Precious Rossi has known nothing but pain. Trapped in a loveless marriage filled with abuse, betrayal, and heartbreak, she has lost all hope of ever finding happiness. One fateful night, seeking an escape from her misery, she ends up in the arms of a mysterious stranger-a man who sees through her pain and offers her a moment of solace. That man is Micheal Timothy-a ruthless mafia billionaire with a dark past and a heart colder than ice. Their one-night stand was meant to be nothing more than a fleeting encounter, but fate has other plans. When Precious's world crumbles even further, she finds herself drawn into Micheal's dangerous orbit. As their lives intertwine, secrets unravel, enemies emerge, and a burning passion ignites. But can Precious truly escape her past? And will Micheal be the reason she finally learns to smile again, or will he become another nightmare she must survive? A tale of love, betrayal, and redemption set against the backdrop of New York's bustling cityscape and the breathtaking beauty of Italy. He Is the Reason Why I Smile Again is an emotional rollercoaster that will leave you breathless.
I sobbed deeply as I frantically dialed Brielle's number, my hands trembling so violently that the phone almost slipped from my grasp. My entire body ached from the relentless beating Liam had given me just moments ago. Bruises painted my skin, and the taste of blood lingered on my tongue.
"Pick up, Brielle, please..." I whispered, my voice barely above a breath. But the call went unanswered, and the overwhelming sense of loneliness settled deep in my bones.
The walls of our penthouse apartment, which once felt like a dream, had become my prison. Every piece of expensive furniture, every luxurious decor, meant nothing when the man who owned them treated me like trash.
I pressed a shaking hand against the bedroom mirror, staring at my own reflection. A stranger stared back at me-a woman with hollow eyes, bruised skin, and lips swollen from Liam's latest rage. This wasn't me. This wasn't the life I had imagined.
A sudden wave of nausea rolled over me, and I stumbled to the bathroom, gripping the sink for support. I took deep breaths, trying to steady myself, but my mind was a storm of fear and anguish. I couldn't stay here tonight. I wouldn't survive another beating.
With a newfound determination, I grabbed my coat and rushed out into the cold, rainy streets of New York. The downpour soaked through my thin blouse in seconds, but I didn't care. My heels clicked against the pavement as I moved without direction, the city's lights blurring through my tear-filled eyes.
I needed an escape.
And then I saw it-a dimly lit bar at the corner of the street. It looked like the perfect place to drown my sorrow, even if only for a few hours.
Pushing open the heavy door, I stepped inside. The warmth of the room was a stark contrast to the chill outside. The scent of alcohol and cigars filled the air, and faint jazz music played in the background. It was an intimate space, with rich mahogany furniture and dim golden lights that cast soft shadows across the walls.
I made my way to the bar, slipping onto a stool as the bartender approached. "What can I get you?" he asked, his voice gruff but not unkind.
"Whiskey. Neat." The words left my lips before I could second-guess them. I wasn't a drinker, but tonight, I needed something strong to numb the pain.
As I waited for my drink, my gaze drifted across the room, landing on a figure sitting alone in the VIP section. He exuded an aura of danger, his sharp jawline and piercing eyes sending a shiver down my spine.
Micheal Timothy.
I didn't know his name then, but something about him called to me. Maybe it was the way his gaze lingered on me, as if he could see straight through the mask I wore. Or maybe it was the fact that, for the first time in years, I felt something other than pain.
His presence was commanding, his tailored black suit hinting at wealth and power. He held a glass of bourbon in his hand, swirling the liquid idly as if lost in thought. When our eyes met, a flicker of curiosity sparked in his dark gaze.
I swallowed hard and turned back to my drink, but I could still feel his gaze on me. It was unnerving and intoxicating all at once.
"Rough night?" a smooth voice asked.
I looked up to find him standing beside me, his presence even more overwhelming up close. My breath caught in my throat. He was tall, broad-shouldered, and carried himself with effortless confidence.
"You could say that," I murmured, fingers tightening around my glass.
He studied me for a long moment before sliding into the seat next to mine. "I don't usually offer company to strangers," he said. "But you look like you need it."
A bitter smile tugged at my lips. "And what do you get out of it?"
He leaned in slightly, his voice dropping to a murmur. "Maybe I just like saving drowning women."
I let out a soft, humorless laugh. "I don't need saving."
His gaze darkened. "That's the biggest lie I've heard all night."
Silence stretched between us, thick with unspoken words. Part of me wanted to push him away, to retreat back into the shadows where Liam's ghost couldn't find me. But another part-one I had long ignored-was drawn to him, to the promise of something different. Something dangerous.
I took a deep breath and made my decision.
