When a near-homeless Arabella Laurel is sitting on the park bench in despair with a pink slip, a savior comes to her rescue. Of course, no one is that nice to provide her with food, essentials, and a place to stay for free, so there's a catch. She has to stay with two other boys. To add fuel to the fire, one of them is Theo Benedict-the daredevil responsible for getting a chewing gum stuck in her hair and getting it cut short. Arabella isn't one to make bad blood, but she will certainly run Theo over with a truck any day and the feelings are mutual. Now, how will Arabella live with this tempest in a teapot roommate without getting tangled with him?
|| Arabella ||
I was having the worst day of my life.
My aunt told me to leave her house this morning before tomorrow since she could not handle looking after me anymore.
I understood why my aunt didn't want me around anymore. Her family was facing financial issues and couldn't pay for my meals any longer. I was just an extra burden on her already weak shoulders. But I tried my best to be of help to her by doing all the house chores-I was practically a maid there for five months-otherwise, my cousins wouldn't stop sneering at me.
However, I remained strong like my mom always taught me to be. I smiled and told my aunt that I would leave tonight and thanked her for taking care of me when all my other relatives had turned their faces away from me.
Even now, I am trying my best to be positive.
I have always tried looking at the plus points rather than the negative ones.
But I really was in a pickle at the moment with no bright sides in sight.
I had absolutely no idea where to go. I had no savings. I had no money for food either. I was as broke as a street beggar-wait, never mind, even they have a few bucks with them.
Since there was no point hitting my head on the wall for all of this, I decided to come to school. The worst thing that could happen here was I got detentions for no reason, maybe even trip on my shoelaces and fall flat on my face.
Or so I thought.
I was standing in the hallway, pondering over my bleak life, when I felt something light hit my back.
"Oh, my God." I heard a few people gasp.
Instinctively, I touched my long light brown hair on the back that reached up to my waist. Something sticky made contact with my fingertips. I furrowed my brows and pulled at it, but it kept stretching and stretching.
"What the hell is this?" I murmured in disgust.
Once the sticky thing was up to my eye level, I was able to make out what it was. It was a piece of pink chewing gum. That came directly out of someone's mouth.
Just exactly what I needed. Perfect for my hair nourishment.
"Fuck, eww!" I exclaimed at the yuck factor and turned around to face the culprit.
A pair of familiar beautiful yet infuriating turquoise eyes stared back at me widely in horror.
Of course, it was him.
Theo Benedict.
My one enemy since freshman year. Only God knows what I have ever done wrong to him to deserve this. I must have stepped on his devilishly handsome face in his dream or something imaginary like that to have earned such loath from him.
Setting all that aside, I loved my hair so much. And now...
I was touching his saliva stuck to it.
Some people roared in laughter at my misery, making my anger shoot through the roof.
"Uh... I swear that was not intentional," Theo spoke up in his defense.
I gritted my teeth and approached him, throwing the scariest daggers I could muster with my eyes. "You definitely did that on purpose," I stated furiously.
"I did not."
"You spoiled my beautiful, shiny, silky long hair that I take care of every day for hours! Do you know how hard it is to maintain long hair? Of course, you don't! You boys have it so easy with that short hair," I vented out, raising my voice louder than I expected it to.
My nose was flaring with anger and I was panting from yelling. I probably looked like an angry Jigglypuff.
"I know it's my fault. But it's not as if I have no other better job than sticking gum on your beautiful blah blah hair."
Look at this jerk. He was not remorseful at all. One would expect a basic word of apology from him, but no!
"I won't believe you even if God came and told me that," I spat out.
Theo gave me a flat look. "Don't prioritize ourselves so much. God won't come and tell you the truth for me out of all the billions of people crawling on this earth."
I scoffed. "I think you are right. God's got His hands full with other good people. That's why His lowest priority was giving you a functional heart and brain."
