The Unspoken Name

Akala ko mababaon ko na sa limot ang nakaraan. Eighteen years ago, I walked away from the man I loved, clutching the tiny life growing inside me, shattering my own heart to protect my child. Binuo ko ang mundo ko mula sa simula, pinalaki si Gian nang may lakas at pagmamahal, at hinubog ang reputasyon ko bilang Queen Verdict, hindi matatalo at matatag sa korte. Para sa akin, ang Maynila, ang lungsod ng pagkakanulo, ay mundo na isinara ko na magpakailanman. But life has a way of dragging you back into the fire. Nang mapilitan akong humarap sa imperyo ng Aragon sa korte, I’m not prepared for the ghosts of my past especially Nathan, now standing across the courtroom from me, representing the family that once tore us apart. Ang tensyon ay matindi, personal, at imposibleng balewalain. At si Laura, na parang anino ng dilim, na may bulong ng tukso at kaguluhan, nagpapakita kay Nathan ng dahilan para makalimot sa akin. I thought I could protect Gian from Nathan’s world, from their tangled history, but fate has other plans. Nang dumating ang panganib, napagtanto kong ang pag-ibig, katapatan, at tiwala ay laban sa sarili rin. Ang obsesyon ni Nathan, ang walang tigil niyang pagsunod, ang matinding proteksyon niya ay nakakaakit, nakakatakot, at nakalilito lahat ng sabay. I have a choice: let him back into our lives or keep the walls I’ve built, shielding my son from heartbreak again. Ngunit sa larong ito ng kapangyarihan, paghihiganti, at pagnanasa, natutunan ko ang isang bagay: a Queen rises, scars and all, to claim her throne. At gagawin ko ang lahat para protektahan ang pamilya ko, kahit harapin ang lalaking minahal ko noon ,kahit pa harapin ang aking mga kahihinatnan and the consequences I never imagined.

Bekerja sebagai seorang anggota polis berjawatan tinggi cukup membuatkan ASP Jimmy sentiasa disanjungi. Namun, lumrah manusia. Dalam seribu menyukai, pasti ada satu yang membenci. Thufaila Ajwa, jiran setaman yang sentiasa menganggap ASP Jimmy hidup dalam dunia kepura-puraan. Apa yang pasti, gadis itu sangat membecinya kerana kisah silam mereka. Prinsip Thufaila hanya satu.Selagi kudratnya masih ada, walaupun sesaat dia tidak akan membenarkan dirinya di bantu oleh lelaki spesis Jimmy. “Sekarang ini memanglah engkau tak perlukan aku lagi. Tapi nanti, percayalah yang kau perlukan aku dalam hidup kau. So, if anything happens just call my name!" -ASP JIMMY “Aku rasa mata aku ni membawa satu sumpahan! Kadang, aku rasa aku nak butakan mata disebabkan mata aku boleh tembus nampak ke dinding.” -AHMAD Kehadiran Ahmad sebagai jiran sebelah rumah Thufaila, membawa seribu misteri. Karakter dingin dan penampilan Ahmad berkaca mata hitam sepanjang masa, menjadi tanda tanya insan sekeliling. Di sebalik gaya yang cukup misteri, hanya ASP Jimmy sahaja yang mengetahui kelebihan Ahmad yang mampu meneliti objek tersembunyi di sebalik dinding. Pandangan mata boleh tembus ke dinding? Macam cerita fantasi saja bunyinya. Tapi itulah realiti yang Ahmad hadapi. Datangnya membawa ASP Jimmy mengembara ke peristiwa yang lama. Kerana dia, lelaki itu sanggup mengkaji semula kes pembunuhan bersiri, dua puluh tahun yang lalu. Kebenaran di sebalik pembunuhan bersiri itu perlukan jawapan. "Kenapa tuan sibuk nak buka semula kes lama? Kita nak cari dalang sebenar untuk kes Razlan Ishak! bukannya kes pembunuhan bersiri yang dah basi." Kerana tekadnya untuk merungkai sebuah misteri, kini ASP Jimmy berdepan masalah. Orang yang disayangi menjadi sasaran dan berdepan bahaya. "Kalau engkau nak betina ni selamat, engkau serahkan Ahmad dekat aku! Sebab dia tu hak aku. Engkau pilih antara dua. Ahmad atau dia." ASP Jimmy buntu. Mampukah dia menjadi pelindung buat Thufaila sedangkan dia tahu si gadis tidak perlukannya? Mampukah dia menempuh segalanya andai hati berbelah bahagi?

She fell inlove for the very first time and she thought she could peacefully live with her new personality and name. She thought that she could keep her secret for the rest of her life. But in an instant, all that she had worked hard for was completely GONE. *** Beforeicalledhername 2021AllRightsReserved_Catlyn/Latte

Ten years ago, the Harrington family went through a home invasion. My mother, a maid, shielded Liam with her life. Holding my hands tight, Liam promised, "Andrea, don't worry. I'll protect you forever." I believed him. Our bond grew naturally, and we had a beautiful daughter together. Then, she was diagnosed with leukemia. In her last days, all she wanted was to spend one birthday with her dad. I called him, desperate to make it happen. "Millie doesn't have much time left. All she wants is one birthday with you. Can you come?" His voice on the other end went icy. "Really? This your latest stunt? Using your dead mom wasn't enough, now it's our daughter for pity? Disgusting." I tried to deny it, but he cut me off. "Don't mess with her head. Learn from Vivian—she's got a real heart." That night, our daughter passed away. Later, Vivian posted on social media: [Finally taking that couples' trip someone promised me!] I didn't scream. I didn't cry. I just texted Liam: [We're done.]

