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.
From the highway where I stepped down from the bus, I chose to trudge along the winding unpaved road towards my destination-our abandoned parcels of land near the hilltop of Carmen. Being confined within the iron bars of my prison cell and the jail premises' high walls for five years, I missed the vast and unrestrained view of the world under the sun.
I didn't have to hurry; there was no one waiting to welcome me. From here on, I would be living alone, hoping that I would be able to move forward one day.
"Boss, to Mt. Carmen?" a voice awakened me from my reverie.
I glanced and saw a motorcycle driver waving his hand at me. He then sprinted towards his rusted motorcycle parked under a mango tree; its wheels filled with lumps of lime and dirt. Knowing that my fare would mean food for his family, who depended on his meager income, I walked towards him.
While the driver was kicking the pedal to crank up the engine, I pulled out my old-as-time leather wallet and took out a hundred-peso bill.
"Boss, please accept this, but I won't take the ride for now. Maybe, next time," I smiled and inserted the bill in the front pocket of his shirt.
Most of the people I knew in this place didn't have the heart to accept higher payments than what they only worked for.
"But boss-" he attempted to pull out the money and give it back to me, but I shoved his hand back to his chest.
"It's alright," I grinned and started walking. I could still feel his gaze boring a hole into my retreating back, perhaps, wondering why I had to exhaust myself from hiking the seven-kilometer distance towards our old hut instead of taking a ride.
I was not a boss of neither high-end nor any small company, but the people here addressed the males as 'boss,' especially the strangers. I was not a stranger here either, but ten years had already passed by since I and my family moved to town.
I got a daytime job in a shoe repair shop, so I brought my parents with me. My father also got a vegetable stall on the market, so our meager income was more than enough to support our simple lifestyle. Through a scholarship program, I had finished college with high honors, taking night classes that started every four in the afternoon.
The sun was still high up in the sky at two in the afternoon; its scorching heat made my skin drip with sweat. Only when I started climbing the slope that the breeze from the sea below sent a cold and refreshing touch to my skin. Panting a little from the ascent towards the hilltop, I stopped to take in the scenes before me.
The deep blue sea at the far horizon glittered under the silver light of the sun. Rolling from where I stood were the swaying branches of shrubs and trees, perked up by the kaleidoscope of wildflowers popping out from the greeneries. The chirping of the birds, the drumming of the cicadas, the buzzing of some other insects, and the high-pitched squawks of other creatures I couldn't identify felt like music to my ears that I had not heard for years.
Staring into the distance while listening to the soothing sounds of nature, the sound of the judge's gavel knocking into a wooden block floated in my ear. That sound had already become my nightmare, having heard it several times for five years.
I then remembered closing my eyes tightly as the judge read his judicial verdict. I was wearing the official prisoner's shirt, and my hands were cuffed behind my back. It had been five years already since this case was held on trial.
"In view of the foregoing, this Court orders for the dismissal of Criminal Case No. XXXX for attempted murder against the accused Charles Mejares and the acquittal of Jaime Cortes in the case of attempted murder based on reasonable doubt, with costs de officio."
Although I had long ago accepted my fate, my heart still hammered louder than that pounding gavel as the court dismissed me from the attempted murder case. I had resigned to the fact that the system of justice in this country was never fair between the rich and the poor.
"But in Criminal Case No. XXXX for consummated murder, this Court finds the accused Jaime Cortes guilty, beyond a reasonable doubt, as principal of consummated murder, and sentences him to suffer an indeterminate penalty of FOURTEEN (14) YEARS, Eight (8) MONTH and ONE (1) day to SEVENTEEN (17) YEARS..."
"For lack of evidence, the case against the accused Charles Mejares for consummated murder is hereby dismissed with proportionate costs de officio, and this Court orders for his immediate release from custody."
I froze in my seat as the judge closed his final verdict. My mouth hung open as I glued my eyes on his seat, even long after he walked out and disappeared behind his chamber.
"Congratulations, Charles! Heavens indeed have their righteous eyes and ears to those who have clean hearts."
I turned my head to my lawyer, who was then sitting beside me, patting my back with a wide grin on her face. I smiled back at her, but the corners of my mouth twisted as tears started dripping from my eyes.
"God must have a purpose for allowing this in your life. We may not understand it now, but one day, we will."
