empty smiles

It’s amusing what two drops of aphrodisiac can do to a man. Just two cups into the stillest mead, and he’s done for. Sexually raged, like a curse, and willing to empty his pocket for pleasure. ****** As an orphaned omega who spent her time working herself off at the age of 18, life wasn’t much to write home about for Maya. That is, until she’s set up by her boss who drugs and locks her up to please a Lycan Alpha who’s under the influence of aphrodisiac. “If you’re in this room,” Leo says huskily, his breath fanning Maya. “It can only mean one thing.” “And what can that be?” Maya’s heart skips a beat. “To pleasure me,” Leo responds, bringing his lips lower to Maya and says against her lips, “And it’s not a request.”

I’ve always lived in pain. My life has been a string of empty moments, patched together by the fragile love of the only person who ever cared for me—my mother. Love, for me, was a distant dream, a fleeting shadow I could never grasp. Until I met Ryan. He was everything I never dared to wish for, kind, charming, protective. He said all the right things, did all the right things. For the first time in my life, I felt seen, valued… loved. But I should have known that perfection is a lie. Ryan had a secret. A dark, unspoken truth that would shatter the fragile world I’d built around him. He wasn’t just a man. He wasn’t even human. Ryan was a werewolf, a creature of the night, from a world I didn’t belong to. And yet, I couldn’t turn away.” Aurora Rhodes's life takes a dark turn when she is saved from an attack by Ryan Blackwood, a mysterious and dangerously captivating man. Little does she know, Ryan is not just any man, he's an Alpha werewolf bound to a ceremonial Luna he doesn't love. Drawn to her fragile strength, Ryan can't resist claiming Aurora as his own, even as his possessive nature begins to surface. But what will Aurora do when she discovers the truth about him and the beast that lies within? As secrets unravel and passions ignite, Aurora must decide: can she accept the man she loves and the world he belongs to, or will the truth tear them apart? Love, loyalty, and fate collide in this gripping tale of forbidden romance and supernatural revelations.

For three years, Nathan and his family treated me like I was an empty can because I wasn't able to conceive a child. I watched Nathan get close to my cousin but I couldn't do anything. He wanted her first. When I finally received the news about my pregnancy, I wasn't happy about it but I hoped it would save my marriage. However, just when I was about to tell Nathan, my husband, I found out that my cousin was also carrying his child. Nathan divorced me and I chose to keep the baby a secret from him and started a new life after the divorce. Five years later, I am now a famous fashion designer in London. Seeing this and my daughter, Nathan wants me back desperately, apologizing for all he has done but I can't think of accepting him because I am now into a man who I eventually learn is his uncle. Mateo is my savior and sponsor, but when things become very intense, I see myself wanting him, but my ex-husband returns, and now I'm stuck between a hard place and a rock. I want to be with Mateo, but Nathan shows that he has really changed; who…who now?

"It's just...I don't think this is working out,” he gestured at the empty space between us. My mind reeled. "What do you mean? We're fine, aren't we?" I asked, holding onto hope. "Honestly, Kalynda, I deserve better." "What's wrong with me?" I asked, my voice barely above a whisper. Jake's gaze dropped to my body, and he didn’t even try to hide his disgust. "It's just...your weight, Kae. It's...unattractive." Tears pricked at the corners of my eyes. "You're ashamed of me," I stated, my voice cracking. Jake shrugged. "I'm just being honest, Kae. You need to lose weight if you want to keep a guy like me.” "You're breaking up with me because of my weight?" I asked, incredulous. Jake nodded. Kalynda hits rock bottom when her boyfriend breaks up with her and she realized he’d been using her all along. The bullying and ridicule from her peers, including her step sister, increased, and Kae wants to end it all. But the brooding Max steps in and stops her. She sees life in a new light and works in herself. What happens when she returns as a completely different person?

Amelia's leg tapped against the table as she asked, "What are your thoughts on love?" Her hands were clasped together on her lap, but her eyes sparkled with curiosity. Lucas met her gaze, a smirk playing on his lips. "Love is a waste of time," he replied. "It's a tool designed to weigh people down. Without it, we could achieve so much more." Amelia's eyes lit up with interest; he had just ticked almost all her boxes green. "I agree," she said, her smirk matching his. "Love is nothing but bullshit. We could save a lot of time by keeping our relationship minimal." With a proactive glint in her eye, she added, "What do you say? We should get married to fulfill our filial duties." _____________ Their marriage was a facade, a contract between two individuals who didn't believe in love but were forced to get married to fulfill their obligations. Everything was going as planned, until suddenly... "Have you eaten, dear?" "How is my baby?" "Is he doing well?" Lucas's words, once empty and mechanical, now held a tender tone. Amelia found him falling for her, and she seemed to be falling too. Why were they succumbing to the very thing they once scorned? Love, once a distant possibility, was now becoming an option. But would they choose it?

