A Rip In Heaven

I suspected my husband was a detached ascetic. Every night, he'd skip to the backyard, muttering prayers under the stars instead of sharing our bed. When I slipped into something slinky, he'd frown and clutch his prayer beads like a lifeline. Now I was done with the cold shoulder, slapping a divorce agreement in his hands. That was when his thoughts started leaking into my head. "She touched me. Her hands are like silk. I'm dying to kiss her. When is she gonna be okay with me being a snake? I just want to cuddle her." "A snake?" I thought. "Does that mean he's packing two things? I have to find out." I leered at his chiseled frame, practically drooling. Before divorcing, I needed to test his things and my limits. I tripped purposefully and fell onto his toned pecs, ready to test the waters. "Whoops!" I gasped, setting the stage.

In a world where family ties and business deals are intertwined, Ivy Smith finds herself trapped in a nightmare. Her father's company is struggling, and the only way to save it is by forming an alliance with the powerful Blackwood family. The cost? Ivy's hand in marriage to Victor Blackwood, a ruthless and cunning man with a reputation for getting what he wants, no matter the cost. Ivy is devastated. She's always been a strong-willed and independent person, and the thought of being tied to someone like Victor is unbearable. But her family's situation is dire, and she feels she has no choice but to accept the arrangement. As the wedding preparations begin, Ivy's brothers - Ethan, Lucas, and Julian - are fiercely protective of her. They know Victor's true nature and are determined to keep her safe. But they're also bound by the agreement, and their hands are tied. Victor, on the other hand, is determined to break Ivy's spirit. He's cruel, manipulative, and has a hidden agenda. He sees Ivy as a trophy, a way to solidify his family's power and control. And he'll stop at nothing to get what he wants. As Ivy navigates her new reality, she must find a way to survive Victor's abuse and manipulation. She's trapped in a gilded cage, with no escape in sight. But she's determined to fight back, to find a way out of this nightmare and take control of her own destiny. The story is a dark, twisted tale of love, family, and power. It's a tale of survival and rebellion, of one woman's fight against the forces that seek to control her. Will Ivy find a way to escape Victor's clutches, or will she be forever trapped in this living hell?

My husband, Gabriel Buckner, and I had been married for three years. I'd gotten pregnant twice, but I'd lost both babies. It was all because of my in-laws' parrot that could talk. The first time I got pregnant and went to their house, the parrot stared at my belly and kept repeating, "Get rid of the baby! Get rid of the baby!" The second time, the same thing happened. It looked right at my stomach and said the same words. I thought it was just nonsense, but to my shock, my in-laws actually took the parrot seriously and forced me to end the pregnancy. I even showed them the prenatal checkup report from my doctor to prove that the baby was perfectly healthy and begged them not to do it. But they dragged me to the hospital anyway and made me have an abortion on the spot. When I got pregnant a third time, I wanted to be extra cautious. I went straight for an amniocentesis. The report confirmed the baby was healthy and even showed a 99.9% DNA match with Gabriel's. I thought everything would be fine this time. But as soon as the parrot saw me again, it repeated the same words—"Get rid of the baby." And just like before, the Buckners immediately tried to drag me to the hospital. I couldn't understand it. The baby was perfectly healthy, and the DNA report proved it was Gabriel's child. So why would they rather believe a parrot and insist that I get rid of the baby?

When my boyfriend came to my family home to ask for my hand in marriage, my sister-in-law, who was usually cold and aloof, became a completely different person. She flung her arm around me warmly and asked, “Cassie, who’s your favorite? This boyfriend or one of the dozen or so men that you’ve brought home before?” As I denied her accusation and interrupted her, she cheekily batted her eyelashes at my boyfriend and cooed, “Oh, yes, yes. Cassie has never brought another man home. You’re the lucky first!” In the midst of dinner, she deliberately took her own soiled underwear out of the bathroom, pinched her nose, and waved it around as she screeched, “Oh my goodness, Cassie! I know you don’t really care about hygiene, but we have guests today! How can you have no shame? It smells so bad!”

