Weird Tea

In the coastal quiet of Baler, a studio is born—not of architecture, but of intention.* Founded by Yam, a poet whose words cradle pain gently, and Franc, an artist who paints tenderness into walls, the studio becomes a refuge for those learning to stay—with grief, love, longing, and themselves. As visitors arrive, they leave behind more than footprints: a sigh recorded in bamboo, a poem tucked into the “Found Letters” shelf, a mural painted in crooked lines. Through zines, tea, silence, and sketchbooks, the studio teaches softness as revolution. Ren creates the *Window of Soft Returns*, an installation of anonymous voice recordings—each whisper forming a community of echoes. Drew builds the *Staircase With No Wrong Turns*, inviting people to walk through emotions without shame. Franc offers brushstrokes as brave work, and Yam curates writing circles that map healing in half sentences. Together, they host festivals that feel like hugs, and they begin traveling their archive, letting softness cross oceans. Even those who once left—like Miguel—return, discovering that some doors never truly close. Others, like Tala, capture the studio’s sound and turn it into a podcast of breath and becoming. Over seventy chapters, the studio transforms into something larger than itself: a mural of memory, a sanctuary for second chances, a place where return is sacred and voice is proof of survival. In the final bloom, the studio stands not as a monument—but as a reminder: > *“Staying isn’t easy. > But chosen together, > it becomes home.”*

Elias Rourke was more than a billionaire he was a tempest in a custom-fitted suit. As the CEO of Rourke Enterprises a bachelor, he was known for his icy effectiveness, merciless transactions, and total absence of emotion. Everyone referred to him as “Ice King” when he wasn't around. Up until her. Chloe Hart had worked as his secretary for slightly more than two weeks. Timid, kind-hearted, and excessively courteous, she was the type of woman who kept track of birthdays, tended to plants, and uttered "please" to the coffee maker. Elias hardly paid attention to her,until the morning she entered his office unannounced. “I apologize for the interruption,” she said, her voice shaking, “but you haven’t had anything to eat today.” "It's nearly four." He looked at her, irritated. “That’s none of your business.” “I prepared a sandwich for you.” She places it on his desk and walks away before he has a chance to reply to her. Even with how rude he is to her, she brings him homemade meals everyday and lavender tea after tough meetings. He started to notice little details about her, the way she played with her necklace when anxious, she shows no emotions even when he yells at her. One day, he sees himself approaching her desk not to order her around, but to ask her about her well being. When a scandal almost destroys Elias’s empire. She stays by his side, not out of obligation, but because she trusted him. He looked at her and whispered, “You are the gentleness in my whole existence." "I don't know how to show emotions, but I will learn just for you." Chloe smiled, looking at him and said "Steel is capable of melting, Elias." "Even kings can experience love."

It was him. The man I had just been accused of murdering in cold blood. The man whom I've been forced to consume poison because of. Or, had I seen a ghost? Why was my supposedly dead husband standing in the midst of those people, smirking in accomplishment. As the venom of the poison spread through my body and like I was going to rip apart because of the pain, I gave in to the paralysis that rushed me and then closed my eyes shut, tears finding their way out of my closed eyes regardless. “P…please, G… God,” I mumbled with the final breath in me. ~~~ And, suddenly, my eyes were opened, and I was standing in front of him. And he was smiling widely at me, asking what I thought of the wedding dress. But, this was weird because this was from three years ago. Then, my eyes dropped on the calendar. Was I hallucinating? I… I have been reborn?!

Blurb: Anna never believed in fairy tales. Orphaned young and raised by cruel relatives, She learned that love was fleeting and trust was dangerous. The only thing she could count on was herself until a chance encounter at a cafe changed everything. It started with a clash, a spilled cup of tea, an an arrogant, wealthy man who seemed world's apart from her. Yet fate had its own designs. Against all odds, their paths crossed again, and what began has indifference turned into something deeper and something real. But love built on fragile trust can shatter in an instant. Betrayed by her best friend, humiliated by the man She loved, Anna was left with nothing but heartbreak. He dismissed her, pushed her away , only to realise too late that he had lost The one thing money could not buy. When his perfect world crumbles, he comes crawling back, offering grand gestures and desperate apologies but Anna is no longer the same girl who once loved him blindly.Just as She dares to open her heart again, a devastating sickness comes to light - A hidden wife, locked away in the shadows of his past. With lies and betrayal threatening to consume her once more , Anna must decide : Will she risk everything for a second chance at love ,or will she walk away and reclaim the life she fought so hard to build? A story of heartbreak,redemption and Loves ultimate test. Broken vows mended hearts is an unforgettable journey of resilience, sacrifice , and the courage to choose oneself , even when the heart begs otherwise.

When I was a kid my entire family committed suicide. Weird, I know. Unfortunately, they thought themselves as unfit to live and ended their life. They had gotten themselves stuck in something deep and dark with a couple of the demons around our neighborhood and their contract was coming due. So at the age of only 13, I was left to fend for myself and survive in a world full of werewolves and demons. ~ I am Lisa Summers and my family was once one of the most powerful werewolf packs in North America. That is, however, only because of a contract made by a demon. After their deaths, the pack diminished to almost nothing. The spell cast upon the pack members had been lifted and they saw no reason to stick around. I was left with no one to support me and I was f****d to find my own way through life. My title as the Alpha's daughter slowly slipped back to Omega in a matter of hours. Nobody wanted anything to do with me. I was a freak in their eyes. They were embarrassed of me, I humiliated them. I was supposed to be strong and lead the pack when her parents couldn't and I wasn't able to. I was an Omega at heart. I always had been, no matter the spell the demon put on everyone. I was an Omega and they were finally beginning to see that. I was weak, pathetic, unloved, and an outcast. Everyone despised me. People who I thought of as family members disowned me. For the first time in my life I was completely and utterly alone. Until I met him. He is the one for me . Only him.

