They All Smile but Their Souls Scream Danger
Ruby · Completed · 6.9k Words
Introduction
At my birthday banquet, my stepmother smiled warmly, linking her arm through mine. Hovering above her head was 70%.
I had just overheard her plotting to swallow every cent of the inheritance my father left me.
My half-brother leaned in to hand me a drink. Above his head was 55%.
He was planning to sell me to a creep willing to drop seven figures on a woman.
Terrified out of my mind, I threw myself into the arms of my fiancé, Soren.
Above his head was a reassuring 0%, pure and bright as white light.
Then, with the whole room watching, he got down on one knee and pulled out a massive emerald ring.
"Marry me, Greer."
Crying tears of relief, I said yes and offered him my trembling left hand.
But the very second the ring slipped onto my ring finger, his 0% suddenly shattered into a blood-red 100%.
Chapter 1
Greer's POV
After seven sleepless nights, I started seeing the exact probability of someone killing me.
At my birthday banquet, my stepmother smiled warmly, linking her arm through mine. Hovering above her head was 70%.
I had just overheard her plotting to swallow every cent of the inheritance my father left me.
My half-brother leaned in to hand me a drink. Above his head was 55%.
He was planning to sell me to a creep willing to drop seven figures on a woman.
Terrified out of my mind, I threw myself into the arms of my fiancé, Soren.
Above his head was a reassuring 0%, pure and bright as white light.
Then, with the whole room watching, he got down on one knee and pulled out a massive emerald ring.
"Marry me, Greer."
Crying tears of relief, I said yes and offered him my trembling left hand.
But the very second the ring slipped onto my ring finger, his 0% suddenly shattered into a blood-red 100%.
It was my seventh day without sleep.
My nerves were like piano wires stretched to their absolute limit, ready to snap.
I leaned against a cold marble pillar, digging my nails into my palms, trying to use the physical pain to suppress a splitting migraine.
From the other side of the pillar, hushed voices drifted over.
"We deserved a cut of that estate! I can't believe the old man left it all to her!"
It was my stepmother, Sylvie.
"Mom, forget the dead money," replied Hollis, my paranoid, useless half-brother. "Just 'introduce' her to Tobias Renner's circle. Let those old men play with her. For a drop-dead gorgeous, high-IQ lawyer like her, they’ll easily pay seven figures."
My blood ran cold.
They weren't just eyeing my inheritance; they were calculating how to eat me alive.
Footsteps faded away. Drenched in a cold sweat, I stepped back into the dazzling lights of the banquet hall.
The moment I looked up at their smiling faces, I froze.
In the center of the room, Sylvie and Hollis were sipping champagne, exchanging fake pleasantries with the guests. Hovering directly above their heads were glowing numbers—
[Sylvie: 70%]
[Hollis: 55%]
I stumbled back, rubbing my eyes hard. Hallucinations? Had the insomnia fried my optic nerves?
I looked at the waiter carrying a tray. [0%].
The violinist. [0%].
The room full of strangers.
A sea of [0%].
"Greer, darling, where did you run off to?"
The scent of her perfume hit me before she did. Sylvie linked her arm through mine intimately, her eyes full of counterfeit concern. "You look awful. Is the pressure from your latest case keeping you up again?"
The moment she got close, the scarlet [70%] above her head pulsed violently, screaming danger.
Hollis sidled up next to us.
"Hey, sis," he said, flashing a greedy, sickening grin. "I met some heavyweights who are very interested in your law firm. Let's grab a drink with them sometime?"
[55%].
This wasn't a hallucination. Who else but a murderer measures a living person’s worth like this?
These numbers... they were the probability that they wanted me dead!
"No need." I yanked my arm away, glaring at them. "Stay away from me."
Ignoring Sylvie’s shocked expression, I shoved past Hollis and bolted into the crowd.
"Greer?"
A large, warm, dry hand gripped my shoulder. The familiar scent of cedarwood instantly enveloped me.
I spun around and crashed into Soren's deep gaze.
My fiancé. Heir to the Ashford Medical Group. Mature, steady, flawless.
I looked above his head.
[0%].
A pure, comforting zero, glowing with a soft white light.
"Thank God..." I collapsed against his chest, gripping the lapels of his suit, finally letting the tears fall. "Soren, get me out of here..."
"It's your birthday party. How can the star of the show leave?" He stroked my hair, holding me tight. "Besides, I have a surprise for you."