I nodded at my lawyer's comforting words. Ever since she handled my case, I looked forward to meeting her. Her unwavering faith in my innocence helped me fight against the temptation of ending my life. What was there to live for, anyway?
I lost Alexa over to Jaime. This murder case ruined my dignity and caused grief that resulted in my parent's untimely death.
I noticed my lawyer's eyes moving sideward, fixing them towards Jaime Cortes, the son of our town mayor. With all honesty, I never rejoiced at his pronounced ordeal that should have been mine had the truth not prevailed. I'm not the kind to hold deep grudges, even if I am wronged. He was- about to reap the fruit of his greed and evil intentions, and the long years ahead were something I should not laugh about. Yet, every time I looked into his face, I was reminded of Alexa and the gaping wound he inflicted in my heart.
Alexa, my childhood best friend and my high school sweetheart.
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.
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?
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?
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.
A sudden twist of fate connected Helena to a prominent and influential person. To onlookers, she appeared as a naive bimbo. In truth, she was a top-tier specialist, shrouded in layers of hidden identities. Charlie declared, “She’s quite delicate and easily hurt. Cross her, and you’re crossing me.” The elite families, outwitted by Helena's prowess, kept these truths from him. Helena eventually broke free from Charlie, sending him on a frenzied worldwide hunt. To him, she was a bird with dazzling wings, and his goal was to help her reach new heights.Â
They don't know I'm a girl. They all look at me and see a boy. A prince. Their kind purchase humans like me for their lustful desires. And, when they stormed into our kingdom to buy my sister, I intervened to protect her. I made them take me too. The plan was to escape with my sister whenever we found a chance. How was I to know our prison would be the most fortified place in their kingdom? I was supposed to be on the sidelines. The one they had no real use for. The one they never meant to buy. But then, the most important person in their savage land-their ruthless beast king-took an interest in the "pretty little prince." How do we survive in this brutal kingdom, where everyone hates our kind and shows us no mercy? And how does someone, with a secret like mine, become a lust slave? . AUTHOR'S NOTE. This is a dark romance-dark, mature content. Highly rated 18+ Expect triggers, expect hardcore. If you're a seasoned reader of this genre, looking for something different, prepared to go in blindly not knowing what to expect at every turn, but eager to know more anyway, then dive in! . From the author of the international bestselling book: "The Alpha King's Hated Slave."
Yelena discovered that she wasn't her parents' biological child. After seeing through their ploy to trade her as a pawn in a business deal, she was sent away to her barren birthplace. There, she stumbled upon her true origins—a lineage of historic opulence. Her real family showered her with love and adoration. In the face of her so-called sister's envy, Yelena conquered every adversity and took her revenge, all while showcasing her talents. She soon caught the attention of the city's most eligible bachelor. He cornered Yelena and pinned her against the wall. “It's time to reveal your true identity, darling.”
After three secretive years of marriage, Eliana never met her enigmatic husband until she was served with divorce papers and learned of his extravagant pursuit of another. She snapped back to reality and secured a divorce. Thereafter, Eliana unveiled her various personas: an esteemed doctor, legendary secret agent, master hacker, celebrated designer, adept race car driver, and distinguished scientist. As her diverse talents became known, her ex-husband was consumed by remorse. Desperately, he pleaded, "Eliana, give me another chance! All my properties, even my life, are yours."
For three years, Shane and Yvonne were wed, sharing heated nights, while his devotion clung to his ex. Yvonne strove to be a dutiful wife, yet their marriage felt hollow, built on desire rather than real warmth. All changed when she became pregnant, only for Shane to thrust her onto the operating table, warning, “Either you or the baby survives!” Broken by his cruelty, she vanished in grief and later returned, radiantly accomplished, leaving everyone awestruck. Haunted by remorse, Shane begged for another chance, but Yvonne only smiled and replied, “I’m sorry, men no longer interest me.”
Corinne devoted three years of her life to her boyfriend, only for it to all go to waste. He saw her as nothing more than a country bumpkin and left her at the altar to be with his true love. After getting jilted, Corinne reclaimed her identity as the granddaughter of the town’s richest man, inherited a billion-dollar fortune, and ultimately rose to the top. But her success attracted the envy of others, and people constantly tried to bring her down. As she dealt with these troublemakers one by one, Mr. Hopkins, notorious for his ruthlessness, stood by and cheered her on. “Way to go, honey!”