Smoke Screen

On my first day at the urology department, I stumble upon an affair between a female doctor and her patient. When I push open the clinic door, I hear a woman's muffled moans coming from behind the screen. Then, the screen rattles as bodies clash against it. I stand at the door, not knowing what to do.

I secretly sent Lena Parker, my husband Dominic Caballero's mistress, away to Sicara. I'm defying his authority as the Don of Coastwick, New Hudson. That very night, he abducts my parents and younger brother, using their lives to force me to reveal Lena's whereabouts. Dominic pushes his phone in front of me. On the screen, I see my family tied to chairs, the timer of the bombs ticking down. 00:59:59 00:59:58 He sits across from me and taps his fingers softly against the table, like he's closing a business deal. "Alyssa, you have 59 minutes," Dominic says in a calm, almost gentle voice. "Where's Lena?" I freeze, my throat tightening as if strangled. I can't get a word out. This is the third time he's pressed me. The first time, he asked where Lena had gone, but I stayed silent. The second time, he grabbed my chin and said in a low voice, "Alyssa, don't play games." Now, for the third time, he's threatening my family's lives. "Dominic…" I call out, my voice trembling. "They're my family. They're the most important people to me." He chuckles. "Is that so? Then why didn't you think about how important Lena is to me when you sent her away?" I stare at him, feeling how utterly absurd it all is. Important? He told me before that other women were just playthings. Once he got bored, he'd dump them. He swore I was the only one he loved. But now, for Lena, he's willing to kill my family.

- "You would think a woman who has been on this Earth for centuries would know anger only brings chaos, she will start her own fire and complain about the smoke," Lilith said. -

My parents, the wealthiest couple in the country, were famous philanthropists. I had to ask them for permission if I wanted to spend more than five bucks. The day I was diagnosed with terminal cancer, I asked them for 100 dollars, but instead of helping, they yelled at me for three hours. "What kind of disease could you get at your age? If you're going to ask for money, at least come up with a better excuse." "Do you know that 100 dollars could support children in poverty-stricken areas for a long time? Your sister is more sensible than you." I dragged my sick body for miles, back to the small basement I called home. But as I passed the mall, I saw my parents, live on a huge screen, spending a fortune to rent out Disneyland for my sister. I couldn't hold back the tears anymore. A hundred dollars wouldn't even cover one round of chemotherapy. I just wanted to buy a new outfit and leave with some dignity.

Gina and I were just ordinary werewolves in the Silver Claw Pack. Our incomes were modest, but we married well. Her mate was the captain of the Silver Claw Pack patrol unit. Mine, the fire squad leader. They grew up together—childhood friends—and were the youngest golden duo in the Werewolf Alliance. On the day we married, our mates each bought us a luxury high-rise apartment on the top floor of the central castle, side by side, with the promise of sharing life and death together. That is, until that fateful night. Rogues broke into the central zone. Chaos reached even the upper levels of our building. The tower caught fire. Amidst the thick smoke, I sent a desperate mind-link to my mate. He blocked it. Turns out, both our mates were busy shielding their shared first love, Lifu. They ignored our calls for help. Gina dragged me as we ran. She was six months pregnant; her pup was already kicking from the panic. Her mate never showed up either. We made it to the stairwell, where we were trapped for five hours. Toxic fumes filled our lungs. I went into labor too early. My pup didn't make it. Gina bled for three days in the hospital. Her pup was gone too. Meanwhile, our mates were digging through the wreckage—twenty-four hours straight—searching for Lifu's lost dog. That was it. Right then and there, Gina and I looked at each other and knew. We were done.

Selene Davies was heartbroken when Sunny Dale humiliated and dumped her on her 20th birthday. She felt that she had done everything right in their relationship, and couldn’t tell where things went wrong. After all, she was raised by her mother to be a lady; prim and proper. That night, she gave in to her wildest desires and threw herself into the warm arms of Declan Grayson, the personification of wealth and power. Selene reckoned that there was nothing wrong with letting herself loose and having a great night. However, what if her fling wasn't just a decade older than her but also turned out to be her step-uncle? Well, he was nothing but a fling, no strings attached, or so she thought. Regret was an understatement when she learned that Declan didn't only take her first, but also publicized their affair. He portrayed her as a slut who gave sexual favors for a measly screen time. Now, she has the black market drug, ecstasy in her system, and when it’s effects kick in at random times, she either gets laid quickly or kicks the bucket. Who, or better still, what would be her medicine, when she has no man in her life? *** "Oh my God! Why does my head hurt so much? And my whole body also hurts like crazy. Ouch!!! Selene suddenly spotted a full-grown man lying beside her, “Hey, who the fu*k are you? And why are you in my bed?” Declan only smiled beautifully, a coy smirk lacing his lips. "Take a look around, sweetheart. You. Are. In. My. Bed!” His deep baritone voice sounded in her ear, stirring emotions she swore never to entertain again, or just maybe she never really felt that way before...

