Arrogant, selfish and heartless. That is how everyone describes Nica Joy Rodriguez. At first, she tried hard to change their opinion on her. But when she got tired of her father's second family, her point of view in life changed. She became just like how they describe her, even to her father. "Who cares?" Her motto in life until she met Chrismith Yuchan, the son of a businessman who was a victim of her bad attitude. His lips that reminds her of the person she did not want to know well enough. How to tame a heart that is scared to love and to be loved? Who is the mysterious man Nica is secretly attracted to?
WHAT the hell did you do?!" Don Alfonso slammed the report papers he was holding on the table in front of his youngest daughter. Nica did not attend the meeting with the company who wanted to invest in their company. A big loss for them is inevitable if they continue to lose their prospect.
"Do I seriously have to answer you?" the daughter's emotionless reply as she just stare at the paper in front of her.
"This is not a school paper that you can rend just because you do not want me to see your poor grades!" he yelled at his daughter who does nothing but failure. "Fix this or else--"
"Or else, what?" Nica frowned, her voice is in a defiant mode. She has no plan on stepping back, even though she has got the idea of what his father's next move is.
"You little brat!"
"Dad!"
Don Alfonso's hand stopped in the air the moment his eldest daughter arrived.
"Oh, here you are, my angel in disguise," Nica sarcastically greeted her half sister, Janice. Janice is only three months older than her.
"We are in the company, Dad, so please calm down." Janice massaged her father's back to soothe him. She look at her sister with sadness visible in her face.
Nica angrily squint at Janice who she considers a mortal enemy. Yes, she has considered her an enemy ever since their paths met. Janice and her mother are the ones she blames for why her mother disappeared so early. She feels intense anger for them, even though she knows the truth about her mother's death.
"Nica, please stop embroiling the company into your grudge against me," Janice coaxed while she is trying to calm their father.
They are living in the same roof for nine years already, but Nica have not accepted her yet. She cannot blame her, her mother had the role of a mistress although Don Alfonso was just forced. Nica's mother was wealthier and influential, and he was coerced to marry her. Though, Janice's mother was already pregnant with her when their father got married.
Nica just smirked at Janice even though her father was looking at her. She is showing him the exact attitude of hers that he has in his mind. She grew up with only her mother by her side. She thought then that her father was really always out of town because of some business.
She believed in the woven story of her mother who secretly suffered. She loved her father so much that she was even able to accept to herself that he had another family. She neglected her health and died of heart disease.
"Let's go, Dad. Let us talk about this problem once we are home." Janice led their father out of Nica's office.
Slowly, the insulting smile faded from Nica's lips and was replaced by a bitter smile. Their father was right, she was the result of a mistake and she no longer want to make an effort to make everyone like her.
Bratty and bad mannered, that is what everyone thinks of her. How could her father blame her for behaving that way? In all her life, no one loved her but her mother who, unfortunately, died early. She grabbed a paper and crushed it with a firm closed eyes. The past she is carrying up until now played inside her mind.
She was orphaned at the age of thirteen. There was no one she could call 'grandma' and 'grandpa' in her mother side, either. She was too young when they died. She became rebellious when it was not even a year ago that her mother died and her father brought his other family into their house. She was deeply hurt but not a soul - but hers - knows it.
Her school grades dropped and her father was often called to the guidance office. She thought she could get her father's attention that way. But she was wrong, she was always chastised and compared to Janice. There was a time when she had thought of following her mother in the afterlife but she was too afraid of committing suicide.
She felt very weak until she learned standing on her own feet. She now has only a year and she can graduate in college when she overheard the talk between her father and their lawyer.
"It is a matter of months before the Young Miss' birthday, Mr. Rodriguez." The lawyer reminded her father.
"It is her will that when your daughter reaches the right age, she will handle your company," the lawyer was referring to her mother.
Alfonso clenched his fist while his other hand squeezed his temple. He is not against the last will of his deceased wife. But his headache doubled at the thought that the youngest daughter would take over their company. She knows nothing but to be happy-go-lucky and play games with everything. His spouse owns the company but it is him who worked hard to make it grow.
