Top 10 Birthday

Vicky Irwin is a PhD student who lives on a meager scholarship that she earns by lecturing a group of rich college kids. She got herself into BIG trouble by failing the son of the University’s biggest donator, Kent Huron. Kent Huron bullies Vicky into having sex with him, threatening her to be his own fuck toy with her scholarship…

This is a story of two close friends (Courtney and Judy) and the odds that meet them as soon as Courtney turns 18. They hope for a bright future together but have no clue on things that are yet to unfold in their lives.

After twenty-five years of trying to win over Gus Harding, I failed and died by his hand. But he didn't know that. He kept threatening, demanding I show myself immediately. The real heiress slapped him hard. "Genevieve is dead, and you didn't even care enough to see her one last time." Gus scoffed, claiming it was just another one of my tricks. Only when he saw my cold, lifeless body did he finally understand. I was gone for good. And this time, it drove him mad.

By our sixth year of marriage, Derrick hadn't touched me in three months. Said he was swamped at work. Always tired. After everything, I still believed him. Then on my birthday, I caught his friend talking in Garmenian—a language Derrick didn't think I understood. "You cut off the side piece yet? You were with her nonstop. Surprised you didn't drop dead. Your wife cool with that?" Derrick let out a smoke ring. "Haven't touched Audrey in months. Sabrina's insane in bed—I'm not over her yet. Sucks she got pregnant. Audrey doesn't want kids, so I gave Sabrina some cash. She'll have the baby overseas." My hands curled into fists. Silent tears streamed down my face. He glanced over, nervous. "What's wrong?" I smiled. "The cake you made is amazing. I'm really touched." It was sweet—but when you understand Garmenian, all you taste is betrayal.

Pangarap ni Mavie na makatanggap ng birthday cake, buong-buo at walang bawas ang icing. Mahirap ang kanilang pamilya ngunit nagagawa ng kanilang magulang, kapwa magsasaka, ang patapusin sila sa pag-aaral. Matalik na magkaibigan mula pagkabata sina Hugo at Mavie sa kabila ng magkaiba ang estado ng kanilang buhay. Nag-aaral ng political science si Hugo sa bayan at nangangarap magtrabaho sa gobyerno. Samantala, nag-aaral naman ng engineering si Mavie sa kanilang baryo na nangangarap na maipa-renovate ang kanilang kubo. Isang kalihim ng samahang ARC (Arts with Responsibilities Creatives) si Mavie. Sa tulong ng kanyang kaibigang si Salome, namulat siya sa paglilingkod sa kolehiyo. Ang mga dokumento ng samahan na maingat niyang hinahawakan ang magiging susi ng pagmulat ng kanyang mga mata sa totoong takbo ng kolehiyo, maging ang iba pang organisasyong humaharap sa mala-butas ng karayom sa pagre-request ng budget ng mga gaganaping programa para sa mga kapwa estudyante. Samantala, ang pangarap na birthday cake ni Mavie para sa kanyang sarili ang magiging pinto ng kanyang tadhana upang hanapin ng kanyang puso ang lubos na sinisinta. Ito ay sa kabila ng mga kinakaharap ng mga pagsubok sa gitna ng tagumpay.

On my birthday, the dining table was loaded with all my favorites. My mom had been cooking and baking the entire afternoon, insisting everything be perfect for when Mike got home from work so we could celebrate together. But then, he called and said his first love had been drugged at a bar, and he had to go help her. I stopped him and begged him not to go. Mike snapped at me. "Jesus, Em, don’t pull this jealous wife crap. She’s alone, defenseless, and unconscious—I can't let some random dude take advantage of her!" My mother heard those words and was so enraged that she had a heart attack. She died on the spot. Just like that, my mom died on my birthday. I called Mike, asking him to attend my mom's funeral. But before he could reply, I saw Cathy Miller's latest Instagram post, captioned: [Mikey… after all these years, it was always you.] Mike had liked it. My thumb moved before my brain caught up, typing out the only words that mattered: [A homewrecker and a lying bastard. Hope you rot together.]

As my murderer's claws tear into my abdomen inch by inch, my father and brother are seated in our family's banquet hall. They're celebrating Carly's 18th birthday and coming-of-age. "You'll always be my little girl." "Happy birthday, Carly." They light 18 pink candles for her. On top of the exquisite red velvet cake is a wolf figurine that they carved for her, and there are well wishes and laughter all around. Meanwhile, I'm curled up in a sewer filled with liquid silver as I bleed to death. My phone has been crushed, and I can't get out. I can only cry for help. A few days later, my father and brother show up together at the autopsy room. My brother stands by the operating table with a scalpel. He slices open the body and sews it back up like it's nothing. My father just covers his nose as he shoots a disgusted glance at my body. He urges my brother to hurry up with the autopsy report. "The victim is a young female wolf presumed to be of pure lineage. Before her death, she was subjected to prolonged captivity and torture. Her throat is nearly severed, her cervical spine is dislocated, and her chest cavity has collapsed. She was also injected with liquid silver before death." Hearing the report, my father looks so calm that it's just like a case study of no consequence. Neither of them can recognize that the body belongs to me—their daughter and sister!

[Beside story about the crash Adam Air's plane] "Apakah aku tengah bermimpi buruk?" Andin tak pernah menyangka bila harus merelakan kepergian kekasihnya untuk selama-lamanya. Tak ada yang dapat menebak kematian seseorang, termasuk tragedi kecelakaan pesawat 10 tahun lalu. "Tuhan, ku mohon bangunkan aku dari mimpi buruk ini. Ku mohon!" Ia menderita. Kehilangan seseorang yang sangat berharga dalam hidupnya. Sungguh, ia tak pernah membayangkan hal itu terjadi. Jika saja dengan menjerit sekeras mungkin dapat mengembalikan kekasihnya, ia pasti akan melakukannya. "Aku akan tetap mencintaimu, meski kau tak lagi bersamaku?" Apakah Andin termasuk orang yang bodoh? Tetap mencintai seseorang yang pada kenyataannya takkan pernah ada kata 'kembali'. Kisah ini bermula di tahun 2005. Yuk, baca ceritanya. Cerita ini mengandung emosi, baper, bawang, dan moral kehidupan.

Love in 10 days. "In 10 days?" I yelled at first when my sister told me my marriage was arranged to happen in 10 days. How did she expect me to meet and fall in love with a total stranger within 10 days? Marriage is no joke. Just when I thought This arrangement couldn't get worse they came up with another complication, "You have to choose either of them two but give each of them a fair chance" Now I have to juggle between two extremely handsome men and decide who deserves my hand. The idea seems impossible, but then again, I guess they say with love all things are possible, let's watch and see just how this goes.

Eloping with a man she barely knew was one act Emerald lived to regret... Gerald is so cruel and cold towards her. It’s seemed too late to turn back now that she has two twins for Gerald Latino, a famous business icon. She is left with no choice than to runaway with the twins and back to her billionaire father. What happens when Gerald comes back for the twins and finds out the poor wretched girl he thought he had married is a billionaire in disguise?