Marriage in Trouble

Alexei Volkov survived the death of his son. What he won’t survive is watching his wife stop loving him. Irina was his home, his weakness, and the love of his life. But tragedy left them buried beneath silence, guilt, and ruins neither of them knew how to rebuild. When Irina asked for a divorce, Alexei was too broken to stop her. So he let her go. Now she has returned to Russia, determined to start over—stronger, freer, and finally moving on. And with every step she takes away from him, something inside Alexei breaks, because he can endure the distance, the blame, and even her hatred. What he cannot endure is seeing her smile for another man. Irina wants a new life. Alexei wants a second chance before his imperfect desire loses her forever.

Alexandra places a tempting and enticing dish before her husband... that could lead to her downfall. They both agree to open their relationship to "explore" new sensations, but one of their encounters will take a dramatic turn. For Alexandra, her life revolves around Lucas; he is her anchor. For Lucas, Alexandra is the only thing that gives his life meaning. People from the past reappear, revealing truths and true desires, and not everyone will have the ending they longed for, for their spirits will be ruined.

When love turns to silence, and closeness to distance, two people face the moment when everything seems to shatter. Amid the confusion, the pain, and the still-burning memories, a crack opens through which the truth might seep. "Necesidad" (Need) is a short story about strained relationships, painful decisions, and the urgent need to find meaning when the heart no longer knows whether to stay or leave.

Some heroines travel to other worlds to save them... And then there’s me — Alina. First, my wedding collapsed. Then I woke up in the body of a young married queen from another realm. And the very next morning, the “king” and I opened our eyes… in a run-down apartment block. Someone changed our faces, my “husband” remembers nothing, and impostors sit on our royal thrones. But I’m no badass fantasy heroine! So instead of epic quests, I’m stuck living the oh-so-"realistic" life of a desperate housewife on maternity leave. Just as I settle into the chaos, a shady new neighbor ropes me into her band… Where the guitarist looks way too much like my first love. Oh dear mother of mine — what now?

— I don’t remember… Are you really my husband? — I ask, eyeing him with suspicion. He frowns. — Unfortunately, yes. Why do you doubt it? — I thought you’d be… nicer. Your wife was in a car crash, barely survived, lost her memory — and instead of a kiss on the cheek, I’m getting baseless accusations. He blinks, clearly thrown off. — You want a kiss? Did you hit your head harder than we thought? You’ve caused way too much trouble for me to be kissing you. — Then why haven’t you divorced me?

Daniel was my ideal. I believed in him with all my heart. But one day, a friend opened my eyes to the bitter truth, confessing that she was having an affair with my beloved. Well, yes, I had gained a few extra pounds. Quite a few, actually... But that's no excuse for cheating on your husband! Be that as it may, it was a turning point in my life. I'll lose weight and be so beautiful again that men will stick to me like flies to honey. Then Dan can bite his elbows. I'll quickly find a replacement for him. It seemed like a good plan. But... Everything is not as clear-cut as it seemed?

I always loved him in silence. Adrián Montenegro was my best friend—and my curse. Loving him while knowing his heart belonged to someone else was my greatest punishment. By arrangement, we ended up married… without love, without promises, just a deal that forced me to pretend it didn’t hurt to have him so close and yet so far at the same time. Over time, his presence became my necessity. Every glance, every shared night made me believe I could earn his love—that maybe we could build a family together. My mother used to say love is something you fight for, and I fought with everything I had… until I forgot myself. But fate was cruel. She woke up, and in his eyes I saw the truth I had always tried to deny: he had never stopped loving her.

What does a woman need to be happy? To love and be loved? Yes, and also for your man to look at you with adoration, not looking for flaws and not dreaming of remaking you to the standards of modern beauty, because you are the only one and the most desirable for him; so that you can lean on his caring shoulder and sometimes feel weak and small next to him, enjoying his attention and tenderness. When I got married, I thought I would be happy. But my heart was wrong... And now I don't know if I have the courage to trust my feelings again, because this guy is ready to go all in, and his frankness leaves me speechless every time, dumbfounded by his charisma, sharp mind and unsurpassed humor.

Frosya has lived for many years in the shadow of her neglectful husband, unable to bring herself to make a change. But a New Year's trip to visit her grandmother becomes a turning point. An encounter with a handsome and passionate man forces her to take a fresh look at her life and make a decision that changes everything.

By the will of the gods, Sessil of the House of Eil was bound to Russell Milgardan, a powerful man of Lardon. But her beloved was no ordinary captain — as it turned out, he was the ruler of Virata Island, one of the largest islands of the Lardonian Empire! So now, she is with the one she loves — and yet her heart is filled with fear and turmoil… Will she be able to adapt to a patch of land in a hostile empire? Will her Russell remain as kind and caring as he has always been? Thus, the delicate young woman must become the Lady of Virata, learning to live by foreign customs and traditions.