Hometown Smile

It is said that before anything good happens, everything falls out of place. Erica Wright was forced into a mental institution by her step sister. She suffered endless abuse and torture before suffering a miserable death. Reborn into a new life, she vouched to take revenge. Erica's new life took a drastic turn, starting from her change in personality, going from weak to strong, taking revenge step by step. To outsiders, she was a crazy woman but to a certain CEO she was weak, soft, timid and helpless. One day, Erica’s scandal broke out: A certain CEO's wife had beaten up 5 men in the dead of night. The CEO closed a document, raised his eyes and asked with a smile “Wife, does your hands hurt?” Erica:“....”

Elena stifled a smile, but he already saw her mouth start to curve upwards and he grinned at her. She ignored him. "I'm serious, Chandler." His smile was instantaneous. "Noted." She licked her lips. Her eyes were wide and nervous, and she tucked a stray hair behind her ear. "And you can't me." Chandler tilted his head to the side and studied her. Pushing away from the car, he took a step closer to her. She held her ground, lifting her chin at his approach. "What if you ask me to you?" he said quietly. "Then can I?" Elena exhaled shakily. "I won't do that." "No?" Carefully, he touched his thumb to the curve of her chin. She shook her head, and his hand fell away. "Maybe you won't," he told her. "But hear me right now, love, I'd love it if you asked me for a ." —------ When Elena Davis decided to move to Vacaville, she had just one thing in mind — to start her business over after she'd failed the first time she tried. It'd be nice to live in the same city as her twin sister, and getting reunited with her university crush, Elijah Kendrick doesn't seem like a bad idea. But fate, however, has its own plans and she finds herself drawn to someone else—his brother, Chandler Kendrick.

Conrad Walter, a young man who dreams of having a culinary career. He pursues his dream by moving from his hometown, Philadelphia to New York, where the top and best culinary schools are. Before moving to New York, his best friend, Jaiden confronts her feelings towards him and kisses Conrad the night before she leaves for Paris. With each day passing by, Conrad thinks about her and wishes for her to come back. During his stay in New York, things weren’t looking great as he hoped. He meets his roommate, Alfred, who attends the same culinary school as well. He gets to attend his dream culinary school and meets Olivia. The three of them help each other to overcome their challenges in culinary school. As their friendship develops, Olivia and Conrad fall in love with each other. Falling in love with two women, Conrad has to choose between them without hurting one of them.

Jessica has some explaining to do. Not only has she lied to her best friend, but she is lying to the father of their daughter. But it's not her fault that she fell in love with the man the day they met. Jessica remembers that day like it was yesterday. His smooth skin, sparkling smile, and beautiful eyes are something that haunts her dreams every night. Jessica had told Christine that the father knew about Adamelia, but that was a lie. Jessica had told the father of her child that she doesn't love him, but that was also a lie. Jessica has even told herself that she has moved on. That was a huge lie. Wallowing in shame and guilt, Jessica has decided that it is her punishment. She was the one who created the web of lies in the first place. Now she will do everything in her power to right her wrongs.

“Alexander, this isn’t right,” Valentina whispered, her voice shaky as his hand traced the line of her jaw. He tilted her chin up, forcing her to meet his gaze. “It doesn’t matter what’s right,” he said, his voice low and commanding. “It matters what’s mine.” Her breath caught as his fingers slid to the back of her neck. “And you think I’m yours?” “I don’t think, Valentina,” he murmured, a dark smile curving his lips. “I know.” --- Valentina never expected her life to take such a dangerous turn. After her husband demands a divorce to marry his mistress, she finds herself entangled with Alexander—a powerful mafia Don whose reputation is as lethal as the man himself. Alexander doesn’t just want Valentina; he needs her. When he discovers she’s the daughter of Nico Vance, the man responsible for the tragedy that destroyed his family, his rage burns hotter. But instead of killing her, Alexander makes a chilling decision: Valentina will become his late wife, down to the last detail. Caught between desire and danger, Valentina must decide if she’ll run from Alexander’s dark world—or step willingly into it. Because once she does, there’s no turning back.

Robin leaned close to my ears and whispered the words that only made me stiff and froze my heart. He leans back but while doing so, his lips brushed against mine and a smile escaped his lips, he left my chin and walked away whistling to himself. I just couldn’t move, the touch of his lips that were on mine yet again clouded my mind and the words he whispered in my ears just kept on resounding as silence filled the air where I stood, only the words he had just said arrogantly, yet sweetly, played on in my head. You belong to me and no one else!

“I didn't think you'd come,” Mason Remington said. Lisa's breathing slowly increased as she tightly gripped the contract in her hands. It was already rumpled from the many times she'd read it, playing its letters like a movie in her head, over and over. Was she honestly considering it? She had a boyfriend. And even though she had always wanted Mason, craved him for years, he was her brother's best friend, who before today had never thought of her as anything other than a little sister. She knew what he wanted and what she'd be getting into if she went through with this, but all those thoughts seemed to vanish as she made her way into his office. Mason closed the distance between them, drawing her close with his hands to her waist and closing the door forcefully behind her. He now had her in his arms, giving her a small smile before crushing his mouth to hers, shutting her up before she could say anything. His hands moved up her back and crushed her tiny body against his, causing a quiet moan from her. He kissed her as though he was hungry for her. It wasn't just a show of power but desire. And with every brush of his tongue against hers, she knew all too well, that there was no way on earth she could say no to his proposal.

I hid behind a thick tree trunk and watched silently as a grizzly bear attacked my husband. In my previous life, I was a guide. I led my husband—an environmental photographer—and his female colleague into a nature reserve to film wildlife. While scouting the route, I discovered a nursing grizzly bear and immediately warned them not to take any photos and to retreat slowly. To my shock, they intentionally bumped into me, causing my right leg to be cut and bleed. The scent of blood enraged the bear, and it charged straight at me, sinking its massive jaws into my abdomen. After the bear left, my husband calmly stripped me of all my equipment. Then, wrapping his arms around his female colleague, he kissed her. He turned to me with a sinister smile creeping across his face. "Kate," he said, "I'll be honest. I never loved you. You're dying. Now, all your assets will be mine." I bled out and died. When I opened my eyes again, it was the morning of the day we entered the mountains.

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."

He straddled me, his hips swirling in slow, maddening circles. His body was right there, pressing into mine, and I couldn’t escape it; I didn’t want to. His hands found mine and guided them to his chest, and when my palms touched his warm skin, I was gone. My pulse was a blur of frantic beats pounding in my ears, drowning out the crowd's cheers and whistles. With his face inches from mine, Alec leaned in. His breath ghosted over my lips, his smile, cocky, knowing, playful, and somehow tender all at once. “You okay there?” he asked with an amused tone, and I opened my mouth, desperate to say something—anything—but nothing came out. My throat was dry, my skin was on fire and my mind was completely blank. All I could do was stare at him, completely mesmerized by how his body moved against mine and that wicked smirk on his lips. Before I knew it, heat pooled low in my belly, spreading downward, and I instinctively clenched my thighs together to stop the throbbing that ignited between my legs, but it was too late as I dampened the soft leather.