Monalisa Andres

I took a deep breath before slowly opening my eyes. I was wearing a white gown that hugged my body, making me look even more beautiful. I glanced at the bouquet of white flowers in my hand and smiled before walking into the garden. I was amazed because the theme of our wedding was in my favorite color, and there were butterflies happily flying around. I was happy because the family of the man I had dreamed of accepted me. They wanted our wedding, even though it was sudden, and I was happy despite it being an arranged marriage in an unexpected situation. I thought this only happened to rich people, but I was wrong because it happened to me too. If only I could scream and shout that I am the luckiest woman in the world because the man I once dreamed of is now mine. "Love is a choice," he said, so I trusted him a lot, but he had one request for the right time. There was no problem because he was mature enough when it came to relationships, and we loved each other. But fate is truly deceptive because a time came when many "what if" questions flooded my mind. What if I couldn't fulfill his one request and dream? What if his former lover could give it to him instead? What if I saw him happy with her because of that dream? Can I stay with him even if he says he loves me but prioritizes her? What if fate tests us, and even though we love each other, he chooses her because that's what he's making me feel now? "I don't want to hurt you, but they are my family now," he said seriously, and I lowered my head and cried in front of him. I could still hold on, but I could feel that he didn't want to anymore. Should I still fight for him even though it hurts so much? I wondered. "Do you want me to leave?" I asked bravely, hoping he would say no, but I was wrong. "If that's what's best. Leave," he said for the last time and hurriedly turned his back on me. I couldn't do anything but cry and cry, so I made a decision. "For the sake of your dream, I'll do it," I said softly and started packing my things. I hope you'll be happy when the time comes that fate brings us together again. I'm Christian Rana Reyes. And he is Frank Lin Mondragon.

He had really prepared for this day; today, he would finally confess his love to her. "Sorry, Melvin, I don't want anything from you." I felt as if the ground had fallen away beneath me after he spoke. Immediately, we heard a scream in the distance. And I knew who it was-none other than Augusto Guillermo, the man who captivated all the girls at school. There wasn't a girl who didn't like him, while we boys were constantly overshadowed because of him. "Why is he here again? Isn't he rich? Why choose to study here?" "Tsk! There he goes again, your annoying hero!" said the guy next to me. "Oh, don't expect your Chelsea to respond to you! As long as that man is around, none of the girls here will like us," I muttered, left alone, glaring at Augusto. He should disappear from this school. He gets all the attention; besides being handsome, he's also smart and is likely to be the top student next semester. Suddenly, he had a thought, and from that moment, he knew he would regret it. He discovered that the man was ruthless, as he had seen him tormenting his classmates who had spoken ill of him earlier. What was even worse was catching him in a compromising position with someone, a girl who looked like the school president. That was the result of his surveillance and the trauma it caused him because of the sickening things he saw. He gathered evidence and spread it all over campus, causing a big commotion. What will happen when Augusto finds out that he was the one who spread the rumors? Will his quiet life end, or will everything remain a secret? Stay tuned.

"Ahhh! No! Don't kill me! Don't..." Sweat poured and Shu trembled due to the multitude of imaginations swirling in his mind at that moment. They had just finished the betrothal wedding and were currently gathered for dinner. While eating, he couldn't help but think of various things, especially knowing that he would be joining his husband after they finished eating. "Hays, erase! Erase! What am I thinking! He probably isn't that aggressive. Besides, I'm still a minor and this is just a pre-wedding. He probably won't force me to do anything with him tonight!" With that thought, his hands shook as he clutched his dress under the table, which was noticed by the man beside him who then smirked. He flinched slightly when the man suddenly leaned in to whisper in his ear. "Relax, I'm not your groom, Miss. Your groom couldn't attend today's wedding." Confusion replaced the fear and anxiety that had enveloped her when she heard what the man, who had exchanged rings with her earlier, said. "A-aren't you Mr. Griffin?" "No, Ma'am. I'm Lieutenant Carber, the General's right-hand man. I was instructed to represent him." "W-what?!" "You heard right, Ma'am. He was busy and couldn't attend. However, he did leave instructions regarding what you should do now that the wedding is over." "Huh! I can't believe it, he really might be the demon they say he is! I was wondering why this man seems kind and doesn't look like a demon, turns out he's not really the infamous demon general who will be my husband!" she blurted out in frustration. "Did you say something?" Lieutenant Carber asked as he finished talking to other people at the table. Shu smiled falsely and shook her head at the still serious lieutenant. "Hays, if my twin wasn't sick, I wouldn't have agreed to marry that general! So mysterious, he might be ugly and old like they say, and on top of that, he's supposedly Lucifer's nephew who lost two wives already! Omg wait! What if he's the reason for their deaths like they say? Grr, scary!" She hugged herself and whispered with her eyes closed in fear. "I-if that's the case, when will I ever see and meet him. Hays, that demon General!" Background of the Story Shu had been married for four years to a man she had never seen or heard speak. She wasn't supposed to be the one to marry him, but rather the only daughter of a wealthy family where her mother worked. It's a complicated story; all she knew was that she woke up married to a man she didn't know. All she knew was that he had a high status and was a General, protector of the only child of the country's first family. From what she heard, he was cruel, strict, and had a terrifying aura. Despite the fear she felt, she still awaited the day she would finally see and meet him.

