White Elephant Gift Exchange Rules

On Mother's Day, I was planning to give my mother-in-law a special gift, but to my surprise, I saw her enter a room with a Black man. When she came out half an hour later, her face was flushed…

This story revolves around an imaginary world of a few kingdoms. Namely, Red Kingdom, Golden Haven, White Winters Land, The Great Myrtle Mountains, and Silver Heights. An ongoing war between Golden Haven and the barbaric beings threaten the balance of the supernatural world ~~~ Present Eve, a human is forcefully taken from her family to serve the Royal Pure Bloods. When Eve is taken, she is assigned to be a servant to the Dark Prince. Trapped cleaning the gloomy room most of the time, she finds comfort in the white roses placed in a small vase. The Dark Prince never wanted a personal servant but one look at the red head with bluish-green eyes forces him to give it a chance. His admiration slowly turns into obsession as he has never known what it feels like to fall for anyone. He begins to give into his possessive side and alienates Eve from her friends and family who are also taken during her time in the castle. Consumed by loneliness, Eve grows closer to the white roses. Soon after she learns more about herself and the truth behind those white blossoms of hers. Eve faces many challenges and hardships in the castle as a servant but she does not realize that there is much more to her than meets the eye. Eve has a much bigger destiny. So does the people around her. Follow them as they uncover the truth about themselves as the enemy becomes stronger on the other side of the world.

Alessia Bianchi has survived ten years in silence, bound to the Morano crime family to repay her late father’s mysterious debt. But when her service nears its end, a new chain is fastened around her neck, marriage to Luca Morano, the family’s feared and volatile heir. Luca is every bit the monster they warned her about: powerful, merciless, and dangerously captivating. He’s known for breaking rules and women. But when his obsession with Alessia ignites, so does something unexpected… desire, protection, and a hunger to possess her completely. Torn between her loyalty to a lost love and the storm Luca awakens inside her, Alessia discovers her fate was never hers to escape. Buried deep in her memory lies a secret her father died to protect an encrypted weapon that could eliminate the Atlan Syndicate and crown the Moranos kings of the underworld. But claiming that power means choosing a side, losing herself in the process and even loosing Luca's soul. As war erupts, loyalties fracture, and blood stains white silk, Alessia must decide: Will she give herself to a man born of darkness… Will Luca ever truly love her without possessing her? What if the very secrets hold were the reason her father died? Will Lorenzo rise again not as her saviour but as her enemy? Or rise from the ashes of her past and take control of a world that tried to silence her?

Amari was quite different to a normal human. She alienated herself for being different. She can see futures, spirits and even death of a person. She knew that it was her spiritual gift, not knowing that it was a curse from her past that keep on following her.

"Ms. Longstaff, are you saying the wedding will proceed as planned, but the bride will be replaced with someone else? Is that correct?" Faced with the staff member's puzzled expression, Heather Longstaff nodded without hesitation. "Yes, the wedding will take place in two weeks as scheduled. I'll deliver the revised materials to you in the next few days." "Understood. Should I inform Mr. Bennett about—" "There's no need!" Heather cut the other person off, her voice sharp with emotion. Noticing the startled look on the staff member's face, she quickly composed herself and explained, "He's busy. All wedding-related matters should come directly to me from now on." This wedding was meant to be her final gift to Mitchell. And like any gift, it had to remain a surprise until the very last moment.

In the eighth year of our secret office marriage, Marvin lit up every LED screen in Ocean City, just to make his little assistant smile. Amidst the well-wishes from everyone, the assistant cheerfully handed out gifts to the entire office. I casually tossed my gift into the trash. The assistant immediately ran to Marvin's office, tears streaming down her face, to report me. Moments later, Marvin, furious, suspended me from my position. As I walked out of the company building, Marvin's voice echoed from the loudspeakers on the top floor. "Celebrating Wendy's successful completion of her work, the gift is ready!" Wendy—was the assistant's name. As I watched the crowd rush past me, I calmly cut all ties with Marvin. This hidden marriage had come to an end.

EXCERPT: John freed himself from the security lashes in order to gain more access to Tom. He gripped his friend's waist, squeezing to emphasize how much he was willing to give up for this man. "I can touch you. We can touch. Touch me." Tom searched John's face with his eyes, the flush on his cheeks darkening and capturing John's attention once more. He could feel Tom's uncertainty as if it were a weighted net falling over them both to pin them in place. Summoning his courage, he stripped his tunic from his upper body and seized Tom's hand in his own. "Touch me. Please." John thought Tom was going to refuse until he used his free hand to reach out. SYNOPSIS: Refugees of a dead planet, the Zen are grateful the people of Earth are willing to offer them a new home. Executive Orders from the White House declare America a safe-haven for any of the shapeshifting aliens as long as they follow three basic rules: 1. Zen must take a human appearance. 2. Zen must register with human names at Social Services. 3. Zen must find paid work or volunteer to help their country. Two friends declare themselves "married" during their registration without realizing they are now legally bound to one another as a couple. Will New Americans John and Tom see their friendship turn into a romance or will they reject being accidentally married aliens?

She's his flower, But also his rain. She's the beauty in his day, But also his night full of pain. - "When Noah looks at you, it's like he's been living in a black and white universe and he just saw colours for the first time. These past weeks not being able to talk to you, all the colour in his life just went away and it's back to black and white and all he's been trying to do is remember what life was like before he knew what colour was."

When Lauren Westbrook was sold by her father in exchange for a debt he owed a dangerous and notorious man, Hunter Cyprus. Her life changed.

Before the engagement ceremony takes place, my fiance, Vincenzo Rizzi, makes a formal announcement on the deck of a cargo ship docked at the new harbor. Apparently, my younger stepsister, Sofia Russo, will become his legitimate wife. Vincenzo has an arm wrapped around Sofia's waist. As they stand beneath the spotlight, Vincenzo smiles tenderly at her. "According to the mafioso's rules, only those who have received the core elders' acknowledgment shall become the Madre of the family. Others are nothing but lovers and mistresses." Under the family elders' blessings, Vincenzo gives Sofia a black diamond necklace. Then, they exchange vows with each other and are now engaged. I just watch the ceremony take place quietly. Then, I make an appointment to have an abortion. I have loved Vincenzo since I was 16 years old. I'm 28 years old now, meaning I've been in love with him for 12 years. Yet, Sofia is the only one he has ever loved. In that case, I choose to let go of him once and for all. After that, I travel to a hidden safehouse located in Sombral. All I've left for Vincenzo is a letter stating the termination of our engagement and a farewell gift. But the man, who has never shown concern toward me this whole time, ends up breaking down to the point he doesn't even have the mood to deal with his family matters.