You Were Never Really Here

Ever since high school kilala na ni Yasmin si Drake, at isa lang naman siya sa maraming nagkakagusto rito. Pero hindi naman siya delusional, alam niyang sa hitsura’t pamumuhay nito ay malayong magustuhan siya nito, tiyambahan lang ang mala-Cinderella love story sa totoong buhay. Pero magbabago ang akala niya’y imposible, hindi dahil nagkagusto na ito sa kanya, kung hindi dahil sa arrange marriage na kasasangkutan nila! Ito ang ka-arrange marriage niya dahil sa napag-usapan na ‘yon ng pamilya ng ama niyang hindi naman siya kinilala pero biglang nagkunwaring may bilang siya sa buhay nito para lang pagtakpan ang stepsister niyang dapat ay siyang mapapangasawa ni Drake, dahil ang stepsister niya’y nagpabuntis sa boyfriend nito at kasalukuyang itinatago ng ama sa ibang bansa. Iyon lamang, may longtime girlfriend si Drake nang mapangasawa niya, akala niya pagtagal maaaring magustuhan din siya nito, mahalin kahit paano, magbago ang lahat kapag naging mag-asawa na sila, pero kung gaano kahirap sa kanya ang magbuntis dahil sa PCOS niya ay siya ring hirap pabalingin ni Drake sa kanya. Limang taon, sa limang taon na ‘yon parang wala man lang siyang naging halaga rito. Nang malaman niyang buntis siya, akala niya ay iyon na ang babago sa kanila pero bago pa niya masabi rito ay nalaman nitong binayaran lamang siya ng ama para pakasalan ito.

The wedding had reached the part where we were supposed to exchange rings, but my fiance wouldn’t say those two simple words: "I do." It was because his past love had just announced her breakup an hour ago. The post on social media included a picture of a plane ticket, the landing time just one hour away. My brother suddenly stepped forward and announced to everyone that the wedding would be delayed. Without a word, they both left me standing there, turning me into a laughingstock. I calmly dealt with everything, glancing at the new social media post from his past love. In the photo, my brother and fiance were standing around her, offering her the best of everything. I laughed bitterly and dialed my parents' number. "Dad, Mom, I'm willing to come home and marry into the Sanford family."

I’d been in love with Cassian Cross—my brother’s best friend, the one and only mafia boss in the NYC—for as long as I could remember. On the night of my twentieth birthday, my brother promised me a surprise. I didn’t expect that surprise to be a very drunk, very kissable Cassian. One reckless night. One baby boy. Cassian agreed to marry me after giving birth. But the day I gave birth to Leo, Cassian said nothing. He just packed up and vanished to France for nearly five years. Then he returned with Alessia. His first love. And when she saw Leo and me, she ran away and disappeared. After that, Cassian never left my side. Like he was trying to be the man I needed all along, that we were finally going to have our chance. But fairytales are lies wrapped in pretty paper. On Leo’s sixth birthday, we were driving to dinner. The brakes failed. The car spun onto the highway, flames licking at the engine. Cassian got out. And then he locked the door. “If it weren’t for you, Alessia would still be by my side. Now? It’s your turn to suffer.” It wasn’t until that moment I understood—Cassian had never loved me. When I opened my eyes again, I was back at my twenties birthday. Cassian was in my bed, exactly where I’d left him in the past. This time, I didn’t hesitate. I ran. And on my way out, I made the call I should’ve made the first time. To Alessia.

"You don't belong here.""Perhaps to you I don't, but I'm not going anywhere," I replied, unwilling to let him scare me.A deep chuckle left his throat as he stepped closer. "I can do terrible things to you-"Damian, and his brothers, were a mysterious sort and every moment with them, I was begging for pleasure.~~~When Ivy Thorne got accepted to one of the best Universities for Agriculture, she refused to miss the opportunity. The only problem she never expected was the four shifters who lived in her father's home would gradually turn her world upside down.Dangerous things don't live just in the wild. Often, they lurked closer to home and if she wasn't careful, she would find herself the center of their hunger.Little Red thrown into a world of wolves.This story is rated 18+ for explicit language and sexual content. And Then There Were Four is created by Lillith Carrie, an eGlobal Creative Publishing signed author.

"Ms. Hall, these are the details of the feigned death service you booked with us. The date of death is set for the wedding, half a month from now. The cause of death will be suicide by drowning, and the deceased is yourself. Please confirm and sign here." Wendy Hall nodded. Without hesitation, she signed her name at the bottom of the document. The bustling street was alive with chatter and movement. As Wendy walked home alone, she glanced up, and there it was—the giant screen on a nearby building, looping a video of Grayson Bryce proposing to her.