"Mr. Walter" I came back to my trance when sir called me, I just now noticed that they were all looking at me. "Huh?" I only said and put the ballpoint pen they were playing with on the table. "Any suggestions?" sir asked with raised eyebrows. "U-uh nothing" I sat down properly and adjusted myself. Gosh I'm spacing out. "Are you sure Mr.?" I turned to the speaker. I grinned when I saw who it was. "I'm sure Mr. Sunday" I said with a smile, as if our old man thought I didn't know him. He grinned at me and winked‚ meet Mr. Mon Sunday he is sir phayu's business partner and he is also one of the business tycoons‚ he is not just any business tycoon because he is one of the leaders of a gang called the DHS GANG‚ meaning. Dr*gs Hot S*x‚ this gang led by our old man is an illegal. you want to know why? they are the ones who transport the women, they kidnap the women and take them to other countries to be sold and made into wives by the mafia. And their gang is also the one that brings drugs into the Philippines. no one knows behind the mask that mr. Sunday‚ he has a good posture and he is also one of the people who look up to him as a good model‚ who knows? that all his stench is hidden behind that mask. "Goodbye‚ mr" said goodbye to mr. dominggo and patted my shoulder, our old grandson enjoyed hitting me..

Chloe had just given birth to twins, lying exhausted in a cramped, bustling hospital ward. When she called her husband, Julian, he was busy partying with his actress mistress. He coldly hung up on her, having already drafted a brutal divorce agreement that would leave her with a pittance. Strangers in the next bed loudly mocked her pitiful state, gossiping about how Julian was dumping her. For years, Chloe had erased her own identity to fit into his elite world, only to be thrown away like garbage. She was completely alone, clutching her helpless babies, bracing herself to sign the cruel papers just to survive. She couldn't understand why her absolute devotion was met with such chilling indifference. Why did she have to suffer this ultimate humiliation while he celebrated with the woman who ruined her life? But then, a senior doctor noticed a unique mole on her wrist and ran a secret DNA test. The results were staggering: Chloe was the long-lost daughter of the billionaire Beaumont family. With her fiercely protective parents and three powerful brothers suddenly forming an impenetrable fortress around her, Chloe picked up her phone and texted her arrogant husband. "City Hall tomorrow at 10 AM. If you don't show up, my lawyer will handle everything. And trust me, you won't like their terms."

I was an intern nurse working exhausting shifts, yet my mother constantly forced me into blind dates with wealthy, arrogant men to secure our family's social standing. During a terrifying hospital lockdown, an assassin disguised as a doctor held a scalpel to my throat. I was almost killed, but a high-ranking military colonel threw his own body down a flight of concrete stairs to shield me. I survived with cuts and bruises, but when I went home, my mother didn't care about my near-death experience. She was only furious that I had rushed out on my blind date with Preston, a rich financial analyst. She forced me to meet him to apologize. When Preston grabbed my arm, bruised me, and mocked my attack as a pathetic lie, my mother still took his side. "Men get angry," she told me coldly. "It's your job not to provoke them. You will beg for his forgiveness, or you are no longer welcome in this house." I had narrowly escaped an assassin, yet my own family was willing to feed me to a monster just for a fat paycheck and neighborhood gossip. My heart went completely dead. So, when the intimidating Colonel appeared, offering me maximum military protection through a sudden marriage, I didn't hesitate. I walked back into my parents' house and calmly slapped a crisp marriage certificate onto the coffee table. "I won't be apologizing to Preston. I got married today."