Astrid, a strong-willed and determined young woman, is forced to return to her pack after a decade away. She has encountered animosity and bitterness, especially from her father, the alpha of the pack. Astrid has a hard time adjusting to her new life in the pack. She meets Kaidën, a mysterious and brooding person who seems to be hiding secrets, and she gets to see her childhood friend Evelyn again. Kaidën's mate, Xylara, is presented as a stunning but ruthless and cunning person. Under the full moon, Astrid and Kaidën have a tense but fascinating encounter. Astrid starts to suspect Kaidën is involved in the weird happenings in the pack. Astrid is left feeling shaken by her encounter with Kaidën. She meets Alpha Eric, her arranged mate, and is repulsed by his behavior. When Kaidën steps in, Astrid is drawn to him. Xylara's hostility toward Astrid becomes more and more obvious. When Xylara tries to suffocate her while she is sleeping, Astrid learns of her true motivations. Astrid also finds Lucas, a pack member, tied up and gagged. Astrid is warned to keep away by Kaidën, who is attempting to shield her from himself. Xylara's evil character is further revealed as Astrid starts to solve the pack's mysteries.

Aurora's life was a mystery. Her dad left after her mom died, blaming her for the tragedy. Her grandma raised her with love, but kept secrets. On Aurora's 18th birthday, weird things started happening. She began transforming into a wolf-like creature during full moons. Working at Larry's Burger and Chips, her ordinary life was disrupted. That's when she met him - a mysterious guy who revealed her true identity: half-human, half-werewolf. He explained how her mom's death was connected to her supernatural heritage. As Aurora learned more, she was pulled into a world of ancient rituals and hidden dangers. With her new powers and the stranger's help, she faced her family's dark past.

Nicole Evans never asked to be followed. She never asked for eyes in the dark, for a man like Vane to orbit her life with silence and devotion sharp enough to wound. But obsession doesn’t ask permission. It waits. It watches. It becomes inevitable. What began with missing men and shadows on rooftops soon unraveled into something far more intimate—an assassin who couldn’t let go, and a woman who, piece by piece, stopped trying to make him. As friends vanished and her world narrowed, Nicole found herself drawn toward the very thing she feared most—not out of love, but recognition. In his violence, there was something terrifyingly tender. In his silence, something that listened more closely than anyone else ever had. Theirs is not a love story in any ordinary sense. It’s a descent—a long, slow collapse into dependency, into surrender. A story told in bruises and shared tea, in blood and in stillness. A quiet unraveling that doesn’t end in escape, but in a house by the sea, where memory lingers and echoes never fade. Some stories don’t ask to be understood. Only remembered.

Winter had been reduced to nothing less than a nanny and a live in maid, ever since her husband's first love cam back to town and took the affection meant for her from her husband and kid. Her husband makes her sign the divorce papers, to please Annalise, so Winter starts packing up in secret to leave since her husband refuses to let her go, intent on making Winter witness their happiness by being a spectator. Everything changes after two strange kids Jamal and Andre ran to her in public, after being humiliated and pushed into mud by her own son, Thomas after declaring Annalise and Stiles as his parents. To top all that, the two strange kids father with a mysterious background claims Winter as his wife in public, getting Stiles and Annalise humiliated. After that weird encounter, Winter meets them again, in a live cooking competition hosted by the richest family, The Hales in Moreau City, where she meets them again, and they refuse to let go of Winter, attached to her, while being watched live by everyone else. Would Winter accept them as her new family, or would she go back to her ex husband and fight for her son.

Just one second before Alpha Daniel’s fated mark burned into my skin, a sharp voice pierced the air at the bonding ceremony. “Stop!” Jessica, Daniel’s first love, stumbled forward, her belly swollen. “Are you all really going to let this vicious woman become your Luna?” she cried, pointing at me with trembling hands. “She’s been torturing me for months! She poisoned my tea, left knives at my door, and tried to force me to abort Alpha’s pup!” My mind went blank at her sudden, fabricated accusations. “What? I didn’t—” Before I could finish, Jessica lunged toward me. Acting on instinct, I raised my arm to block her, but she collapsed heavily to the floor. “My pup!” she shrieked. “Daniel, look! She’s trying to hurt us again! Call the enforcers to arrest her!” In the next heartbeat, Daniel rushed forward, shielding Jessica in his arms without hesitation. He looked at me, his gaze cold and disappointed. “Rosie, why couldn’t you just behave? This pup is our pack’s heir!” Around us, the elders exchanged dark, knowing glances, silently condemning me. With no way to prove my innocence, I was sentenced to three years in the nightmare Silver Prison. Whips, hunger, endless violence… Eventually, I learned what Daniel really meant by “behave”. But why was he the one who regretted it?