When Never Comes

"You're breaking up with me kasi sa tingin mo mas magaan? Ganoon ba iyon?" ang mahinahon pero puno ng hinanakit na tanong-sagot sa kanya ni Uriel. Sinubukan niyang magbuka ng bibig para magpaliwanag pero walang anumang salita siyang naibulalas kaya nagpatuloy ang binata. "Kasi wala pa tayong isang taon kaya iniisip mong hindi pa kita ganoon kamahal?" noon na galit na napatayo si Uriel. "Very childish, and I should tell you, that was the most bullshit excuse that I have ever heard!" ang galit na sagot ni Uriel na tila ba hindi narinig ang sinabi niya. Malakas na sampal ang pinadapo ni Therese sa pisngi ng binata dahil doon. "Sa tingin mo madali ito? Ginagawa ko ito para sa'yo!" "Really?" ang binata na mapait pang tumawa. "para sa'kin o para sa sarili mo?" "How dare you!" si Therese na muling napaiyak. "Well same here! Bakit sa tingin mo ba may magbabago sa kundisyon mo kapag inalis mo ako sa buhay mo?" "Tumigil ka!" "No! Hayaan mo akong magsalita okay? You've done too much talking already so I guess it's my turn now!" Natigilan si Therese sa nakita niyang magkahalong galit at paghihirap sa mukha ni Uriel kaya hindi siya nakapagsalita at umiiyak na pinakinggan ang lahat ng sinabi ng binata. "Masakit oo, at ako mismo natatakot na ngayon palang. But I'm not like you. Kasi kahit natatakot ako at nahihirapan, sinusubukan ko paring ihanda ang sarili ko. Pinag-aaralan kong tanggapin ang lahat. Kasi gusto kong maging masaya ngayon, habang nandito ka pa, habang kilala mo pa ako," ani Uriel na tuluyan na nga ring napaiyak. "Simple lang naman ang gusto ko, bigyan mo ako ng role sa buhay mo, kahit maliit lang," ang pagpapatuloy nitong pakiusap saka nagpahid ng mga luha. "U-Uriel," aniyang isinubsob ang mukha sa palad saka napahagulhol.

Beta Max and I were at the Civil Affairs Bureau, ready to register our marriage. We were just waiting to take the final photo when he got a phone call and left. He abandoned me right there at the marriage registration office, leaving me stuck in an impossible situation. I called him—no answer. I messaged him—no reply. In the end, I had no choice but to call his childhood sweetheart’s number. Beta Max answered. “Louis, can you stop being so annoying? Grace twisted her ankle—I need to take care of her today. Stop calling and waking her up. We’ll reschedule the registration.” I bit my lip and murmured into the phone, “This makes it the seventh time we’ve rescheduled.” “So what? The Civil Affairs Bureau isn’t going anywhere—it’s not like it’s going to disappear!” My face was blank, but it felt like my heart was being carved open. A staff member looked at me with pity and asked, “Alpha Louis, are we still doing this?” I gave a small nod. “Yes. Let’s go through with it.”

After I announced my exit from the music industry, the public response was overwhelmingly positive. The only person who voiced his objection was my girlfriend's rumored lover, the up-and-coming songwriter Lucas Zacker. He put on a show of sincerity in front of a crowd of reporters. "It's all a misunderstanding. Matthew is an irreplaceable talent in the music industry. I sincerely hope he returns to the stage." I shut off my phone and turned a blind eye to his public plea. In my past life, one of my songs had been identical to his supposedly original single. As such, netizens accused me of plagiarism, cursing me and wishing death upon my family. Frustrated, I posted the entire creation process online, but it couldn't stand up to the timeline. His new song had been released ten minutes ahead of mine. Just because of the ten-minute difference, netizens sent me photoshopped mourning portraits of myself and even went so far as to come to my house and vandalize it with paint. The relentless cyberbullying went on for years, and it drove me into a deep depression. My parents exhausted their life savings trying to clear my name, only for crazed fans to set our house on fire, causing my parents to burn to death. In the end, when his song won an award, I jumped off a building. But who would have guessed that when I opened my eyes again, I was reborn on the very day the new song was set to release.

