown path David opens for her. Can she risk everything to break free and take back control of her life, or will she end up stuck in a world that’s always told her who she should be?

Ingrid Alessia Romano never dreamed of marrying a man like Leonhardt Dietrich Moretti cold, ruthless, and emotionally unreachable. But when a contract marriage becomes the only way to save her family’s crumbling empire, she signs away her freedom with shaking hands and a frozen heart. Leonhardt, forced to choose between losing everything or marrying a stranger, picks the safer option. Ingrid is the woman who won’t ask for love. What begins as a calculated arrangement spirals into a dangerous game of banter, buried wounds, and forbidden chemistry. In a world where betrayal is currency and emotions are a weakness, Ingrid and Leonhardt must navigate secrets, a haunting past, and a press hungry for blood. But what happens when a fake marriage starts to feel a little too real? Will they survive the lies or each other?

"I, Beta Atlas Redding, reject you, Ruby Angelo, as my mate." Those words shattered Ruby’s heart, leaving her feeling worthless and broken. Unlike her perfect step-sister, Ruby couldn’t win her mate’s affection, which only fueled her father's disappointment. To make matters worse, he arranged her marriage to the most feared Alpha in North America, the ruthless Alpha Kane Rivenwood. For Ruby, this felt like a punishment too cruel to bear. Would Alpha Kane see her as just another burden, or could this be a second chance at love? The only certainty was that his cold, ruthless nature might lead to a far darker fate.

Isang gabi. Isang kasunduan. Isang halimaw na may mukha ng diyos. Desperada si Sierra Ramirez na mabayaran ang utang ng amang may sakit, kaya’t kahit labag sa loob, pumayag siyang ibenta ang sarili—sa halagang tinakda ng lalaking may pinaka-mabangis na reputasyon sa buong siyudad. Si Leonardo Dela Vega, kilala bilang “The Devil Billionaire,” ay hindi lang mayaman. Siya ang lalaking kinatatakutan at kinahuhumalingan ng lahat. Malamig. Mapanganib. At walang puso. “Isang gabi lang,” aniya. Pero hindi iyon ang naging kapalaran ni Sierra. Dahil matapos ang gabing iyon, isinara ni Leonardo ang lahat ng pinto ng kalayaan ni Sierra. Ginawa niya itong alipin ng kanyang kagustuhan—hindi lang sa katawan, kundi maging sa puso. Ngunit may mas malalim na dahilan ang pagkakabili niya sa dalaga. At kapag nalaman ni Sierra ang tunay na rason… ito ba'y magiging wakas ng kanyang pagkatao—o simula ng impyerno sa piling ng lalaking hindi niya kailanman kayang takasan?

Conrad Lexus Farris. All he wanted is to skip his toxic life away from the city for a while. Dawn Zelena Augustino. All she wanted is to finish her studies and find a great job to achieve her dreams in life. But when their paths crossed, kapwa nagulo ang payapa nilang buhay. Hindi man maganda ang una nilang pagtatagpo, naging daan naman iyon upang makilala nila ang isa't-isa. But the summer that made their heart extremely happy, was also the summer that made their heart empty. Akala ni Dawn, kaya niyang ibaon sa limot ang lahat. Ngunit paano niya magagawa iyon gayung sa init na kanilang pinagsaluhan, may nabuong sanggol na mag-uugnay sa kanila ng lalaking bigla na lamang siyang iniwan sa ere at naglaho na parang bula? At sa di inaasahang pagkakataon, muling nagtagpo ang kanilang landas. Yun nga lang, hindi siya nito kilala. Malamig at arogante ito makitungo sa kanya na parang hindi na ito ang lalaking nakilala at minahal niya limang taon na ang nakararaan. Ayaw niya na sanang ipaalala ang masaya at mapusok na pinagsaluhan nila noon. Ayaw niya sanang umeksena sa buhay nito lalo pa't nalalapit na itong ikasal sa ibang babae. Kaso nang makita ni Conrad ang anak niya, di maipagkakaila na parang pinagbiyak na bunga ang dalawa. At ang masaklap pa nito, ang bata mismo ang umamin sa lalaki. "You're my dad right? Mama has many photos of you together and told me a lot of stories about you!" Connor screamed in excitement. Napaawang si Conrad at di makapaniwala sa natuklasan! At nang magtama ang mata nila ng lalaki, alam ni Zele na ito na ang magiging simula ng kalbaryo niya.

There's only one word that can describe Emanuelle Dizon perfectly. Elegant. Her existence screams elegance. Namana niya 'yon sa sopistikada niyang ina. Siguro kung may perpekto lang na tao sa mundo ay maaaring isa roon si Emma. Pero hindi, dahil lahat ng tao, may kapintasan. Emma met Yael Carreon. The man who became the love of her life. She's willing to sacrifice everything just to make that man hers. Dignity, self-respect, and elegance. Just for this man to love her back.

In the heart of the werewolf world, Estella Erylis once stood as the pride of her esteemed family, destined to wed the alpha's son, Carlos Vesper. Yet, betrayal tore her world apart on what should have been her happiest day. Carlos's cruel accusation shattered Estella's dreams, branding her a traitor and casting her out into the cold embrace of exile Alone and with the child in her womb, Estella vows to rise from the ashes of her shattered life, fueled by a thirst for vengeance against those who wronged her. Armed with her unparalleled skills in medicine, she forges a path of power and strength. But fate has other plans in store as the biological father of her child emerges from the shadows. Ariston Lycaon, alpha of the Vesper Pack's fiercest rival, stands before Estella- a man whose presence ignites a dangerous spark of forbidden desire and threatens to unravel her carefully laid plans. In a world where trust is a luxury and betrayal lurks in every shadow, Estella must tread carefully to protect her newfound family and unlock the secrets that will lead her to redemption- or damnation.