**Synopsis:** Sofia Delacruz has always held one steadfast belief, instilled by her Abuela - "Sparks fly when you meet your one true soulmate." Yet, when she feels this electrifying connection with superstar playboy Ryan Barnes, she is torn between the rational and the romantic. Finally, she decides to take the plunge. However, navigating his glamorous superstar lifestyle-something she detests, becomes a challenge. Can he, in turn, adapt to a girl-next-door life like hers? As two vastly different worlds collide, a series of events unfold, revealing their lives will never be the same. And just when Sofia believes her hands are full, she feels another spark, this time with someone entirely different... **Excerpt:** She gasped, swiftly pulling her hand away as if repelled by his touch. "That's not possible," she murmured, her voice trembling, fingers clutching her chest. "What's the problem?" He didn't sound surprised, rather oddly calm. "Is it the chemistry between us?" "No," she shook her head vigorously, her eyes wide with disbelief. "There can't be any chemistry between us. There's something wrong." He exhaled deeply, taking measured steps towards her. "To me, the only thing wrong here is you refusing to accept the obvious." "Which is?" She already knew what he'd say next but prayed silently that he'd say something else. "Fate," he calmly replied, still walking towards her. "Fate has brought us together. We're meant to be." "Fate? Do you even have the slightest idea what that means?" She held up her hands, gesturing for him to stop. "Everything," she said, frustration and confusion evident in her eyes, "Every single thing I've ever known or believed in romance depended on this, and you're telling me it was all a lie?" "I'm not telling you; I'm showing you," he replied, his tone unwavering, coming closer. She raised her arms again, signaling him to halt. "Look, James, there can only be one spark."
The room was bathed in light, illuminating the vibrant green screen behind her. The director beamed with pride at the success of the shoot.
"Cut!" he exclaimed with evident joy. "That's a wrap."
He gracefully hopped off his director's seat, landing on his toes like a seasoned ballet dancer-his not-so-secret hobby.
"Thank you, Ryan, for that brilliance. Amanda, you are a goddess-have I mentioned that?" His arms moved animatedly, showering praise on everyone.
His multicolored spiky hair and adorned ears gleamed under the lights, and suspicions about his "love" preferences were well-known.
"Phew," he sighed dramatically, pretending to wipe away sweat. "All that emotion must've ruined my mascara. Jessi! Makeup STAT," he called out, striding away in his brisk fashion.
Footsteps echoed as his secretary and the makeup artist hurriedly followed him. His hands were outstretched, revealing that he was truly in his element.
Meanwhile, the star of the show, Ryan Barnes, lounged comfortably in his actor's chair, smirking with satisfaction. Accustomed to praise, he licked his lips in pride, while checking his eye-lined eyes in the mirror. They made him even more captivating.
The ladies' man was far from an eyesore, and his makeup artists guarded him with awe. As he sipped Campari on the rocks, he knew that his character, Prince Nikolas, would soon be a distant memory.
He pulled out his phone, going live on The Gram as his makeup was expertly removed. The heartthrob was basking in every moment.
His dark, clear eyes-deep cola brown, almost black-captivated, paired with a well-defined nose and red lips that curved just enough to soften his features. He was what they loved.
Amanda joined him, still in Vanessa's scarlet mid-thigh halter gown-her character's costume. She sat beside him, stretching her long, sexy legs.
"Ryan, the Black Dawn movie premiere is on Friday," she informed him casually.
"Yeah?" he sighed.
"I need you to attend with me. That means Us, together," she insisted, sitting up and turning to face him.
"Of course, I know what it means," he replied, rolling his eyes.
"Wait, isn't Black Dawn that movie we did together?" he asked, his interest piqued.
She frowned, irritated. "Seriously? Is your memory that short-term?"
"Hey, I'm a really busy guy," he defended himself.
"Yeah, sure you are," she scoffed. "Ryan, I'm serious about this. Come pick me up by eight. I want us to make a grand entrance."
"Of course, Vanessa," he replied.
"It's Amanda," she corrected with a weak voice, signaling her frustration with his shenanigans.
"I got your back," he assured, smiling at her.
"Are you being serious right now?" she asked, arching an eyebrow.
"I'm down for you, always," he declared, getting up and walking into a frosted glass compartment.
A few minutes later, he emerged in a black leather jacket over a white T-shirt, his face printed on it. Paired with white pants and black Nike sneakers, he grabbed reflecting shades and swaggered out the door, leaving female attendants sighing after him.
Ryan faced a mob of reporters as he stepped outside, nine out of ten of them female. They bombarded him with questions about the next release and details about his lifestyle.
With his trademark smile, he silenced the first one with a gentle touch to her jawline, captivated the rest with his eyes, and slipped away-straight into another mob.
This time, it was his fans, tearing him apart. He tried to be gentle with them, reminding himself they were all women. Security intervened, rescuing him with lopsided glasses and smeared lipstick.
As he opened the door of his Lamborghini Veneno, he thanked them with a salute and left a generous tip that made them giddy.
---
"Jessi, I don't even understand why you and everyone else seem to go nuts whenever you hear that guy's name," the raven-haired woman said to her blonde friend, handing her a can of Coca-Cola before settling onto the sofa beside her.
