Guts Smiling Novels & Stories

Sold like a circus animal. Collared, forced into misery and self-hatred. With a single blow, she hopes to change her life, only to find herself trapped again. Ocean has no idea what freedom means, but she desires nothing more than a taste of it. The secrets hidden from her will unfold before her eyes, no one can escape the truth. ~~~ The book excerpt: "Here, I have a key to your heart," I left the key in my palm, metal, and skin together. I stumbled upon the ancient artwork in the locker rooms. It caught my attention because it resembles a dagger, so I took it and waited for the perfect opportunity. "Silly girl, that is not the key to my heart. Pathetic attempt." Vladimir growls in disgust. If I'm lucky, I'll be free by the end of the night. Taking the first step toward my destruction, I grin and move my hips in time with the slow music in the background. Vladimir swallows, his Adam's apple bobbles in his throat. The vampire's eyes focus on the crook of my neck as I stop directly in front of him. I place my palm on his chest, guide my fingertips down to his abdominal muscles, a corner of my lip twitches in disgust. When he closes his eyes, I take the opportunity to plunge the key directly into his heart, smiling as his eyes shoot open and he looks down at me in horror. "Are you still convinced I don't have the key to your heart?" I ask, grab him by the collar, and pull him closer. My lips nearly touch his ear as I whisper, "It fits."

I've accidentally worn a dress belonging to my deceased older sister, Gwendolyn Stokes, to a family banquet. Because of that, my husband, Thomas Torres, goes quiet with fury. He then sentences me to a punishment of kneeling in the snow for three long hours. The blizzard chills me to the bone. My son, Robin Torres, makes fun of me while hurling snowballs at me. "No matter how much you dress up, you'll always be a phony! Don't think you can go around replacing my mommy just because you've changed into her dress!" As I stare at Robin's face, which bears some resemblance with mine, I feel my heart breaking. He has no idea that I'm his actual mother. On the year Gwendolyn passed away, Thomas, who drank himself into a stupor, mistook me for her. That night, he kept moaning Gwendolyn's name and whispering sweet nothings to me. That was how I got pregnant with Robin. Thomas has forbidden me from telling anyone the truth. On the other hand, I can't bear to leave my own child alone. So, I beg Thomas repeatedly to let me stay in the Torres residence. During my stay here, Thomas gives me the cold shoulder all the time. Only when he needs to vent his desire does he seek me out. What I didn't expect is that Robin hates my guts as well. Not only does he keep pulling pranks on me from time to time, but he also curses at me. "Shameless women like you have no right to stay in my home! Once I grow up, I'll definitely kick you out!" Now, I can finally respond to him. "Oh, I don't have to wait for you to grow up at all." Tomorrow, I'll pack my things and leave. I no longer want to remain as someone else's replacement and continue living a life of humiliation. This time, I'm going to pursue a life of my own.

On the day I get buried alive by the avalanche, my biological older sister, Whitney Linder, cuts off the safety rope wrapped around my waist in order to save Cameron Linder, the fake heir who has replaced me all these years. The snow is about to cover my head, and I can feel my warmth rapidly draining from my body. In despair, I begin screaming at Whitney. "Don't leave me behind, Whitney! Otherwise, my adoptive father's subordinates will settle the score with you by blasting the entire mountain into pieces!" Over the years since I get accepted back into the elite Linder family, I've been keeping up a cowardly and docile facade. Never have I ever mentioned my adoptive parents, who live abroad. Because of that, the Lindens have no idea that the married couple who have adopted me are actually the leaders of an international mercenary squad. My adoptive dad is a legendary sniper, whereas my adoptive mom is a demolitions expert. I'm the apple of the entire squad's eye. But Whitney pulls back the severed rope with a cold chuckle. "Keep dreaming, Skylar! You're just a country bumpkin who lies all the time, so you definitely don't have any powerful subordinates! You should be grateful to me for taking you here for a skiing trip without complaining about how much you embarrass me in public! "To think that you actually have the guts to fight for a chance of survival with Cameron! Don't you know that he mustn't suffer from any shock at all?" After that, Whitney leaves with Cameron in tow. "Since your adoptive parents are that amazing, why don't you get them to fly over in a helicopter to rescue you?" When the light above my head vanishes, I use what little strength I have to press the red button on the satellite-based GPS. What Whitney doesn't know is that she will die in the mountain once the signal is sent out.

