Gentle Touch Smile

She was never meant to be loved—only used. Lorelie Montgomery was the illegitimate daughter of a powerful political dynasty, raised in silence and trained to serve. When her family arranged a marriage between her and Governor Sebastian Kingston, she knew it was just another move in a game she never asked to play. To the public, they were the perfect political couple. Behind closed doors, there were strangers bound by suspicion, secrets and hidden agendas. Sebastian saw her as his pawn to get close to her corrupt family. Lorelie never trusted him and wanted nothing more than to escape from him and her family. Every smile was rehearsed. Every word was measured. Every laugh was practiced. Every touch was calculated. But as the lines between ally and enemy blur, and buried truths claw their way to the surface, Lorelie begins to see the cracks in Sebastian’s armor—and he starts to question everything he thought he knew about his wife. Can love save them from the lies that built their world? Or will it be the reason they lose everything?

After helping my husband build his business from the ground up, I settled into life as a full-time housewife. When our daughter's tenth birthday approached, I planned to host a grand celebration for her. I booked a party that cost 2 thousand dollars per table. But when I swiped my card at the hotel, the staff gave me a strange look. "Mrs. Richmond, this card doesn't even have fifty dollars in it to charge." Flushed with embarrassment, I went home to confront my husband. He wore an apologetic expression. "Lately, the company's been competing for contracts. The new government official is insatiably greedy, and I've had to spend a lot under the table to smooth things over. Once the funds turn around, I'll make sure our daughter gets the grand birthday she deserves." I gave him a gentle, understanding smile—but as soon as I turned away, I began tallying our assets. Because that so-called "new government official" was none other than my father. And in his office, there hadn't been any bids or contracts at all. Now I intended to find out exactly where my husband had spent all our money.

When I find out about that woman's existence, it turns out that they've been dating for a very long time. Simon Jensen protects her very well. Even though he's already attended banquets with her and has introduced her to all of his friends, I still have yet to see any of her photos. Heck, I don't even know her name. If it weren't for the fact that Simon was unable to resist that woman's coquettish pleading and brought her to the fashion show press conference as a brand investor, I'd probably remain in the dark forever. At this moment, I stare at Simon from far away, who's currently gazing at his lover standing on the runway. There's a hint of a gentle smile in his eyes. The camera flashes keep clicking. One of the reporters can't resist asking, "Mr. Jensen, are you a fan of Angela Stewart as well?" Simon never averts his gaze from Angela. He replies, "No. She's the love of my life." So, it turns out the cold and aloof Simon is capable of doting on a young woman to this degree. I spin the dull wedding ring around my ring finger subconsciously. That's when I realize how meaningless this marriage actually is.

Drew Anderson's beloved stepsister, Lisa Anderson, severely injured a pack member with wolfsbane. Drew wanted me to take the fall. He said that as long as I confessed, he would formally make me his Luna. Drew placed a forged confession in front of me. "Freya, you're the only one who can help me. I swear I'll protect you forever." After he finished speaking, I saw Lisa hiding behind him with a victorious smile on her face. I looked at Drew's pleading expression and silently picked up the feather quill. Just as the tip was about to touch the parchment paper, my phone lit up with two new messages. One was from Drew. [Don't worry. I've already spoken to the Council of Elders. You'll only be locked up for a few days.] The other was from his sworn nemesis, Liam Kramer. A video clip was attached. [The real evidence is in my hands. Interested in making a different choice?] I deleted Drew's message and replied to Liam. [What is the choice?]

He stole her first kiss on their first encounter, and she accused him of being perverted and arrogant. Her straightforward personality hooked his interest despite the danger ahead. He announced a surrogacy competition to draw her towards him. She left no option but to join the competition only to find out he’s the same person she gave a great lesson he’d never forget. Trapped to the trick played by this ruthless billionaire, she played along with his game and became his wife. His dark secrets gradually unfold, destroying and drowning them into the deep abyss. He suddenly disappeared from her life, but another stranger came in. She could feel his warmth, and they kissed. Warm tears began to roll down from her eyes, soaking the white cloth over them. When he felt her heat tears, he panicked instantly. He did not know why, but he did not want to see her cry. “Darling, don’t cry...” He let go of her, his fingers gently touching her hair. “I won’t touch you, I won’t touch you anymore, okay?” She cried more violently, and she said in a choked voice, “Don’t talk!” “... Why?” He was a bit stunned. Gently biting her lip, she could not help saying, “When, when you talk, you sound like him very much...” He’s so gentle and dotes on her. When he spoke, she even felt that it was not another person, but her husband Joshua stood next to her. Even the way he kissed her was so similar... It was not until this moment that Hazel realized how much she missed Joshua. She was not afraid of waiting. Even if she had to wait for a long time, she would cherish it.

