Phoenix was an archaeologists to the core. Ultimo ang tipo niyang lalaki ay makikita lang sa historical books at kina-i-inlove-an niya dahil sa mga artifacts na naiwan ng mga ito. Kundi kasing talino ni Jose Rizal o kasing kisig ni Alexander the Great ay bagsak sa standard niya. And most of the guys find her weird. Maliban kay Vance Antiporda. Si Vance ang kanang-kamay ng Tito Mauricio niya. Mula nang mapunta ito sa poder ng tiyuhin niya ay wala na itong ginawa kundi sirain ang araw niya. But things changed when he brought her to El Nido. Ipinakita nito sa kanya ang mga bagay na pwede pa niyang pangarapin. Ginising din nito ang natutulog niyang damdamin. Hindi niya napigilan ang sarili na ma-in love sa mortal niyang kaaway.
Maasim ang ngiti ni Phoenix habang nakatitig sa cake at juice na nakahain sa harap niya. Nasa sala siya sa mansion ng mga Villaviray. Ipinakilala siya dito ng Tito Mauricio niya nang nakaraang araw sa isang charity event. At nang di siya pumayag na makipag-date ay dinalaw siya nito sa bahay habang may dalang bonggang bulaklak at imported na chocolate. As if she would be impressed with that.
Kanina pa siya nakikinig sa paulit-ulit at walang kamatayang kwento ni Fred Manuel tungkol sa political history ng angkan nito. And it was not impressive enough.
Mula nang dumating siya mula sa isang expidition sa Egypt bilang archaeologist ay hindi na naubusan ng mga lalaking dumadalaw sa kanilang bahay upang manligaw. Ayaw ng kanyang Tito Mauricio na ipagpatuloy niya ang pagiging archaeologist. Kaya't ipinatawag nito ang lahat ng prospect na mapapangasawa para hindi na siya umalis. At kasama si Fred sa mga iyon.
Kailangan niyang pakiharapan itong mabuti dahil na rin sa utos ng kanyang Tito. Ayon dito, pangarap nitong magkaroon ng mamanuganging tulad ni Fred na galing sa prominenteng angkan.
"Alam mo bang ang rebulto sa harap ng plaza? Lolo ko iyon sa tuhod! Bayani ang lolo ko noong panahon ni Bonifacio," nagmamalaking kwento nito.
Pinigil ni Phoenix na maghikab. Alam na niya ang isusunod nito. Na ang tiyuhin nito ang naging dahilan kung bakit naging first class ang bayan nito. Kasunod ang plataporma nito sa susunod na eleksiyon sa pagtakbo nito bilang mayor.
Kung siya naman ang botante, nungkang iboto niya ito. Dahil sa kanya pa lang, basted na ito. Wala na ng kahahantungan ang panliligaw nito. May kasaysayan ang mga ninuno nito pero wala itong appeal sa kanya. Wala pa naman itong accomplishment na maipagmamayabang. At ayaw niya sa lalaking walang accomplishment at masaya nang magtampisaw sa pinaghirapan ng mga nauna dito.
"Uncle ko ang nag-approve sa pagkakaroon ng quarrying site kaya naging first class municipality ang bayan namin. At kapag nanalo akong mayor, itutuloy ko ang nasimulan nila."
Papatagin ko ang lahat ng bundok para mas lalo pa tayong umunlad, gusto sana niyang idugtong sa speech nito.
Naiirita at nakukulili na ang tainga ni Phoenix. Gusto niyang sisihin ang kanyang Tito Mauricio. Bakit mga walang kwenta ang pinaaakyat sa kanyang manliligaw? Wala siyang itulak-kabigin. Lahat karapat-dapat mabasted.
"Wala iyan sa boyfriend ko!" hindi mapigil niyang bulalas sa sobrang iritasyon.
"May boyfriend ka na?" hindi makapaniwalang tanong ni Fred.
"Of course! Sa ganda ko ba namang ito, mawawalan ako ng boyfriend?" pagmamalaki niya. "Boyfriend ko yata ang Napoleon of Egypt. Sikat siya. Kamag-anak ni Cleopatra."
Umismid ito na parang hindi naniniwala. "Mayaman ba siya?" tanong nitong hindi man lang na-impress na kamag-anak ng nobyo niya ang dating Reyna ng Ehipto.
"Ay, sobra! Gaya ng mga kamag-anak mo, marami siyang naipatayong structures. He even owns a pyramid."
"Pyramid?" nagtatakang tanong nito. "Pwedeng bilhin ang pyramid? As in Pyramid of Egypt?"