I married Kael Throne—the infamous king of New York’s mafia—not for his power, not for his fortune, but because I loved him. He was unlike any man I’d ever known. A man who could have a thousand women at his feet, yet dismissed them all with a single glance. I believed his faithful love until the day I learned the existence of a college girl. He’d “respected” me enough to keep her hidden… until I forced the truth into the light. Kael didn’t rage. He didn’t deny it. He only looked at me with that calm, dangerous gaze and said, “Then we divorce.” I refused. He offered me his money, his casino, his everything. Still I said no. Because I loved him. That’s when his love turned black. He had me kidnapped. My mother, too. All to force my signature on those papers. “You found out,” he said, almost bored. “And there’s no more fun in hiding. Leave now, Vivienne. Give me—and Nyssa—our happy ending.” I watched as the man he’d sent slit my mother’s throat. My answer came too late. Kael Throne was a monster. I collapsed, my head cracking against the floor. And when I opened my eyes… I was back on the day I first learned Nyssa existed. This time, I didn’t confront him. I played the perfect wife, smiling sweetly while I waited for the perfect moment to vanish from his life forever. I just never imagined that when I finally disappeared… Kael would lose his mind.

At four months pregnant, I went to pick up my prenatal test results with my husband, Aiden Carter, who was an OB-GYN. The smile at the corner of his lips froze the moment he saw the report. Without a word, he grabbed my hand and tried to schedule an abortion. I stood there in shock. The attending physician, Dr. Marianne Cole, had just told me the baby was perfectly healthy! I tore myself free and demanded, "Why do you want me to get an abortion?!" He didn’t answer and had already scheduled the procedure. When I tried to run, he yanked my arm tighter. "There's no way we are having this child!" Clutching my belly, I hurried to call my parents, who were both OB-GYNs themselves. Dad, who had always doted on me, raised his fist, aiming straight for my stomach. Mom’s face twisted in horror, shaking her head wildly. "No, this won’t work. It can’t be like this." "Find a few men. Lock Clara Hart in with them." I didn’t understand why they were so desperate to destroy my child. All I wanted was to escape. Instead, they locked me inside a pitch-black room. When I felt the blood trickling down my legs, I knew my baby was gone. Mom came smiling to fetch me. I fought, demanding to know why they had done this to me. Without responding, she turned around and sent me straight to Ravenwood Asylum. I was tortured to death there. When I opened my eyes again, I was back on the very day I went to collect my prenatal report. Aiden looked at me, his face glowing with joy. "Baby, this is our first child. I can’t wait for the day he’s born."

What’s worse than catching your boyfriend cheating? Falling into bed with a billionaire to get revenge… and ending up pregnant. ***** Daphne thought the worst part of her week was walking in on her boyfriend tangled up with someone else. she was wrong. The real humiliation? Facing them both the very next day at her art exhibition—with the other woman on his arm. As if curating the biggest show of her career wasn’t stressful enough, now she’s stuck smiling through the pain while her ex flaunts betrayal in front of billionaires and buyers who could make or break her future. But when her ex gets a little too smug, and the crowd watches a little too closely, Daphne makes a snap decision. She grabs the nearest man. Kisses him like she means it. And pretends she didn’t just burn every bridge behind her. Only… the man she uses to deliver her revenge? He’s pasha. Reclusive billionaire. Art-world kingmaker. And the man about to drop five million dollars at the auction. One night with him was supposed to be reckless and forgettable. It turns out to be unforgettable—for all the wrong reasons. Because weeks later, Daphne’s world tilts again. She’s pregnant. And the baby’s father is a man who’s never let anyone close… and isn’t used to losing control. Now she’s caught in a dangerous game of secrets, desire, and consequences—where love was never part of the plan, but fate has other ideas. And the closer Pasha gets, the harder it becomes to remember who used who first. He gave her one night. She gave him an heir. But what happens when the fallout costs more than they’re both willing to pay?

Celia Johnson, my boss's sister-in-law, joined the company as the finance director and announced that all reimbursements must strictly follow the standards. I spent an entire week running around for the company and finally closed a five-hundred-thousand-dollar deal. Because the client had used two extra packs of paper towels, the per-person amount for their meal ended up eight dollars over the limit. Celia folded her arms, glanced at the reimbursement form on my desk, and sneered. "Five hundred and eight dollars?" "Yes. Last night at The Peak Restaurant, where we closed Richard's deal. Zack was there too," I explained patiently. "Eight dollars over the per-person limit. Not reimbursable," Celia said coldly. I tried to reason with her. "This was a special case. The client is high-level, and the deal amount is large, and Zack personally said it would be fully reimbursed last night." She returned the reimbursement form to me. "I don't care who said that. Don't think closing a five-hundred-thousand-dollar contract lets you ignore company rules. Reimbursements must all follow policies. Everyone will follow them to the letter." I took a deep breath. I knew arguing with her head-on would get me nowhere, so I called Zack directly. Zack said, "I did say it would be reimbursed, but I never said company rules could be ignored. It's just five hundred. And you still get commission from closing the deal. You young people need to have perspective." I stopped arguing. I turned around and refused the delivery containing the hard copy of the five-hundred-thousand-dollar cooperation contract, smiling as I explained, "Company rules say all cash on delivery packages must be refused. "Also, today is my last day here. Starting tomorrow, I work for Richard's company. As the client, I will be setting the rules this time."

