Empty Smiles

She married him to end a family feud. He never loved her or so she thought. Jane endured a cold, empty marriage to billionaire Logan Anderson, holding onto the hope that one day he might feel something real. But the moment she discovered she was pregnant, she also caught him cheating. Heartbroken, she asked for a divorce without telling him about the babies growing inside her. That same night, she was kidnapped, tortured, and thrown into the sea, left for dead. The men claimed Logan sent them. And Jane believed it. Six years later, she’s back. Not as a broken wife, but as a powerful woman with six brilliant children and a single mission: revenge. She’ll make Logan pay. She’ll break his empire. And she’ll do it with a smile. But what happens when the lies begin to crack? What happens when she discovers the truth That Logan had fallen for her long before she left And that someone close, someone trusted, orchestrated it all? Now Jane’s daughter is sick and the only bone marrow match is Logan. What if he wasn’t the enemy after all? And what if the only man who can save her child is the one she swore to destroy?

She was once the quiet wife no one respected, married to a man the world called a prize far above her league. He flaunted mistresses, mocked her dignity, and everyone believed she would crawl back even after she dared to file for divorce. But they were wrong. The woman who returned was no longer fragile. She was fire, elegance, and strength incarnate, crushing enemies who tried to sabotage her and rising higher than anyone dared to imagine. When whispers spread that she sought a new father for her daughter, the world’s most powerful men—an acclaimed scientist, a ruthless billionaire, and a top film star, lined up for her favor. Her ex-husband, however, wasn’t ready to let go. He fought for custody, framed her in scandals, and even tried to use their child as a weapon against her. But the more he pushed, the further he fell and the more unstoppable she became. When love finally came knocking again, it wasn’t from grand gestures or empty promises, but from the man who had stood silently by her side, proving loyalty where others offered lies. Now, society bows to the woman they once mocked. And her ex-husband? He can only watch from the shadows as she declares the words that seal his downfall: “Ex-husband, step aside.”

When the power meter in the house trips, Mom's foster daughter, Juniper Hawthorne, is trapped in the dark for five minutes. Even though I have claustrophobia, Mom locks me in an empty, pitch-black room. "You knew Juniper was terrified of the dark, yet you intentionally shut off the power just to frighten her! I'll teach you how to behave today!" I cry and beg her not to, but all I receive in return is a harsh slap. "Claustrophobia? That's just what happens when a kid grows up too spoiled." Late that night, I sense someone breaking into the house. The first thing I do is to call Mom, a renowned criminal psychologist, for help, only to be yelled at. "You're still really getting into this role just to fight Juniper for attention, aren't you? "Kidnappers, huh? Well, go ahead and die so you'll stop bothering me!" As she wishes, I'm brutally tortured and killed. My body is buried beneath Mom's favorite flowerbed. After I die, my soul is trapped in the body of a cat. All I can do is helplessly circle Mom until five days have passed. The police arrive with a mangled body and request her help in creating a portrait of the killer.

"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?

Trigger warning: This novel contents some dark parts and is not for a faint heart hence it's for mature audience only! Vincenzo Romano! A ruthless and fierce Italian Mafia king, who's aura screams danger.who craves for blood and fear in people's eyes gives him satisfaction.Handsome yet lethal.He doesn't believe in love.He's powerful business man even business world fears him yes he's that lethal.A king of dark where no source of light emits. Elena Martin! she's a successful doctor and loves her profession.she is a real example of beauty with brain.she tells herself that she's full but empty inside yes she craves for love yet never got it.she's depraved of love.she doesn't trust anyone around her.she's confident yet innocent. everthing was going fine until one day she saves someone whom she didn't have any idea about and it gets hers tangled up with a ruthless Italian Mafia king who now wants her at any cost.He will go deepest ocean if he had to for her.For her he's ready to destroy the whole world who dares to hurt her but the question is will he let her tame him or will he deject her?

On their third wedding anniversary, Clark Summer gifted his wife a diamond necklace named "Love Nyla," broadcasting his devotion to the world. But while the public swooned, Nyla sat alone in their empty home, staring at a photo sent by a stranger: her husband’s new secretary, Jordyn, wearing that same necklace, tangled in Clark’s arms. For three years, Nyla had been the perfect, submissive wife. In return, she received betrayal, humiliation from her mother-in-law, and Clark’s sickening justification that his affair was merely a "physical necessity" while he still loved her. He believed Nyla was trapped, tethered to him by her father’s astronomical medical bills. He thought she would swallow the insults and raise his mistress's child. He was wrong. Selling their mansion, gathering evidence, and delivering irrefutable proof of her infidelity… Nera turned and left, donning a white lab coat instead of an apron, transforming overnight into a top-tier pharmaceutical researcher who had astonished the industry. When Clark, with belated repentance and red-eyed pleading for her return, saw his icy ex-wife being gently embraced by his uncle Damon, he saw the aloof man before him. The superior man coldly glanced at his nephew, his voice low and dangerous: "What are you calling 'wife'? Call her 'auntie'."

