The Smile Has Left

For three years of marriage, Mark Powell had a talent for one thing—twisting the knife in Lisa Simpson’s heart. His parents never approved of her. Her mentor had been disappointed in her. Still, Lisa kept believing that if she loved him enough, if she gave him everything she had, she could warm his heart. It took her three years to realize the truth. The woman Mark had never let go of was his younger brother’s fiancée. What a joke. She’d wanted a child. She thought maybe then she could at least stay by his side and grow old with him. Instead, she was told she wasn’t even qualified to have his baby. That was the real punchline. On their wedding anniversary, Lisa finally walked away for good. She went back to research. She won major awards. She made a name for herself and brought honor to her country. She was glowing. Brilliant, successful men circled around her. There was no shortage of people eager to win her over. Three years later, Lisa stepped out of the maternity ward, a baby in her arms. Mark suddenly rushed in front of her like he’d lost his mind. “You were pregnant?” Lisa smiled faintly and looked down at him. “I had a baby. What does that have to do with my ex-husband?”

"I know what you did. You seduced me and conspired with Elijah to force the bond. Get out. You're not welcome here anymore." Caleb, casting Josephine out of his life on the morning after their night together, in front of the entire pack, based on nothing but a lie he chose to believe. °°°°°°°°°° Josephine Blackwood came to Kisatchie Forest to scatter her father's ashes not to find her fated mate. Not to be rescued by Caleb Renard, the brooding, blue-eyed leader of the Moon Edge wolf pack. And certainly not to spend one unforgettable night in his arms before he tore her world apart at dawn, hurling accusations she never deserved and casting her out in front of everyone. Josephine left with a secret growing inside her and built a life strong enough for two. Five years. A son with his father's eyes. A shop full of real magic. A town she finally calls home. Then Caleb walks through her door. Older, harder, haunted by truths that have destroyed everything he thought he knew including the lie that made him push Josephine away. But before Josephine can decide whether to trust him again, their son is taken. And the only way to get Theo back is to fight the very pack that broke them both.

Everyone called Mia a shameless whore. However, the one trailing behind her was the youngest don of the Yorick family, James. He hand-washed her lace camisoles, broke three ribs for her, and even with his face covered in blood from a beating, he could still smile at her. One night, after too much drinking, the underboss he trusted most leaned down beside him. His face was full of disdain. “Boss, Mia is a disgrace to all of us! A woman like that, how could she ever be worthy of you?” James suddenly laughed. His eyes went terrifyingly blank. The cigar between his fingers glowed faintly in the dark. “Back then, before I secured my position, I was young, greedy for power. To get my sister-in-law that antique necklace she wanted, I took advantage of Mia being drunk and took pictures of her myself… “Ten dollars a copy. I sold thirty thousand of them. Things blew way out of control… I owe her.” James took a long drink of whiskey while his Adam’s apple bobbed. “Thankfully… she will never know. I will spend my whole life making it up to her, treating her twice as well.” He did not see the private room door quietly close the moment he said those words. Mia turned around with a blank expression on her face and walked into a small clinic on the corner. She laid down on the operating table. He would never deserve to know that he had once been a father, if only for a moment. That whole lifetime he planned to spend making it up to her, she did not want it anymore.

I was blind This is my fault, isn't it? The man I loved, and I thought he was going to protect me all my life is the one who sold me off to an unknown man. I spent a night with that man. I wanted to kill myself and end my misery. But the man I spent a night with stopped me. He made me an offer: he would give me my sight back, in return, I had to become his woman. In the moment of despair, I choose survival over everything else. After my sight was restored, I did what I thought was justice- I shot my vile ex-boyfriend. I spared his life, but only so he would live with the consequences of his betrayal. Then I ran. I couldn't be anyone's woman. But even as I escaped, one name lingered in my mind, Zac Bratva. I could never forget him. How could I? He was the father of my son. "It's been five years, huh! You think you can escape me." I was startled, hearing the familiar voice before looking around. "I don't know what you are saying, sir. I don't know you," I stammered, fear tightening around my throat. "Seems like I have to help you to recall!" He said, his voice sharp. But before I could react, he pressed his gun against my head and said, "I am Zac Bratva, the godfather," he growled, "Yet you are brave enough to play with me. Now, Get inside the car, Woman!" "Godfather! What?!" My head erupted.