He crossed his arms against his chest, somehow managing to look taller than before and making me shrink smaller. "Look, Stella-"
"Arabella," I corrected sternly. He always purposely takes my name wrong.
"Yes, Annabella, whatever." I tightened my jaw, holding my arm back from knocking his tooth out. "I was talking to someone while chewing the gum and someone slapped my back from behind, which resulted in this," he pointed at my sticky hair with a frown, "so if you don't believe me, which I know you don't, you're free to ask anyone here."
"Just a pat on the back is enough to get you to spit out your gum?" I gave him an incredulous look. "Then maybe you should walk around with a warning label. Because who knows when you might throw up on someone?"
"Well, too bad for you then. You seem to have some eye problems. Otherwise, you would have moved out of my goddamn way," he retorted.
"How was I supposed to know you were going to pull something so disgusting?" I bellowed.
"You were standing in the middle of the hallway, spacing out and thinking about God knows what, without realizing how many people's way you were blocking."
I looked around myself and realized I was indeed standing in the middle. But hey, I was lost in deep thoughts!
"I can stand and space out wherever the hell I want. I don't need your permission for that!"
"Then why don't you do me a favor and go stand in front of a bullet, Annabella?"
"It's Arabella!" I corrected again.
"Yes, I get it, Annabelle."
Great. Now he was calling me by the same name as the horror movie 'Annabelle'. I used to get called Stella, Cella, Rella, or even Cascerella, by many people because of him. From now on, I was Annabelle, from what I understood from the hootings of the students around.
Black fumes were perhaps coming out of my ear. I was so done with everything- especially Theo. I wanted to shave him bald. I wanted to rip out his guts and hang them on the ceiling. I wanted to carve his face with knives. I wanted to chop his legs so that he would come down to my level and we could see eye to eye.
Generally, I was nice to everyone-but dammit, Theo was an exception.
I caught a freshman coming from behind Theo. An immediate idea popped into my head. I snatched the plastic cup of hot coffee from his hand and threw it at Theo's chest, ruining his gray hoodie and dark green overshirt.
All the free-drama spectators gasped in shock as Theo's face twisted in pain. But he didn't let out a single wince while his friends panicked behind him, telling him to go put some water on his burn. "Happy now?" Theo jeered, flashing me a mock smile.
No, I wasn't. I wasn't happy. Not at all.
What was I even doing?
I had no living family. I would have no roof over my head tonight. I was as broke as they come. My hair was sticky with chewing gum. I don't know what I would do with my life. And here I was, picking a fight with an infuriating guy from school. Could I get any more pathetic?
Tears welled up in my eyes.
I turned around in a swift motion before Theo could catch me tearing up. I had enough humiliation for today. I didn't want to be called a crybaby now.
"Y-yes, I am. Serves you right." My voice cracked a bit. "Now have a nice day, somewhere out of my sight!" I hollered before running off towards the girl's bathroom.
I locked the door from inside and checked if anyone was there before breaking down in sobs. I stared at myself in the mirror. My hazel eyes were bloodshot. I looked like such a loser.
I turned on the tap and propped my palms against the sink, looking down at the water running as my tears fell and mixed with it.
My chest was aching so much. I wanted Mom to be with me. I wanted to run back home and hug her tightly. I wanted her warm arms to hold me as her words comforted me. But that was not possible anymore. And I had to accept that as hard as it may be.
All I could do was be strong for her. I only needed to look at the positive sides. I looked back at the mirror, at my ruined long hair.
My face lit up as I found something good within it. "Yes, I can just cut my hair and sell it. It will grow back within no time. I can at least get some bucks through this," I told myself and took out a pair of scissors from my bag on the counter.
I could not afford to go to a salon, so my best bet was myself. I wish my closest friend Coral was here, but she had some emergency at home herself, so she was absent.
Sucking in a deep breath, I held the scissor close to my hair. This was not easy. I was really hesitant. After all, I cherished my hair so much.
