Fading facades: love beyond the deal

I'm Elaine Lopez. I'm a woman at the bottom of the food chain who once thought that love triumphs everything until my deadbeat husband cheated on me with another woman. It never occurred to me how exhausted I was with the marriage until she took the burden off me. Looking for a fresh start and vowing never to let love get in the way of the better life I'm forging for myself, I cross paths with Kingsley Larson, the ruthless billionaire who's known to have lost his smile and has a heart of stone. Entangled in a web of undeniable passion for one night, I'm convinced I'll never see him again until he turns out to be my new boss. If clawing my way up to the social ladder means I have to strike a deal with the devil, then I'll do it. After all, for our arrangement, all I have to do is to please him s3xually while I get to keep my job and live the life I have always wanted. But as we chase the lust that has taken root between us with no strings attached, it becomes clear to me that Kingsley isn't just the devil, he's so much more. He's my ruin, the same way I'm his.

Yara Martinez was meant to be a one night fling and everything that happened was meant to end right there in Montero Clubhouse. But that faithful night of intimacy led to an unwanted pregnancy which made Yara and Grayson have no other choice than come to an understanding if they want to keep the child.

After my rebirth, I avoided my family and my boyfriend like the plague. When they tried to throw me a birthday party, I faked an urgent business trip to dodge it. When my parents pleaded with me to move back, I secretly bought my own house that very night. When my boyfriend popped the question, I spun on my heel and married someone else. In my previous life, my sister and I were swept away in a raging flood. By sheer luck, a jagged tree branch snagged my clothes, saving me from the depths, but my sister drowned in the merciless current. My parents, consumed by grief and rage, gripped my throat and screamed, "If it weren't for you, Andrea would still be alive!" My boyfriend acted like it was no big deal, offering half-hearted comfort before we tied the knot. But on our wedding anniversary, during a family cruise, they cornered me on the deck and shoved me overboard. "Time to taste drowning yourself!" they hissed. It turned out they had never gotten over Andrea's death. My boyfriend had never forgotten about her. When my eyes fluttered open again, I found myself back on that fateful day. This time, I vowed to live for myself, reclaiming the joy they'd stolen from me.

In the modern day, where fixed marriages seem trivial, Gianna Emilia never thought she'd be in that situation. She never planned on getting married at the age of twenty-five, but fate had its own way of playing her life that one morning, and she woke up married. It was fine with her since it was her dad's wish, and she never said no to his wishes. She was that kind of daughter; she would always obey and follow. But for the first time in her whole existence, she regrets agreeing to that marriage. "This will only be on papers." She remembered what he said on the day of their marriage. His voice was so cold and full of irritation, making her feel the same. She regrets marrying him, the arrogant and cold-hearted Maverick Jaxon De Chavez. The guy who made her feel more unwanted and irrelevant and shattered her heart into a million pieces But how can she hate him if she has fallen for him? Will Emilia finally choose herself for the first time?

After four years of marriage, Liam Burrey found himself shouldering all blame without complaint. Instead of gratitude, he was met with a divorce agreement. Despite his four-year relationship with Serena Lloyd, it could not withstand Liam's apparent mediocrity.Serena was a renowned and esteemed CEO, but little did she know that everything she achieved was intertwined with Liam. The moment Liam signed his name on the divorce agreement, he made a decision: if he weren't going to choose modesty anymore, then the entire world would have to bow down at his feet!

Serve. Protect. Love. Venera Rustik Yates spent her life walking the runway as a supermodel. Daughter to a billionaire and younger sister to a responsible brother, Vee is the envy of many and a favorite of the cameras. Jordan Jacobs Gallagher left the limelight a decade ago to serve in the military and leaves no trail wherever he goes as he does his secret service. When duties bring them together, will they continue living their own ways, or start blending as one?