My husband of three years suddenly brought his mistress and her son into our home. Without a hint of emotion, Jude threw a divorce agreement at me and told me to pack my things immediately so they could move in. I signed the papers and walked away without taking a single penny. But just hours later, a black SUV intentionally ran me over in a dark alley, shattering my leg. The men who did it sneered, saying their boss wanted me out of New York permanently. At the hospital, I was prepped for an emergency surgery to save my leg from permanent disability. But Jude, who owned the hospital, ordered my operating room shut down. He forced the entire surgical team to abandon me just to treat a minor cut on his mistress's finger. Lying there in agony, I couldn't understand how the man I had loved for three years could be so monstrous. He didn't just want to erase our marriage; he wanted to destroy my life completely. When I finally woke up after being saved by a friend, Jude was standing by my bed, trying to explain. I looked at him calmly and spoke. "I'm sorry, do we know each other?" I vowed right then that I would stay in New York and take back everything he owed me. And just a few hours later, his precious new son mysteriously disappeared.

For three years, Clara devoted herself completely to being the perfect wife for her husband, Alexander. She quietly put up with the harsh insults from her mother-in-law and the constant shadow of Valeria, her husband's first love. Clara believed that with patience and devotion, she could win Alexander's heart. But that hope turned to ashes the night of a tragic accident. When Alexander chose to save Valeria instead of his wife, Clara's heart didn't just break-it froze over. She signed the divorce papers and vanished without a trace. Two years later, fate brought them together once again. Clara had returned, but she was no longer the meek woman who once begged for scraps of attention. Now, she was a globally celebrated fashion designer, confident, brilliant, and utterly beyond reach. Alexander, tormented by the emptiness she left behind, discovered that the brilliant mastermind his empire desperately needed was none other than his ex-wife. Obsessed with winning her back, he soon learned that the new Clara had no intention of forgiving him. The man who was used to having the world at his beck and call must now face the unrelenting queen he himself helped create-and he'd find that forgiveness came at an unthinkable cost: his pride.

I was once the heiress to the Solomon empire, but after it crumbled, I became the "charity case" ward of the wealthy Hyde family. For years, I lived in their shadows, clinging to the promise that Anson Hyde would always be my protector. That promise shattered when Anson walked into the ballroom with Claudine Chapman on his arm. Claudine was the girl who had spent years making my life a living hell, and now Anson was announcing their engagement to the world. The humiliation was instant. Guests sneered at my cheap dress, and a waiter intentionally sloshed champagne over me, knowing I was a nobody. Anson didn't even look my way; he was too busy whispering possessively to his new fiancée. I was a ghost in my own home, watching my protector celebrate with my tormentor. The betrayal burned. I realized I wasn't a ward; I was a pawn Anson had kept on a shelf until he found a better trade. I had no money, no allies, and a legal trust fund that Anson controlled with a flick of his wrist. Fleeing to the library, I stumbled into Dallas Koch-a titan of industry and my best friend's father. He was a wall of cold, absolute power that even the Hydes feared. "Marry me," I blurted out, desperate to find a shield Anson couldn't climb. Dallas didn't laugh. He pulled out a marriage agreement and a heavy fountain pen. "Sign," he commanded, his voice a low rumble. "But if you walk out that door with me, you never go back." I signed my name, trading my life for the only man dangerous enough to keep me safe.

As I lay on the floor of our manor, bleeding out from a ruptured ectopic pregnancy, I used my last ounce of strength to call my husband, Cole. I begged him for help, my vision blurring. But the only thing I heard was the clinking of champagne glasses and his mistress's giggle in the background. "Stop the drama, June," Cole snapped, his voice cold. "We're about to go on stage. Don't call again." He hung up, leaving me to die alone on the Persian rug while he accepted an award with another woman on his arm. I woke up in the hospital days later. My baby was gone. They had removed my fallopian tube. Cole finally arrived, smelling of expensive scotch and his mistress's perfume. He didn't hug me. He didn't cry. Instead, he leaned over my hospital bed, pressing his knee into the mattress until my fresh stitches tore open and bled. "You embarrassed me by calling an ambulance," he hissed. "My mistress, Alycia, says you're faking it. Clean yourself up." He left me bleeding again to go announce a $10 million donation to Alycia's "groundbreaking" medical research. I stared at the TV screen, numb. The research Alycia was taking credit for? It was mine. I wrote that patent years ago under a pseudonym. They thought I was just a poor, orphan housewife who needed Cole's money to survive. They had no idea I was actually a billionaire scientist hiding my identity. I pulled the IV needle out of my arm. A drop of blood fell onto the divorce papers I had been hiding. I didn't wipe it off. I signed my name right over it. Then I walked into the bank, reactivated my dormant account with $128 million, and bought the penthouse directly overlooking Cole's house. The mourning widow is dead. The avenger is born.

