ekspektasi tak seindah realita

Sa kaarawan ng anak ko, ang asawa ko ay hiniling sa kanyang first love na sunduin ang anak namin sa bahay. Noong nagpupumilit akong tumanggi na payagan siyang umalis, nagkaroon ng malaking sunog sa hallway habang nag-aaway kami. Tinamaan ako ng mga bumabagsak na piraso ng nasusunog na kahoy, at nagsimulang tumulo ang dugo mula sa ulo ko. Pero, ang anak ko ay ligtas habang nakahiga sa ilalim ko. Ang asawa ko, na bumbero, ay iniligtas kami. Pero ang binigyan niya ang nag-iisang gas mask sa kanyang first love. “Mahina ang pangangatawan ni Miss Leia. Ama, pakiusap ilabas mo muna siya. Ma, hintayin mo na iligtas ka ng ibang mga bumbero!” Pinanood ko silang umalis habang nakangiti ako ng ng mapait. Mukhang pareho na nilang nakalimutan na may matinding asthma ako at ang katotohanang mamamatay ako dahil wala akong gas mask.

Lola Ezperanza, known as Ms. ER, grew up alongside a determined man with clear ambitions for territorial expansion. Despite their shared history, Ms. ER understands that love and marriage are secondary to his goals. She bluntly tells Kara that her worth is tied to his ambitions, and if she doesn't fit into his plans, she will be discarded. Ms. ER stresses that even pregnancy won't shield Kara from his ruthless decisions, underscoring the harsh reality of their social hierarchy. As Ms. ER's words strike Kara deeply, she realizes that her hopes of keeping the child and staying with Marlo are in vain. Ms. ER's calculated emotional attack is designed to make Kara relinquish any illusions about a future with Marlo, demonstrating that sometimes emotional cruelty is more effective than physical harm.

Sa loob ng dalawang taon, inakala ni Therese na may puwang pa siya sa puso ng kanyang asawang si Ezekiel Craig. Pinanghawakan niya ang pangakong "hanggang sa dulo," ngunit isang araw, bumagsak ang mundong inakala niyang sa kanya. Natuklasan niyang hindi siya tunay na anak ng pamilyang Forbes—isang kasinungalingang nagpabago sa takbo ng kanyang buhay. Kasabay nito, itinakwil siya ng pamilyang minahal niya, at ang mas masakit, pinalitan siya ng babaeng may tunay na karapatan sa pangalang iyon… at sa lalaking minahal niya nang labis. Sa isang iglap, nawala ang lahat. Ang pamilya, pagkatao, at maging ang kasal na buong puso niyang ipinaglaban. Ngunit sa pagkawala niya, isang mas matinding katotohanan ang lumitaw na hindi siya basta-basta mawawala. Dahil sa kanyang dugo, may pamilyang mas makapangyarihan ang handang ipaglaban siya. Sa kanyang pagbabalik, hindi na siya ang dating Therese na kayang yurakan ninuman.

Madeline Crawford has loved Jeremy Whitman for twelve years, but ultimately it was him who sent her to prison. In between her suffering and pain, she had to witness her man fall in love with another woman…Five years later, she has returned with renewed strength, no longer the same woman he belittled years ago!With this newfound strength, she will tear apart those who pretend to be pure and step on the scums of this earth. However, just as she is about to have her revenge with the man who wronged her… He suddenly turns from a cold, unfeeling psychopath, to a caring, warm and loving man!In fact, he even kisses her feet in front of a crowd, all while promising her, “Madeline, I was wrong to love another. From now on, I will spend the rest of my life trying to make it up to you.” To which Madeline replies, “I’ll only forgive you if you....die.”

“Let’s make a deal. Papayag ka sa kasal—just for show. Para kay grandpa. Name only, no real marriage. No interference in each other’s lives. Kapag gumaling si Lolo, magdi-divorce tayo. Bilang kapalit, bibigyan kita ng financial compensation.” Napamaang si Nathalie. Compensation? Hindi niya naituloy ang pagtanggi. Naalala niya ang kapatid niyang naghihintay ng pambayad para sa gamutan. Isa pa, kaya naman talaga siya pumunta sa Zamora ay para humiram ng pera. Nakita ni Cedric ang pag-aalinlangan niya. Dagdag pa nito, “As long as you agree, kahit magkano—ikaw ang bahala.” Tahimik na nagbilang si Nathalie ng hininga. Ilang sandali pa, tumango na siya. “Okay, I agree.” Bahagyang ibinaba ni Cedric ang paningin, tinatago ang malamig na ngiti sa kanyang mga mata. ‘Isang babaeng kayang ipagbili ang kasal para sa pera… how cheap,’ naisip niya.