That year, during the Sicilian arms trafficking conflict, my lover of three years, Silvio, deliberately betrayed my transport routes at a critical moment in a deal with the rival "DiMarco" family, causing me to lose all my territory. He immediately defected to the DiMarco family's leader Marina, becoming her lover. As he left, he didn't even bother to disguise his betrayal, coldly tossing out, "What we had was just business, nothing personal." While I was burdened with my family's blood debts and pushed to the edge of a cliff, Lorenzo, who had secretly harbored feelings for me since childhood, found me and offered his family's entire fortune. "Isabella, don't be afraid. In my eyes, you'll always be Sicily's most formidable Queen of the Arms Trade," he said. He took the Colt pistol from my hand, and his voice was gentle yet resolute. Five years later, my power resurged. I was about to completely crush Marina's smuggling network and reclaim everything I had lost. My caporegimes, the captains of my organization, were ready and waiting for my command. But on the night before the operation, my weapons warehouse suddenly exploded, turning priceless arms into worthless scrap metal. I barely escaped through the thick smoke, my body covered in burns. In a secluded monastery, I overheard Lorenzo and Silvio whispering outside my door. "You really had the guts to blow up the arsenal. Weren't you afraid of blasting her to pieces too?" Silvio's voice carried a mocking tone. "If she died, just died. I've always loved Marina. If it weren't for that unlucky family marriage lottery five years ago, I wouldn't have had to endure this ugly bitch for all this time." Lorenzo's voice was ice-cold and unfamiliar. I closed my eyes, feeling like a dagger had pierced my chest. Explosion. Arranged marriage. Ugly bitch. So those five years of shared hardship were just his unwilling choice after losing a high-stakes gamble. "I married her to keep watch. If it weren't for me paving

I stare at the email on my screen, unable to move my fingers. Tomorrow is our company's crucial product launch, and I just learn that the patent for the algorithm I spent three years developing is now filed under Matthew Ashford's new assistant, Sophie Bennett. I storm into Matthew's office to confront him. Sophie sits on his desk with her legs crossed, looking completely innocent. She claims that she filled out the form by mistake. "It's just a clerical error. The patent still belongs to the company. What's the big deal?" Matthew stands up from his chair, positioning himself in front of Sophie. I can't believe what I am hearing. "Matthew, this is my research!" "Emma, you're thirty-five. Why are you picking a fight with a twenty-three-year-old intern?" He frowns. Then, he turns to Sophie. "Starting tomorrow, you're the new CTO. Emma needs… some time off." I'm utterly stunned. A decade of marriage and five years dedicated to building a company together have been shattered by a few casual words from him. Thirty minutes later, Sophie posts a photo on social media of herself sitting on Matthew's lap. They are both clinking champagne glasses. "So lucky to have the best boss ever. I'll make sure to be his loyal kitten." Below that, Matthew leaves a comment—three red heart emojis. I shut my laptop and pick up my phone. "Hello. Is this Mr. David Langley from Novara Group of Sundale Valley? This is Emma Whitmore. I've changed my mind. I'm ready to join you." I pause. "And by the way, about that unreleased algorithm upgrade, I have the complete technical blueprint. Make me an offer." Later, I fly to Tallisport with an eight-figure check in hand, while Matthew goes frantic trying to find me.

They say fire is cleansing, a transformative type of destruction. After a forest fire, nature heals and grows stronger. It's forever changed but not destroyed. Fire is painful but beautiful, something that is warm but left unattended can be devastating. In the flames I was broken, destroyed, but in the ashes I was restored. Left floating in the grey, the smoke that led me through a divine transformation. Now I'm left adrift, the dark my only guide in the smoke, the blue of the sky, of his eyes, the only guide in the light. Forever torn and pulled between the two, unsure who I can trust and terrified to make the wrong choice. Not just my life hangs in the balance, but the lives and well being of all of humanity. It just might be too much for these wings to bare.

This is a BadBoy Billionaire series novel. Book 1: This story is about a two characters in a contract marriage... A simple girl from a humble background! A bad boy billionaire with a scandalized réputation ! They come together to play the 'It' couple but it's all just pretend, smoke and mirrors... Zeke hates the word love, thinks it's naive and deadly. While Blair thinks love is everything in the world, now she's supposed to pretend not to be in love with the man she's actually in love with? Book 2- The Greek’s Marriage Proposal. Blurb She was never his! She was his late brother's fiancee, But he had always desired and lusted after her from the day she was introduced, he has no idea why those green eyes sets ablaze a forbidden fire in him! He wonders if she felt the same way too! And now that one forbidden night between them seems to be the start of a road trip to consequences and guilt! Zion Zephyr Vasilakis is the eldest son of the Vasilakis wealth not the favorite of course! That title belongs to his twin brother Hermes Vasilakis! His parents favourite, the son they doted on the one they made him be responsible for! Hermes is like a bird while Zion was raised to be the fence around the building Hermes shouldn't fly out of. Now his brother’s fiancée is pregnant for him and that might just be the most ludicrous thing that might just happen to him! Now they are stuck together with a binding marriage proposal, Hermes parents believe the child belongs to their dear son! Could they risk the truth from coming out? Can they handle the backlash! The shock? Or the scandal!