when did half life 2: episode 2 come out

In this episode of GoodChat, Evan Gambardella and Greg Duffy take us behind the scenes of their newest project, Straight Until He Kissed Me. The conversation dives into their acting journeys and the world of vertical storytelling, exploring how they each found their voice on-screen.

In the year 2399, all of humanity is drawn into a game known as Doomsday Hotel. Every player who enters is given a basic hotel. The higher the level, the larger and more powerful the hotel becomes. In his previous life, Ryan Charles sold his hotel for $30 million. Little did he know that 30 days later, the Earth would descend into a doomsday, and the hotels within the game would manifest in reality as shelters. As a result, Ryan fell into slavery and met a miserable end. Who could have imagined that when he opened his eyes again, he had returned to the very day he was pulled into the game—and this time, he was bound to the strongest system. Trash men and scheming women come to provoke him? They only end up getting slapped in the face. While other players are still trying to figure out the game's mechanics, Ryan has already built a top-tier luxury hotel, gathered four beautiful maidservants, and is comfortably lying back, waiting for Doomsday to arrive.

In this episode of GoodChat: The Great Cake-Off, Volo, Faith, and Sophie put their instincts to the test with a round of Cake or Real. As the desserts get more deceptive, the guesses get bolder, and more wrong. With each round, the stakes rise, because the loser pays the price: a dot of whipped cream straight to the face. Expect laughs, questionable confidence, and plenty of sweet (and messy) moments as the game unfolds.

My mother was the Chosen Luna—the one who once conquered three powerful Alphas. When her mission was done, she vanished from this world, leaving behind only me, and the three Alphas who had once loved her with everything they had. My first father, Alpha Jeff Tanners, ruled the Silver Moon Pack—rich enough to buy half the continent. My second father, Alpha Kael Grey, commanded all the warriors of the Northern Alliance. My third father, Alpha Bran Theron, held every medical resource wolves and humans depended on. For eighteen years, I was their cherished little princess. Whatever I wanted, they gave—no questions, no hesitation. Until they brought home that girl—a fragile orphan named Arie Ryker. From that day on, everything changed. She told them I called her a filthy stray, unworthy of our pack. She said I led the young wolves at school to bully her. She said I tampered with her performance costume, that I caused her allergy, that I made her faint on stage. And they believed her. They stopped believing me. The ninety-ninth time they chose her over me, when they shouted, "Don't come back again!", I didn't argue. I just picked up my luggage and left. They thought I'd come running home like before—that my disappearance was just another way to make them see me. But when they found out I had left the pack for good, that my identity had been erased, that I could no longer be found, the three mighty Alphas finally broke.

When Emily Harper is sold out by her family to the highest bidder, she escapes and has a one-night stand with billionaire Charles Sinclair. She gives birth to triplets, but loses one to her evil stepsister Vivian, who claims her eldest child is stillborn. Escaping with her remaining twins, little did Emily expect her twins to be superheroes – one is a super genius, and the other is a star fighter with super strength! Years later, Emily and her twins come back to town, only to find that Vivian is engaged to Charles and raising his son. But this boy, with his superhuman sixth sense, senses that Emily is his true mother! As the three superpowered kids bring their parents together and help to defeat their evil families, will Emily and Charles find love again?

My mate fell in love with the mute Omega who saved his life and wanted to call off our engagement. I kindly advised him, "The position of Alpha Queen is not an easy one. She may not be able to bear the responsibility." The mute Omega felt insulted and committed suicide by taking Wolfsbane. Eight years later, when Ryan became the Alpha King, the first thing he did was destroy the Snowfang Pack and come for my life. "This is what all of you owe Saya." When I opened my eyes again, I was back at my 18th birthday banquet. Ryan's father, the former Alpha King, had once asked me what my wish was. "Since Ryan and Saya are each other's fated ones, let them be together. Let them complete their bond under the moonlight and receive the blessing of the Moon Goddess.

