The Webs We Weave

My husband, James Zeller, and I have established a common-law marriage. We did not have a formal wedding ceremony, nor do we have a marriage license. We also live separately, our lives barely intertwining, because he has a special profession. Therefore, despite being married to him for seven years, we've never met each other's friends and relatives. As his wife, I'm proud of being married to him despite how it pains me. I'm willing to give up the opportunity to study at the National Academy of Sciences to take care of things at home while he works. One day, my son, Jasper Chalder, comes home from elementary school crying. He sobs about not being a bastard child and requests to see James. Greatly distressed, I decide to take him to visit the military base over the new year for a family reunion. However, I don't expect this trip to turn my life completely upside down.

After being reborn, the first thing my cousin and I did was switch grooms. In our previous lives, we had gotten married on the same day. She, gentle and composed by nature, became the wife of Blake Malcolm, the aloof naval commander. On their wedding anniversary, Blake skipped the occasion to celebrate his childhood friend's birthday. My cousin had only wanted an explanation, but Blake claimed his conscience was clear. They fell into a silence that lasted fifty years. And me? With my temper—quick to fight, never one for patience—I had married an accountant from the machinery plant's compound. The accountant was soft-spoken, forever complaining about how loud I was, and how little I cared about appearances. We fought every three days, major arguments every five. Eventually, he stopped coming home. Less than a year into the marriage, we divorced. Then one day, my cousin and I opened our eyes and found ourselves young again—and it was the day we were to marry. Again.

Fletcher: I came out to my family at my 18th birthday and my elder brother decided to confess his sexuality too, but our parents didn't approve of us. We were the black sheep of the family. A big disgrace for their status. They kicked us both out, but we couldn't leave our baby brother in the toxic family. We started our new life, filled with happiness and love until I found out that my baby brother, my cherished younger brother is in love with me. But how could he? We are brothers by blood. Did he forget the hatred we faced when I come out as a Gay? Doesn't he remember how much it effected my mental health? How can he even think of confessing his love for me? Zee Donnovan: I couldn't stop my heart from falling in love with my elder brother. How couldn't I? He is everything I wanted in my life partner. He has always put me first. He has always prioritized me. Its only right if it's only me in his life. That way he wouldn't be afraid of any heartbreaks. I will never break his heart. I will always love him. What would happen when they both confess their love? Will their family, friends and the society approve of this taboo love?

"All the beautiful memories, just turned into a beautiful nightmares." Breaking up with the guy you love the most is the hardest part of being in love. Letting go as if it’s only the choice you need to choose. Letting go even though you want to hold that person as tightly as you can just to make that person stay besides you. I really want to hold back, I want to fight for us, but how can I do that? Kung ang taong inaasahan mong lalaban din para sa iyo ay sumuko na nang tuluyan? Paano mo pa siya hahawakan kung siya na mismo ang kusang bumibitaw? Sometimes, when you love someone, you want and wishes them the best and happiness, but then sometimes, what's best for them is not you — you're not part of it. We love each other, but we choose to let go each other, it's not because we're coward and afraid to face it, but because that's the only thing we can do to save 'us'. WHERE YOU CAN'T STAY FOREVER.

We’ve been best friends since we were five.But nothing’s as simple as it seems.Relationships change and so do people.Especially now.When innuendos and hints aren't enough, it’s time to confess.I’m in love with my best friend.…And I think I’m too late.Small Town Girl is created by Stephie Walls, an eGlobal Creative Publishing Signed Author.

"How about meeting again so we can continue from were we left." Raphael asked in his husky voice, his hand still squeezing my breast. He was really good at it. "You were good but not good enough for another night baby boy." I winked, leaving him with a shocked expression on his face.

"Why didn't you tell me?" Emilia wondered, a cacophony of feelings turning inside her – bewilderment, rage, and something else she was not yet prepared to acknowledge. "Honestly? I wasn't sure how,” Alexander admitted. “And then everything with NexGen started unfolding, and I… I tried to convince myself it was better if we left things professional. Emilia made a small, cynical noise that was almost a laugh. "Professional? After we… after we…. you… promoted me to your personal assistant..." "Right after the most passionate night of my life?” Alexander completed. ... After a single night of heated passion, environmental engineer Emilia Thatcher was promoted to be the personal assistant of Trident Holdings' CEO, AlexandeKane. But she had no idea she's stepping into a carefully orchestrated trap.

**18+, A COLLECTION OF ONE SHOT SPICY SHORT STORIES** Meet your match in the Obsidian Suite. "The Obsidian Suite offers something... different." I traced my finger along the edge of the podium. "Book it, and our proprietary algorithm will match you with your perfect partner from within our network. You'll have no idea who they are until you meet them in the suite itself." A woman near the centre raised her champagne flute. "How do we know we'll be compatible with our match?" "Trust the algorithm. We have a 98% success rate. Your preferences, desires, and boundaries are all carefully considered. The algorithm doesn't just match physical attraction, but psychological compatibility. The depth of connection our members report is... extraordinary."

I become unemployed when I'm four months pregnant, and my husband asks that we become independent of each other in our marriage. We manage our own finances and pay for our own expenses. Even when I'm suffering from major blood loss during labor, he's unwilling to pay to save my life. My child and I both lose our lives. When I open my eyes, I find that I'm back to the day my husband asks that we become independent of each other. I readily agree. What he doesn't know is that I can morph into a seahorse and transfer the baby to his body so he can carry it to term.

The novel consists of several mini-stories about therapy sessions at a therapy clinic named "Soulmate", but the letters "m-a-t-e" were broken in a storm. Each mini-story is narrated by both the psychologists and the patients, describe the patients' worldview, why they do what seems "mentally ill" to us. We often say that the patients' head is abnormal, that their way of thinking is so weird. But is there any possibility that it's because they received different (whether right or wrong) information, so they react differently? Is that just because we "normal people" haven't got enough understanding about this world? Throughout the story, we could see that therapy sessions are a two-way arrow. While the experts are affecting the patient, the patient is also influencing them,“When you look deeply into the darkness, the deep darkness is also looking into you". The story does not make any conclusion about who is right or which world is real, maybe all of them are real, maybe they are all virtual, or maybe, it all doesn't matter. Isn't the world where we live? Wherever you live, that's your world.