Yen found out that she had been into a traumatic incident five years ago that caused her to forget a huge part of her past. And that past included her marriage to Kim, the CEO of the company she was working for. She may not have recognized him right away, but there was something about Kim that drew her emotionally to him. But having already married Zed, an almost perfect husband to her except for his sexual flaw, Yen found it hard to let him go. She tried to convince her boss to move on and let her live in peace with Zed, but Kim wasn't the kind to concede. What would happen then? Who would win the fight? And who would she choose in the end?
"Yen!"
Kim's voice was low but loud enough to echo his silent frustration. I got frightened. I knew I was confusing him. Just a few minutes ago, I hooked my arms around him like a lost child who just found comfort and security. That move awakened a mutual longing deep within us, prompting a simple gesture to progress into an intimate action.
I danced along with him to the rhythm of sexual passion. Our moves even flowed out naturally and unrestrained. I felt profound pleasure and satisfaction with him, but it was something I had never experienced with Zed. I momentarily forget about reality. Everything felt so real and tangible. But after the powerful emotion subsided, the truth dawned on me.
Hell, I sinned against my husband!
I sinned against the man who put me on a pedestal. The man who did nothing but loved and took care of me like I was the most fragile thing on earth. I could never believe that there would come a day that I would destroy our sacred bond. We were still in our early months of marriage. Yet there I was, hooking up with a married person. The very thought of this made me feel I was swimming in a pool of dark and slick filth. And I couldn't dare to look at myself in the mirror.
I quickened my pace until I was already running. My light footsteps echoed against the eerie silence of the hall. But before I could open the door that separated Door 13 from the rest of the units, a powerful pair of arms caught my waist.
"Yen, I won't hold you back, but please hear me out first. Take it easy."
I struggled to get free from Kim, but his arms tightened around me. Then, feeling that somewhat familiar warmth of his body against me, I broke into a sob. Because I felt Kim wasn't just a stranger or my boss, but someone related to my past.
Thinking that whatever it was in the past that linked him to me had nothing to do in the present, I begged.
"Kim, let me go. My conscience is already killing me. Look, I'm a married woman. I don't want to go on sinning against my husband!"
I heard his heavy sigh on top of my head, his breathing even tickling my scalp.
"Take it easy, Yen. I'm sorry I got carried on. It's all my fault."
Sorry. My mind was jeering at this. But, that simple word was never enough to put back the pieces of dignity I had broken out.
After a moment, my soft sobs turned into loud wailing.
"Why did you take advantage of my weakness? You know I have a husband, and I'm even carrying his baby in my womb." I knew I sounded foolish to say this since I was the one who started the act. And I just couldn't pin my sin on him.
"I'm sorry, Yen. I'm really sorry." Kim didn't let me go yet. He placed his chin instead of on top of my shoulder.
"But please, don't mind it so much. We are only human."
I forcefully separated his hands, which were interlaced in front of my navel. And then I turned and faced him, looking straight into his eyes.
"Why are you here? Are you stalking me?"
I surprised myself with the courage I got in confronting him. However, I couldn't help myself from voicing out the suspicion that was raging in my mind.
He may have planned all these. But, everything that happened to me was not a mere coincidence. His business partner misconstruing me as Jakara Blue. The consistent dreams I had about him. The outer structure of the apartelle. The interior design of the room. The furniture and appliances inside Door 13. Thinking about all these sent shivers down my spine.
"I followed you because I saw you coming out of the taxi while I was at the office."
I raised my head subconsciously, and my eyes fell on the glass wall along the corridor. Kim Yuan Microelectronics' signage that was attached to the beam of the second level greeted my eyes. Below the signage was indeed the glass wall of his office. It may be dark from the outside, but it gave off an unrestricted view of its surroundings from the inside.
A few hours ago, we were there attending the board meeting. We went back to the hotel together after the session. But why was he there again?
Reading through my mind perhaps, his voice cut into my confusion. "Vic and I went back to the office because of an important matter. And it so happened that I saw you as I looked out from my desk."
I may be half-convinced, but he had a point. His office was facing this apartelle, and he could view the front area of the building through his glass walls. There was nothing else I could argue about, except because his business partners misconstrued me as Jakara Blue.
My thoughts then went back to the passport I saw on the table. And that was how I discovered he got married to Jakara Blue five years ago. Although I knew him as the husband of Maezy, my best friend Ara's friend, Trish had also told me that there was no marriage between them.