Mark Leaf Reyes, a newly transfer student in a school in Manila, fell in love with a guy named Elm in whom a friend warned him not to. Eager, Leaf swam into his curiosity and soon later drowned into a kind of love he was not prepared to give. TRIGGER WARNING: Suicide

Masaya at makulay ang buhay ng isang artista. Tulad ni Aaron, na halos nasa kanya na ang lahat: kasikatan, kaibigan at minamahal na kasintahan. Ano pa bang kulang? Siyempre, para sa kanya ay wala na. Pero paano kung isang araw ay may magbago. Paano kung isa sa mga ito ang mawala sa buhay niya? At pumalit ang isang responsibilidad na hindi niya minsan na isip sa tanang buhay niya.

Limang taon si Clyde at isang taon si Christine nang parehong ikasal sa isa’t-isa. Isang kasunduan ng pamilya na kapwa nila tinutulan. Ngayong beynte na si Christine, kailangan nilang tumira sa iisang bubong sa loob ng isang taon… bago tuluyang maghiwalay. Si Christine, sinadyang itago ang kagandahan upang protektahan ang pusong takot masaktan. Si Clyde, itinulak ang sarili sa piling ng iba, para lang huwag mahulog sa babaeng buong buhay niyang tinanggihan. Ngunit paano kung ang babaeng gusto niyang mahalin… ay siya ring asawang gusto niyang kalimutan? At paano kung ang planong wakasan ang lahat… ay mauwi sa simula ng tunay na laban, lalo na’t may isang babaeng handang sirain ang lahat sa ngalan ng paghihiganti? Sa mundong puno ng lihim at pride, may pag-asa pa bang magtagumpay ang pusong nagsisimula pa lang magmahal?

Steph is a single mother. Kaya todo kayod siya sa buhay para lang tustusan ang pangangailangan ng kanyang anak na si Michael. Lahat ng trabaho ay pinasukan niya na. At sa pagtatrabaho niya sa club ay nakilala nito ang isang Hot CEO ng Kompanya na may lihim na pagtingin sa kanya.

The once-revered socialite, Adora Matthews, was abducted for three years. After escaping death and making her way back, she thought the nightmare was finally over, only to plunge into yet another abyss. Her once-doting parents now treated her like a plague. Her fiercely protective older brother loathed her to the core. The adopted sister she once cared for mocked her with cutting remarks. Even her childhood sweetheart, who once sworn eternal love, was now engaged to that very sister, wishing for her death. All because of the rumors that she had contracted a vile disease, given birth to an old man’s child, and disgraced the Matthews family. With no other choice, she severed all ties and walked away, secretly carrying a fortune worth millions. Without hesitation, she entered a flash marriage with Louis Walker. Everyone knew Louis Walker was a surgical prodigy—young, brilliant, and from a prestigious family. Yet, no one dared to approach him, let alone propose marriage. His temperament was unpredictable, his moods volatile—genius and madness teetering on the edge. But after marrying the disgraced heiress of the Matthews family, Louis transformed into the ultimate doting husband, flaunting his love in public and clinging to her in private. As the Matthews family faced imminent bankruptcy with no way out, they turned to their son-in-law as a last resort. "For the sake of the family, help us find the mastermind who ruined us..." Louis, holding his wife in his arms, kissed her delicate fingers and smirked. "My dear Adora has such beautiful hands. Tell me, how did these flawless hands of hers manage to ruin you?" The Matthews family stood frozen in shock. "Adora... it was you?!"

The year of my college entrance exams, I gave up my acceptance to Harvard for James Carter. But after five years into our relationship, I ended it. Outside the dorm building, I caught him holding Sarah Williams, who was dripping in designer labels, locked in a passionate kiss. James smirked, "You're just a simple farmer. What kind of life could you possibly offer me?" But he seemed to forget that I had bought him everything - from his tailored Tom Ford suit to his Rolex watch. Heartbroken, I walked away. If someone else wanted to be a doormat for him, they could be my guest - I was done. Later, I focused on growing my agricultural business, eventually expanding into space farming. That's when the media uncovered my true identity as the heiress to a multi-billion dollar fortune. Mr. Williams groveled, forcing Sarah to kneel beside him, begging me to consider a business partnership. James, his eyes red from crying, grabbed my sleeve and said he regretted everything.

On the day I discovered I was pregnant, my husband's first love—who also happened to be my half-sister—returned.