'He tried to force her to submit, but he wasn’t her Alpha. No, SHE was his.' Becoming an Alpha seemed like too much responsibility for a newly turned teenaged werewolf, but life doesn’t always go the way we planned. It was a lesson that Alexa Winters had to learn, and fast because the world continued to spin even when she was falling apart, and it wasn’t going to wait for her to catch up. And ready or not she was the Alpha. Learning to lead whilst fighting enhanced emotions makes for a really stressed, she-wolf. Add super strength to the mix and you have disaster, and a lot of broken furniture. Well, at least she was keeping the handymen busy. Just when she starts getting the hang of things the nightmare from her very recent past comes back, and this time he isn’t planning on leaving empty handed. With events from her family’s past coming to light and secrets making themselves known they have to face something much older, crueler, and so much stronger than she could ever hope to be. With Aiden at her side, she just might be able to do it. Can she learn to control this newfound power before her enemies succeed in their mission to take it from her?

I was the broke scholarship kid, stuck sharing a room with Sherry, the spoiled heiress. From day one, she was all fake smiles and "let's be besties." She'd take me out for fancy meals. She even introduced me to Kenneth—her rich childhood buddy. It was fine—until Kenneth and I started dating. That's when the claws came out. One day, she "accidentally" dumped hot soup all over herself and claimed I'd done it on purpose. Then she demanded I pay her back. I gave her every cent I had, but it wasn't enough. Next, she accused me of stealing her wallet. The school bought it. I got written up, everyone turned on me, and Kenneth? He dumped me with, "You're just an ugly duckling trying to be a swan." I couldn't fight back. Humiliated, alone, and dragged through online hate, I dropped out. Then I let the river take me. And then—I woke up. Back to the moment Sherry introduced me to Kenneth.

After their wedding, Phoebe woke up next to an empty bed. She couldn't find her husband. Alam niyang hindi siya iiwan ni Pierce. They even made love last night. She tried to find him, but to no avail. She even hired private investigators to find her missing husband but the investigation would always fail. There's no lead, no clue, no reason at all why would Pierce left her like that! After two years of living in pain and self-blame, Phoebe has already decided start over. She has to work for her family since her Dad passed away. Ngunit tila pinaglalaruan siya ng tadhana. Because Pierce suddenly shows up! She couldn't believer her eyes. Akala ng lahat ay naglaho na ito, ngunit mula sa kung saan ay bigla na lamang itong bumalik. Her heart was filled with hope again. Finally, she saw him again! But it seems like Pierce couldn't remember her. He treated her cold and heartless. Hindi na niya makilala ang bagong Pierce na nasa kaniyang harap. The Pierce she knew was loving, clingy, and thoughtful... not this one who's rude, ruthless, and cold. Nasaan ang kaniyang asawa? Bakit hindi siya nito maalala? Bakit bigla itong nawala? How could they make their marriage work when Pierce couldn't even remember her? How would she deal with him? How could she endure more pain after the two years of living in pain?

When Ryder's professor sent him yet another email, he glanced around his cold, empty home. Faced with Seth's relentless provocations, Ryder made up his mind—he would leave Laura. With the wedding fast approaching, Ryder decided to give Laura the perfect ceremony—one that would please both her and Seth. His departure, however, would be the biggest surprise of the event. But after Ryder walked away, Laura looked at the groom standing at the altar, lost control, and destroyed the wedding in a fit of madness.

"This is the body donation agreement, Mr. Lewis. Please sign here." Joel Lewis looks at the paper before him. His hand trembles as he grips a pen. The other party can sense his hesitance. They say considerately, "Body donation is a big thing, and it's normal for people to change their minds at the last minute. You can go home and discuss this with your family—" "I've already signed it." Joel smiles bitterly. "Family" is a term that's beyond him. There's no longer any space in his wife's heart for him, after all.