When You're Looking Like That

My twin sister is glowing on her wedding day, marrying the man I've secretly loved for years. Esmeray "Ray" Morales stood at the altar and watched her sister marry the man she loved. She was the quiet twin. The overlooked one. The shadow. And when Noah Sparks chose Elena, Ray left. Three years later, Elena is dead. Ray returns to care for her sister's son. To help Noah survive the loss. To keep her own heart buried beneath the guilt. But slipping into Elena's life blurs the lines she swore she'd never cross. And feelings Ray thought she buried start clawing their way back. Because love this forbidden doesn't fade. It festers.

**One girl. One mission. One deadly secret coursing through her veins.** Hilda Alegre thought escaping her abusive father was the hardest thing she'd ever do. She was wrong. Sold to a powerful criminal organization, the naive Filipino girl becomes their perfect weapon—not through training, but through a single injection that turns her blood into poison. One remote command, and she becomes a walking death sentence. Her target? Aron Nicastro, the crime boss's own son who dared to defy his father and disappeared into the shadows. But infiltrating the world of exclusive art galleries and elite criminals isn't easy when you've never left your rural village. Disguised as a street vendor, Hilda must get close to a man dangerous enough that his own father wants him dead—all while hiding the lethal secret pumping through her heart. **The rules are simple: Complete the mission. Don't get caught. Don't fall in love.** **Because in her world, one wrong touch could kill them both.** As mysterious protector Art watches over her and handler Gabriel struggles with his conscience, Hilda discovers that the deadliest weapon isn't the poison in her veins—it's the growing connection she feels to the very man she's supposed to destroy and the who need to protect. In the criminal underworld, trust is fatal, love is a luxury, and innocence is the most dangerous weapon of all. **Some missions are worth dying for. Some people are worth killing to protect.** **But when you're literally toxic to love, how do you choose between your heart and your life?**

Opportunist-ganito ang tingin ng half brother ng fiancé niya kay Raquel. At para maiwasan ang lalaking gustong sirain ang nalalapit niyang kasal, pumunta siya sa San Ruiz. Doon niya nakilala si Drake, ang lalaking inakusahan niya ng akyat-bahay. Hindi maitatanggi ni Raquel ang atraksyong nararamdaman para kay Drake. Hindi niya napigilan ang sarili na mahalin ang lalaki kahit na ito ay isang pagkakamali. Nang lumipad palabas ng bansa si Drake ay nangako ito sa kanya na babalik. Pero hindi nito tinupad ang pangako sa kanya. Bumalik siya ng Maynila at handang magtapat sa fiancé niya tungkol sa kasalanang nagawa nang muling magkrus ang landas nila ni Drake. Nalaman niyang may kinalaman ito sa taong gustong sirain ang pangarap niya.

Bermula dari jatuhnya ia dalam kolam renang tempatnya biasa berlatih, Andalusia menemukan takdirnya sendiri. Tidak. Bukan di dunia nyata, melainkan di dalam alam bawah sadar buatannya.

I'm discovered by a man who's gone fishing early in the morning. I'm caught on his hook, but he can't pull me up, no matter how hard he tugs. He comes closer to see me floating in the water and is terrified. He runs off to call the police, leaving his fishing pole behind. When the police get me out of the water, I'm hanging on by a thread. Even the doctors who participate in my rescue think they can't save me. When they call my husband and tell him to come sign some forms, he tells me he doesn't have time for that. He's busy making a hot drink for his true love, who has a cold. Later, he bawls his eyes out and begs me to spare him another glance.

Simula ng magkaisip si Hilda Alegre bukod sa pagmamahal at maka-survive wala na siyang ibang hinihiling pa. Inasam niya ang pagmamahal na iyon at proteksyon mula sa sarili nito na ama kalaunan ay nabigo din siya after mag decide ito na ipakasal siya sa italiano na matanda. Naisip ni Hilda hindi nagba-bound sa dugo at laman ang pagmamahal. Pinili ng ama ni Hilda na ibenta siya— dugo niya at laman para mailigtas ang step sister niya na ni walang isang patak ng dugo galing sa ama niya. Umalis si Hilda at tumakas sa kapalarang inilatag sa kaniya ng sariling ama. Hinanap nito ang kalayaan sa italy. "Saan ba ako nagkamamali?" ani ni Hilda na ngayon ay hawak ang ulo habang nakatitig sa pregnancy test na hawak. She marely survive by little lucky of hers and now— may isa pa siyang buhay na kailangan protektahan. "Hindi nga ako sigurado sino ang tao na nakasama ko sa kwarto." May pagkakautang siya na need bayaran kay Arthur Cage Nicastro kaya tinanggap niya ang mission na bantayan ang anak nito na si Aron Nicastro. But during mission may nangyari na aksidente. Lasing siya 'non at ang huling nakasama niya ay si Aron Nicastro. "Importante ba sino ang ama?" bulong ni Hilda tapos sumandal sa sofa. Walang buhay ang mga mata na tiningnan mabuti ang pregnancy test. "If nag-fail ang mission, nakahanap ako ng opportunity at the end— if gusto ko mabuhay. Kailangan ko ulit tumakas at wala ako balak iwan ang bata na ito. Sino 'man sa dalawang Nicastro ang ama."

