Stoic Expression

Kiara sat at her small kitchen table literally bumping her head into the wood. Several times. Why the hell did she agree to spend four days in a island with loaded snobs she knew nothing about? Of course, she didn’t know exactly what she signed up for before she accepted his offer, but she knew it came from the guy who sent her to jail and said yes anyway. And based on what? A hunch. Something so intangible and arbitrary she would be unable to explain even to her dad, who was always a firm believer in following your gut. But she saw it, right there hiding behind his handsome stoic façade. He was… desperate. --All Kiara has in life is her passion for art. Her career as a circus performer is a constant search for real attention, for people to see through the veil of plain entertainment. Chris Wright is the heir to one of the most profitable construction empires of the city, but to get to the top he needs the approval of his authoritarian father. Who knows what will happen when art meets business and passion meets duty?

I waited for Kai to speak, to claim me as his own. But he didn’t. Seconds passed. He just stared at me, his expression unreadable. What was going on? “I don’t.” My entire body froze as I heard those words. “I reject her.” Gaps erupted from the crowd. My chest tightened. It felt like I was being stabbed with a physical knife. ~•~ Halle’s world is turned upside down after being betrayed by her twin sister and boyfriend on her wedding day. Forced to flee, she finds refuge with a powerful Alpha. But as secrets begin to unravel, she realizes her past is more complicated than she thought. Can she reclaim her destiny and rise above the lies that have haunted her family for years?

On my wedding night, I joyfully lift the veil, only to discover that my bride has been replaced with the dim-witted daughter of my girlfriend's helper. The laughter surrounding me grows louder. My girlfriend's male best friend gloatingly says, "According to tradition, you must spend a night with her, Mr. Leeds! "I'll take one for the team and keep Carol company tonight instead." Just then, my girlfriend strolls in leisurely. "It's just a joke. Don't be a sore loser. Besides, she's a complete ignoramus. Spending the night with her won't hurt you." Seeing her sarcastic expression, I laugh. "Now that I've lifted the veil, how can one night be enough? Since I did it, I'll take responsibility for life."

Two months after I died, it finally occurred to my parents that they'd forgotten to bring me back from their trip. My father scowled in frustration. "She was supposed to walk back herself. Does she really need to make such a big deal out of it?" My brother, ever smug, opened our chat and sent an emoji, along with a message. [You'd better die out there. That way, Scarlett and I will split Grandma's inheritance.] He received no reply. With a frosty expression, my mother said, "Tell her if she shows up for her grandmother's birthday on time, I'll let the whole pushing-Scarlett-into-the-water thing go." They never believed I hadn't made it out of those woods. After digging six feet into the ground, they finally found my bones deep in the forest.

The Price of Vulnerability follows the journey of Mr. Wells, a charismatic yet emotionally unavailable man who has built a wall around his heart after a painful past. As the successful CEO of a leading tech company, he hides behind his stoic demeanor and seductive allure, unwilling to let anyone get too close. Enter Naomi, a driven and intelligent woman who crosses paths with Wells during a high-stakes interview. Confident in her abilities yet struggling with her own hidden desires, Naomi finds herself inexplicably drawn to Wells. Despite his cold exterior and unwillingness to commit, there’s something about him that sparks a longing for more—a desire for trust, love, and a connection that goes beyond surface-level attraction. As Naomi navigates her new role as Wells’ secretary, she discovers the fragile layers of his heart. Slowly, she begins to unravel the mystery of the man behind the business mogul persona. But in the process, Naomi finds herself confronting her own vulnerability, torn between the power of her ambition and the intense pull of her feelings for Wells. In The Price of Vulnerability, trust, love, and desire collide as two people with guarded hearts risk it all to face the pain of their pasts and the possibility of a future together. Will Naomi break through Wells’ emotional walls, or will the price of opening up be too great?

