Aliyah was a girl from 2020 and in just a snap of the clock, she was transported to a year where the biggest twist of her life was about to happen, where she was destined to meet a young soldier who will change her fate. In the year 1950, where her boring life will change.
The uncertainty of the world always makes me think about how I can find real happiness. Is happiness still relevant in this cruel world? Or greediness makes the people feel the satisfaction they are wanting to feel.
When the pandemic started to blow, I readied myself for the possible event will happen in the future. I always think about what will happen tomorrow, but I forgot to look back on the past to reminisce some lessons.
After the 14-day quarantine period, I was able to go home after 5 months of being on duty. I am a nurse, and the pandemic tested my ability. I am not so sure if I fulfill my duty very well. Every time I see people suffer; I think what I am doing is not enough.
"I missed you so much, darling. No days I was not worried about you." My mom hugged me so tight. Her warm made me feel so safe after being alone for a long time.
"I missed you too, Mama. Where's Papa?" I asked then roamed my eyes around our old-fashioned house that was originally from her great-great-grandfather.
"He's outside buying some goods. He will cook something for you later. Why don't say 'hello' to your grandpa in the backyard first? I'm sure he will be thrilled to see you. He misses you a lot," my mother said then helped me to organize my things in my room.
I sighed as I remember the days when I was a child, this room was originally for my father. Then passes to me when I was 8, I was terrified back then. You know, sleeping alone in this old house was freaking my 8-year-old mind. But nothing happens, it's just my wild imagination.
After cleaning myself and getting enough rest, I decided to meet my grandpa who's still in the backyard. It is nearing dawn and the cold breeze of September started to touch my skin. My grandfather was a retired army, he slowly losing his eyesight because of his age. He is old but quite stronger for his age. He didn't notice me at first, I watched him looking at his old photos when he was a young man. I bet he missed those days.
"It was a long time I can still clearly remember how that young lady saved my wife's life."
I thought he was talking to himself until he looked up at me. I was surprised at first but later, I smiled at him. I sat beside him then also examined the photos. They were very old, and some are almost fading.
"Who's that lady, grandpa? Is she grandma?" I asked him.
He shakes his head. "I don't remember her name anymore, but she is pretty and she's amazing. She was different from other girls in our time. I remember that my best friend was so whipped at her. She got my friend's eyes and heart. But then, she was gone when we came back after surviving a bloody war."
I suddenly felt an unfamiliar pain in my chest when I heard his story. "Why is she suddenly disappeared? Is she dead or went to another place or something like that?"
"We don't know, but I know one thing, my friend was truly devastated at that time. He will cry every night and you know what was weird?" He paused then looked at me. "He would go to a certain dark place and gazed at the night sky."
He handed me an old picture. It was a man holding a guitar. I bit my lips and suddenly, I feel like crying. I caught my breath then gave back the photo to my grandpa.
"This is Henry, my childhood best friend. When we returned home after the war, he decided to quit the military. The last time I heard the news about them was he's getting married. I was so relieved that time, I thought he will be a wreck all of his life. I am glad that he has Sonia." My grandfather started to put the photos in the old box.
He stopped then look at me again. His forehead creased. I was confused about his reaction to me.
"Who are you, young miss?" he suddenly asks.
I smiled. "I am Aliyah, grandpa. I was gone for a very long time. But now, I am here."
"I wished you came back a little earlier," he said, and I was stunned.
What?
"I-I was doing my job, so I can't go home whenever I want. But I will stay for months, I promised to take care of you." I stand up then pushed his wheelchair inside our house because the sun is already set, and the cold wind started to blow harshly.
IN THE DINNER, my father was a bit loud. He was thrilled to see me, and I am too. I missed my family so much. But every time I remembered what grandpa told me earlier, my heart will start to ache as if I have heart disease, but I am physically healthy. I will find it hard to breathe and ended up crying. I was so confused about myself. I never met his best friend Henry and his wife. In fact, I never met grandma too. I have never had an interest in their lives. I never heard their stories.
