Hometown Smile

In politics, love is leverage. Charlie Vale is collateral damage the son of a man branded a traitor, erased by the state and left to survive in its shadows. Dexter Ashcroft is the architect of power, a strategist so ruthless they call him the Kingmaker. When their lives collide, Dexter doesn’t silence Charlie. He owns him. Bound by a contract masquerading as salvation, Charlie becomes Dexter’s public partner and private liability. Every smile is staged. Every kindness costs something. And every truth is buried deeper. But when the past resurfaces and the wrong man is sacrificed again, the crown Dexter built begins to crack. Because the one thing power cannot control is what it destroys. A story of manipulation, redemption, and a love that refuses to survive on lies.

I take my daughter, Joy Silver, to the healer for a routine check-up. My Alpha husband, Ethan Silver, who has been away on a business trip for a few days, comes to pick us up. The moment we meet, he possessively pulls Joy and me into his arms. It's as if we are his whole world. But I catch a faint, unfamiliar scent. As Joy snuggles up to her father affectionately, I force a smile, ignoring the sudden tightness in my chest. It isn't until we get in the car that I notice a woman sitting in the back seat. So it's her scent. A thought that has circled in my mind countless times surfaces once more. I want to leave him.

My husband lies to me about working late on Christmas Day. I know he wants to give me a surprise—I saw a jewelry set worth millions of dollars in his pocket. However, all I receive is the news of him pretending to be Santa Claus as he delivers a gift to his female secretary. She flaunts it on social media. "You're the most precious Christmas gift I've gotten." My husband changes the background photo on his social media to a photo of them together. I smile and like the post. Later, the secretary comes to me and smugly says she's pregnant. Meanwhile, I pull out a diagnosis report verifying that my husband is sterile. "Checkmate!" She visibly panics.

One mistake Felicia made in her life was to trust her twin sister. In exchange, her life, her dreams and even her future was taken away from her. When she thought nothing could get worse, she was forced to be marked by the man she dreaded the most in her life. … Beta Andrew lost his hopes in mate bond and love when he lost the love of his life. He thought he was never gonna find anyone. His heart was locked away in a metal cage after he encountered betrayal from his chosen mate. Until one smile shattered that cage one day. Will Beta Andrew ever get to find his true mate? Or will he live alone forever?

Dario Espinosa. Mafia boss. The 'evil' in devil. Everyone fears the boss who kills everyone who crosses him. Born and raised in the mafia, Dario was taught to be the biggest monster he could be. Will meeting Madie be the cause of his change? Or the cause of his downfall? Madeline. A very, very special girl who is under the care of Sister Mary Eunice in the orphanage. Full of smile and laughter, not everybody knows what the poor girl has been through. Suddenly associated with the mafia, can Madie's poor, innocent heart handle it? Accidentally crossing paths and getting stuck with each other, what happens when the big, bad mafia discovers Madie's biggest secret? Can romance brood between the two broken souls?

~You were there when my heart fell for you, but you were never there when my heart yearned for you, still, you never got out of my heart~ I thought it was good to leave because it seemed like they were on their date. I turned around suddenly Newt called. 'Prisha, is that you? Wow! what a pleasant surprise..." I slowly turned towards him, forcing a smile, and replied, "Hey! Newt, nice to see you..." "What are you doing here? Where is your friend Kriste? It is a little awkward to see you without her. I have noticed you two going everywhere together be it washroom as well," he mocked chuckling. Even though I didn't found it even a little funny, I forced a smile and replied, "I am just wandering around the town alone. As I was bored staying home. And about Kristen, she might be busy somewhere." "Oh! anyway come and join us. I want to introduce you to my..." "Girlfriend," before his words were completed my mind had already said it loud. so, I hastily interrupted him, "I am so sorry. I need to rush back home. My mom called me twice. Bye..." Before he could react, I was already out of the restaurant at great speed. The sky was covered with heavy black clouds and soon one after another drops of rain drip down along with my tears. I walked few steps but was not able to go any further. I fell on my knees getting weak to stand and slowly eyes got blur. Soon, I collapsed on the ground and before my eyes were forced to shut, I saw someone walking towards me.