Fae’s been in love with Carl Easton for a long time. Orphaned by her mother when she was two and by her father when she was fourteen, she was fostered by the wealthy Eastons until she was eighteen. Fast-forward ten years, Fae attends a wedding and watches Carl marry her snake of a bestfriend. That night, she begs Carl's best buddy Jigo to help her forget. Hands down, he is the most gorgeous, sexiest man she has ever met. He is way out of her league and she will never have the guts to proposition him if she isn't drunk. Stoic and brooding, wealthier and more successful than Carl, he vibes power. She can never guess he was such a molten lava of emotions and the sweetest teddy bear behind closed doors. She spends part of the weekend in his bed then ran from him before she can get addicted to his brand of passion. She needs the distraction but he is more than she can ever dream of. It is foolish to hope for more. But he appears in her doorstep and seduces her to make him her willing rebound for as long as she needs him. No way will he let her go until they are done. And they spiral so fast that Fae can’t tell where distraction ends and falling in love begins…

The Crown’s Bargain Emilia Valoria has spent her life in the shadows of her royal lineage, content to be overlooked as the second princess of the Kingdom of Avariel. But when her elder sister defies tradition and elopes, Emilia is thrust into the spotlight, forced to fulfill the royal obligation her sister abandoned: an arranged marriage to the stoic and enigmatic Prince Kael of Arindale. Determined to protect her kingdom from the fragile alliance's collapse, Emilia reluctantly agrees to the union. However, her first encounter with Kael proves more tumultuous than she expected—his cold demeanor hides a kingdom scarred by betrayal, and his heart, she suspects, is locked away behind impenetrable walls. As Emilia navigates the intrigue of a foreign court, political machinations threaten to tear the kingdoms apart. Bound by duty but drawn together by fleeting moments of vulnerability, Emilia and Kael must decide whether their marriage will remain a mere contract or evolve into something neither of them dared to hope for: love. Caught between loyalty to her kingdom and the desires of her heart, Emilia must find her voice in a world that demands silence, proving that even in an arranged marriage, she has the power to rewrite her own destiny.

My CEO wife insists on taking a young, fresh intern under her wing. She wants to train him personally. She says to me, "Don't overthink this. I just value his potential." She's always been stern and stoic, but she starts dressing in pink and pulling her hair back in high ponytails. On our third wedding anniversary, she and the intern even willfully disappear for 48 hours. When others are searching for her like mad, she shares photos of her riding a carousel and holding cotton candy. She captions them, "I found the purest of joys in the most joyful of places—all because of you!" Our company loses a huge project because of this, and I lose my wife. I slip a divorce agreement between the pages of the intern's application to become a permanent staff member. My wife signs it without even looking and says, "Knowing what Elliot can do, he's more than capable of carrying out the role of a vice president." I calmly hand her my resignation. "You're right. That's why I'll make way for him."

Everyone knew that Simon Zimmer and Luna Springfield had been friends with benefits for a year, but they had chosen to hide it from Bertha Marsh, the deaf one. During a New Year’s gathering, Bertha's cold attitude caused displeasure to Simon’s friend. “Simon, is Bertha kicking up a fuss again? Seriously, that doctor of yours is more considerate. She knows how to get you into a good mood and doesn’t throw tantrums,” he said loudly with disdain. Simon’s expression turned dark, and he snapped at him. “Don’t say anything you shouldn’t. Bertha’s the most important person to me. I’ll die if she leaves.” He then anxiously signed to Bertha to ask whether she was sick. What he did not know was that Bertha had heard it all, and their future together was over.

Even on my hundredth proposal, Isabelle Cole still turns me down. We've been together for seven years. For the previous 99 proposals, she said her childhood friend isn't married yet, and she can't bring herself to break the promise they've made. Staring at the ring in my hand, I finally can't hold it in anymore. "If Ronald never gets married, are you going to keep him company forever? What am I to you?" Isabelle's expression turns gloomy in an instant. She snatches the ring and throws it into the river. "Ron and I made a promise when we were kids that we'd get married at the same time. How can I just abandon him? "And besides, is that piece of paper really all that important, Lucas? We've been together for seven years. What difference would it even make?"