Aidan Gallagher Smile

The day Yancy Shepherd died, Benedict Page poisoned our dinner. His eyes were wild, and bloodshot, as he watched me writhe in agony. There was a madness in his gaze, but worse was the hatred, a disgust so deep it twisted his face into something unrecognizable. "If it weren't for you forcing your way into our lives, Yancy wouldn’t have died from heartbreak. You ruined us! It’s all your fault!" A photo slipped from his trembling hand and landed at my feet—Yancy at twenty, looking radiant, her smile as bright as a blooming flower. I collapsed to the ground, my strength fading fast like a rose withering in the final grasp of winter. Helpless, I waited for the darkness to claim me, consumed by despair and bitter regret. Why hadn’t I listened to the system and killed him when I had the chance? But when I opened my eyes again, everything was different. I stood watching Benedict flee our engagement ceremony. My brother moved to chase after him, but I quietly raised a hand, stopping him. This time, things would be different.

At Sullivan Group's annual banquet, a female university student approaches Peter Sullivan and offers herself to him. The usually cold and distant Peter suddenly freezes because this young woman looks exactly like his deceased first love. He can't help but tease, "You're asking to be my mistress in front of my wife. Are you so sure you won't be thrown out?" The young lady lifts her chin, and her stubborn expression is identical to that of his lost love. "You two got married for business reasons and mutual benefits. Does she have any say over what you do? Peter, only you can save my mom. Will you do it or not?" She's right. I'm just a pawn in a marriage of convenience. How could I possibly influence Peter's choices? But then, I catch a glint of tenderness in his eyes that I've never seen before, and a self-deprecating smile forms on my lips. Maybe, instead of clinging on and being thrown out like trash, it's better if I give up my place willingly.

As I'm unable to get a ticket for my return trip after the Thanksgiving holiday, I specifically booked a first-class seat home. Just as I find my seat, I see an unruly child jumping around on it. I patiently smile and say, "Kid, this is my seat. Where is your seat?" He makes a face at me. "It's mine now, old hag!" I grab him by the collar of his shirt, wanting to lift him out of the seat. At that moment, a woman's piercing voice sounds behind me. "What are you doing? Let go of my son!" I release my grip and say as gently as possible, "Please control your child. This is my seat." Suddenly, she raises her voice. "He's just a child! Can't you, as an adult, give way to him? You're young and dressed decently. How can you have no compassion at all?" I'm so angered by this distorted reasoning that I laugh. "If you're so compassionate, why didn't you spend the money to buy your child a first-class seat?"

When I was discharged from the psychiatric hospital, my brother and sister-in-law dropped everything to personally pick me up. Even my nephew, who had just finished his college entrance exams, arrived with a box of carrot cake he had waited in line all day to buy. His warm smile was the picture of innocence. “Auntie, congratulations on your discharge. With me here, you’ll never feel lonely again.” To outsiders, we were the perfect family—envied by all and even awarded the title of a local model family. But behind the facade of family bliss lay a very different story. On the very day my brother transferred the last of the family properties to me, I went live on social media. In front of an audience that idolized my so-called perfect family, I boasted about my "accomplishments." I conned my nephew into paying for a spot at an elite school, duped my sister-in-law into stepping into a scandalous club, and tricked my brother into losing everything he had worked for. “My brother has treated me with nothing but kindness. And I can only repay his kindness with betrayal.”

"Say you love me, Calantha," Favian demanded, those oceanic blue eyes piercing deep into hers. "Uhmm... No, thanks. The deal was to get married for a year. Smile before those fucking cameras and pretend to be absolutely in love with, after which you pay me my fucking money. So Mr Drake, cash or transfer?" Her indifference and cold response caught him off guard. A week ago, he could have sworn she was hopelessly in love with him. Or was it all a show? **** Calantha Donovan’s life takes a devastating turn when she’s fired from her dream job, leaving her drowning in debt and with no way to save her brother’s life. Desperate, she crosses paths with the mysterious and aloof billionaire, Favian Drake, who offers her a shocking proposition: A one-year contract marriage. No strings attached, no love—just a business arrangement to save her from her spiraling fate. But when the lines between duty and desire blur, Calantha finds out about Favian's haunting past. Will the price of their passion be more than either of them can bear?

