These Past Few Days

There are monsters in this world. And they used to be us. Now it's time to euthanize to survive in a hospice where Emily, a woman haunted by her past, only wants to do her job and be the best mother possible. Post-infection Chicago. Christmas. Inside The Hospice, Emily and her fellow nurses do their rounds. Here, men and women live out their final days in comfort, segregated from society, and are then humanely terminated before fate turns them into marrow-craving monsters known as ‘Smilers.’ Outside these imposing walls, rabid protesters swarm with signs, caught up in the heat of their hatred. Emily, a woman haunted by her past, only wants to do her job and be the best mother possible. But in a world where mortality means nothing, where guns are drawn in fear and nobody seems safe anymore – at what cost will this pursuit come? And through it all, the soon to be dead remain silent, ever smiling. Such is their curse. It won't be long before that snow-speckled ground will be salted by blood. ©️ Crystal Lake Publishing

Being an Omega is the last thing I want, especially since it makes some Alphas think of you as a breeding machine. My luck with Alphas haven't been the best and I know that it's because of my past and the few. . .issues I have. Time is running out though. My heat is drawing closer which means that I only have a few weeks to find an Alpha willing enough to help me through it without bonding me. The Omega Centre tried to help, but they don't understand what I want. However, there might be an Alpha who could help. All I need to do is talk his Beta into agreeing.

Is it possible for love to be selfless? Kakayanin mo kayang magpa-ubaya for someone you love deeply? A story from the past that beggins with selflessness but ends with hurtful heartbreak. Anne and Miguel were lovers during their high school days, but they parted ways without clear reasons. Miguel distanced himself and found another girl. Anne, devastated at the time, eventually moved on. Destiny, however, intertwined their paths again as Anne started working in Miguel's company, which he managed. Unfortunately, Miguel seemed oblivious to Anne's presence, fueling her anger and determination to make him fall in love and seek revenge. Yet, there's another untold story lingering beneath the surface.

On the flight to Arlencia, a post popped up: [What's it like to have sex in a wedding dress?] The pic showed a girl yanking some guy's purple tie while he hiked up her gown. His face was blurred, but hers? Straight-up blissed out. Everyone in the comments was swooning over how in love they looked. I didn't swoon. I froze. Because that purple tie? I gave it to Zeke Santoro, my fiancé, a few days ago. And that wedding dress? The exact custom one he had made for me. There was only one. I kept zooming in, heart racing, until I spotted a family photo in the background. My hands were shaking when I called him. "I wanna see the dress," I said. He hesitated. "It's at the studio getting final touches. Not with me right now. I'll show it to you later." I just smiled and hung up. That was all I needed. Zeke cheated—and the girl? His stepsister, Jella. Total circus. I reopened the post and shot her a DM: [Your wedding dress is stunning. I have the same one.]

Dexter falls in love with the mysterious lady living in the forest. He happened to meet her when he went on hunting and lost his way going home. Tired, hungry, thirsty and sick, Shayne takes good care of him. Have not able to come back, companions of Dexter seek the helped of forest rangers and hiker’s group, in place, together with the police force, they look for Dexter for a week, but they get no result, later they give up and declared him dead. When Dexter is well, he returned back to his family. His relatives and friends cannot believe his story that a lady in the name of Shayne helped him, much more, that he only stays there for a few days, because they have been looking him for a year, and he was actually believe to be dead. The relatives of Dexter forbid him to return to the forest and see Shayne again. He promised Shayne he will be back. He owes Shayne his life, and much more he loves Shayne. Dexter is willing to sacrifice everything for the sake of his love. Dexter fight for his love and will see Shayne at all cost, even, it may mean the loss of his career, prestige, or his own life.

When my husband threatened me with divorce for the hundredth time, demanding I sacrifice myself for my sister, I did not cry or make a scene. I simply signed my name on the divorce papers and willingly handed over the man I had loved for ten years to my sister. A few days later, my sister spoke recklessly at a banquet and offended a powerful family. Once again, I stepped forward to take responsibility, bearing all the consequences in her place. When they later proposed that I become a test subject for my sister's drug research, I gladly accepted. Mom and Dad said I had finally grown into someone mature and responsible. Even my cold husband stood by my hospital bed and, for the first time in so long, gently stroked my cheek. He said tenderly, "Don't be afraid. The experiment won't be life-threatening. When you get out, I'll cook you a big meal." However, he did not know that regardless of whether the experiment was dangerous or not, he did not have to wait for me because I was already dying from a terminal illness.

"Rain, I am sorry but we can't get married, I mean, you don't expect me to marry a woman without a womb or do you?" Rain Arnold was dumbstruck, after loosing three pregnancies all for this man, he dared to call her barren "Miss Arnold, you do know abortion is very risky, everything is at stake when you choose abortion". Rain felt suffocated at this point, she was living a nightmare that seemed like it was never going to end. She lost her pregnancies not because of abortion but because of miscarriages yet this doctor dared to tell her a different story? what was happening? Rain was confused at this point. The man she loved had just abandoned her and now, the whole world seemed like it was crushing right before her. A few days later, Rain found herself with a golden opportunity that would change her life forever. A five year contract marriage that stated that she would get married to the most influential young bachelor in the city and after five years, she ought to divorce him and leave. In any case of her, getting pregnant, after the divorce, she would leave her child behind and forget she ever had a child or husband. Rain thought about it and smiled, it's not like she had any hope of having a child. As long as she could be granted her wish each year, she was sure to get her revenge without any difficulties. A few months after her marriage, Rain was shocked by what the doctor told her, "Mrs Johnson, you are pregnant" Rain couldn't utter a word... but how? how could this be?" this is how Rains life began to take a new turn, all of the sudden. will he take this child away from me?

Aanya Grey is beyond broken. She is like glass but even if it is glass after some trials it won't be able to be put together. Her one Aim is: Live life because the next she breaks she won't come back and she KNOWS it. Evan Rodriguez is a man of few words and a broken past. Now he built an empire to look after and is doing just that. But the past he thought he got rid of is back and now he has an unknown weakness. Alex Wilson leader of The Ravages believes he love Aanya and she is only one for him but he lost her. But now that she is nearby he is dead set on making her his.

Aziel had a chance encounter with Laia, a girl he knew from his grade school days, in a pub. Though they had been classmates, they had never really gotten along and had often been at odds with one another, with Laia even slapping him in the past due to some past altercation. Despite this, Aziel was struck by her beauty and decided to flirt with her, not recognizing her at first. They ended up spending the night together, but he lost touch with her afterwards. Months later, after returning from an overseas project, Aziel was kidnapped by Laia's father, Mr. Arseneo, who was revealed to be an ex-mafia boss. He was then forced to marry Laia at gunpoint, leaving him in a state of shock and disbelief. Despite the circumstances, he couldn't help but feel that this was some sort of karma for his actions, and he couldn't help but be in awe of Laia's strength and determination, despite her passive exterior. And now, he became an ex-mafia's son-in-law.

Laura, a popular model, had actually never dated anyone her whole life. After witnessing her friend almost die because of domestic violence, she became even more resistant to letting herself get herself into one. After spending five years abroad to help her friend recover, she found herself back in her home country, not knowing that the single status she had managed to maintain all her life was about to be changed. James had a busy schedule over the past few months and was intending to use his younger brother's birthday party as an opportunity for him to relax. Who knew that he would end up picking up an innocent vixen?