"Will you not inform her about that yet?" Alfonso pointed to Nica. "You have seen how hard-headed my daughter is. I do not want her to bring that attitude at work. I need to train and teach her first concerning the right and accepted acts and on how to run the company."
When Nica heard that the lawyer agreed with her father, she quickly left her her hiding place. The lawyer knows her because he is sometimes the one who fixes the trouble she was involved in. She encountered her sister and her mother in the hallway. She did not bother to even greet them. A new decision formed in her mind. She would not allow the bastard to be the 'queen' in her mother's company.
THE days passed, and she gradually began to be used in working as their company's manager. She has the same position as Janice but they are in different departments because the department is divided into two.
"Ma'am, your father ordered me to remind you of your family dinner later."
Nica just looked at her secretary who was obviously uneasy because of her presence. She had only been in her position for five months but she feels that everyone is afraid of her. She did not insist on her desired position because she knew not everything was that easy. But she did not agree that he had no authority over their company. She even went crazy when she found out that her sister had been an employee there for a long time even though she was still a student. It was obvious that their father was preparing her to be good at business.
"Rose," Nica said the name of her secretary. She can tell that she is surprised. How can she not be? It was the first time she called her by her name and it was also in a calm voice.
"Is it okay for you to eat with me outside?" She scratched her forehead when shock and confusion registered on the secretary's face.
She feels comfortable with Rose, mayhap because she is turning old. She has always wanted her to be her friend but she always puts distance between them. It seems that she knows about her bratty attitude before she even stepped foot in the company.
"Ma'am?" confused, Rose asked her young boss.
"Ah, forget it," Nica replied with a smile and told her to leave. It was on her face that she was confused and would like to ask again, but she chose to shut her mouth. She figured she would ask why would she eat outside with her when they have a family dinner.
Nica sighed and rested her back on the chair she seats in. One of the reason why she declined the client's proposal just a week ago was because of their connection with her step sister. She found out that it was the father of Janice's suitor. She admits that it was too unprofessional of her.
"Is your great daughter not here yet?" Margaret asked Alfonso when he sat down in front of the table.
"Mom," it was Janice's way of asking her mother to behave acceptably. She used a low and tender voice. "Not now, Mom." After reprimanding her mother, Janice released a frugal smile at the young man, their guest.
They met when his father invited them to have dinner with them in their house. As usual, Nica was not with them, she always eat outside with her friends. It was a sad thing to think that she is not giving them a chance to come closer in her heart.
Alfonso awkwardly asked for pardon to their guests because his youngest daughter did not make an appearance on the dinner. The new friend did not stay for a long time because they are going out of the country tomorrow.
"I expect you to have this big project before I go back, son."
"Stop worrying about our company, Dad." Chrismith slung his arms on his father's shoulder. "Enjoy your vacation with Mom and get well soon, okay?"
"Do not neglect yourself, too, son." The woman hugged her only child the tightly. They have to leave the country for her husband to continue his treatment abroad. He had a heart complication and she and Chrismith are very worried even though it was not severe.
"C'mon, Mom! I am old enough, so do not worry about me that much." He hugged his mother back with a smile.
"Right, you are old, so I hope that when we come back from our vacation, you will introduce us to a daughter-in-law as well!" Philip joked with his son.
Chrismith just laughed at what his parents want to happen. He did not promise but he nodded at his father's wish to make him happy. He did not want to upset him like what happened last week. He sighed as he remembered the first job that had to be done.
It was the first time that his father was rejected in a project, and it made him depressed. The owner of the company himself settled the matter but his father did not want to pass just because of the company owner's gratitude.
He got no choice but to take responsibility in their company and give up his passion for singing. He left the band he formed and he blames it all on that immature woman. He knows her by name and what her nature is, her own family said it.
"You will pay for this!" Chrismith told to the picture of a woman, her face is beautiful but the arrogance cannot be unnoticed.
"You're just like your father who is vulnerable to temptation, so stop denying that this woman you're disgusted with, is a good kisser. Forget that I'm your father's mistress." The mocking words of Jennifer Garcia, known by those who are considered her enemies, by the name, Kailani Monuz. No one wants to be the loser between her and Yazed Amante, who is an arrogant man and has his own stand in life. Yazed will do everything to keep his family's reputation and the safety of his mother. One of the things he has to get rid of is the woman who has an angelic face but is dangerous to his family. What will Yazed do when he finds out the truth about Kailani Monuz?