"I would do anything to have you back, even if it means fighting the Gods" Armando Russo, a name that struck fear into the hearts of many who crossed his path. He strode into the room with an air of confidence that demanded attention, his sharp Italian-cut suit exuding power and authority. His dark, piercing eyes were windows into a calculating mind, a mind that had made him a force to be reckoned with in the world of business and beyond. Weakness? He had none. Until she came into his life- the daughter of his business rival whom he despises the most. Aurora Vero, a name that conjured a different kind of aura in the world of high-profile events. She entered any room with a grace that was both captivating and commanding. Dressed in elegant couture, she wore her status as a badge of honour, but it was her charisma that truly set her apart. With a smile that could light up the darkest corners of a room, she exuded a warmth that belied the fierce spirit within. What happens when such two different personalities are forced to tie a knot? Will Armando accept Aurora as his wife or keep his resentment towards her forever ?

I'm Sophie Gould, the only daughter of the wealthiest man in Arberton. My mother doesn't like me, though. She treats her niece, Tanya Hall, like her own and allows her to take over my identity. At a banquet where all affluent families are gathered, Tanya takes my seat before I can. Then, she says in a voice loud enough for everyone to hear, "You wouldn't even be here if not for Mom wanting me to show you around so you can expand your horizons, Sophie. "Remember this—you might not be a member of the Gould family, but your actions are linked to us. Don't disgrace us." In the past, I would've stood there with my eyes red, at a loss for what to do. It was too bad I'd been reborn. I smile icily at Tanya and kick her off my throne. "I should've expected this of an impostor. To think an insignificant banquet like this is enough to make you act so obnoxiously! And did you say you're part of the Gould family? You have no idea the sort of trouble you'll be getting yourself into!"

In a world of lies and betrayal, revenge becomes the only currency worth trading. Evelyn Miller, an only child born into wealth and privilege, inheriting her family fortune and prestigious lineage, she was groomed to fit into high society from a tender age and attending lavish social events, What she ever truly seek was a true connection and love. Putting on a new identity as Isabella Hearst and leaving behind her identity as an heiress to follow what her heart truly desire - True love. Alexander Montague was everything she ever wanted in a man, walking down the aisle with him eight month into the relationship was like a dream come true, but dreams could also become nightmares. In a world where deceit and betrayal lurk behind every smile, Evelyn finds herself at the center of a web of lies spun by the very man she trusted with her heart. Seven years of marriage as a submissive, caring and understanding wife to a seemingly loving husband, only to discover that her life has been nothing but a charade orchestrated by his selfish desires. With fire in her eyes and steel in her soul, she embarked on a journey of revenge, leaving a trail of destruction in her wake.

"Anong Gusto Mo?" A simple yet tricky question that turned Bella's world upside down. A breadwinner and a loving big sister, Bella will sacrifice everything she could just to make her little sis happy. Little did she know, the innocent lil sis that she adore deeply would stab her back. Betrayed and left by the people she once loved, Bella felt helpless and was at lost of hope... Until one strange but familiar man appear out of blue... Who??? He is the infamous living demon, who can control life and death of one person. A single glance, can take anyone's soul... But a rare smile was enough to capture anyone's affection and Bella's frigid heart ain't an exception... Nevertheless... In his arm holds warmth and mystery... They've never met, but in his cold, ruthless dark pupils lies deep sadness and longing.. *** Who would have thought after her lil sis and boyfriend's betrayal, she would meet an accident, an accident that could dig the pain, danger, happiness and mysteries that has been buried for years.

as soon as I stepped out of the villa, it felt like I’d walked straight into a nightmare. Hector, the man I’d missed so much, was surrounded by soldiers, passionately kissing some woman I’d never seen before. The cheers and whistles around them felt like knives stabbing into my heart. I froze, my happiness turning into icy disappointment and rage. I forced myself to walk closer, even though every step felt like I was wading through quicksand. As more people noticed me, the noise died down, like someone had hit the mute button. Hector and his mystery woman were still in their own world until they finally sensed the eerie silence and pulled apart. When Hector’s eyes met mine, panic flashed across his face, but he quickly masked it. Holding the woman’s hand, he approached me. “Elena, this is Vanessa, she’s—” Before he could finish, Vanessa flashed a confident smile and offered her hand to me. “Hi, I’m Vanessa, Hector’s partner. We fell in love on the battlefield.”