Sierra Lowe, a genius from the future research institute, dies unexpectedly and wakes up 100 years in the past as the fiancée of Commander Ethan Nacht. Her plan is simple: lay low, earn money, and avoid trouble. And when the ninth wife finally rises to power, she’ll happily step aside. But on their wedding day, Commander Ethan hears her inner thoughts loud and clear: “So this is Ethan Nacht, the guy who secretly slept with the ninth wife?”Ethan was baffled: "Father only had eight wives. Where did the ninth come from?"

Zack Olson awakens the legendary Heavenly Eye while honing his skills. Given half of a Divine Pendant, he must find his childhood fiancée, who holds the other half, to break all limits. A chance encounter at a hotel sparks chaos, tension, and misunderstandings.Now, Zack navigates the city with power, wit, and charm—proving he’s no ordinary man.

Zack Olson awakens the legendary Heavenly Eye while honing his skills. Given half of a Divine Pendant, he must find his childhood fiancée, who holds the other half, to break all limits. A chance encounter at a hotel sparks chaos, tension, and misunderstandings.Now, Zack navigates the city with power, wit, and charm—proving he’s no ordinary man.

When Lola was kidnapped as a child and later betrayed by a scoundrel in a relationship, she thought her life had hit rock bottom. Little did she know that one day, affluent uncles showed up, revealing that she was the heiress, Lyla, to a vast fortune. Now, she must return to claim her inheritance!

Quinn Thorne, a club waiter, accidentally rescued Sera Dutt when she was drugged. Quinn is mistaken for an antidote by Sera, who takes half of his necklace jades as a token. Six years later, Quinn works at a Dutt Group construction site to fund his foster mother's medical bills. Mocked by coworkers for being single, he encounters Sera and her daughter, Lila, who calls him "Dad" after recognizing his matching necklace.

Quinn Thorne, a club waiter, accidentally rescued Sera Dutt when she was drugged. Quinn is mistaken for an antidote by Sera, who takes half of his necklace jades as a token. Six years later, Quinn works at a Dutt Group construction site to fund his foster mother's medical bills. Mocked by coworkers for being single, he encounters Sera and her daughter, Lila, who calls him "Dad" after recognizing his matching necklace.

In her previous life, Sharon Estes was a hedonist. She fell for Zach Lewis at first sight when he came to the village from the city. She tricked him into sleeping with her, and they got married. Afterward, she didn’t cherish this relationship. Only when she learned that Zach and her son Larry had died tragically due to her gambling addiction did Sharon regret it deeply. After she was reborn, Sharon desperately tried to win back Zach’s and Larry’s hearts.Relying on her memories from her previous life, she seized the opportunities of the era, started a business, and got rich.

Natalie was once the Parson family's cherished daughter, but her world was shattered when Monica was unmasked as the true heiress. Manipulated by Monica, she was framed for their grandmother's murder and cast out by her family to a hellish reform school. Two years later, she was released, only to be forced into a marriage with a notorious alcoholic playboy. As the truth about her past and the horrors of that "school" come to light, Natalie watches everyone with a cold stare. Her storm of revenge has just begun.

On my eighteenth birthday, the High King summoned the heirs of the four great clans—the Vampires, the Werewolves, the High Serpent Clan, and the Merfolk. He laid their portraits before me and said, "Choose one to be your bondmate." I did not hesitate. I pointed to Damon—the werewolf with no noble bloodline, born in a forgotten corner of the realm. The entire court erupted in disbelief. Everyone knew who I used to love. Alpha Iris—the heir of the most powerful Lycan bloodline. For seven years, I chased him with blind devotion. No matter how harshly he treated me, I never gave up. I confessed to him over and over, sometimes right in the royal court. I even performed a blood-binding ritual—slitting my wrist—to earn the right to marry him. In my previous life, I got what I wanted—I married him and we performed the mate bonding ceremony. With that union, he inherited the High King's resources and rose to become the ruler of all four clans. However, what I did not expect was that after our wedding, he turned around and marked my adoptive sister. My parents were furious and sent her away. From that day on, Iris hated me with a vengeance. He surrounded himself with women who all looked eerily like her. One by one, they came—each more vicious than the last. With his silent approval, they tore me down, piece by piece, until I was nothing more than a joke—no longer the queen I once was. The suffering pushed me into severe depression. Only suppressants keep my wolf form from spiraling out of control. Until one day, my medication was replaced with a slow-acting poison. He was the one who did it. I died alone, locked away in the cold palace, a child still growing inside me. However, fate gave me another chance. In this life, I would not make the same mistake. When the High King once again asked me to choose a partner for the marriage alliance, I chose Damon—the one no one ever noticed—without even blinking.