"What's the matter, dear? Are you not comfortable?" my mother asked me when she notices that I am still awaked. It's already past midnight.
She sat down in my bed, waiting for my answer. I was completely bothered by how Henry man's story affects my whole system.
"Do you know anything about grandpa's best friend?" I asked my mother.
"Hmm, I met him only once. When I about to marry your father. He's a good man, a good-looking man. I was pregnant at that time to you. I just find him weird when he said, 'she's going to be the beautiful and outstanding girl who will capture the heart of a man, and in that time, I was just 2 months pregnant, and your gender was still unknown." My mother shrugged her shoulders.
Who is this man? Who is he?
I was overthinking things, and I can't remember how I fell asleep. I woke up around noon then I decided to organize my things. I started to unpack the things I bought for my family and some close neighbors and friends. I keep distracting myself the whole time. I prevented myself from having even a small talk to my grandfather. Until now, I'm still worried about myself. I was so eager to know more about his best friend.
"Thank you for the visit and your gifts." The old lady smiled at me. I smiled back.
She's the same age as my mother. Their family was close to ours, so my mom and I decided to pay some visits. I drifted my eyes on some large photos hanging on the walls. The is pretty that on ours. The largest one was probably their family picture where an old man and lady sitting, and two people were standing behind them.
My mother was in the restroom when the old lady spoke. "Can you still remember the time you are with him?" she said.
Her words sent shivers down my spine. What is she talking about?
"Huh?" The only word I have managed to say.
"Although he was able to marry my mother and have children with her. I know he never loved her. He never loved my mother because of that one girl." She looked at me.
"Do you remember that time, the time you left him?"
I froze.
"Sign the divorce papers and get out!" Leanna got married to pay a debt, but she was betrayed by her husband and shunned by her in-laws. Seeing that her efforts were in vain, she agreed to divorce and claimed her half of the properties. With her purse plump from the settlement, Leanna enjoyed her newfound freedom. The constant harassment from her ex's mistress never fazed her. She took back her identities as top hacker, champion racer, medical professor, and renowned jewelry designer. Then someone discovered her secret. Matthew smiled. "Will you have me as your next husband?"
"Miss Brown, I am the butler here at your service," the butler replied. "My master wants to buy the baby in your belly." "What?!" Does that mean the abortion didn't take place? Did they kidnap her from the operating table just to buy the baby? But why her? "You..." Alice was about to ask a question, but the man in front of her calmly continued, as if he had expected her question, "You're pregnant with his child, and he needs a child. That's all I can tell you." Alice was forced to sign a surrogacy contract and eight months later gave birth to two healthy babies. Fortunately, the man was unaware of her daughter's existence. It wasn't until five years later that fate brought them together again...
“You need a bride, I need a groom. Why don’t we get married?” Both abandoned at the altar, Elyse decided to tie the knot with the disabled stranger from the venue next door. Pitying his state, she vowed to spoil him once they were married. Little did she know that he was actually a powerful tycoon. Jayden thought Elyse only married him for his money, and planned to divorce her when she was no longer of use to him. But after becoming her husband, he was faced with a new dilemma. “She keeps asking for a divorce, but I don’t want that! What should I do?”
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."
"Never let anyone treat you like shit!" I learned that the hard way. For three years, I lived with my in-laws. They didn't treat me as their son-in-law but as a slave. I put up with everything because of my wife, Yolanda Lambert. She was the light of my life. Unfortunately, my whole world came crashing down the day I caught my wife cheating on me. I have never been so heartbroken. To have my revenge, I revealed my true identity. I was none other than Liam Hoffman—the heir of a family with trillions of dollars in assets! The Lamberts were utterly shocked after the big reveal. They realized what fools they had been for treating me like trash. My wife even knelt down and begged for my forgiveness. What do you think I did? Did I take her back or made her suffer? Find out!
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?