Behind The Smile Book Novels & Stories

Ariana Vance agrees to a paper marriage to Damon Sterling — the ruthless, untouchable billionaire — to save her family’s collapsing empire. The deal is simple: two years as his perfect, obedient wife, then a quiet divorce. No feelings. No expectations. No love. But Damon isn’t the cold, heartless man the world sees. Behind his icy armor lies a man scarred by loneliness and burdened by a dangerous legacy. As Ariana slowly unravels the layers of the man beneath the mask, the line between pretense and reality begins to blur. Late-night conversations, quiet glances, and moments of unexpected tenderness awaken something in both of them — a connection neither can deny, nor afford to keep. Ju

• I kissed her then, unhurried, nothing dramatic behind it, just two people standing in a kitchen that still smelled faintly of burnt pancakes, choosing each other again in the quiet, unremarkable way that mattered more than any grand declaration could have. Neither of us knew, standing there in that ordinary morning light, that this particular stretch of happiness was the last uncomplicated one we’d get for a long while. Somewhere across the city, a folder was already complete. A decision had already been made about when to use it. We just didn’t know it yet, and for one more quiet morning, we got to simply be happy, before everything we’d built that season came due.

And somewhere beyond reality— Something smiled.

I will miss this place, but I will not miss the people, the people be damned. All they ever did was treat me like trash. And so our drive to vampire land was nothing but quiet, very quiet, and I like it that way, I don’t want anyone talking to me. “It would help if you smiled a little, dear,” my father says, and I don’t look at him, I don’t protest, I smile. Like the way he wants me to smile, I fucking smile. “The smile looks fake,” Mom says. “Maybe if I actually liked what was going on then you’d get a real smile from me.”

Pr‍operly this tim⁠e, a fu‌l⁠l, unhurried smile that he d‍idn't try to stop or re‍direct. I we‌nt back to my bo‍ok. He lef⁠t⁠ his phone face dow‌n for t⁠h⁠e r‌est of the n‌ight.⁠

A smile that promised nothing safe. A smile that promised trouble.

I looked at my girls and wore the mask again after years of hiding it in our closet. “Mommy it fits you!” Chelsey pointed the mirror to my side. I smiled at the girl in the mirror before looking back at my family. “Guys, let me tell you a story of a girl behind the mask.” The end. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Ethan and Jessy's story is now out! Just search My little secrets...

he left her lips and gazed at her with a teasing smile “Liar!,” He continued smiling as he took her small hand in his and brought the back of it to his lips, placing a kiss at the back of her fingers “I never said I won’t kiss you if you continued with the act,” “Huh!,” she was rendered speechless in the face of his wide mesmerising smile She felt hypnotised by his bewitching smile and forgot all about her protest It was said that a beautiful woman with a mesmerising smile could have her way and get all that she desired, including escaping dangerous situations, however here, it was he who got away with everything he did because of that enchanting smile and drop dead killer look

She was right there, by my side, silent but present. They all wanted me to be my old self again, mischievous or not. No matter how brash or bossy I got, they were my rock-solid support. All eyes were on me, like a scene straight out of one of my dreams. However, I just smiled, not turning them away, not fully embracing them either. After all, not every epiphany deserves forgiveness, right? …

And then, slowly…so slowly it felt deliberate…he smiled. Not a nice smile. A dangerous one. "Or what?"