"Sofia Delacruz," her best friend exclaimed, her excitement evident as she collected the can."Look, Ryan Barnes is everything a woman could want. So, I don't know if you intend on becoming a nun, but I'm gonna stick to my nuts, okay?" She nodded with finality before popping open her drink.
The drink fizzed as it opened while Sofia sighed in resignation.
Jessi took a long sip and let out a satisfied sigh, savoring the refreshing taste.
"Look, Soph," she continued, placing a hand on Sofia's knee, "You aren't getting out of being my plus one on Friday at all. Don't even think about it. Both of us are attending that premiere."
They were in Sofia's apartment, one of the units in Jessi's semi-detached property.
"Jessi," Sofia sighed, "You know I'm not really a fan of the whole glitz and glam biz. Abuela, God bless her soul," she made the sign of the cross and kissed her hand, Jessi following suit, "taught me so much. There's more to life than the big screen, and I can't even afford to go to such parties."
"Come on, Soph," Jessi scoffed, turning to her on the couch. "Was that your big shot at changing my mind? We already talked about this. First off, you're not joining them on the big screen-"
"-Of course not," Sofia cut in, horrified.
"-and second off, I'm a stylist at the agency he uses. Today I even got to-"
"-Select his pants," Sofia completed, then sighed. "Yeah, I know, I know. You've told me this story a zillion times in the space of five minutes. Okay, I give in. I knew you'd win, but I just had to try."
"You're not getting out of this one anytime soon, babe," Jessi said with a wink.
Sofia leaned back, her lips curling. "Jessi, you know I hate it when you talk and also look that way."
Jessi let out a chorus of laughter. "Just pulling your leg, dear," she said with a satisfied sigh. "This movie premiere is going to be an unforgettable one, I promise," Jessi winked.
What if a little white lie became the fight of your life? Vincenzo Casano has everything-money, charm, and a reckless lifestyle that has always shielded him from consequences. But when his billionaire grandfather delivers an ultimatum-settle down or lose the family empire-Vincenzo is left scrambling. When a chance encounter leads him to Cassie Knight, a struggling fashion designer with big dreams, he strikes a deal: she'll pretend to be his fiancée, and he'll help her career. But neither of them expects the game to turn real. What begins as a harmless charade spirals into a tangle of secrets, betrayal, and undeniable passion. As old family wounds resurface and dangerous enemies close in, Vincenzo and Cassie must decide if their fake love can withstand the weight of their real lives. In a world where appearances are everything, can love survive when the masks come off? Read to find out! xoxo!
Rejected by her mate, who had been her long-time crush, Jasmine felt utterly humiliated. Seeking solace, she headed to a party to drown her sorrows. But things took a turn for the worse when her friends issued a cruel dare: kiss a stranger or beg her mate for forgiveness. With no other choice, Jasmine approached a stranger and kissed him, thinking that would be the end of it. However, the stranger unexpectedly wrapped his arms around her waist and whispered in her ear, "You're mine!" He growled, his words sending shivers down her spine. And then, he offered her a solution that would change everything...
Rena got into an entanglement with a big shot when she was drunk one night. She needed Waylen's help while he was drawn to her youthful beauty. As such, what was supposed to be a one-night stand progressed into something serious. All was well until Rena discovered that Waylen's heart belonged to another woman. When his first love returned, he stopped coming home, leaving Rena all alone for many nights. She put up with it until she received a check and farewell note one day. Contrary to how Waylen expected her to react, Rena had a smile on her face as she bid him farewell. "It was fun while it lasted, Waylen. May our paths never cross. Have a nice life." But as fate would have it, their paths crossed again. This time, Rena had another man by her side. Waylen's eyes burned with jealousy. He spat, "How the hell did you move on? I thought you loved only me!" "Keyword, loved!" Rena flipped her hair back and retorted, "There are plenty of fish in the sea, Waylen. Besides, you were the one who asked for a breakup. Now, if you want to date me, you have to wait in line." The next day, Rena received a credit alert of billions and a diamond ring. Waylen appeared again, got down on one knee, and uttered, "May I cut in line, Rena? I still want you."
After a heated confrontation with her husband and mistress, Brianna was pushed down to stairs. She thought she would die but when she woke up again, she realized that she traveled back two years ago, when it was not late for her to correct her path. The first thing she needed to do when she was reborn was divorce that scum. She saved from the darkest time but he lied to her and murdered her in the end. This time, she would not repeat the same mistakes anymore. She would bring the glory of her family back and make those people who betrayed her pay the price! However, in the process of climbing up to the peak of her career, she met a very intimidating and handsome man who kept on messing with her head through his bold attitude. Brianna doesn't want to be involved with another man again, for she has proven to herself that they will just drag her down, but her constant incidents with him are slowly breaking the wall she built to protect her heart. Brianna will surely choose her career over a man this time, but it's possible to choose both, right? What if he hurt her too? No! She won't risk it but. "You have to run away from me, Bree. Coz I'm done running away, I'll chase you now."
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."
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.
Betrayed by her mate and sister on the eve of her wedding, Makenna was handed to the ruthless Lycan Princes as a lover, her indifferent father ignoring her plight. Determined to escape and seek revenge, she captured the interest of the three Lycan princes, who desired her exclusively amid many admirers. This complicated her plans, trapping her and making her a rival to the future Lycan queen. Entwined in jealousy and vindictiveness, could Makenna achieve her vengeance in the intricate dance with the three princes?