Deadpan Expression

"I need 100 million in cash," Hera Rinne said. "Alright, I can help you with that," Sean Villegas replied. Hera looked at Sean with a confused expression, "Are you sure? But, I'm not sure I can pay back the money you'll lend me." "You don't need to pay back all the money. I only need your body to satisfy me. Besides that, you're free to do whatever you want," Sean said with a meaningful look. Hera widened her eyes upon hearing that. She certainly couldn't do that. But, on the other hand, Hera really needed that 100 million. As soon as possible.

Shawn's eyes widened in shock as he stared at the divorce papers in his hand. "What is this, Alisa?" he asked, his voice trembling. "It would be Miss Reynolds to you soon," she replied, her voice devoid of emotion. "I'm done with you, and I'm done with this farce of a marriage." Shawn was taken aback by the coldness in her tone. This was the same woman who had once spoken to him with such love and affection. What had happened to her? "I thought you loved me," he said, his voice cracking with emotion. Alisa scoffed, her expression disdainful. "Cindy is back, and you think I'd stay with you? You want to have your cake and eat it too? Never." ### Alisa Randall's fairy-tale marriage to her childhood sweetheart, Shane Dallas, had ended in heartbreak when he left her for his first love, Cindy. But what Shane didn't know was that Alissa was the heiress to the country's largest fortune, with connections to Hollywood's elite and multiple identities at her disposal. Now, Shane was realizing his mistake, and he came crawling back to Alisa, tears streaming down his face. But would she take him back, or would she forge a new path, one that didn't include him?

"Madison is pregnant. And she says that…that you are the father of her child." Time seemed to stand still as Dominic let out a heavy sigh, his expression shifting to one of cold indifference. "Yes, it's true," he stated flatly. "If Madison is with child, then I am the father." The words cycled my brain like the world’s most horrifying mantra, shattering the delicate surface of the life we had built together. "How could you do this to me? To us?" I cried, hot tears streaming down my cheeks. *** Selena Valeria Winters has been the wife of Alpha Dominic, the Alpha of the Knightstorm Pack, for eight years. They had it all when they combined their packs together and were blessed with three beautiful daughters. Though they were happy, there was a problem: Selena was unable to provide him with an heir. Everything changes when Selena finds out that her husband, a once caring and cherishing Alpha, has taken someone else as a mistress and has gotten her pregnant. Hurt and betrayed, she asks for a divorce, but instead, she is treated as a prisoner in her own pack. In the heat of it all, Selena manages to escape with her daughters, without Dominic knowing that she is pregnant with his child. Five years later, Selena appears in the Knightstorm Pack again, but this time it’s because of a life-and-death situation. So, she has to face the man who betrayed her and those feelings again while trying to survive at the same time. Alpha Dominic has no idea that she bore a child in secret, but he wants Selena and their daughters back. Will Selena accept the Alpha back and return to the life she once fled?

"Fuck!" He growled and cursed when the last slow and deep thrust was given. He filled all of me with him. He bit his lower lip as I felt his fluid pour inside me, with some of it dripping down my thighs and legs. "You're mine now," and then he buried his face in my neck. I woke up, and the first thing I noticed was the massive pain in my head. I closed my eyes again, but the sun was already too bright, and I felt so tired… Maybe I'll have a few more minutes before I get up. Slowly… I recalled what happened last night. I immediately got up when I felt the sharp pain all over my body, especially in my private area. I quickly checked if I had clothes on. I'm wearing a white long-sleeved shirt that covered my body and my panties. Then a familiar guy came out of the bathroom, only with a towel wrapped around his waist, topless, and drops of water trickled down his abdominal muscles. But I was too stunned to realize who this man was in front of me to even pay attention to that. That cold expression… He's Hades Thaddeus Hudson! He's the CEO of the largest company here in the country. The company where I work as an intern. No. No, no! There's no way this is happening. This can't be true! I was too stunned to process everything.

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

Blurb Five years ago, the 18-year-old Mia was the most naive Italian teenager ever. The people she trusted took away her inheritance, identity, and fiance. Finally, she was thrown into the bed of a stranger. That night changed everything in her life. Five years later, she returned to Italy as a world-class model with a secret child. "Mommy, take a quick peek at that handsome uncle", the small girl with a ponytail cupped her cheeks and had a dreamy look on her face. Mia sighed and replied, "Chiara, don't forget our agreement. Anyway, that stranger is not half as handsome as your Dad". The said stranger had a darkened expression on his face. His subordinates felt the urge to laugh but his oppressive aura wouldn't let them do it. That was the first time their boss met a woman who wasn't afraid of offending him. Mia's goals upon her return are only three. One, bring down her enemies and take back her inheritance. Two, Restore her identity as an Arturo. Three, Find the man from that night. What if fate has other plans for her?

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, 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.

"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?

I knock on the door, heart pounding like it always does when I’m about to see him. “Come in,” Justin’s voice calls—cool, smooth, and frustratingly calm. I take a deep breath and walk in, holding the folder tightly. “Here’s the report you requested, sir.” He doesn’t even glance at me. Just keeps typing, his expression unreadable. “You’re late,” he says without missing a beat. I clench my jaw. “There was a delay at the printer—” “No excuses, Joanna. Just do better next time.” Ouch. Professional and cold. As always. I nod, ignoring the sting in my chest. “Yes, sir.” I turn to leave, gripping the doorknob—just one more second and I’ll be out of this weird tension-filled office— “Wait.” I freeze. I turn around slowly. “Yes?” Justin stands now, walking toward me. In his hand, a familiar brown paper bag. He holds it out. “You didn’t have lunch.” I blink. “I’m fine.” “You skipped breakfast too. Eat.” I hesitate. “What is it?” “Chicken pesto. No onions.” My breath catches. He still remembers? “Why are you doing this?” I ask quietly. He shrugs, not meeting my eyes. “I just… remember things.” My fingers brush his as I take the bag. Warmth. Stupid warmth that shouldn’t still feel this familiar. Then, he looks at me—really looks at me. “You shouldn’t skip meals… wife.” Silence. My chest tightens. “Don’t call me that.” But my voice is too soft to sound convincing. I walk out before I say something I’ll regret. His words echo in my mind like a dangerous lullaby. Cold one second. Kilig the next. God… he’s still him. And that’s exactly the problem.