"Eyes up here," he said. My gaze snapped to his. He was smiling, causing my heart to skip a painful beat. Before I could respond, the music began, and my body instinctively reacted to the sweet melody. I found myself molded to Lex's will, my feet irresistibly following the dance steps. The crowd gasped as Lex pulled me into a more intimate position, his hands roaming over my body in a seductive manner. The experience was both terrifying and magical, allowing me to feel every longing emotion through the dance. I soon found myself lost in his arms. When the music finally stopped, my arms were wrapped around his neck, his hands resting on my back, our noses almost touching. He gazed deeply into my eyes. The ballroom fell silent. Was he about to kiss me? **** Lilly’s life was never easy; she lost her memory and family in a blazing fire. Angelica found and took her in—only to make her a slave to the household. Years of torment and abuse left Lilly weak, vulnerable, and believing she was without a wolf, but that didn't mean that all hope was lost. At night, in her dreams, he would patiently wait for her—the man who brought sunshine into her darkest moments. They would dance the night away, but as dawn approached, he would vanish into the morning sun. Lilly had given up hope of finding a mate, having a family, and leading a normal life. But things are about to drastically change for her... Secrets, lies, betrayal... and a baby on the way. What if Lilly wasn't wolf-less? What if it was all a lie? What if she had a living family? Would she stay and bond with them or make a run for freedom? **** ****STANDALONE BOOK****

Lyra Halstead is a hardworking young woman who spends most of her time creating and helping her fiance Elias build his company. She was so preoccupied with making everything work that she know that one person she trusted most in the world was orchestrating her downfall. On the morning she completes the final update for Aegis, the software destined to save his company, she walks into his office to find him in the arms of her best friend. In that crushing moment, her love, loyalty, and career are stripped away, leaving her with nothing but rage and a fierce desire for revenge. With Elias taking credit for everything she had worked for and created and Chloe smiling in triumph at stealing what was valuable to Lyra, Lyra realizes that talk alone won’t bring justice. She had to hurt him as bad as he had done her. She knew to destroy a man like Elias she needed an alliance with someone who has all the resources to dismantle her ex fiance's empire. from the inside to the outside. The only man with everything she needs is Xavier Thorne. He is the only man who ever challenged her genius and the one adversary Elias fears. Seeking him out in the city’s tallest tower where he is Lord, she offers her skills and her secrets in exchange for the resources to destroy the man she once loved. Xavier approves aof her strategy. He was game. Lyra transforms into a powerful executive face, ready to infiltrate boardrooms and manipulate contracts to destroy Elias. Xavier carries secrets of his own, secrets that could change everything if they came out. When Lyra glimpses a photograph of his daughter, she finds herself staring at the child that had been stolen from a few years ago.

He is called the EMPEROR of the business world, he is filthy rich name it he has it all except his empress. A god-like human, it’s like God sculpt him perfectly. Possessing a dark blue tantalizing eye that held so many secret, has a jet black hair that makes him more look divine, sharp jaws that looks like God carve it himself, a pale heart shape pink lips, and a sharp well carved pointy nose. Ladies flocked to get his attention but they only receive a sharp dangerous glare. She came from an abusive, a heartless family who is insecure on what she has, jealous on the gift she has. Only her dad and granddad treated her well. She possesses a sweet smile that can melt a frozen heart. A heart shaped goddess like face, that god has sculpture her beauty with care and perfection, possessing a silver dark eyes that shouts so many emotions, a small pointy nose and a pouty natural red small lips. What happen if the cold, ruthless, and dangerous emperor laid his dark blue eye on a girl who possesses a sweet smile and a goddess like face? Fate has a plan for them, destiny is just around the corner and cupid is ready to match. “Love, keep your smile for me that is exclusively mine only,” Zhane sweetly told her wife his dark blue eyes shows so much love while looking at his goddess wife. Shayne nod smiling sweetly to his husband. The whole room was quite, mouth-wide open, eyes popping and shock written in their faces. They couldn’t believe what they have witnessed they just saw and heard their master in a different aura, gone the cold, dangerous aura, deadly eyes, emotionless face and cold as ice voice of their master.