deadpan expression

"I, Ortega Blackwood, daughter of beta Denzel Blackwood, am rejecting you, Killian Fitzgerald, future Alpha of the Crescent Moon Pack, as my fated mate!" She uttered through gritted teeth, glaring fiercely at her mate as he descended the stairs towards her. His expression twisted into a mask of fury, his eyes blazing with an intensity that sent shivers down her spine. Reaching the bottom of the stairs, his imposing figure cast a shadow over her as she lay on the ground, vulnerable yet defiant. "Do you dare defy me, Ortega? Do you dare reject your fate?" His voice dripped with venom, each word carrying a threat that hung heavily in the air. "You cannot reject me, Ortega. You will be my mate whether you like it or not." ************** Rejecting her mate hadn't been easy. But when Ortega meets the powerful and ruthless Lycan and Mafia Boss, Alfredo Gambino, she finds herself falling in love with him, even though he is the rival and enemy of her rejected mate. And Alfredo also finds himself unwilling to let her go, especially now that her rejected mate wants her back.

James’s lips brushed against mine, sending shivers down my spine. His eyes remained aloof, but his mouth ignited flames within me. My pulse raced as his cold, calculated kiss unexpectedly sparked desire. I abruptly melted into him, seeking warmth. James expression remained neutral, but his grip on me tightened, betraying his character and his hidden emotions. *************** Ava's world changed into an adventurous one, the day she got involved in an accident with Simville's most cruel and heartless billionaire. Unlucky for her, she becomes James pawn as she finds herself in a marriage contract, in order to secure his next heir as his health dwindled. Ava on the other hand, agrees reluctantly, in order to amass wealth from their contract, to pay off her debts with her forced lover, Brandon, hoping to see her lost mother once again. But as the fake love become real, Brandon becomes nicer and more gentle,an evidence of their contract love coming into reality. After reuniting with her mom, Ava is forced to choose - Going to live with her mother in her new found home, or staying with James, who has fully fallen for her. Would she choose her last true relative over her first true love??

I stared down at the contract, a wave of defiance bubbling up in me. I turned back to him, meeting his gaze head-on. "I never asked for your help," I said, "I would've found a way to save my mother on my own. You may think you own me, but I'd rather die than marry you." A slow smile crept across his face, a smug, knowing look that sent a chill down my spine. He knew exactly what I was thinking, as if my resistance only entertained him. "Look at me," he commanded. I reluctantly turned back, locking eyes with him. His face had shifted, his expression darkened, and for the first time, true fury was etched in his eyes. "I’ll count to ten," he said, "If that contract isn’t signed by the time I reach ten, I’ll make the same call I made to pay those bills. Only this time, the instructions will be different. Your mother... your sister…they’ll both be gone." He took a breath, settling back as if the threat were a mere matter of routine. "So… ONE!!" I swallowed hard, my heartbeat pounding in my ears. Could he be bluffing? No, I'd seen him kill before, seen how casually he turned life and death into sports. "FOUR," he counted. My hands started to shake. What could I do? If I signed, I'd be bound to him forever, trapped as his wife. But if I didn’t... my mother and sister’s lives hung in the balance. "SEVEN." I closed my eyes, fighting the panic rising in my chest. He wouldn’t do it, I told myself. He couldn’t be that monstrous. But even as I thought it, the doubt crept in. I wasn’t sure. Then, he hit "TEN" himself

"It’s not just a deal. It’s an opportunity. I’m offering you a way out of all the bullshit—" "By tying myself to you forever?" I laughed bitterly, the absurdity of the situation hitting me. "No, thanks." Ethan’s jaw clenched, his calm demeanor faltering for the first time. "It’s not forever. It’s just... a few years. Until we both get what we need. Then we can go our separate ways. You’ll have power, money, and respect." I stared at him, incredulous. "You’re insane. You're offering me marriage just so I wouldn't expose you for being a vile and evil man" His voice dropped and his expression darkened, "How much do you want?." ------------ Madison Taylor never expected to see Ethan King again—the arrogant high school golden boy who made her life a living hell. But years later, fate throws them together when she takes a job at his billion-dollar company. Madison is no longer the shy, vulnerable girl she was in high-school, she had changed into a gorgeous confident young woman who was ready to make her mark in the world and Ethan is intrigued by this transformation. Now, Ethan is desperate to keep his past buried and offers Madison a $30 million contract to marry him and protect his spotless reputation. Madison agrees, but not for the reasons Ethan thinks. She’s ready to make him pay for every cruel word, every insult that scarred her. But as their contract marriage unfolds, so do feelings neither expected. Caught between revenge and undeniable attraction, Madison must decide: will she ruin the man who once broke her, or fall for him all over again?

Aria's life was chillingly quiet until a True Mate came along in the form of Relaz. He was noisy, extremely talkative, and especially annoying. Once allowed, there was no end to his gabbling. But when Aria realizes that Relaz is more than he seems, much more than just a carefree, always smiling and talkative man, he is something much more ruthless, will their relationship be put in jeopardy or will they try to work together irrespective of their misunderstandings and solve a puzzle, when they realize that the people around them are planning their destruction? Teaser... " You aren't my Relaz. That's right. I should get lost? Then no problem. All this while, you've been seeing me as nothing more than baggage, an extra load, right?" "I-i" Relaz stuttered. But he still didn't end up saying anything nor did he turn to look back at her. Aria laughed mockingly, "You're right. I'm so stupid. How could I have blamed the mood goddess all this while when she had given me such a treasure like Relaz as my mate. Now that he is no longer here, nor can I see the ghost of him, I've realized, how much the moon goddess had loved me. But it's a pity, I'm so stupid. Stupid, stupid..." She raised her hands and started slapping her cheeks with each 'stupid' she said and backed away slowly with tears on her face, desperately hoping that she could see the trace of the mate who once held, and loved her like no other. It was a pity she left too early and didn't manage to capture the tear that had managed to escape his tightly closed eyes, nor did she see the cold expression he wore all along, cracking and revealing immense grief. For what is love? Pain. Sacrifice.