Niluwangan ni Phoenix ang ngiti. Tingnan lang niya kung hanggang saan ang kayabangan nito. Titiyakin niyang hindi na ito manliligaw kahit kailan.
"Yes. Ganoon siya kayaman," pagmamalaki niya.
Kumunot ang noo ni Fred sa anyong hindi pa rin naniniwala sa kanya. Sino nga ba namang tao ang kayang mag-may-ari ng pyramid? Of course, boyfriend lang niya at ang mga kamag-anak nito.
"Anong pangalan ng boyfriend mo? Baka sakaling kilala ko siya or familiar ang pangalan niya," tanong ni Fred para di gaanong magmukhang eengot-engot o hampaslupa dahil di ito aware sa mayamang taong may pag-aari na pramid.
"Thutmose III!"
"Thutmose III?" ulit nito at nakakunot ang noon na tumingala. "Hindi ko yata siya kilala."
"Okay lang. Hindi ka rin naman niya kilala."
"K-Kumusta naman ang pyramid niya?"
"Okay naman. Mukhang komportable siya doon kasama ang kanyang mga alipin. Tahimik silang namumuhay."
"Businessman ba ang boyfriend mo? O isa ring political figure. Hindi kasi nababanggit sa akin ng Tito Mauricio mo ang tungkol sa kanya. O kung ano ang trabaho niya," puno ng interes na tanong ni Fred.
"Ah, si Thutmose? Naging leader siya ng army ng Egypt. Pero bata pa lang siya, siya na ang agad ang nagmana ng trono ng tatay niya."
Nanlaki ang mata nito. "Trono? Royal blood?'"
Tumango siya sabay inom ng juice. "Maaga kasing namatay ang tatay niya na si Thutmose II. Hinawakan muna ng stepmom niya ang trono. Pero later on, naging Pharaoh na siya."
"P-Pharaoh ba kamo?"
"Oo. Iyon ang tawag sa mga hari sa Egypt."
Naguguluhan itong napakamot sa ulo. "H-Hari? Pharaoh? You mean meron pa sila noon?"
Nati-thrill si Phoenix na sagutin ang mga tanong ni Fred. "Wala na. Dati pa iyon."
"Kung ganoon, bakit pharaoh pa rin ang boyfriend mo? Kailan ba siya naging p haraoh?" usisa nito.
Tumingala siya na animo'y binabasa sa kisame ang sagot. "Around 1479 to 1426 B.C. He ruled the 18th dynasty of Egypt," kaswal niyang sabi.
Nanlaki ang mga mata ni Fred. "From 1479 to 1426 B.C.?"
Cheska needs closure from her first love, Darryl, when she decided to go to Jeju Island. She wants to visit his tomb. In her trip, she met Carter, a Filipino who is working in Seoul as an English teacher and he looks a lot like Darryl. She feels like Darryl came back to life in Carter. Chesca wants another shot at love, this time with Carter. Will things work out between Cheska & Carter? Is Cheska sure she is really over with her past and feelings for her lost love?
Esmeralda has no time for love. She has a brother with leukemia and she’s willing to do everything for him. When Aiden offered a marriage of convenience to help him get his inheritance and get away from his controlling brother, she accepted in the condition that he will help with her brother’s medical expenses. Everything changed when she saved a handsome and virile man who was washed away by the flood. Richard Infante is arrogant and rich - both characters she hated in a man. And because the flood and landslides isolated their place, he had no choice but to live a simple life since doesn’t own a cent under his name. Everytime she meets his eyes laced with anger, she melts. He lights up the fire inside of her and shave gave herself to him- body and soul. She’s’ ready to forget her promise of marriage to Aiden to be with him. But who would have thought that her love for him will ruin all her plans and promises? And the man she loves her own enemy.
Completed story Do you believe that love is blind? Errr... I don't think so. Cameron’s playboy ways changed after brushing with death in a shipwreck. Mitos, the crew who saved his life, made him promise to look for his ex-girlfriend and ask for her forgiveness. When he finally found her, Love was being hounded by the gangsters and she was already blind. To protect her, he had to pretend to be Mitos, her ex-boyfriend. Until his lies turn to love. What if she finds out that everything was a lie? The original story is in Filipino published under Precious Hearts Romances
With her apartment devastated by fire, Alondra’s boss asked her to stay at her vacant condo. It has been vacant for a year and was afraid lost spirits would find its way there. One time, she heard someone taking a shower and the voice of a man in the other room. Bringing her antique cross, she went to the other room to offer a prayer to the lost soul. While kneeling in front of the door of the bathroom, the door opened and a man with the face of a demigod and a perfect physique stood in front of her. His body was covered by nothing but a piece of towel. Only, it was not a ghost but the real owner of the condo and her new boss.