Six has a lot to handle between caring for her drug-addicted mother, raising her three year old brother and going to school. She seems to have everything under control, but she's had to make some touch choices and do some things she isn't proud of to get to this point. Axle is a spoiled rich kid on his third attempt at senior year who never takes responsibility for anything. He's got a quick temper and is prone to letting jealousy cloud his judgment.They are complete opposites on paper yet they can't seem to stay away from each other. Will they be able to stay together despite Six's messy past and present?

My boyfriend has depression. To help cure him, I pass on the opportunity for a recital abroad. Instead, I accept commercial gigs so I can rake in the cash. After one performance, I see my boyfriend holding hands with a woman who looks like me in a private room. He wears a sharp suit and smiles so brightly that he doesn't even look ill. The people around him cheer and tease him. "You really are different with your true love back in the country. When are you two going to make things official?" "I heard you'd been dating another woman for seven years, though. Do you love her?" Charles Foster smiles indifferently. "I was just having some fun with her. Only an idiot like her would take me seriously." I sob with devastation while hiding behind a door. Suddenly, I feel like a fool for spending seven years with him. I call my mentor, who suggested that I take part in the international piano competition. "I will take part in the competition."

Arthia Violette, a Fine Arts student, majoring in Painting, has always been sure that her sole purpose in this life is to become a wife. She would always cry over proposals and wedding scenes in movies or books. She believes in marriage and has always been so fond of marrying in her early 20's. But at 20, she still has the NBSB badge. And just when she had already given up dating and just decided to wait for what we call in God's time, Antonio Nicholas, an Architecture student, suddenly slid through her Instagram DM's. Not only that, he slid into her DM's, but he also turns out to be the son of her father's colleague, and Av being a die-hard fan of destiny, thought that maybe it was her shot at it. It was the start of everything. And finally, at 21, Av got a boyfriend! And at 23, she got married to the man of her dreams. At 24, she had her gallery, art workshop, and art store. She had her first successful major exhibit. She's living the life she has always dreamed of. What could possibly go wrong?

Kesuksesan yang datang di usia muda, membuat Isyana Akleema bergelimang harta. Jabatan sebagai seorang CEO wanita muda berbakat, membawa dirinya masuk dalam jajaran perempuan terkaya dan paling terpengaruh di Indonesia. Sayangnya, hal tersebut membuat ketakutan tersendiri dalam diri sang ibu. Dia meminta dan memaksa Isyana untuk menemukan jodohnya. Setelah terdesak sekian purnama, Isyana akhirnya memutuskan untuk mencari cintanya sendiri. Berbekal alamat dari sang ibu, dia bertekad tinggal lagi di desa neneknya, dan mencari cinta Pemuda di sana. Namun, bukannya bertemu jodoh. Dia juga justru bertemu laki-laki tampan blasteran Indonesia—Kanada yang mendapat julukan bule kampung. Laki-laki itu begitu menyebalkan di mata Isyana. Awal bertemu, sudah membuat Isyana terkenal warga kampung dengan masuknya ia ke dalam selokan irigasi pertanian warga. Hal tersebut membuat Isyana kesal bukan main. Terlebih hari kedua di desa, pagi-pagi buta pemuda itu mengetuk pintu rumah Nenek Isyana untuk melamar kerja sebagai sopir pribadi. Asher Kalandra Miller, begitu nama dari pria bule tersebut. Dia tidak bisa mengendarai motor, oleh sebab itu saat tahu ada warga yang memiliki mobil, dia tidak segan untuk melamar sebagai sopir. Berharap diterima dan dia ada pemasukan selain dari pensiunan sang ayah. “Aku ingin melamar.” “Ah iya Nenek terima, maharnya bagaimana?” “Ah, harus ada mahar?” “Loh, nikahi cucu saya harus pakai mahar. Masa gratisan?” “Bukan menikah Nek. Tapi jadi sopir cucu Nenek, boleh?” Apa Asher diterima menjadi sopir Isyana? Dapatkan Isyana menemukan cinta sejatinya? *** IG : @ayakalibrary