I silently cursed Theo for this as I ran the scissors through my hair. My heart was cracking, my feet tickling with the hair that landed on them.
As I cut the last strand of my long hair, I whispered, "Goodbye, long hair."
★★★
Shirley Hamilton has everything anyone could want in their life. But the one thing that she wants is to be a car racer, and the only person she deems capable of fulfilling her dream is Dylan. Dylan Lewiston is a businessman in daylight, who is also a renowned car racer. At the same time, he is a cold-hearted Mafia leader, who solely wants revenge for everything that has pushed him into living this vicious life. What comes to pass when Dylan accepts to train Shirley for the approaching car race? Will the vengeful and cold aura of Dylan change with the chirpy Shirley? Will love bloom between them? And most importantly, what will transpire when Shirley discovers the Mafia secrets?
Veronica Wilshire is a famous actress, a celebrity figure that is adored and admired by almost everyone for her graceful yet kind nature. But behind that elegant stature is an independent woman who wants to live her life to the fullest without any restraints, without having anyone like her husband to control her. Aaron Aldridge is a self-established businessman who does not believe in the concept of marriage. If he could, he would love to marry his work and never deal with the complexity of a woman's mind. Now, these two are plunged into an arranged marriage by their family. However, they come to a truce that Aaron will run away on the wedding day, but what happens when he doesn't? Will Veronica be deceived into an arranged marriage? Will they be able to overcome their differences and be happy? Or will they part ways before love can even bloom between them?
Once upon a time, there were two kingdoms once at peace. The kingdom of Salem and the kingdom of Mombana... Until the day, the king of Mombana passed away and a new monarch took over, Prince Cone. Prince Cone, has always been hungry for more power and more and more. After his coronation, he attacked Salem. The attack was so unexpected, Salem never prepared for it. They were caught off guard. The king and Queen was killed, the prince was taken into slavery. The people of Salem that survived the war was enslaved, their land taken from them. Their women were made sex slaves. They lost everything, including their land. Evil befall the land of Salem in form of Prince Cone, and the prince of Salem in his slavery was filled with so much rage. The prince of Salem, Prince Lucien swore revenge. 🌳🌳🌳🌳🌳🌳🌳🌳🌳🌳🌳🌳🌳🌳🌳 Ten years later, thirty-years old Lucien and his people raided a coup and escaped slavery. They went into hiding and recuperated. They trained day and night under the leadership of the fearless and cold Lucien who was driven with everything in him to get back their land, and take Mombana land too. It took them five years before they ambushed and attacked Mombana. They killed Prince Cone and reclaimed everything. As they screamed out their victory, Lucien's eyes found and pinned the proud princess of Mombana. Princess Danika. The daughter of Prince Cone. As Lucien stared at her with the coldest eyes anyone can ever possess, he felt victory for the first time. He walked to the princess with the slave collar he'd won for ten years rattling in his hand as he walked. He reached close to her and with a swift movement, he collared her neck. Then, he tilted her chin up, staring into the bluest eyes and the most beautiful face ever created, he gave her a cold smile. "You are my acquisition. My slave. My sex slave. My property. I will pay you in spades, everything you and your father ever did to me and my people." He stated curtly. Pure hatred, coldness and victory was the only emotion on his face. .
"Love is blind!" Lucinda abandoned her beautiful and comfortable life because of a man. She married him and slaved off for him for three long years. One day, the scales finally fell off her eyes. She realized that all her efforts were in vain. Her husband, Nathaniel still treated her like shit. All he cared about was his lover. "Enough is enough! I quit wasting my years with an ungrateful man!" Lucinda's heart was shattered into many pieces, but she summoned up the courage to ask for a divorce. The news caused a stir online! A filthy rich young woman recently got divorced? She was a good catch! Countless CEOs and handsome young men immediately swarmed to her like bees to honey! Nathaniel couldn't take it anymore. He held a press conference and begged with teary eyes, "I love you, Lucinda. I can't live without you. Please come back to me." Would Lucinda give him a second chance? Read to find out!