Max Anderson is a 30-year-old billionaire who made it to the top and got everything he wanted universally and mastered some of the dirty games that he has been living as the boss of the most dangerous mafia syndicate in the country. He can live it all easily because he is an Alpha who is most famous for dangerous and ruthless manners, he was very dangerous and can kill anyone without exception, his heart is cold and cruel, even though he easily gets everything he wants, but he has no luck on his love life after the death of his fiancé who had passed away long time ago, his life felt empty, as if there was no warmth, and it was getting darker until his personality changed completely, he even didn't believe about the mate concept for werewolves, even though his ancient kept telling him if he still had a mate, but he didn't believe it, he wanted to avoid being fooled by love. Until she meets the young, beautiful, and innocent Sophie Darcy, the 20 years old servant who comes from a poor family, one day she unexpectedly makes trouble with Max, he has to find her, but instead of punishing her, he feels something strange about her. His connection with her, just like that's getting deeper and leading to obsession for him.

So, Mrs. Knight,” he said, voice dripping with mockery, “do we have a deal?” I stared at his hand. Then at his face. Then at the empty shot glasses. I slapped my palm into his. “It’s not Mrs. Knight anymore,” I said, squeezing hard. “And you, Mr. Arrogant, just hired the most vindictive assistant you’ll ever have.” His fingers tightened around mine, warm and strong and promising all kinds of chaos. “Welcome to the dark side, Isabella.” Behind us, Kayla whispered to herself and few people in the coffee shop, “Y’all, I’m literally witnessing the start of a mafia romance…” Lucian’s eyes never left mine. Something electric and dangerous crackled between us. And in that moment, drunk off tequila and vengeance, I signed my soul with the Devil. I said no to Alexander Knight at the altar. Then I said yes to Lucian Voss in the rain, still wearing my wedding dress... Because my fiancee betrayed me twenty minutes before we tied the knots. With Lucian, it was a fake relationship stringed with mind-blowing nights. Until I found out the man warming my bed is the “dead” heir Alexander tried to kill, and the baby I’m carrying could destroy them both.

I used to think my husband was the angel who saved me from the depths of hell. Five years ago, I would have died for my ex-fiance, Marco Lombardi, but his carelessness caused Mom's kidneys to fail. He ignored 99 of my calls, and with an empty bank account, I couldn't even afford the surgery to donate my kidney to her. Only later did I discover that during that time, he was having romantic getaways with my stepsister, Penny Rossi. When I hit rock bottom, mafia Don Leon Costa showed up. He got me the best doctors, handled everything when Mom died, and even proposed to me when I was a complete mess. In our five years of marriage, he has spoiled me rotten. I've almost forgotten how much Marco and Penny hurt me. Then, today, I overhear his phone call with Penny. "Leon, thank you for giving my sister's kidney to my mother back then." My beloved husband just brushes it off. "Don't worry about it. I'll look after your sister. She won't ever know." He laughs quietly, and his voice is full of warmth. "You know I hate seeing you cry."

He wasn’t supposed to be anything more than a favor. A protector. A shadow while my father was gone. But now he’s everything I shouldn’t want—and the only thing I can’t stop craving. My father’s a powerful man—military, respected, constantly away. After the divorce, it was just me. No mother. No softness. Just silence and an empty house that echoed louder with every year. Then came Roman Cross. My dad’s best friend. His war brother. Older. Stricter. And always watching. He moved into the guesthouse when I turned eighteen, “just to keep an eye on things,” he said. A promise made man-to-man, sealed with loyalty. But Roman doesn’t treat me like a child. Not anymore. Not since the night I saw what he really is—what he really wants. He runs something dark behind closed doors. A secret club, built on control and submission. And once I got too curious, there was no going back. Now every look is a warning. Every touch, a mistake. Every whispered good girl... a promise. My father thinks I’m safe. But I fell in love with the one man he trusted to protect me. “Guardian of Ruin” is a dark, forbidden romance full of secrets, age-gap tension, and the dangerous kind of love that can never stay hidden.