Nothing is more painful than being rejected by her own parents because they trust the person she considered a true friend more than her. Nicole thought her life would improve with Danica’s help, but what happened was the opposite. Danica used Nicole to fulfill her ambition — to marry an arrogant and hard-hearted Steven. Nicole could see why a friend had betrayed her because of this man. Aside from being a billionaire, he also possessed the traits that drive women crazy over a man. After six years, Nicole will return to take back everything from Danica, including the man who said she didn’t deserve to be the mother of his child.
Iris grew from an orphaned child to the adopted daughter of the Stewart family at age ten, finding warmth in her nominal uncle Vincent's kindness. Seven years later, she became his secret lover. When Vincent's engagement was announced, gossip spread about the notorious playboy CEO finally settling down. But only Iris knew the extent of his cold, two-faced nature. Iris fell for Vincent and, through tears, begged, "Marry me," only to be met with his frosty refusal. Defeated, she accepted a lawyer's proposal, sparking public excitement. Then, on her wedding day, Vincent pleaded desperately, "Don't marry him…"
Maria took her sister’s place and was engaged to Anthony, a disabled man who had lost his status as the family heir. At first, they were just a nominal couple. However, things changed when things about Maria were gradually exposed. It turned out she was a professional hacker, a mysterious composer, and the sole successor to an international jade sculpting master… The more that was revealed about her, the less Anthony could rest easy. A famous singer, an award-winning actor, an heir of a rich family—so many excellent men were chasing after his fiancee, Maria. What should Anthony do?
After a painful breakup with her boyfriend of two years who coldly told her to her face that he couldn't keep dating her because she was too uptight--In a moment of anger and defiance, Anna decided to throw caution to the wind for one reckless night. She headed to the wildest club in Texas, determined to lose herself in the chaos. But fate had other plans. To her shock, she ran into her ex-boyfriend at the club. Desperate to save face, she made a split-second decision and approached a stranger, pretending he was her new boyfriend. What she never anticipated was the magnetic pull she would feel towards him or the fact that she'd end up going home with this mystery man. Soon enough, the real surprise hit her--this stranger wasn't just anyone; he was her new boss. What begins as a night of rebellion spirals into a whirlwind of forbidden attraction, societal pressure and hidden affairs. And now there are so many things at stake. Find out how this story unfolds.
"I want a divorce!" Ryan demanded, despite the fact that he had cheated on her with his ex. ~ Serena is no longer the quiet, romantic lady Ryan Winters married and divorced five years ago. Now the CEO of Rocky's Designs, she is bright, unwavering, and unapologetic about her independence-a far cry from the woman Ryan remembers. When fate brings them back into one another's lives, Ryan is forced to confront the truth about their past, their newfound hot chemistry, and a surprising revelation; Serena has a daughter who may be his. But Ryan's girlfriend, Kate, isn't prepared to lose him again. She will do whatever it takes to keep Ryan in her grasp-even if it means destroying Serena's life and the corporate empire she has built. What happens when Serena's now peaceful life is being disrupted? Will Serena lose once again or will she seize this billionaire's heart?
I'm a Luna. After three years of marriage to Alpha Nathaniel Blackwood, I'm finally pregnant with his pup. But he's unclaimed me for his first love. I'm leaving the pack with this secret, praying he never finds out. Nathaniel Blackwood is a handsome, powerful Alpha. In a world where humans and werewolves coexist, he has it all: a billion-dollar empire, untold power, a massive pack, and, most importantly, the perfect Luna. But the return of his first love shattered our marriage. When he finds out the secret I've been hiding, will he regret rejecting me? Will I ever be able to forgive him? Dive into this gripping serialized novel to find out more-Enjoy the ride!
"Is it considered betrayal to develop feelings for your best friend's boyfriend? What about when fate intervenes, and he turns out to be your destined mate? You might think it's luck and thank the moon goddess for such a twist of fate. That's what I believed until the love of my life uttered those dreaded words: 'I want a divorce!' As I stared at the pregnancy test in my hands, I realized it was better to keep my secret to myself. My name is Violet, and this is my story."