The World After The End

The seventh time Claire Fisher bailed on our marriage license appointment, I finally cut her out of my life—for good. From then on, if she was at a party, I wasn't. When she was scheduled to perform at our college's anniversary celebration, I made sure to leave early. The moment my company announced a collaboration with hers, I resigned without a second thought. Even on Christmas Eve, when she showed up at my parents' house with gifts, I slipped out with a half-hearted excuse about "visiting a friend." I blocked her number. Deleted her from my contacts. Burned every bridge and salted the earth behind me. No calls. No texts. No social media. I didn't reach out. She couldn't reach me. Simple as that. For the better part of my life, I was hopelessly in love with her—waiting on her, caring for her, putting her first in every way that mattered. I gave her all of me without ever holding back. But after the seventh time she left me sitting alone at the City Hall, something inside me broke. I was done. If that meant spending the rest of my life alone, so be it. Better that than sitting in an empty apartment, listening to the silence, holding on to hope for someone who never planned to show up.

“Let’s get divorce, Gale.” Nahinto sa pagsasalita si Sunset dahil sa sinabi ng asawa. Sandaling hindi niya maiproseso ang sinabi nito. Nablangko ang kanyang isipan habang nakatingin sa seryosong mukha ni Lucian. “Let’s get divorce.” Sa pangalawang pagkakataong ulitin iyon ni Lucian, tila bombang sumabog sa kanya ang anunsyo ng asawa. Pagkalito ang sumunod niyang naramdaman nang iritableng inilayo ng asawa ang pagkakadikit ng hubad nilang katawan na para bang may nakakahawa siyang sakit na dumapo lamang pagkatapos nilang magniig. Ganoon na lang ba iyon, pagkatapos siya nitong makuha, ang tingin na sa kanya ay isang basura? “Hindi magandang biro iyan, Lucian—” “You don’t want to? Magkakaroon ka ng sariling buhay. Limang taon na ang kinuha ko sa ‘yo, dagdagan ko pa ba ang pang-aabala ko?” Tumayo mula sa pagkakahiga ang asawa niya. Ang nakatalikod na matipuno nitong katawan ay tinakpan ng roba. Kaagad namang naibalot ni Sunset ang hubad na katawan sa puting kumot. “M-may problema ba tayo, Lucian?” naguguluhan niya pa ring tanong sa asawa. “Kung may mali sa akin, susubukan kong baguhin. May nagawa ba akong ikinagalit mo? H-huwag mo lang akong iwan kase hindi ko kakayanin…” “Babalik na si Eveth dito sa Pilipinas.” Hinilot nito ang sentido na para bang naiinis na sa pagdadrama niya. “Masasaktan siya kapag nalaman niyang nandyan ka pa." “Naiintindihan ko…” “Saan ka pupunta?” gulat na tanong ng asawa nang makita siya nitong nagbibihis. “Saan ka sabi pupunta?” “Hindi mo ba nakikita?” May kalituhan na tumingin sa kanya si Lucian. Hindi nito inaasahan ang magiging reaksyon niya. “Ano bang akala mo, magmamakaawa ako?” natawa nang bahagya si Sunset bago mabaling ang tingin sa tseke na nasa ibabaw ng side table. “Akala ko namamalikmata lang ako kanina. Hindi ko lubos maisip na limang milyon lang pala ang halaga ko!”

Ruby married her fate mate, Lucas, only to endure his repeated betrayals with his first love. In the end, she lost everything—her child, her parents, and her hope. But when she’s reborn on the night of her wedding, she vows to rewrite her fate. Determined to protect those she loves, Ruby finds her former enemy, Caleb, Lucas’s brother—the man who will one day kill Lucas and become the Lycan King. Caleb had never shown up at her wedding before, but this time, Ruby looks into his eyes and says, "I want you to be my husband." Can Ruby take control of her future, or will the past haunt her forever?

My Alpha mate thought I didn't know he had two half-breed Omega pups with his Omega mistress, but I had discovered his secret long ago. I threatened him to break up with his mistress, otherwise I would hide their child and make him regret it forever. But I had done absolutely nothing, their pups disappeared. He locked me in a silver cage and even made me watch my son being abused to interrogate me about the whereabouts of their pups. But when my son really died, I completely gave up and left. The powerful Alpha collapsed.