I almost got tempted to ask why his business partners had mistaken me for Jakara Blue, but then I lost the courage. I couldn't dare. What would he think if I would? Even if I hadn't known who really Jakara was, I wouldn't want him to think I was assuming I could be on Jakara's level, worthy enough to become his woman.
I could never stand by his side as his equal. He was the man behind the fame and success of Kim Yuan Microelectronics, while I was just an ordinary woman. I was just lucky enough that he offered me a job because of Ara. If it were not for her, who first invited me to join them on their team-building outing, I wouldn't have known him personally. I could have just remained watching him on social media or magazines.
"But why have you followed me here?" I still couldn't help expressing my suspicion.
"Because I am staying here. This is my home."
My gaze froze on him, my mouth hanging open. Did it mean he's still with Jakara? The apartelle's receptionist confirmed it to me that Jakara was the occupant of the unit. But what about Maezy?
Oh, dear! My head really ached.
His lips lifted into an amused smile. "This place used to be Jakara's home. Unfortunately, I lost her six years ago. But I still choose to live here because of the memories. I'm a one-woman type of man, and I don't easily fall in love with another."
Oh, my goodness! Why do I also dream about the place?
Feeling the weight of frustration and confusion in my heart, I swore to find out the truth from now on.
"Kim, that thing that happened between us-" I stopped. It's too hard to bring up that shameful subject with him.
He broke into a pursed smile, but his eyes sparkled as they glued on me. I may just be assuming, but there was a tenderness in the way he looked at me.
"Don't worry. That would just be between the two of us."
I smiled weakly, but drops of tears already pooled at the corners of my eyes. Staring into his face made the silent scream of my mind got louder. Scream of guilt, regret, and shame.
"But Yen, I want you to know that I will treasure it for a lifetime."
I furrowed my brows. What happened between us was some uncontrolled and unexpected human madness. And that's what most people defined as lust.
"What do you mean by that? It was just plain s*x."
He scoffed, but he reached out for my hands, holding them tight.
"Because I love you."
I got stunned for a moment.
"Are you crazy?" I snapped after his words sank into my mind, shaking my head. I couldn't believe my ears in this nonsense.
"I am."
Left with no choice, I gave in to the enemy's demand. I agreed to dance with the alpha's daughter from Midwinter's pack on the night of my mating ceremony. I swayed with her. Spin her gracefully around the dance floor. The horrified eyes of my entire pack burn on me, demanding an explanation. I didn't just break the sacred rule we held on to for generations. I also ripped my mate's heart apart. Not giving her the honor of that last dance could mean one thing – it's over between us. .
We're both heartbroken. Ella lost a fiancé, and I lost a wife. Our paths crossed when I was trying to move on, and she in her denial stage. I thought we could help each other heal our broken hearts, so I tried to remove the guards I had been trying to secure around myself. And before I knew who she really was, I found myself falling in love again. However, fate always slaps me with its irony. Because I found out that all along, she was the secret enemy that had set out to destroy me. All because I was the one who caused her heartaches — the one who killed her fiancé.
Indebted to Jim who accepted and loved her unconditionally despite her dark past, Jia vowed to forever give her life to him. She had no reason not to; Jim loved her and her son like his own. She thought she was over with Anthon, the man who caused her so much pain. Yet one day, their paths crossed again, and her heart began beating for him again. Torn between the sense of indebtedness and her own heart's desire, choosing then became so complicated. As both men were fighting for her love, who would she choose? Would she listen to her heart's desire, or would she keep her gratitude?
I stepped out of the prison doors towards the road of freedom. I should be happy because I had been here for five wretched years. All the pieces of evidence that my fiancee's lover set up to drive me out of her life pointed to me as the murderer. Little did I know that behind those bars inside the cell, my heart remained trapped. I stopped and turned to take a final glimpse of the building that had been my home for a long time. My lips twisted into a bitter smile, mocking at life's irony. All because of the truth that I no longer wanted to be free.
After marrying Zed, Yen soon realized that her perfect life was not what she expected. Zed harbored a dark flaw, a disorder that impacted their lives, creating insecurities and emotional turmoil. Committed to her marriage, Yen set about trying to solve their issues but this was soon challenged when she found herself having recurring dreams about another man. This man in her dreams was her boss but to Yen, they seemed more like memories than actual dreams, causing her to question her life and her very marriage to Zed. Did Yen have a forgotten past with her boss? If she were to search for answers, could they cause conflict or could it lead to happiness?