Tonight, I wasn't Precious Rossi, the battered wife. Tonight, I was just a woman seeking an escape.
And he was the perfect distraction.
Selene thought she was just an ordinary girl, hiding in the shadows of a powerful werewolf pack. But everything changes when her pack is betrayed, and her family is slaughtered before her eyes. Left alone and broken, she finds herself imprisoned by the very wolves she once called family. Sold into captivity and labeled as weak, Selene is thrust into a world where her life means nothing - until she uncovers a hidden truth about her bloodline. A secret that could change everything. With every step, Selene discovers her true strength and the power she never knew she had. As she navigates betrayal, heartache, and the ruthless world of werewolves, she must rise above her past and fight for the future she was always meant to have. Will she be able to harness the power within her and embrace her true destiny, or will she be consumed by the darkness around her? In a world where survival is everything, Selene must learn that sometimes the greatest power lies in embracing the wolf within.
Trapped in a life of endless suffering, Ella Sophia has known nothing but pain, betrayal, and humiliation. In a loveless marriage with a cruel husband who sees her as nothing more than property, she endures beatings, forced submission, and the crushing weight of despair. At work, things are no better-her boss, the ruthless billionaire Alex Anthony, treats her like she's disposable, a pawn in his merciless world. One fateful night changes everything. A drunken mistake, a one-night stand with a stranger, leaves Ella entangled in a web of secrets she never saw coming. The man she spent the night with? None other than Alex Anthony himself. As Ella's life spirals even further, she faces betrayals that push her to the edge. But she refuses to remain a victim forever. From the ashes of her suffering, a new version of her is born-a woman no longer willing to be anyone's slave. With power, vengeance, and a newfound strength, she rises, determined to make those who hurt her pay. But in a world where love and hatred blur, and enemies lurk in the shadows, will Ella's transformation be her salvation or her ultimate downfall? And when Alex realizes she is more than just a pawn in his ruthless game, will he fight to keep her, or will his past destroy them both? One thing is certain-Ella will never be the same again.
In the dazzling yet ruthless world of New York's elite, where power is everything, Sophia Chloe has only known suffering. Trapped in a loveless, abusive marriage, she endures relentless pain-beatings, humiliation, and heartbreak. Her once-bright future has been reduced to nothing but survival. But one fateful night changes everything. A desperate escape leads her into the arms of Anthony Philip, a cold-hearted billionaire with a past as dark as his reputation. What was meant to be a reckless mistake-a one-night stand-soon spirals into a dangerous entanglement she never saw coming. Anthony is no ordinary billionaire. As a powerful figure in the Mafia, he commands fear and respect in equal measure. He doesn't do love, and he certainly doesn't believe in second chances. But something about Sophia's brokenness awakens a part of him he thought was long dead. He offers her power, protection, and a way out-but at a cost she may not be willing to pay. When her past comes back to haunt her, and dangerous enemies lurk in the shadows, Sophia must decide: remain the weak, broken woman she once was, or rise from the ashes and claim the strength that was stolen from her? In a world of betrayal, vengeance, and deadly secrets, one thing is certain-nothing comes without a price. Themes: Weak-to-strong heroine transformation Mafia power struggles and forbidden romance Betrayal, revenge, and redemption One-night stand leading to an unexpected fate A billionaire who doesn't believe in love... until her She was supposed to be his mistake. Instead, she became his obsession.
In the dazzling chaos of New York City, Ariana Whitmore lived a simple, invisible life-until the night everything was ripped away. Sold like property to a ruthless stranger, she was forced into a world she never imagined: one ruled by secrets, betrayal, and blood money. Leonardo De Luca-the feared Mafia boss from Italy-was a man of dark power and darker desires. To him, Ariana was just another possession, another pawn in his endless game of revenge. He broke her trust. He shattered her innocence. He stole her affection without mercy. But what happens when a broken soul refuses to stay broken? Betrayed by those she loved, crushed by a man she couldn't resist, Ariana will rise from the ashes. She will not just survive the injustice. She will conquer it. She will become the woman every man fears...and the woman Leonardo can never control. In a world of lies, hatred, and shattered promises, can stolen affection turn into a dangerous love? Or will betrayal destroy them both? New York. Italy. Two hearts. One brutal war. Get ready for a romance fueled by vengeance, betrayal, and forbidden passion.
She's a girl from New York City, living a life of misery and submission. When the wealthy and ruthless mafia boss, Alexander Rossi, crosses her path, everything she thought she knew about love, power, and survival begins to unravel. But in a world where trust is a luxury, can she truly escape the darkness, or will the seduction of the billionaire pull her deeper into a web of deceit and danger? Secrets, betrayal, and passion await. Will she become a pawn, or is there a chance she could take control of her fate? Find out what happens next...