“Next question.” His eyes locked on her. He was close. Too close. Emily raised the tablet between them. “If your brand—” Scott pressed down on the tablet. Emily backed into the desk. Nowhere left to go. Scott placed his hands on either side of her, caging her in. His face inches from hers. “Scott—” “Next question.” His voice was rough. Emily’s breath caught. Heat flooded her body. “If your brand was a person,” she whispered, “how would you describe her—them?” His eyes dropped to her lips. “Resilient.” His thumb traced her jawline. “Beautiful.” His breath warmed her skin. “Irresistible.” The word hung between them. Emily’s heart pounded. One movement—one inch—and his lips would touch hers. She wanted it. God, she wanted it. “I should go.” Her voice shook. Scott’s jaw clenched. But he didn’t move. “The contract says no physical contact.” His blue eyes burned into hers. “It doesn’t say anything about wanting to.” Emily’s arranged marriage to Ian Hunter was a transaction—his family’s money for her father’s freedom. For three years, she endured his coldness, his cruelty, his mistress. The day his grandmother died, Ian filed for divorce and walked away with everything. Emily’s business collapsed. Ian’s empire grew. Now, she’s desperate enough to make a deal with the devil’s half-brother. Scott Hunter is pitched against his half-brother to claim his billion-dollar inheritance. One of the three requirements is a wife. Emily needs capital to rebuild—and revenge on the man who destroyed her. It shouldn't be. It's unheard of. It's supposed to be a simple contract: one year of marriage, no feelings, no complications. Except Scott can’t stop touching her. And Emily realizes she’s stopped pretending.

The new teacher gave the wrong medicine, causing a child to suffer sudden cardiac arrest and die after failing to receive timely help. My fiance, who was also the vice principal, forged evidence on her behalf and pinned all the blame on me. I was fired and reported by the child's parents. Due to insufficient evidence, I was acquitted. But the child's devastated parents broke into my home with a kitchen knife and hacked me to death, severing me in multiple places. My fiance chose to cover it up for them. He disposed of my body and even comforted the parents. "A life for a life. Let this be my atonement." When I opened my eyes again, I was back on the very day the teacher gave the child the wrong medicine.

Cindy Matt wants to marry Chester for a cause. She plans to marry him for her benefit, knowing he won't reject her because he has ambitions beyond his current achievements. Chester Gregorio is a man who never accepts "just" failure in life. He never settles for less. Everything must be perfectly fit for his well. He always craves more and more. A couple perfectly made for each other. Will there be arising devotion? Or will their past prevent their love from blossoming?

Inosente. Birhen. Santo. Ilan lamang iyan sa mga katangiang mayroon si Coreen kaya naman madalas siyang pagkaisahan ng mga tao sa paligid niya. Nang pagbintangang kabit ng kaniyang amo ay walang-awang pinatalsik sa trabaho at laglag ang balikat at nakayukong lulugo-lugong naglakad sa kalsada. Dahil sa tadhana ay natanggap siya sa isang bagong trabahong hindi niya inakalang papasukan; ang maging maid ng isang arogante, barumbado, bastos at masungit na si Royce Sullivan dahil na rin sa pangakong malaking sahod. Isang misteryosong lalaki na ayaw ng human contact at literal na nagtayo ng isang malaking salamin sa pagitan nilang dalawa. Ngunit bakit nga naman hindi lalaki ang sahod kung sa unang araw pa lamang ay halos humiwalay na ang kaluluwa niya sa inis sa binata? Idagdag pa na sinamantala ni Royce ang kaniyang kahinaan at inalok siya ng isang deal para mabayaran ang operasyon ng kaniyang kapatid. Pero paano kung madarang siya? Paano kung magustuhan niya ang ginagawa? Paano kung... maging pangahas siyang hawakan ang binata at tawirin ang espasyo na naghihiwalay sa kanila? Ang kaniyang ka-inosentehan kapalit ng malaking halagang hindi niya matatanggihan. Puri, dangal at yamang itinataglay ay iaalay ba sa lalaking ni hindi siya man lamang magawang hawakan nang hindi nakasuot ng gwantes?