I learned about his secret, and my revenge began. I didn't care anymore about the consequences of my decision; I was too blinded by all the lies. I thought I'd laugh hard to see him crawling on the ground, but to my surprise, I didn't. Perhaps because the truth prevailed that this stubborn heart of mine still loved this man that I now despised. I lied to myself, denying this feeling for him. All because of my stupid revenge. Just when I thought I couldn't fool myself anymore, I realized I was too late. And I just couldn't cry hard enough.
Lyric had spent her life being hated. Bullied for her scarred face and hated by everyone-including her own mate-she was always told she was ugly. Her mate only kept her around to gain territory, and the moment he got what he wanted, he rejected her, leaving her broken and alone. Then, she met him. The first man to call her beautiful. The first man to show her what it felt like to be loved. It was only one night, but it changed everything. For Lyric, he was a saint, a savior. For him, she was the only woman that had ever made him cum in bed-a problem he had been battling for years. Lyric thought her life would finally be different, but like everyone else in her life, he lied. And when she found out who he really was, she realized he wasn't just dangerous-he was the kind of man you don't escape from. Lyric wanted to run. She wanted freedom. But she desired to navigate her way and take back her respect, to rise above the ashes. Eventually, she was forced into a dark world she didn't wish to get involved with.
Janet was adopted when she was a kid -- a dream come true for orphans. However, her life was anything but happy. Her adoptive mother taunted and bullied her all her life. Janet got the love and affection of a parent from the old maid who raised her. Unfortunately, the old woman fell ill, and Janet had to marry a worthless man in place of her parents' biological daughter to meet the maid's medical expenses. Could this be a Cinderella's tale? But the man was far from a prince, except for his handsome appearance. Ethan was the illegitimate son of a wealthy family who lived a reckless life and barely made ends meet. He got married to fulfill his mother's last wish. However, on his wedding night, he had an inkling that his wife was different from what he had heard about her. Fate had united the two people with deep secrets. Was Ethan truly the man we thought he was? Surprisingly, he bore an uncanny resemblance to the impenetrable wealthiest man in the city. Would he find out that Janet married him in place of her sister? Would their marriage be a romantic tale or an utter disaster? Read on to unravel Janet and Ethan's journey.
In her previous life, Kimberly endured the betrayal of her husband, the cruel machinations of an evil woman, and the endless tyranny of her in-laws. It culminated in the bankruptcy of her family, and ultimately, her death. After being reborn, she resolved to seek retribution against those who had wronged her, and ensure her family's prosperity. To her shock, the most unattainable man from her past suddenly set his sights on her. "You may have overlooked me before, but I shall capture your heart this time around."
"Sign the divorce papers and get out!" Leanna got married to pay a debt, but she was betrayed by her husband and shunned by her in-laws. Seeing that her efforts were in vain, she agreed to divorce and claimed her half of the properties. With her purse plump from the settlement, Leanna enjoyed her newfound freedom. The constant harassment from her ex's mistress never fazed her. She took back her identities as top hacker, champion racer, medical professor, and renowned jewelry designer. Then someone discovered her secret. Matthew smiled. "Will you have me as your next husband?"
For ten years, Daniela showered her ex-husband with unwavering devotion, only to discover she was just his biggest joke. Feeling humiliated yet determined, she finally divorced him. Three months later, Daniela returned in grand style. She was now the hidden CEO of a leading brand, a sought-after designer, and a wealthy mining mogul—her success unveiled at her triumphant comeback. Her ex-husband’s entire family rushed over, desperate to beg for forgiveness and plead for another chance. Yet Daniela, now cherished by the famed Mr. Phillips, regarded them with icy disdain. "I’m out of your league."
Rachel used to think that her devotion would win Brian over one day, but she was proven wrong when his true love returned. Rachel had endured it all—from standing alone at the altar to dragging herself to the hospital for an emergency treatment. Everyone thought she was crazy to give up so much of herself for someone who didn’t return her feelings. But when Brian received news of Rachel’s terminal illness and realized she didn’t have long to live, he completely broke down. "I forbid you to die!" Rachel just smiled. She no longer needed him. "I will finally be free."