Accused of murder, Sylvia Todd's mother was deemed a traitor by the entire pack, condeming Sylvia to live the rest of her life alone in humiliation as a lowly slave. All she wanted to do was to prove her mother's innocence somehow, but fate never seemed to be on the side of the traitor's daughter. Still, Sylvia never lost hope. As the future lycan king of all werewolves, Rufus Duncan possessed great power and status, but he had an inexplicable reputation for being cruel, bloodthirsty, and ruthless. Unbeknownst to everyone, he had been cursed long ago to transform into a killer monster on every full moon. Even though fate did not always look upon the two, it brought Sylvia and Rufus together as each other's destined mates. Will justice be served for Sylvia's mother? What about Rufus' secret? Can Sylvia and Rufus defy all societal norms and stay together? Will these two unlucky souls have their happy ending?
COALESCENCE OF THE FIVE SERIES BOOK ONE: THE 5-TIME REJECTED GAMMA & THE LYCAN KING BOOK TWO: THE ROGUES WHO WENT ROGUE BOOK THREE: THE INDOMITABLE HUNTRESS & THE HARDENED DUKE *** BOOK ONE: After being rejected by 5 mates, Gamma Lucianne pleaded with the Moon Goddess to spare her from any further mate-bonds. To her dismay, she is being bonded for the sixth time. What’s worse is that her sixth-chance mate is the most powerful creature ruling over all werewolves and Lycans - the Lycan King himself. She is certain, dead certain, that a rejection would come sooner or later, though she hopes for it to be sooner. King Alexandar was ecstatic to meet his bonded mate, and couldn’t thank their Goddess enough for gifting him someone so perfect. However, he soon realizes that this gift is reluctant to accept him, and more than willing to sever their bond. He tries to connect with her but she seems so far away. He is desperate to get intimate with her but she seems reluctant to open up to him. He tries to tell her that he is willing to commit to her for the rest of his life but she doesn’t seem to believe him. He is pleading for a chance: a chance to get to know her; a chance to show her that he’s different; and a chance to love her. But when not-so-subtle crushes, jealous suitors, self-entitled Queen-wannabes, an old flame, a silent protector and a past wedding engagement threaten to jeopardize their relationship, will Lucianne and Xandar still choose to be together? Is their love strong enough to overcome everything and everyone? Or will Lucianne resort to enduring a sixth rejection from the one person she thought she could entrust her heart with?
Lindsey's fiancé was the devil's first son. Not only did he lie to her but he also slept with her stepmother, conspired to take away her family fortune, and then set her up to have sex with a total stranger. To get her lick back, Lindsey decided to find a man to disrupt her engagement party and humiliate the cheating bastard. Never did she imagine that she would bump into a strikingly handsome stranger who was all that she was currently looking for. At the engagement party, he boldly declared that she was his woman. Lindsey thought he was just a broke man who wanted to leech off her. But once they began their fake relationship, she realized that good luck kept coming her way. She thought they would part ways after the engagement party, but this man kept to her side. "We gotta stick together, Lindsey. Remember, I'm now your fiancé. " "Domenic, you're with me because of my money, aren't you?" Lindsey asked, narrowing her eyes at him. Domenic was taken aback by that accusation. How could he, the heir of the Walsh family and CEO of Vitality Group, be with her for money? He controlled more than half of the city's economy. Money wasn't a problem for him! The two got closer and closer. One day, Lindsey finally realized that Domenic was actually the stranger she had slept with months ago. Would this realization change things between them? For the better or worse?
"You're pathetic!" Brenden sneered, each word cutting deep into Corinna's heart. Years of emotional wounds had drained every ounce of love she once held. "I've wasted enough time on you. If there's a next life, I hope we never meet again." Her words severed the bond between them like a blade. From that moment on, Brenden was haunted by her absence—unable to sleep, longing for the warmth he took for granted.