Jim Halpert Smile

After recovering from breast cancer, my fiancé started making excuses to stay out all night. On my birthday, I finally tracked him down on a yacht where he was joking with his friends. "I figured once she died, the engagement would be off the table. Who knew she'd be so hard to die.” "But I've got a brilliant plan—I'll fake my death at the wedding. We can livestream it and watch how this woman who worships me to the core breaks down in tears." I couldn't help but smile to myself. If Travis Luther could play dead, so could I. In the end, he was the one who broke down sobbing, begging me not to walk away.

For the past three months, I've slept only three hours every day just so my team and I can create an app. Thanks to our hard work, the app goes absolutely viral to the point we've garnered over 100 million registered users on the first week of its launch. At the afterparty, my wife, Stacie Woodward, announces that her godbrother, Tory Frost, who's the PR manager, will be the one receiving the million-dollar bonus. She then tosses me a few 50% discount coupons that can be used in shopping malls as my bonus. "You're just a code monkey—why do you need that much money anyway? You can have these discount coupons. Use them on anything you want. At least buy some nice clothes for yourself. Don't go around wearing these rags. You'll just end up humiliating me more." I plead to her in a low tone, "Have you gone crazy, Stacie? My dad needs the money for the best medication in order to save his life! Can you please stop joking around?" But Stacie clings to Toby's arm, looking high and mighty. "Your dad's dying, isn't he? He might as well stop wasting the public resources! I can always choose him a better grave and hold a nice funeral for him when his time comes!" As I look at Stacie's smug face, I just smile at her instead of getting mad at her. She must have forgotten that the app's core algorithm and the user growth model are built using my private, undisclosed technology stack. That means the copyright is mine and has nothing to do with the company. I just smile while nodding at Stacie. That night, I activate the technology stack's self-destruct and migration protocols.

The crowd starts a countdown to midnight like New Year’s Eve. I close my eyes and smile, holding Liam’s hand tightly. Everyone yells “ONE!” and cheers. I open my eyes and see the iridescent liquid light of the full moon pouring out of the giant orb flowing down over us. People around us ooh and ahh at the beautiful sight.  When the first rays of moonlight cascade over my skin, I feel a heat inside me turn into a burning fire. I gasp and look up at Liam. He looks at me with wide, surprised eyes. “Mate,” he murmurs and squeezes my hand tighter. It isn’t a comforting feeling. There are no sparks like people describe when they touch their mate. Maybe it takes a few minutes to develop. I smile and try to admire Liam, but I don't want to say it back. Nothing feels different. I still love him, but he’s not the one. Liam is looking at me, but it isn’t a look of true love. It’s lustful and carnal. I feel a pit in my stomach. Liam isn’t my mate. How can this be? And how was he able to call me his mate if he’s not mine? “Zara,” a woman’s voice says in my head, “My name is Lavender. I’m your wolf and you’re in grave danger, my dear. You need to run. You need to run now. Your life depends on it.” “My… wolf?” With everything that happened the past couple of hours, I forgot she was waking up. “L-Lavender, what’s happening? What do you know?” Lavender repeats her order. “Zara, you need to run. I can explain later. I’m so sorry this is happening to you, sweet girl.”

"Have you done this before?” he asked. I shook my head quickly. “Use your words,” he ordered, his tone firmer this time, sending a shiver down my spine. “No, Daddy,” I answered softly, feeling my body already yearning for his touch. He studied me for a moment, his gaze both intense and thoughtful. Then, a small smile tugged at his lips. “Yet, you did so well. I’m proud of you.” His praise washed over me like warm honey, and I couldn’t help the smile that tugged at my lips. It felt like a little victory I didn’t know I was striving for. “Have you orgasmed before, sweet girl?” he asked in a husky voice. “No, Daddy.” He exhaled deeply, his expression darkening with something I couldn’t quite read. “So, you haven’t come before? Shame on them little boys.” His voice was rougher now, and I saw a flicker of anger in his eyes, like it genuinely bothered him. “I can’t stand knowing that. Do you want to come for Daddy?” When Flora got fed up with the constant mistreatment from Jayden and his ruthless family, she finally asked for a divorce. But Jayden suddenly realized he never wanted to lose her. But was Flora ready to be won back after tasting a life of freedom? Will she return to the man who once broke her, or take a chance on a love that defies all odds? WARNING: This story contains highly descriptive sexual content and explores themes of age gap, domination, submission, BDSM, and praise. All characters in this book are of age, and every sexual activity is consensual. Subsequent chapters may not include additional trigger warnings, so please consider this your warning.

“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?

I was lying in bed, scrolling on my phone with my pregnant belly heavy in front of me, when a local news alert popped up. 'Wife killed in suburban murder case. Husband stabbed her to death after she refused intimacy during pregnancy.' I clicked it open, only to realize the article was dated for tomorrow. And the killer's name? My husband's. At first, I thought it was some sick prank or a glitch on the site. But then I saw the photo attached to the piece: our wedding picture. My face had been completely blurred out. The moment my heart seized, the bedroom door creaked open. My husband stood there, licking his lips, his smile so chilling it made my blood run cold. "Honey, I want you tonight."

BLURB One night. One murder. One photo that changed everything. I was just a broke journalism student trying to survive college on caffeine, ramen, and late-night shifts, Until I saw him pull the trigger. Lucian Romano. Green eyes like a forest fire. A smile that promises sin. And a last name that owns half the city… and most of its corpses. He should’ve killed me. Instead, he gave me a choice: Delete the photo. Say nothing. Or become useful. Now, I’m his “eyes” inside the university, spying on dealers, dodging bullets, and trying not to fall for the killer who sees me as a pawn. But secrets don’t stay buried. And in this game of blood, betrayal, and stolen kisses… One wrong move, and I’m dead. Or worse, his…

He marked her like property. Then completely turned on her. Cecelia was never meant to survive the bond, she was just meant to bleed for it. Chosen for her pack, used for an alignment, discarded when she became inconvenient. Zeke took everything from her: her freedom, her future, and something she never meant to give; her heart. But she didn’t die. She learned. Now she’s back, unrecognizable, with poison in her smile and vengeance stitched into her skin. His mark still burns on her body. But the girl he broke is gone. And the woman she’s become wants nothing to do with him. She doesn’t want his love. She wants him to break, And this time, she’ll make sure he stays broken.

When I get mutilated by the killer, my Mom, who works as a forensic doctor, is currently shopping with my older sister, Winona Langdon. After the killer gouges out one of my eyes, he unlocks my phone and sends Mom a video call invitation. But the video call only rings a few times before Mom rejects it. When the killer tries calling her again, he finds out that my number has already been blocked. He merely shoots me a mocking smile in return. Once the police have discovered my body, Mom can't help but curse at the killer for his brutality after seeing how badly I was decimated. But what she doesn't recognize is that the twisted-looking corpse actually belongs to me, her unloved daughter.

My husband took our six-year-old daughter on a fishing trip, but when his first love called, he left her alone to answer his phone. With no one watching her, our daughter fell into the sea, and we never recovered her body. Heartbroken, I called him and begged him to return, but his voice was cold as he said, “Cheyenne, today’s Queenie's birthday. Can you stop being such a buzzkill?” When I stumbled back home in despair, I found his first love clinging provocatively to him, a smug smile on her face. “What’s got you so upset, sis-in-law?” she sneered. I let out a cold laugh and flipped the dining table over. “As long as you’re alive, I’ll never be happy.”