Nathaniel Reid had always despised being bound by our engagement. To spite me, he recklessly raced cars and caused trouble, indulging in all sorts of reckless behavior. And every time, I cleaned up his mess. Then, a girl named Joanna Smith appeared in his life. On the night of my birthday banquet, he scoured the entire city for a simple breakfast wrap for her and never even bothered to show up. I had already prepared for this moment. That night, I approached my family and asked to change the engagement. "It didn’t have to be Nathaniel." I thought of the distant, composed man from my dreams—the one who had always hidden his quiet, unwavering love for me. A smile flickered across my lips as I said softly, "Didn’t he still have an uncle?"

"Don't try to escape, Lisa. Be a good girl, and you won't have to be punished for it. From the moment you said yes to me, you became mine… your body and your life belong to me," his baritone voice whispered as his hands slid between my thighs. ** When Lisa Sanders is kidnapped by Alessio DeLuca, a ruthless Mafia boss, she’s thrust into a world of danger, luxury, and deceit. "She thought he was a monster. He thought she was his salvation." But the closer she gets to him, the more she realizes he’s not the monster she imagined. Beneath his cold exterior lies a man haunted by his own demons. In a world of lies, bloodshed, and forbidden love, can they survive the ultimate betrayal?

I realized my period was two weeks late after going on a trip to the swimming pool with my best friend, Gianna Lowe. Gianna insisted that I take a pregnancy test. I was stunned when I saw the two red lines on the pregnancy stick test. I had a boyfriend, Mitchell Gray, but I was a conservative person, so I still hadn't slept with Mitchell. I couldn't help but wonder whose baby this was. I planned to just terminate the mystery pregnancy, but Mitchell pretended to be worried about my health, offering to marry me and raise the child. It was finally my delivery date. I was lying weakly in the delivery room when Mitchell shoved a pillow over my face and smothered me, roaring, "You slut! Did you think I'd raise another man's child? I'll make you and this illegitimate child pay for everything!" I was too weak to resist since I had just given birth, so Mitchell successfully killed me. I suddenly open my eyes and realize that I have returned to the day I found out about my pregnancy. I am completely determined this time—I have to find out who the father really is!

In the novel "I Am in Love to a Womanizer," 30-year-old emerging writer Liezel-Anne Narisma finds herself entangled in a complex web of past love and unforeseen connections. Liezel was given a break when a big entertainment company offered her to make her novel into a TV series. Liezel's professional journey collides with her personal history when her ex-boyfriend Benedict Sarmiento, part owner of the agency that caters to the production's props and set. Benedict, a dedicated man with a clandestine past, discovers that the show's TV series eerily mirrors his own life. As it slowly unfolds, old wounds resurface, and Liezel becomes an unexpected anchor for Benedict's ex, Kathy Jones, a married woman with whom he had a relationship and the reason for his and Liezel's falling out as lovers. Amidst the complexities, a surprising revelation forces Benedict and Liezel to confront their shared history, paving the way for an uncertain future.

After my granddaughter is bullied by her classmates, the bully's family not only refuses to apologize but behaves arrogantly as well. Since they have connections in the city, the school doesn't dare intervene. I turn to the police, but they only urge me to let it go. The bully's family even boasted that they have people in the court, daring me to sue them. With every path to justice cut off, I have no choice but to take out the two Medals of Honor left behind after my son and daughter-in-law died in service, and kneel at the gates of the military compound. Six years ago, when the general personally delivered those medals to our home, he'd said, "Your son and daughter-in-law gave their lives for the country. They are heroes, martyrs, and the pride of our nation." But now, I want to ask him again. Why is it that when a martyr's daughter is bullied, no one protects her?

I receive a message one day. "Your condoms have been delivered. Total to be paid: XX dollars." I distinctly remember that I've never made such an order, but the address and phone number are mine. I call my husband, but he only says differently, "My godsister ordered them. She's too shy to use her details, so she used yours. It's not like it'll affect you." I nod silently. She might as well not have them if she can't afford to pay for them.