On my eighteenth birthday, the High King summoned the heirs of the four great clans—the Vampires, the Werewolves, the High Serpent Clan, and the Merfolk. He laid their portraits before me and said, "Choose one to be your bondmate." I did not hesitate. I pointed to Damon—the werewolf with no noble bloodline, born in a forgotten corner of the realm. The entire court erupted in disbelief. Everyone knew who I used to love. Alpha Iris—the heir of the most powerful Lycan bloodline. For seven years, I chased him with blind devotion. No matter how harshly he treated me, I never gave up. I confessed to him over and over, sometimes right in the royal court. I even performed a blood-binding ritual—slitting my wrist—to earn the right to marry him. In my previous life, I got what I wanted—I married him and we performed the mate bonding ceremony. With that union, he inherited the High King's resources and rose to become the ruler of all four clans. However, what I did not expect was that after our wedding, he turned around and marked my adoptive sister. My parents were furious and sent her away. From that day on, Iris hated me with a vengeance. He surrounded himself with women who all looked eerily like her. One by one, they came—each more vicious than the last. With his silent approval, they tore me down, piece by piece, until I was nothing more than a joke—no longer the queen I once was. The suffering pushed me into severe depression. Only suppressants keep my wolf form from spiraling out of control. Until one day, my medication was replaced with a slow-acting poison. He was the one who did it. I died alone, locked away in the cold palace, a child still growing inside me. However, fate gave me another chance. In this life, I would not make the same mistake. When the High King once again asked me to choose a partner for the marriage alliance, I chose Damon—the one no one ever noticed—without even blinking.

Vincenzo Moretti was Stonehaven’s youngest financial titan— a tech mogul commanding a multibillion-dollar empire, gracing the covers of business magazines as a modern legend. But only a select few knew the truth: he was also the ruthless Don controlling the East Coast mafia. To him, wealth and power were mere chips in a game. And I? I was just another pawn used to stabilize a fragile family alliance. In our ten-year marriage, he slept with my friends, my coworkers… every single person I once trusted. Then one morning, as I took our one-month-old baby for a routine checkup, Sienna Newton, his latest mistress, ran me down with her car. The baby screamed endlessly. I begged her to take us to the hospital, and when Vincenzo arrived, he looked at me with cold disdain. “Isabella,” he sneered, “when did you learn to stage accidents? “Even if you died here, I wouldn’t bat an eye.” Then he took Sienna’s hand and walked away without a backward glance. By the time I was rushed to the hospital, the child in my arms had suffocated. Upon hearing the news, my mother suffered a heart attack. She didn’t survive. I slipped into a coma for two days. When I finally woke up, I found out that Vincenzo never visited. Instead, his father, Renato Moretti, the true king of the Moretti empire, stood by my bedside. I looked at him calmly and said, “Let me go. Whatever I owed your family, I’ve repaid in full with two lives.” Later, that same Don who had once looked down on me knelt before me, begging me to come home. But I was no longer the woman who waited, silent and broken, for his change of heart. I was the Don’s wife who turned away and never looked back.

Louise Trent's life is a complete mess. In college, she sells adult products to make ends meet, deals with a wicked stepmother and sister, and now she's stuck fighting with her cold fiancé. Oh, and let's not forget about his handsome uncle—who seems to be taking more than an interest in her. Tensions rise as her fiancé seethes over her growing closeness to his uncle, while the uncle, possessive and unapologetic, refuses to back down. Caught between the two, Louise can't help but wonder—when did her life become such a chaotic mess?