Voltando Para Casa No Natal

The doctors said it was over—stage four, nothing left to fight. I had three days, max. I signed the organ donor papers myself. If I was gonna die, at least someone else could get a second shot. Told my family I was sick. But my so-called sister—the doctor—shrugged it off like I was making it up. She convinced them I was losing it, not dying. My parents and fiancé fell for it. Handed me over like she was some hero. She wasn't. She pushed me closer to the end. And when I finally died, the same people who wouldn't listen cried like they hadn't let it happen.

My father bought twin brothers from the black market to serve as bodyguards for me and my sister. My sister chose the tall, strong older brother, leaving me with the frail, mute younger one. Feeling sorry for him, I kept him close, seeking doctors for his silence and maintaining distance to respect his apparent OCD. I thought trauma had shaped him that way. But when our father's enemies kidnapped us, he abandoned me without hesitation, choosing to die shielding my sister. In his final moments, he spoke for the first time. "You finally see me." To me, he said, "In the next life, please don't choose me." I realized then that he was neither mute nor afflicted with OCD. His silence and aversion were directed solely at me. When I opened my eyes again, I was back on the day we chose the bodyguards. This time, I'd grant his wish.

Callan me besó a fondo, avivando las llamas entre nosotros antes de mordisquearme el labio.Deseosa de más, abrí la boca como una dulce invitación. Pasó su lengua por la mía y profundizó el beso. Me aferré a los lados de su camisa, balanceándome contra él.Las manos de Callan bajaron hasta agarrarme las nalgas y tirar de mí contra él. Sentía su dureza contra mi muslo.—Callan... Susurré mientras sus labios recorrían mi cuello.—¿Mhm? —Callan murmuró contra mi piel.—Hazme el amor.*Tras una ruptura que supuso la pérdida de su negocio, Isla tiene una política de no tener citas con sus compañeros de trabajo. Es una mujer con algo que demostrar, y ningún hombre se lo va a quitar esta vez.Excepto, quizá, el director general Callan. Después de una noche de vapor, Callan está decidido a derribar los muros de hielo de Isa.¿Podrá Isa dejar atrás el pasado y arriesgarlo todo por Callan?"No sólo otra chica nueva" es una creación de Scarlett Rossi, autora de eGlobal Creative Publishing.

Ten years ago, I ditched a high-paying job for my family. A decade later, they asked for my kidney—supposedly for my daughter, Talia. Turns out, the real patient was Hudson's first love's son. They didn't even fake remorse. Hudson sneered, convinced I couldn't survive without him. Talia called me old and fat, acting like I should be grateful to help Bianca's kid. A whole decade of sacrifice, and what did I get? No love. No thanks. Just entitlement. To them, I was nothing but a free, disposable maid. So I walked. No regrets. I rebuilt my life, found a job, and never looked back. Then reality smacked them. Hudson and Talia finally realized everything I'd done. They begged me to come back—but my heart was already stone-cold. In the end, I left the country, threw myself into work, and finally learned what it meant to live.

"Ms. Medici, you've officially purchased the island. It's completely off the grid—once you're in, no one can find you. Also, the custom-made family you requested is ready. They're professionally trained to give you nothing but unconditional love."

Cecilia Jones kept a forgiveness notebook. Six months ago, on Cecilia's birthday, Jeff Lawrence abandoned her to meet Yvonne Smith. It was the 93rd time she’d forgiven him. Three months prior, when Yvonne mentioned she was allergic to cat dander, Jeff gave away the cat Cecilia had raised for years. Cecilia forgave him for the 94th time. One month ago, Jeff got drunk and woke up in the same bed as Yvonne. He insisted that nothing had happened and accused Cecilia of having a dirty mind. Cecilia forgave him for the 95th time.

My father hates my mother for ruining his chance with his first love, and his hatred spills onto me, the unwanted child who carries her blood. I'm 18 when I'm kidnapped. The abductor calls Dad, who is a police officer, and threatens him. Dad thinks I staged the whole thing myself and tells the man to slice me apart if he wants to. The abductor tortures me to death. He even cuts my body into pieces and feeds it to the fish. Only then does Dad lose his mind. He tracks down the abductor and hacks him to death.

Durante cuatro años fui su secretaria y durante cuatro años calenté su cama. Lo sabía todo, desde los negocios de su familia hasta los secretos que me susurraba por las noches. Pero para él, yo no era más que un juguete al que podía recurrir cuando quisiera. En cuanto su primer amor, Sofía Costa, regresó al país, él me humilló sin pensarlo dos veces. La besó en una iglesia de Sicilia, me abandonó en una carretera, empapada por la lluvia con un corte de veinticinco centímetros en la pantorrilla, y luego me despidió con una frase fría y mordaz. Dijo que yo era alguien sin importancia, alguien a quien simplemente podía ignorar. Ella agitó el tulipán de peluche que él le había obsequiado delante de mí. —Yo soy la única a la que ama. Tú solo eras una sustituta. Mientras reconstruía mi vida en Northport y por fin encontraba algo de paz, este despiadado Don de la mafia se arrodilló frente a mi puerta, con los ojos rojos de emoción. —Elena, vuelve conmigo. Pateé su mano lejos con una sonrisa. —Tu supuesta devoción me repugna.

Cuando tenía nueve años, quedé atrapada en una explosión mientras intentaba salvar a Joel Yorks, en donde la onda expansiva me arrebató la audición, por lo que, desde entonces, he tenido que usar audífonos. Joel se sintió tan culpable, que Insistió en pedirme la mano, y, con los ojos llenos de lágrimas, juró: —Helen, cuidaré de ti el resto de mi vida. Sin embargo, cuando cumplí dieciocho… todo cambió, porque él quería complacer a la chica más bonita de la escuela. Por esto, delante de ella y de todos nuestros compañeros, me arrancó el audífono, mientras decía con total desprecio: —Estoy harto de que seas una carga. De verdad desearía que no hubieras sobrevivido aquel día cuando tenías nueve años. Habría sido mejor que estuvieras muerta. Apreté mi informe audiológico y guardé silencio. Al llegar a casa, revisé en silencio mis solicitudes universitarias y, junto con mis padres, rompí formalmente el compromiso. A partir de entonces, Joel y yo seguiríamos caminos separados. No volveríamos a encontrarnos.

“Srta. Castro, preparamos um corpo idêntico ao seu conforme solicitado e o entregaremos no local do seu casamento com o Sr. Martins daqui a dez dias.” Ao ouvir a confirmação do funcionário do outro lado da linha, a tensão que há dias apertava os nervos de Naiara finalmente começou a aliviar. “Ótimo, muito obrigada.” “Não há de quê, é nosso dever. Pode ficar tranquila, ninguém vai suspeitar desse corpo.” Com essa garantia, Naiara soltou um suspiro de alívio. Após confirmar novamente os detalhes para o dia da entrega do corpo com o funcionário, ela desligou o telefone e empurrou a porta da sala privada. O burburinho que antes preenchia o ambiente cessou instantaneamente quando ela entrou.