Hometown Smile

My best friend and I were thrown into the beast tribe where females were rare and the law was polyandry. Last time, she chose the alluring serpent man as her mate, while I chose the loyal wolf man as mine. Her harem grew, her mate got jealous and caged her underground. My mate cherished me, and when he became chieftain, he placed the tribe at my feet. That was until my best friend shoved me off a cliff. I woke up back to the day of choosing our mates. She claimed my wolf man with a triumphant smile, in return, I simply pointed to the white tiger priest. Being the wife of the chieftain was too small a dream, after all. In a world where females rule, I'll take the throne.

"I'll haunt your every step, Lia.” His whispers send shivers down her spine. He would stop at nothing to claim her. ~ No one cares about her, not even her father who pushed her into the devil's den with a smile on his face because he wanted an alliance. The Devil; She drugged him to get his signature on a divorce paper, and now they are done. Ophelia Laurent thought it was over, not until…he had her back in his dungeon, but this time not behind bars, but in front of him, on her knees in chains that drove her to dark pleasures. The devil would do all it takes to show her that he loves her, and wants to protect her, but not in a gentlemanly way. “I would own you without buying you red roses nor feeding you with empty promises….

“You should hate me,” He said softly, his cold gaze searching her warm eyes. She just looked up at him, a tired smile on her face. “I'm done. I don't have the strength to hate anyone anymore.” “Then you'll learn,” He murmured. “I'm not the kind of man you survive loving.” ****** Yara is born without a wolfㅡ an outcast to her own pack. Betrayed by her own family, she is banished and falls into the arms of the one man she's never supposed to meet. The lycan king. The one who everyone fears. She's his second chance. He's her last. But fate has a cruel way of playing and the stakes begin to get higher. Will they prevail? Or will the truth tear them apart before they can?

Kasey Starling has loved Leo McIver for years; the golden boy with the easy smile and reckless charm. But to him, she’s always been invisible. So when his older brother, Landon McIver; the ruthless, president-in-waiting of their Iron Serpents Brotherhood, offers to teach her how to make Leo fall for her, she agrees. Against her better judgment. Landon is everything Leo isn’t; dark where Leo is bright, dangerous where Leo is kind. What starts as lessons in seduction soon turns into something far more twisted… and intoxicating. By the time Kasey realizes Landon never planned to help her win his brother, it’s too late. She’s already his favorite mistake. And he’s the one she can’t stop wanting.

At the company's year-end awards ceremony, just as it is supposed to be my turn to go on stage and officially announce the relationship between my wife and me, my wife's first love suddenly proposes to her in front of everyone. Angela Reed does not refuse. Instead, she laughs brightly and promotes Samuel Hayden to the new department manager. Employees throughout the entire company cheer loudly for their romance. Seeing that I have no reaction, someone beside me cannot help but ask, "Ronald, you've worked for Ms. Reed for nine years. How can you show no response at all?" I smile as I walk onto the stage, take off my wedding ring, and toss it to Samuel. "How can you propose without preparing a ring? Here—it's yours."

After being married for five years, my husband, Harvey Jepson, brings his first love, Debbie Grayson, home after a six-month business trip. Debbie is over three months pregnant. Harvey says it's hard for her alone, so she's temporarily living with us. I say no, and Harvey warns me to know my place. His scornful tone seems to hint that he's forgotten this villa was a wedding gift to me. He and his family have been leeching off me for the past five years. This time, I'm cutting all of them off. I smile and call my assistant. "Draw up a divorce agreement for me now. To think a live-in husband would have the nerve to bring his mistress home so boldly."

My husband drives me out so I can meet my best friend for an afternoon tea session. That's when I discover a used condom and a stray earring wedged between the door and the front passenger seat. I'm distraught as I head to the restaurant. My best friend hugs me warmly, but the lone earring she wears pierces my heart. I don't expose them for their betrayal. Instead, I fall into bed with my husband's best friend that very night. Later, James Fullman roars and asks why I've done this to him. I smile faintly and lean into the embrace of the man beside me. "You're not the only one who can get hot and heavy in the front passenger seat, you know."

On our tenth wedding anniversary, my husband, Jaxon Wilde, walks through the door with his hundredth new mistress. From my neck, he snaps the necklace that was once our token of love and fastens it around hers. Amid the guests' jeers and mocking laughter, the lady tugs timidly at my gown and murmurs, "Mr. Wilde wants me to wear this dress tonight, Scarlett." It was a dress altered from my wedding gown ten years ago, and I wore it tonight like a fool, hoping he might remember. But now, he wants to strip his wife bare in public and give it to his mistress on the wedding anniversary. Under the weight of everyone's sneers, I look up at him and give him a genuine smile for the first time in a decade. "Let's get divorced, Jaxon."

They betrayed her, broke her, and left her to die. But fate had other plans. Lyriel gave everything for love. Her time. Her dreams. Her heart. She built his empire, raised the child he claimed was abandoned, and stood by him when no one else would. But behind every kiss was a lie. Behind every smile, betrayal. When the truth finally came to light, it shattered more than just her world—it cost her her life. Poisoned. Stabbed. Burned. But Lyriel's story didn’t end in the flames. She opened her eyes to a time before it all began—before the wedding, before the lies, before she handed her life away to those who would watch her burn. This time, she’s not here to love. She’s here to destroy.

***The cover is taken from Google*** I wince when my bangles dig into my skin,forcing a smile,hoping my boredom didn't show in my movements. I inwardly roll my eyes when my father makes introductions. What lame crap. They obviously know each other. Why make intros? I hiss when my sister steps on my foot,making me looking up. I glance at a middle aged couple, freezing when I made eye contact with an all too familiar grinning face, my vision landing next to her, hoping it was just a bad dream, my heart stopping and finally turning into an icicle when I stared into eyes of the most unexpected person, the person looking back at me, but not quite acknowledging me.