A week after I gave birth via C-section, Mark Whitman invited his friends over to celebrate the birth of our son. The crowd was boisterous—more than a dozen people. Not one of them bothered to remove their dirty shoes. The wooden floor was soon covered in muddy footprints. Mark came into the room and, without a hint of concern, ordered me out of bed. "Everyone's waiting outside. Don't just hide here and rest—you're embarrassing me in front of our guests." I had no choice but to push through the pain, forcing my body to prepare a huge meal for the large crowd, all on my own. When I carried the final bowl of steaming soup to the table, Lily Hoyte—whether intentionally or not—jabbed her hand against the wound on my abdomen. My hand trembled from the sudden pain, and the bowl slipped slightly, spilling the hot soup onto Lily's shoes. Mark's face darkened instantly. "What the heck did you do, Cammy? Lily rushed here right after her plane landed from overseas to see our son, and this is how you treat her?" The crowd quickly chimed in. "Come on, Cammy, no need to be so petty." "Mark and Lily grew up together. If there was really something between them, do you think you'd even be here now?" "Do you even know how much those shoes cost? They're limited edition—easily over ten thousand dollars. And you just ruined them." Lily stood up awkwardly, her eyes misting with tears. "If Cammy doesn't like me," she said softly, "then I'll leave. I don't want to be a bother." But Mark grabbed her hand in an exaggerated display of protection, his voice harsh as he turned to me. "Wipe Lily's shoes clean. Right now." His partiality for Lily made something sharp twist in my chest. My lips quivered as I fought back tears. "The wound on my stomach hasn't healed yet. I can't bend over." At that, his expression grew colder. "Don't use childbirth as an excuse. If you can't bend over, then kneel and wipe them. And if you won't, get out of my house!"

“Why are you doing this? What did I ever do to you?!” Amaya screamed, tears rushing from her eyes. Logan, standing by the window, smiled. “Your existence. The crime you committed is being your father’s daughter,” he replied, his eyes glinting with amusement. “How could that be a crime?” Amaya mumbled, pain evident in her voice. Logan’s expression darkened. “Your father owes me, and you are simply paying the price. Don’t complain.” He expected a response, but she remained silent. Gliding closer, Logan grabbed her hair with full force. “You can’t die now, Amaya. This is only the beginning.” ____ Logan, blinded by revenge, used Amaya to make her suffer for her father’s sins. Yet, somewhere along the way, he fell for her. Just when he let go of his hatred, she betrayed him. One moment, she was his wife, his possession. The next, she was gone—standing beside another man, tearing his world apart. His power, his wealth, everything he built—shattered. Now, he's out for vengeance again—a battle between him and the woman he loves. Did Amaya truly betray him, or was Logan blind to a greater deception?

Evelyn Sinclair was the epitome of grace and sophistication, groomed to inherit her family’s prestigious legacy. But one fateful night, she was drugged and set up, leading to a scandal that shattered her world. With her fiancé canceling their engagement and her father stripping her of her heiress title, Evelyn found herself cast out of her family and forced to raise her twins abroad, far from the life she once knew. Years later, she returns to New Santerra, determined to provide a stable life for her children. However, fate has other plans when she discovers that the stoic CEO of the company she just joined is none other than Adam Dean—the man she had a one-night stand with, the one who unknowingly holds the key to her tumultuous past. “Sir, please watch your manners!” she challenges, her eyes blazing with defiance. Adam’s expression remains impassive, but his voice is low and intense. “This is my office. Who’s going to stop me if I want you here, right now?”

That isn't fair," I said, my voice cracking. "I cannot marry someone I do not love, no matter how convenient it is for you. "I am not going to do it!" I was shivering with wrath. Madam Angelica sighed heavily, her expression intensifying. "You're being selfish, Anna," she said. "It's not just about you; it's about the entire family and the future. I understand you don't want to marry someone you don't love, but I need you to understand the importance of this decision." I was at a breaking point. I'd always been a polite girl, following what I was taught and never challenging my family's judgment. But this time, I was willing to fight for what I wanted. My joy was too precious to sacrifice for the sake of family responsibilities. "I won't do it," I shouted."I won't be part of this arranged marriage" I clutched my bag firmly and dashed off to work in rage. Anna is forced by her mom to marry a billionaire suitor Kevin Beyer in order to save her family from the debt her late father caused them. Her mother reluctantly approves of the marriage without caring about Anna's feelings, Anna was left with no other choice than to marry Kevin. Anna wondered how Johnny, her boyfriend, would feel when he heard about this and how she would cope with the rest of her life as the wife of a man she didn't love. She knew that this arrangement would be difficult, but she had no other choice. Would she ever find true love or happiness in this situation ? What did her lover do on hearing about this marriage?

Little did Linxara know, her life was about to take a drastic turn. A chance encounter with a mysterious and powerful stranger would shatter the fragile world she'd built, leaving her captive to his desires... *** Paxton Carson stood at the edge of the rooftop, gazing out over the glittering cityscape. His eyes seemed to bore into the darkness, as if searching for something - or someone. The wind whipped through his hair, but his expression remained unyielding. In that moment, Paxton's thoughts were consumed by a singular obsession: finding the woman who had stolen from him. He would stop at nothing to claim what was his, and make her pay for her betrayal. Little did he know, his quest for revenge would ignite a passion that would destroy them both.