“You wicked woman! You dare kidnap my daughter?" He growled, gripping her small wrist tight. Samantha squirmed, “You're mistaken, Sir, the child is not yours but mine!” “You dare say that again? Then explain the resemblance between us?” He retorted with raw hatred. Taken aback, all the color drained from Samantha’s face upon the realization he was right. How the hell did she overlook that? No, how the hell was it possible that he was the father of her child! ~~~~~~ It was an unspoken secret that Samantha's twin sister committed a grave sin in her marriage, thus Samantha became her sister’s substitute to bury that infidelity. However, on their 3rd wedding anniversary, Samantha discovers her husband’s infidelity. But that wasn't enough reason for her to -divorce him because she didn't want her daughter fatherless. But one act, one single act almost cost her life and that of her child and Samantha declared defeat, serving Zeke Frost the divorce papers, and left without looking back but with promises to revenge! However, fate had another path in store for her when she encountered the devil himself; Dalton Montclair. The most gorgeous man in the world and the youngest bachelor in the city. He's ruthless, he's got the looks, money, and fame. But what more? He's got a striking resemblance with her son!

When I have a pen in my hand and paper before me, I think I want to write something to cast every despair in my pathetic life away. I have a figure of a depressed guy whose fate is too much: saving the world. He is not stupid nor even smart, he is not ugly nor even good looking. He is just a nijikon (A person who loves an anime character more than the real one) like me. He once thought to give up on life, but an event changes his life. I'm sure you guys start guessing how the story goes, but too bad, this one is different than the others.

Mom and Aunt Denise Taylor fell off the balcony in the midst of their heated argument. Dad rushed in just as they hit the ground, each with a broken arm. Without hesitation, he left Mom behind and hurriedly took Denise to the hospital instead. Later, Mom filed for divorce. Dad's face twisted in anger as he yelled, "Enough, Nicole! So what if you broke an arm and can't hold a scalpel anymore? What's the big deal? Dee is a genius designer. If she had lost her hand, her life would've been over! Of course, I had to save her first!" Watching all this in my ghostly state, I couldn't help but laugh. Did Dad really think that Mom had only lost the use of her hand? Mom didn't just lose her hand. She lost me. After all, I had severe heart failure, and the only person who could perform the life-saving surgery was Mom, the medical master herself. But none of that matters now, because I'm already gone.

Our wedding anniversary also happens to be our son's birthday. A month in advance, I carefully plan a family trip for the three of us—me, my husband, and our son. But right before we're supposed to leave, both of them suddenly disappear on me. I'm left standing alone in the pouring rain, dialing their numbers. On the other end, my son's young voice comes through, sounding cold and impatient. "Dad's having dinner with Ms. Moore. We don't want to go anymore." The call ends, and I'm blocked. Later that night, they intentionally lock me out of the house. I'm left standing in the freezing cold all night long. Soaked from the rain, I come down with a high fever and develop pneumonia. Meanwhile, my husband and son are off vacationing with Sophia Moore, smiling for a happy family photo with just the three of them. And in that moment, I know this marriage has truly come to an end.

I used to be the one and only girl spoiled by my family. But everything changed on my 18th birthday, when my father adopted a she-wolf orphan named Sophia from the Werewolf Charity House. My elder brother, Alex, started to love her more and began to look down on me. My mate, John, who had grown up with me, liked her and ignored me. Even my father said that Sophia, an orphan, was ten thousand times better than his own birth daughter. It was my graduation day from Werewolf University. But instead of celebrating with me, they broke their promise because of Sophia.The 101st time. I counted. And it hurt worse than all the hundred before. I couldn't help crying out, "Am I really part of this family?" My father looked at Sophia—whose eyes turned red because of my words—with pity. Then he slapped me across the face. "You're still fighting for affection? I wish I had never given birth to you," he shouted. Alex snapped at me too. "You make me sick. I'm ashamed to have a sister like you. Get out of this den!" I didn't say a word. I simply packed up my things and left in silence. After I left, the den fell into a strange quiet. They took Sophia to the South Pole to see penguins, as if nothing had happened. No one contacted me or showed concern, because they assumed I would eventually come back—just like before. They never planned to do anything for me. They never had. But this time, they didn't know I was leaving for real. I called my mother, who lived in another pack far away, and told her I'd finally agreed to go live with her. Because this time, the family… Was no longer a place I needed.

Empty vessels make the most noise, and men who fit that description to a tee hardly make for suitable partners. When Corinne had to go on a blind date with someone like that, she did the unthinkable simply to show her disinterest in him—she kissed a handsome older man whom she had never met before. "I hereby pledge myself to you," the older man vowed. If a single kiss from her was all it took for him to devote himself to her, would a second kiss entail much more? There was only one way for Corinne to find out…