Five years ago, I left my husband a note. Three sentences. A returned bracelet. A door closing softly at 4am. He told me to get rid of our baby. I got rid of him instead. Now he’s sitting across my boardroom table in the city I built for myself, looking for the woman he married. She’s gone. What’s left is stronger.

"Shh, Alpha Kieran, your wife might hear us and we'll be in so much trouble," whispered Astoria as Kieran shoved her against the wall, his hands slowly gliding up her smooth thighs. Their lips were barely apart, his breath brushing against her face. "Don't care," he growled. "All I want right now is you and you alone." Growing up in the Winter Moon Pack, Astoria faced relentless mistreatment but couldn't help falling for Kieran, the indifferent yet charismatic son of the Alpha. One night, a single encounter between them left Astoria with a life-altering secret. Years later, Kieran returns to claim his position as Alpha, only to find there's a condition he must meet to lead the pack. Astoria now finds herself in a complicated and dangerous situation that could change everything.

I gave up my dream job because Alex said he needed me to help run Shadow Ridge Pack. For the next five years, he stripped my title, destroyed my projects, and humiliated me in front of everyone—all for an Omega named Madison. He called it "training me to be a proper Luna." The day I lay in bed burning with fever, and he left on "patrol" with her instead, something inside me finally broke. I submitted my Pack Severance application, and he signed it without looking, thinking it was just another approval form. A month later, he showed up at my door on his knees, begging me to come back. I gave him one condition—report Madison's betrayal to the pack council, or lose me forever. His hesitation told me everything I needed to know.

Before my parents died, they entrusted me to the most powerful vampire clan — the Vanderlooms. I married Jason, the heir, and spent ten years by his side — only to discover he'd gotten his vampire subordinate pregnant. He said I was just a human. That conceiving a vampire's child was nearly impossible for someone like me. That even if my parents died saving his life, it didn't mean I could hold on to the title of lady of the house forever. Vicky said she needed human blood for her pregnancy and demanded I serve as her blood thrall. Jason just watched with casual indifference. He didn't stop her. So I packed my bags and calmly handed him the divorce papers. He sneered. "That trick doesn't work anymore. You want to leave? Go ahead." "Give it a week. You'll come crawling back." But what he didn't know was that I'd already accepted another man's proposal. This time, I was done loving him for good.

So, Mrs. Knight,” he said, voice dripping with mockery, “do we have a deal?” I stared at his hand. Then at his face. Then at the empty shot glasses. I slapped my palm into his. “It’s not Mrs. Knight anymore,” I said, squeezing hard. “And you, Mr. Arrogant, just hired the most vindictive assistant you’ll ever have.” His fingers tightened around mine, warm and strong and promising all kinds of chaos. “Welcome to the dark side, Isabella.” Behind us, Kayla whispered to herself and few people in the coffee shop, “Y’all, I’m literally witnessing the start of a mafia romance…” Lucian’s eyes never left mine. Something electric and dangerous crackled between us. And in that moment, drunk off tequila and vengeance, I signed my soul with the Devil. I said no to Alexander Knight at the altar. Then I said yes to Lucian Voss in the rain, still wearing my wedding dress... Because my fiancee betrayed me twenty minutes before we tied the knots. With Lucian, it was a fake relationship stringed with mind-blowing nights. I gave him my body He offered me revenge Neither of us expected to give our hearts... Or that the enemy warming my bed every night ...was the brother everyone thought died fifteen years ago. Now I'm pregnant and only one knight get's to keep the empire and me

On my wedding day with Jack Miller, he ran off with his first love As if to taunt me, he would send a photo of himself with her from every new destination they visited. I was getting a manicure and enjoying imported French pastries with my afternoon tea when I received their ninety-ninth photo. But after three years of absence, Jack suddenly returned. He pointed at my wedding photo with someone else and shouted, “How dare you fool around with another man while I was gone!" I couldn't help but laugh. "What other man? I've been married to my husband for three years now." "Jack, you didn't actually think I was waiting for you all this time, did you?"