First thing Leah Labelle did after Andrew Fillion's funeral? Ask her husband Ian for a divorce. Why? Because Ian's entire family thought the perfect way to honor his dead brother was to knock up the widow. Naturally. "My parents are threatening to hang themselves or starve, Leah. What was I supposed to do? It's just IVF with Cecilia—we're not even doing anything. Why are you making this a divorce thing?" Leah shut her eyes. Her chest cracked open, and the tears she'd been holding finally broke free. "Ian, we're MARRIED. You seriously don't think this is next-level insane?" Her husband was about to have a baby with someone else. But sure—she was the crazy one.

Dahil sa isang aksidente, nalaglag ang dinadala ni Aeris na siyang dahilan kung bakit naging impyerno ang kanyang buhay-may asawa. Sa kamay pa lamang ng kanyang byenan, lalo na sa kanyang asawang si Flyn. Lahat na yata ng klase ng pang-aabuso ay naranasan niya, at tinanggap niya iyon dahil naniwala siyang kaparusahan iyon sa kanyang ginawa. Hanggang sa dumating ang tiyuhin ni Flyn na si Lucien, na tila ba handa siyang iligtas sa buhay na ayaw niyang iwanan. Dumating ang araw na desidido na si Aeris na tumakas at sumama na lamang kay Lucien, ngunit agad na naglaho ang kanyang mga pangarap nang bigla niyang masaksihan ang sikretong nag uugnay sa kanilang dalawa ng lalaki. Handa ba siyang maranasan muli ang kalupitan na minsan na niyang tinakasan sa kamay ng lalaking naging dahilan kung bakit niya piniling mabuhay?

" LOVE is a positive word- a happy word but why does hearing it makes my heart aches so much. All the things i imagine being in love would be are the opposite of what I am feeling- of what I am experiencing. Maybe, I just perceive love very positively that I never thought it could give sadness,pain, sorrows and regrets at the same time. I expected too much. I loved too much. I trusted too much and it hurt me so much ... but never again will I allow myself to be hurt. Never again will I allow sadness to seep through me. Never again will I allow false promises to imprison me. Never again", says Gracelyn as she bids goodbye to the man she ever loved-Greg. Greg sighed deeply as he watched the person who loves him wholeheartedly go. He doesn't have the power to stop her and tell her that she love her wholely because deep inside he also doubts his love towards the lady.He is blinded by the past- he cannot seem to free himself but he also cannot deny that Gracelyn made a mark in his heart. Will they be able to find their chances of loving again ? Will they be able to free themselves from the things that binds them ? Will they find genuine happiness?

Ang huling tanda ni Alina, kulang na lang ay maglagay siya ng sign na “fresh grad for hire” sa kanyang noo dahil sa hirap makahanap ng trabaho. Kaya laking gulat niya nang magising siya sa langit—este sa ospital pa lang naman. Sumalubong ang mukha ng isang batang lalaki na ‘mommy’ ang itinawag sa kanya! Aangal pa ba siya kung sunod na pumasok sa eksena ang super hot nitong daddy? At parang hindi pa sapat ang pagkawindang, pagtingin sa kalendaryo’y mistulang bumaliktad ang mundo niya. Paano’y limang taon na ang lumipas mula sa huling tanda niya! Parang may nag-fast forward sa kanyang buhay at ngayon, wala siyang choice kung hindi humabol!

Mark Lee harus menjalani rehabilitasi pasca operasi di Victoria General Hospital, Kanada. Mark bertemu dengan Kim Dahyun, merupakan Dokter yang mengikuti Pertukaran Tenaga Medis dari Seoul University --di mana sebelumnya Mark dirawat. Hingga beberapa bulan kemudian, entah atas dasar apa keduanya semakin dekat. Bukan lagi tentang Dokter dengan pasiennya. Tapi, lebih dari itu, sampai Mark memantapkan hatinya membawa Dahyun kembali ke Seoul untuk menghadiri acara pernikahan sahabat baiknya --yang merupakan cinta pertama Mark. Juga, tentang Winter yang tiba-tiba datang di kehidupan percintaan Mark dengan Dahyun. Tujuannya adalah membalaskan dendam pada Mark melalui wanitanya itu. Winter tahu, kelemahan terbesar Mark adalah melihat orang-orang tercintanya menderita. Belum lagi, dengan Lee Know yang harus merelakan wanita yang ia cintai --mencintai pria lain. Bagi Lee Know, melihat Dahyun bahagia sudah cukup membuat cintanya seperti terbalaskan. Tapi, tidak tahu jadinya kalau Winter ternyata memanfaatkan Lee Know untuk tujuan balas dendam. Lantas bagaimana kelanjutan kisah Mark dengan Dahyun? Mampukah keduanya bertahan berada di tengah-tengah ketidakpastian tentang perasaan dan juga masa lalu mereka?