My health was not good, but I had always wanted a child. My husband, citing concern for my health, avoided intimacy with me for a year. Then I stumbled across his private messages with another woman. [You'll spend Valentine's Day with me, right? You're not going to touch her tonight, are you?] [You know I don't like doing it just to make babies. Got you some lingerie. Wear it for me tomorrow.] That ill-fitting lace lingerie he was talking about was on my body. I'd slipped it on while he was in the shower, thinking it was a Valentine's Day surprise from him. Turned out, he hadn't bought the wrong size. He had just sent it to the wrong address. I clicked on the woman's profile. Her latest video showed her at the beach, hand in hand with the person filming. I recognized her hand instantly. It belonged to my best friend.

I rush into work this morning and accidentally send the car photos meant for the dealership into the medical intern group chat. The new intern snaps at me. "Dr. Tyson, why are you sending me pictures of my car? Are you jealous and trying to steal attention?" I stop short and ask if she has mixed things up, because the car is mine. She fires back with a whole stack of photos of herself driving a G-class with one hand, plus videos to prove the car in my picture belongs to her. She even tacks on a snide little jab. "You're a shameless, broke wannabe. You want any spotlight you can grab. You think a picture of a car is going to make you the lady of the Reed family?" I frown and turn to my husband, Jackson Reed. "Since when does the Reed family have a second lady of the house?"

Hindi akalain ni Victoria na isang patibong pala ang lahat upang makatakas ang kapatid sa isang responsibilidad na hindi nito kayang panindigan. Nasira ang buhay ni Victoria sa kagagawan ng isang estranghero dahil na rin kay Victorina. Nawala ang lahat sa kanya at nagbunga pa ang isang gabing pagniniig nila. Tiniis ni Victoria ang lahat para sa mga anak. Pagkalipas ng limang taon, lihim siyang umuwi sa Pilipinas kasabay ang bantang pagbabayarin ang lahat ng taong may kagagawan ng kanyang pagdurusa. Samantalang mahigpit ang pangangailangan ni Xander ng bagong sekretarya, isang istriktong CEO ng Mondragon Textile Company. Malamig ang pakikitungo nito sa kahit kanino maliban kay Victoria na bagong salta. Sa unang pagkikita nila ay may kung anong tibok ang naramdaman niya dito. Hanggang magkaroon ng car accident si Victoria. Doon niya nakita ang batang lalaki na kamukhang – kamukha niya. Pagkagising ni Victoria mula sa comatose estate ay pinapirma siya ng CEO sa isang marriage contract. Sa kabila ng pagkabigla ay pumayag ito ngunit mas matindi pa sa bomba ang kanyang nalaman. Siya ang ama ng kanyang kambal. Gustuhin man niyang tumakas sa poder ng CEO ay hindi niya magawa dahil sa laki ng utang na loob nito. Mananatili bang utang na loob ang lahat o susubukan niyang mahalin si Xander kabila ng kanyang paghihiganti? Palalayain ba ni Xander si Victoria at bubuuin ang kanilang pamilya?

I should step back. But I don’t. His hand slides to my waist, firm, deliberate. Not asking. Claiming. My stomach tightens, heat curling low, and I feel every inch of him before I even see him. He’s behind me, close enough that I can feel his breath at my neck. My pulse stutters as his fingers trace slow, unhurried circles up my back, and I know I should pull away… but I can’t. His lips brush my neck. Not a kiss yet, just the promise of it. My head tilts back before I can stop myself, back arching like my body is betraying me. Then he speaks. Low, calm, in control “Don’t make a sound.” A shiver runs through me. Not from fear. Not exactly. From… him. He’s in control. I can’t fight it. I don’t want to. And somewhere deep inside, I realize the terrifying truth: I’m letting him have me.

Anna is a pretty girl with dreams as wild as fire and eyes that can pierce into the soul of the most rigid person. She comes into The Archer Group as an intern interested in Investment Analysis, but is forced to be in the taxation department. She knows nothing about herself, as all her life has been spent trying to get to work in the greatest Venture Capitalist Company in New York. But the CEO of the Archer Group dies and hands the company over to his son, who is the last person who can make a company work. An artist with a specific sexual preference, private, reluctant, borderline rude, too brilliant for his own good, Carson Archer never plays by the rules. Anna only wants a chance to prove that she is better than writing reports. But Investment Analysis might just be the last thing on her mind when his gaze lands on her. At the Archer Group, falling for the boss isn't just career suicide. It’s heartbreak too. Because Carson Archer doesn’t do love.

On the day the true heiress and I swapped places, my childhood sweetheart, bound to me by a promise made in youth, gripped my hand before our families and declared, "I chose you, not your title." Anna Pedersen, tears brimming in her eyes, enveloped me in a trembling embrace. "Joanne, we'll always be family. I'd never take what's rightfully yours." Everyone assumed I'd turned misfortune into fortune. Though I lost my status as the Pedersen heiress, I gained a steadfast lover and a selfless sister. But three years after fate corrected itself, photos of Calvin Thomas escorting Anna to a prenatal checkup flooded the internet. When I confronted him, he exhaled a plume of smoke and said coolly, "Anna is my true betrothed. This is just setting things right. Why are you so worked up?" He seized my wrist and dragged our engraved engagement ring across the back of my hand, leaving a bloody gash. "This scar will remind you of the twenty years of life you stole. Your life and I belong to their rightful owner."