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.

We stepped out of his car after we spotted a basket in front of the gate. As we approached, I heard a sound. I walked closer and gasped. “What’s that thing?” he asked. “This isn’t a ‘thing.’ It’s a baby,” I deadpanned. I picked up the child. A baby girl. My eyes widened. she had every feature of my boss. Almost like they were related. A note hung from her necklace. “How the hell did she get here?” he asked, coming closer. I shrugged. Slowly, I opened the note and read it aloud: Dear Nick, You probably don’t remember me. We met at a party almost two years ago. We had a one-night stand. Too drunk to use protection. Luciana is the result of that reckless night. I’ve cared for her for a year, putting my life on hold. Now it’s your turn. I don’t want anything from you. Just take care of your child. Xoxo. I watched him run a finger through his hair. Even stressed, the gesture was hypnotic. He’s that beautiful. I couldn’t deny it. “What the fuck? Set up an appointment with my doctor immediately. I’m going to conduct a DNA test for this…thing.” I snorted internally. “Her name is Luciana,” I replied, and he rolled his eyes. I stared down at the baby. She didn’t deserve any of this. How could a mother leave her own child? And what if someone had taken her before we arrived? Luciana. At least she had a name.

In a world with no male werewolves we have resorted to leaving our pack for The Pairing, where we pair off with a human male partner to get pregnant and go back to our pack to raise the baby mostly on our own. But how do I leave the man I have fallen in love with and whose child I could be carrying?...

Once, I begged you to love me, now, I’m the one holding the gun. “Your last words?” I whispered. He smiled like we were still lovers. “Till we meet again.” The next second, he brought out his gun and fired. And suddenly, I wasn’t sure who was hunting.

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.

Tristan Moreno and I are asked when we're getting married when we attend a class reunion. "We're undecided." "1st of October." Our answers come simultaneously. His head shoots up, and he looks at me with anger and disbelief. I ignore him and explain to my classmates, "I'm getting married on the 1st of October. You're all invited." I know what Tristan wants to ask me. He and I have dated for eight years, but he's never discussed marriage with me. He drags me to a corner, looking furious. "Didn't we agree to put marriage on hold? Do you take pleasure in forcing me into this?" I pry his fingers off my wrist and say, "You can put it on hold for as long as you want. That doesn't stop me from getting married." He's long since gotten bored of me—he's found a younger woman but thinks he's done well in keeping it a secret. Fortunately, he's not the man I'm marrying.

Destiny is something we all believe to be fixed right? Something that we can't fight against. Pero naisip mo na ba kahit minsan na baka ang tadhana ay para ring tao? Na pwedeng magbago ang isip? Na pwedeng may baguhin sa isang parte ng isang kwento sa kahit anong oras niya gusto? They say some stories end not with a happy ending, but some people also believe that a story's real ending is a happy one. Because, after all, that's what we all deserve right? Happiness. But what will happen if destiny really changed its mind on a life story of two people who were supposed to meet anyway?

The things between truth and lies, honesty and secrets, trust and doubt. We surround ourselves with the right people and good people. People we trust and most of all, people we think they deserve to be a part of our lives. Truth can be manipulate. Lies can destroy. Trust can easy to break. Honesty can set aside. Secrets can keep you guilty. Doubt can bring out your fears. But what if your life of truth is full of lies, and those persons who you trust are keeping secrets and what if your life of honesty turn into doubt. I am Divina Clare Reyes and this is my story, life that I thought full of truth, full of trustworthy and honest people but it turned out to be full of lies and secrets.

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?

"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.