Noong tinanong ako ng aking ama kung sino ang gusto ko pakasalan para sa kapakanan ng alyansa ng aming pamilya, iba ang pinili ko sa buhay na ito. Hindi ko na pinili si Leonardo Vittorio. Sa halip, pinili ko ang nakatatanda niyang kapatid, si Ivan Vittorio. Mukhang naguluhan ang ama ko. Alam nga naman ng lahat sa Chicago na lumaki kami ng magkasama ni Leonardo. Sampung taon ko siyang hinahabol. Bilang nakatatandang anak na babae ng pamilya Lucien, matagal ng nakaukit ang pangalan ko sa tabi ng kanyang pangalan para sa listahan ng mga arranged marriage. Naniniwala na ang pagsasama namin ay nakatadhana. Habang inaalala ang nakaraan kong buhay, pinilit ko ngumiti ng mapait. Dati, pinakasalan ko si Leonardo tulad ng matagal ko ng hinihiling. Pero makalipas ang aming kasal, hindi niya ako ginalaw kahit isang beses. Ang akala ko may sakit siyang hindi niya masabi at nagpakahirap ako na pagtakpan siya. Sa ika-anim na anibersaryo ng aming kasal ko nalaman ng buksan ko ng hindi inaasahan ang kahadeyero niya. Sa loob, may maayos na litrato niya kasama ang ampon na babae na nagmakaawa ako sa ama ko na ampunin. Sa mga litratong iyon, may dalawang taong gulang na batang lalaki din–ang anak nila. Masaya silang pamilya ng tatlo. Doon ko napagtanto sa mga oras na iyon. Hindi sa may sakit siya. Hindi niya inisip na asawa niya ako. Para mapalayas ako, nagplano sila ng ampon kong kapatid para ako’y patayin. Ngayon at nabigyan ako ng ikalawang pagkakataon, pinili ko na ibigay sa kanila ang blessing ko. Pero noong naglakad ako sa simbahan suot ang aking wedding dress, habang nakapatong ang braso ko sa braso ni Ivan, pumasok si Leonardo bigla ng may dalang baril. Mukha siyang baliw at wala sa kontrol. “Madeline!” Paos ang boses niya at halos maputol. “Ang lakas ng loob mo?”

After living under the same roof with his in-laws for four devastating years, Zayn Larson finally realized who it was that made all his sacrifices worthwhile. One day he would return the top, and none would stand in his way. It was all because he had his true love who wanted to lay in his arms beneath the sparkling sky.

Blurb:Abigail Mason wanted a husband to take revenge on her ex-boyfriend and her step sister. With the help of her friend she was supposed to meet a model at a diner, who was broke but could be an ideal husband candidate. Flash news? He was .However, when she reached there she proposed to the wrong guy who was smoking hot and married him the same day.Who was that ruthless and cold guy? Why was he helping her? Why did his eyes twinkle whenever he looked at her? Was he playing some kind of game? Was he developing feelings for her? Or he just wanted to taste her?Join this roller-coaster ride of love, treachery, friendship with Abigail Mason and Hunter Levisay and discover how love can change one as a person.

Luna Ferrer is the nation’s sweetheart—a dazzling superstar adored for her charm, beauty, and grace under the spotlight. But when a night of vulnerability leads to a shocking scandal, her carefully curated world begins to unravel. Damon Villaruel, a brilliant and reclusive billionaire surgeon, lives by one rule: "I'm too busy saving lives to fall in love." But after a single night of chaos, his name is suddenly entangled with a woman he only knows from tabloids and TV screens. Neither of them expected the headlines. Neither of them wanted the attention. And neither of them planned on waking up in the same bed—married by mistake. With the media in a frenzy and both reputations on the line, their only choice is to fake the perfect relationship. He needs to protect his career. She needs to save hers. But the more they pretend, the more the lines blur between duty and desire.

17-year-old Brook Grigsby's life was never the same after her father died. When her mother remarried, she thought the worst was over, but it was only beginning. Her stepdad is a werewolf, and among his people, she's known as 'Missy Mistake' because, to them, she should've never been born.Ryder Williams has taken his brother's name and place in the exchange with his uncle's pack, Black Mountain so that he can find a way to bring his uncle's cruel reign to an end. When Ryder sees Brook for the first time recognizes her as his mate. He wants to protect her from all the abuse she suffers, but Brook would rather suffer than risk her mother becoming the grief-stricken shell she was before. As a war between Ryder's pack and Black Mountain breaks out, Brook must decide just how far she will go to save the ones she cares about.