The woman dreamed of sleeping on an incredibly soft and comfortable bed. Her skin was pampered by the smoothness of the vast expanse of fabric. Perhaps she was lying on a giant fluffy marshmallow. The pleasure made her smile, a wide grin that revealed her white teeth. Her hands moved around on the bed, enjoying the comfortable touch between her skin and the oh-so-soft fabric. When was the last time she enjoyed such a soft and comfortable bed? She wasn't sure. Maybe it was during her last business trip to London. Back then, Big Boss had rented a luxurious suite for her to stay in with his only child who couldn't be far from his daddy. The business trip felt more like taking care of a toddler. No, actually, she was taking care of two toddlers - Big Boss's favorite child and Big Boss himself, the big baby who was more troublesome than his little daughter, Nora. Hmn! The difference was that on this comfortable bed, she could get a good quality sleep. There were no interruptions from Big Boss's children, no annoying single daddy shouting.

Ashlyn hasn't spoken a word since the age of eight, and her heart's never felt more protected. But, when the confident and ever so charming Derek stumbles into her quiet little world, her emotions-and forbidden desires-have never been so loud. For twenty years, silence is all Ashlyn Holland has known. Haunted by the memories of her father, and the harrowing song of the ocean that stole him from her, Ashlyn maintains a safe distance from the rest of the world. Treading carefully the sea of fear and anguish that surrounds her, Ashlyn is determined to do all she can to protect her heart from such a tragic loss striking again. In silence, she grieves. In silence, she is safe. In silence, she finds the strength to breathe. But the silence can only last so long... Derek Moreno is charming and devoted, and quick to see through every wall Ashlyn erects. With his arrival in town, defences fold and walls begin to crumble, the songs of her heart reaching new heights. Together, they crest twin tides of fate, the silence she'd once sought engulfed by his gentle touch, and the whispers of a love thought impossible. For the summer, Ashlyn welcomes the noise. The disruption. But, the ghosts of Derek's past will no longer remain silent, and their deafening power has the potential to drag them both into a current strong enough to drown them amidst their heartache.

“You’re marrying Mike Rowling. There’s no choice.” That’s what my mother said, her words as cold as ever. I never imagined my life would come to this—trapped in a marriage to a man I’ve never wanted. Mike is a bitter, broken billionaire, his heart sealed off after an accident that changed everything. He’s a stranger in his own home, and now, I’m his reluctant wife. But there’s something no one knows, not even Mike: my daughter Mia isn’t just my little girl—she’s his, too. A secret I’ve kept buried for years. As the days pass, I can’t help but feel the pull between us. He’s changing, softening, and my heart begins to betray me. But every smile, every touch, feels like a lie because of the truth I can never tell. Then one night, Mike looks at me with eyes full of questions, and I realize—he knows. Everything is about to unravel. Will the truth destroy us, or will it be the key to our future?

For the seven years after our marriage, I spend whole nights in the prayer room before he will even touch me. Eric Compton says it is to atone for what I owe Monica Lynch. When his mother, Barbara Lane, pushes me to fulfill my wifely duties again, I overhear Eric's friends laughing. "Let me think. How many rounds of IVF has Avery done this year? She's trying very hard to get pregnant." "She probably doesn't know there's no way she's ever getting pregnant with Eric's kid." Eric scoffs. "Every time we're done, I give her a glass of milk. After all these years of birth control, it'd be a miracle if she got pregnant." He adds, "Everything she's suffered through is just payback for driving Monica away." I smile bitterly and send the recording to Richard Compton. "I'm not the lucky one meant to carry on the Compton name. Can I go now?"

Her world collapsed when she received a divorce text on her wedding anniversary and then her husband went ahead to pretend he didn't know her. Miguel Valente, heir to one of Spain’s most ruthless conglomerates ended their secret marriage with a single text. The same night, she lost everything… including the child she thought he wanted. Two years later, Inés wakes in a foreign alleyway, broken and alone until a stranger saves her. Emilio Cortez, the charming Italian heir with a gentle touch, nurses her back to life. With him, she rebuilds her life into a woman the world would never again break. But fate isn’t done with her. At a glittering gala, her past and present collide when Miguel colder, darker, and untouchably powerful stands before her again. He claims he never betrayed her. Emilio vows he will protect her from him. And Inés? She’s caught between two men, one fire one that burned her alive, and one that promises to consume her whole. As lies unravel and hidden truths surface, love turns into war. But Inés is done been chosen, she will now do the choosing. And in the end, only one heart will survive the fire.