On our third anniversary, my husband canceled our dinner, claiming a sudden work emergency. I tracked his phone to an exclusive French restaurant, only to find him tenderly fastening a blessed bracelet—one I had flown across the world to get for him—onto his college ex-girlfriend's wrist. The sheer shock triggered a violent placental abruption. Bleeding out in my car just across the street, I frantically called his number. Through the window, I watched him glance at his screen, frown in annoyance, and press decline to focus on his lover. While I was wheeled into a freezing operating room for an emergency C-section utterly alone, he took his mistress back to our marital bed. He didn't even bother to check if I was alive, completely oblivious that our premature daughter was fighting for her life in the NICU. I soon discovered our entire marriage was a sham. He had used my family's wealth to save his company, and now he was trading me to secure a massive business deal with his ex's father. The man I loved didn't exist; he only saw me as a disposable asset. "I'm going to make him wish he had never been born." After secretly securing my baby in a private retreat, I ordered a medical-grade silicone pregnancy belly to hide my flat stomach. I stepped back into our penthouse, ready to burn his precious empire to the ground.

She came back to expose her cheating fiancé. She didn't expect to catch the eye of the most dangerous man in the city. On the night she publicly called off her engagement, a mysterious billionaire put a jade prayer bracelet on her wrist and said, "Marry me. You won't lose." Now her ex-fiancé is begging for a second chance, her scheming sister is out for blood, and everyone says she's ruined her life. But her new husband? He just smiles and says, "Let them talk. I'll handle it." Wait — did she just accidentally marry the most powerful man in the country?

For three years, Cali Sullivan abandoned her brilliant tech career to be the quiet, accommodating wife of billionaire Halsey Donovan. But on her thirtieth birthday, she returned to their London mansion only to find it empty. The housekeeper, looking at her with deep pity, revealed that Halsey had taken his female friend, Brittaney, out shopping to celebrate her birthday instead. He had even taken their young daughter, Lily, with them. When Cali called him, Halsey coldly dismissed her, his attention entirely on Brittaney's bright laughter in the background. The crushing blow came the next morning when Cali stood outside Lily's bedroom and overheard her own daughter's innocent wish. "I wish Auntie Brittaney could be my new mommy. I think Daddy would like that, too." Later that afternoon, Cali saw them through the window of a private club. Halsey was wiping a smudge from Lily's face with a tender focus he never showed his wife, while Brittaney casually fed him cake. They looked like the perfect, happy family. All of Cali's desperate love and sacrifices felt like a cruel joke. She had been entirely erased from her own family. In that moment, the agonizing pain just stopped, replaced by a cold, absolute clarity. Cali drafted a divorce agreement waiving every cent of his wealth, left her platinum wedding rings on the nightstand, and booked a one-way flight back to New York. She was no longer Mrs. Donovan; it was time to get her real name back.

She woke up in a stranger's bed, in a stranger's body, with two lifetimes screaming inside her head. Eliza Solis-overweight, acne-scarred, trailer-park poor-remembers a brother who dragged her to a party for a "chance." But another voice, colder and sharper, remembers a different life: Nyx. Weapon. Asset. Ghost. Now she's the bride of Julian Malone, a decorated soldier from one of America's most powerful dynasties-and she's the target of a family that wants to erase her. Her new mother-in-law freezes her accounts. Her husband despises her. Cousins spike her makeup with hallucinogens. And behind closed doors, the Malones plot to commit her to a psychiatric facility and make her disappear for good. They think she's trash. They think she's broken. They have no idea that the woman they're trying to bury is a trained intelligence operative who can pick locks, break into safes, and reconstruct a crime scene from a single strand of hair. Eliza doesn't just want to survive. She wants to watch their empire burn. From a trailer park to a fortress of old money-she's the weapon they never saw coming.