An arranged marriage. A perfect bride. An old, creepy mansion. Deive thought he is lucky to be paired with Callea Lopez - she's beautiful, talented, and loyal. Except she lives on a haunted mansion. And she is keeping secrets from him. Original cover by Runa Lee, lunafatima1093@gmail.com
There was only one man in Raegan's heart, and it was Mitchel. In the second year of her marriage to him, she got pregnant. Raegan's joy knew no bounds. But before she could break the news to her husband, he served her divorce papers because he wanted to marry his first love. After an accident, Raegan lay in the pool of her own blood and called out to Mitchel for help. Unfortunately, he left with his first love in his arms. Raegan escaped death by the whiskers. Afterward, she decided to get her life back on track. Her name was everywhere years later. Mitchel became very uncomfortable. For some reason, he began to miss her. His heart ached when he saw her all smiles with another man. He crashed her wedding and fell to his knees while she was at the altar. With bloodshot eyes, he queried, "I thought you said your love for me is unbreakable? How come you are getting married to someone else? Come back to me!"
Joelle thought she could change Adrian's heart after three years of marriage, but she realized too late that it already belonged to another woman. "Give me a baby, and I'll set you free." The day Joelle went into labor, Adrian was traveling with his mistress on his private jet. "I don't care whom you love. My debt is paid. From now on, we have nothing to do with each other." Not long after Joelle left, Adrian found himself begging on his knees. "Please come back to me."
After two years of marriage, Sadie was finally pregnant. Filled with hope and joy, she was blindsided when Noah asked for a divorce. During a failed attempt on her life, Sadie found herself lying in a pool of blood, desperately calling Noah to ask him to save her and the baby. But her calls went unanswered. Shattered by his betrayal, she left the country. Time passed, and Sadie was about to be wed for a second time. Noah appeared in a frenzy and fell to his knees. "How dare you marry someone else after bearing my child?"
Belinda thought after divorce, they would part ways for good - he could live his life on his own terms, while she could indulge in the rest of hers. However, fate had other plans in store. "My darling, I was wrong. Would you please come back to me?" The man, whom she once loved deeply, lowered his once proud head humbly. "I beg you to return to me." Belinda coldly pushed away the bouquet of flowers he had offered her and coolly replied, "It's too late. The bridge has been burned, and the ashes have long since scattered to the wind!"
Sawyer, the world's top arms dealer, stunned everyone by falling for Maren—the worthless girl no one respected. People scoffed. Why chase a useless pretty face? But when powerful elites began gathering around her, jaws dropped. "She's not even married to him yet—already cashing in on his power?" they assumed. Curious eyes dug into Maren's past... only to find she was a scientific genius, a world-renowned medical expert, and heiress to a mafia empire. Later, Sawyer posted online. "My wife treats me like the enemy. Any advice?"
P-please, I beg you. Come let's go tell Christian I had no hand in whatever happened, p-please." I clutched the lapel of his jacket desperately. "Let's go. You need to tell my husband you were paid." "Young lady, you're harassing me." His tone was cold and his stare granite. But I could care less. "You harassed me first! You had sex with me without my consent, my husband knows and now I'm pregnant with this child he doesn't want. You ruined my marriage! I-I hate you!" ************************************ Caught by her husband with another man on their matrimonial bed the morning after her birthday, Hailey Codza could not defend herself. As though it's not enough, she gets pregnant. Her enraged husband decides to pay her back for her infidelity by having an affair with his ex-girlfriend - Denise Kellers, the family Hailey never knew she had. Losing her family's wealth and company to her husband and his ex (now girlfriend), she is devastated, homeless and penniless as all her credit cards are blocked by her husband. She sees the man who is responsible for her pregnancy. The man she has no idea how he'd found his way to her matrimonial bed - Jared Johnson. Jared is annoyed when this strange woman disrupts his meeting and accuses him of ruining her life, marriage and impregnating her. It affects his business deals and having no choice, he marries her to calm the public whilst engaged to someone else. But he loathes her and allows his family treats her badly. Hailey who has fallen in love with Jared is broken when she can no longer take the humiliation. She signs the divorce papers and leaves, only to arrive six years later to the country as a self-made, secret billionaire and a mother of twins. Now her two ex-husbands are begging to have her back...