"Everyone wants to tear them apart. But he's not giving up without a fight. The last thing Sara Flannigan needs is a man in her life. When she returns to her hometown, she vows to create a happy life for her son and to rebuild her life after a painful divorce. Yet when she meets her son’s new doctor, she can’t deny the spark of attraction that heats between them. The problem? He’s Harrison Thornton, the oldest son of the illustrious Thornton family. His family would never accept a woman like Sara, a woman who grew up on the wrong side of the tracks. She tries to ignore the whispers of her past, but she soon realizes secrets can never stay hidden for long. Especially from the man claiming her wounded heart. Growing up in the rich and powerful Thornton family, Harrison has lived a charmed life. A renowned physician, the last thing he expects is to desire the mother of one of his patients. Sara is beautiful and intelligent, and she’s completely devoted to her son, something that only deepens his attraction to her. He doesn't want a single night of passion, though: he wants forever. Yet there are forces at work and people determined to tear them apart. Even Sara turns from him, certain she's unworthy. Harrison refuses to let Sara slip away, and soon, he’s fighting the greatest battle of all. The battle to win the heart of the woman he loves."

"I'm sorry." She said clearing her throat unnecessarily in embarrassment. Oh Gosh, he was even more handsome up close and personal. Gosh, and he was bigger, could her day get any more better? He smiled and she melted, inside. On the outside, she has a blank face. Wow, his smile was breathtaking "I'm Luke" He said extending his hand out to her "Lena." She said, slipping her hand into his. Perfect fit, his hand was both soft and hard at the same time, somewhere in between. "Can I get you a drink?" "I already-" Vero kicked her thigh again and she closed her eyes for a second. "I already have a drink. But yes, I would love you to get me a drink" He smiled at her again, for some reason, admired her unmoved faze. He'd seen how her friend kicked her. "Two shots of devil spring" He said to the bartender and drew a seat for himself "By the way. This is my friend, Veronica." "Hi" He nodded "Hi." "I'm Luke" "Yeah, I know" She said with a smile, said something to Lena and left. Lena did not seem to happy about it he could tell. "So, uh... What brings you here tonight? Thank you" He referred to the bartender as he set their drinks on the table. "Uh... I guess I just wanted to get out." "No". She raised a finger up, bringing her beer to her mouth. "Don't try to ask questions. I know what you want. Okay" He smiled "And quit smiling. I've seen enough of your dentals already. Okay let's get drunk first so I'll have some courage. Lets do this"

"Huh," she said awkwardly, looking at her hands. Seriously, Grace, just die; she cursed herself. "But you know the funniest thing..." he said, now standing in front of her, since when, she wondered. As he traced the line of her ears with his thumb, she shivered in excitement. Boy! Who would have thought she was sensitive in that area? He forced her head up with his hand. "I am going to have you here and now, Grace, and it won’t be a joke." Grace Bush, the only child of a prominent Canadian family known for her selflessness, and sweetness, experiences a tragic incident on the happiest day of her life, resulting in the loss of her entire family. Left as the only survivor, she undergoes a profound transformation from a sweet innocent child to a wild and self-centered individual. In order to claim her late father's wealth, she decided to train herself in a well-known firm, facing unexpected challenges. Just as she contemplates giving up, fate presents her with a life-altering job opportunity, offering an escape from her troubled hometown, or did it? Noah Creed, the handsome billionaire CEO of The S.O publishing industry in New York, appears to have it all – wealth, looks, and success. Despite being divorced three times, a father, and engaged, he has never truly understood or desired love until he encounters Grace Bush, a wild and unpredictable newcomer in his film industry. Little does he know, their meeting will open a new chapter in his life.

“you…” he said, looking at me with wide eyes. I clutched my face, letting out a sigh as I wore a mask. “mate” he growled, making his way towards me. This was it, the moment I had always dreamed of, the moment I had always prayed for that he would see me as something more than an inconvenience. Then my mind snapped to the times were he told me that he hated me, were he said that he could not love me. Panic filled me as the images flooded my mind, the smile on his face as he approached me, made me even more nervous. ‘would he still have the same smile on his face if he knew that I was the one behind this mask?” he was at least seven feet away from me at this moment. “I would rather you never see me again reject me” I muttered, my eyes watering as I turned to leave. “HEY!!!” you could hear the panic in his voice as he called “stop!!!” he screamed, breaking into a run just as I done. Chaos broke out almost instantly, some people, wondering what the hell was going on, the others rushing to catch me just as Alpha Lucas had commanded. I increased my speed, running like my life depended on it, because at this moment, it did. * in love with Ethan since she knew how to breathe, she is scared out of her mind when she finds out that she is actually mated to him. scared of rejection she plans to leave. but all this comes crashing down she finds out more than she bargains for, as well as another mate, the Alpha of the most feared pack. would she be able to handle it? or is shit about to go down?