Ella has always been the outcast. In a world where werewolves rise to power by embracing their wolf forms, she remains powerless, rejected by those she once called family. But when an ancient prophecy reveals that Ella is the one destined to lead the pack, everything changes. Thrown into a battle for control, Ella must navigate fierce rivalries, dark betrayals, and the growing threat of a ruthless alpha who will stop at nothing to claim the throne. As the weight of leadership presses down on her, Ella will have to confront her greatest fear-accepting the power she's always denied. Will she rise to claim her place as the Unconventional Alpha, or will she crumble under the pressure of expectations and enemies lurking in the shadows? The fate of her pack-and the future of the werewolf world-rests in her hands. ---
When Zora was sick during the early days of her pregnancy, Ezrah was with his first love, Piper. When Zora got into an accident and called Ezrah, he said he was busy, when in actual fact, he was buying shoes for Piper. Zora lost her baby because of the accident, and throughout her stay at the hospital, Ezrah never showed up. She already knew that he didn't love her, but that was the last straw for the camel's back, and her fragile heart could not take it anymore. When Ezrah arrived home a few days after Zora was discharged from the hospital, he no longer met the woman who always greeted him with a smile and cared for him. Zora stood at the top of the stairs and yelled with a cold expression, "Good news, Ezrah! Our baby died in a car accident. There is nothing between us anymore, so let's get a divorce." The man who claimed not to have any feelings for Zora, being cold and distant towards her, and having asked her for a divorce twice, instantly panicked.
"I, Erika Blackwood, stand before you, Alexander Robertson, with a heavy heart. I hereby reject you as my mate. The bond we once shared has grown fragile, and my soul yearns for a different path. May you find solace in the love of another, and may we both find the happiness we seek." Alexander didn't say a word and looked at me. But he refused to accept. *********** Erika Blackwood is the next Alpha in line of the Ironclaw Pack. She hides her identity and gets mated to the Alpha of the Moonforest Pack, Alexander Robertson. Three years passed, but Alexander is still unwilling to let go of his childhood sweetheart. Erika is mistreated and eventually framed by the same childhood sweetheart. Now she leaves with that humiliation, and goes back to her pack, swearing vengeance on those who hurt her. They all waited for her to return and beg, but what happens when they realize that the famous Ironclaw Pack that was going to help in the rogue war, was ruled by a woman named, Erika Blackwood. Now her Ex mates want her back. Other Alphas want this woman.. But will she accept any of them? Or will she stay independent forever?...
Three years of marriage couldn't melt Theo's frozen heart. When an art gallery collapsed on Lena, he was off romancing another woman—lavishing her with a private jet. Three steel pins held Lena's shoulder together, but her heart remained broken. She filed for divorce and told everyone that he was impotent. Rising from the rubble, Lena blazed onto the design world's A‑list. She expected him to sail off with his true love—until Theo reappeared at her runway, pressing her against the wall. "Impotent, huh? Care to give it a try?"
“Drive this woman out!” "Throw this woman into the sea!” When he doesn’t know Debbie Nelson’s true identity, Carlos Hilton cold-shoulders her. “Mr. Hilton, she is your wife,” Carlos’ secretary reminded him. Hearing that, Carlos gives him a cold stare and complained, “why didn’t you tell me earlier?” From then on, Carlos spoils her rotten. Little did everyone expect that they would get a divorce.
Bailey seems to be never destined to fit in, a little geeky, but under it all, a hidden beauty that so many seem to miss, but still not what her pack Alpha is looking for in a fated mate... so he is determined to reject her and make her life hell. Bailey, knowing her life will likely never be the same focuses on what she can control, her future, and heads off to study; becoming a teacher. Asher is the Beta of Autumn Valley Pack, a neighbouring pack. A broken man having suffered the loss of his mate after a rogue attack, Asher is slowly crumbling. Falling to pieces. A shadow of his former self, and not a man that anyone wants to be around anymore... Until, Autumn Valley Pack require a new teacher, and Bailey finds herself there and pushed together with the Beta. Is there a connection building or is that in their imaginations? And what will happen when Bailey's mate comes back to claim what is his?
To the public, she was the CEO's executive secretary. Behind closed doors, she was the wife he never officially acknowledged. Jenessa was elated when she learned that she was pregnant. But that joy was replaced with dread as her husband, Ryan, showered his affections on his first love. With a heavy heart, she chose to set him free and leave. When they met again, Ryan's attention was caught by Jenessa's protruding belly. "Whose child are you carrying?!" he demanded. But she only scoffed. "It's none of your business, my dear ex-husband!"