"Everyone, may I have your attention?"
Soren let go of me and stepped into the center of the hall.
The room fell silent. All eyes turned to us. Sylvie and Hollis stood at the front of the crowd, their eyes darting.
He turned to me and slowly dropped to one knee.
"Greer," his deep voice resonated like a flawless closing argument. "You are the strongest, most brilliant woman I've ever known. Watching you get pushed to the breaking point by your work and your family breaks my heart."
Gentle laughter and applause rippled through the crowd.
"So, let me take care of you." He pulled out a black velvet box and flipped it open.
A massive emerald-cut diamond ring.
"Let me be your legal anchor, your singular proxy in life." His eyes were full of devotion. "Marry me, Greer."
I covered my mouth, the tears spilling over.
"I do... Soren, I do," I sobbed, extending my trembling left hand.
The room erupted in applause.
Soren took my ring finger and slowly slid the cold metal past my knuckle.
"From now on, you are completely mine," he whispered against the back of my hand, his voice so low only I could hear.
In that split second, my eyes flicked up to his head again—
That incredibly reassuring [0%], the very second the ring cleared my knuckle, violently surged to [100%].
"Ah—!!!"
I screamed and violently ripped my hand away from his.
Under the horrified gaze of the entire room, I fought him off with everything I had.
"Oh my God! What's wrong with her?"
"Has she lost her mind? Soren was just proposing!"
Gasps echoed everywhere.
Lifting my evening gown, I bolted out the door into the dead silence of the night.
Last Chapters
You Might Like 😍
Fated to the Lycan
Ashlyn Ambrosia, the daughter of Khalid Ambrosia is a weak hybrid vampire that doesn't act like one. Unable to draw blood from a living soul and unable to kill. She's been mocked for this by her own family too. Her world comes crashing down when she's taken away by her Clutch most hated adversary.....
Lucifer Saunron is a ruthless lycan male alpha of the Nightwing pack known for his bravery, skills in war and an unquenchable taste for women. In the long feud between the lycans and the vampires and the battle that ensued, to his greatest displeasure he's fated to the daughter of the Vampire king.
He takes her in as his mistress opposing what the moon goddess proposes.....
With a life that is filled with secrets and mysteries that Ashlyn would discover, would she be able to withstand his hell as he battles with his inner demon despite his cruelty?
The Alpha Of The Shadow Pack And His Mute Luna
Vanessa, the mute runt of a cursed litter, has only ever known cruelty and abuse. Her voice stolen by a witch’s spell, her freedom crushed by a brutal father, she’s been promised to a monster she doesn’t want. But fate intervenes when she’s left for dead—bleeding, broken, and bound—only to be rescued by Alpha Alfred of the Shadow Pack.
Alfred, fighting against a generational curse that has doomed his brothers to remain wolves forever, never expected his fated mate to be a fragile girl on the brink of death. But the moment he breathes in her scent, everything changes.
Together, they must confront the past, survive betrayal, and uncover the true key to breaking the curses that bind them. Will their bond be strong enough to save them both?
Dangerous Love with the Mafia
Driven out by her adoptive mother and sexually harassed by her boss, she stumbles into a seedy bar, desperate to drown her sorrows. There she meets Alex: sharp, devastatingly handsome, and impossibly charming.
What starts as a wild one-night stand blossoms into a tender, almost surreal romance—art galleries, riverside walks, and whispered promises that feel too perfect to be real. But when Alex vanishes without a word after a morning of gentle intimacy, Sarah is left with a hollow ache and a creeping doubt.
Their encounter was no accident. Behind Alex's blue eyes and skilled touch lies a darkness far deeper than she ever imagined—and the love that burned so bright may come with a price that could destroy her.
My Perverse: You're mine, you son of a bitch
Vincenzo Valentini is a man who sees the world as a business counter and human beings as merchandise.
The owner of an empire built upon corpses and submission, he is the reflection of pure perversity.
When fate places Andrew Thompson, the son of his greatest rival, into his hands, the plan was simple: use him, break him, and discard him like a toy that has lost its appeal.
What Vincenzo did not expect was that, beneath the youthful skin and the appearance of innocence, Andrew hid the same abyss as he did.
Vincenzo never wanted redemption. He never wanted someone to save him from his own darkness. He was seeking a mirror. And in Andrew, he found the partner who, upon seeing his blood-stained hands, does not recoil in terror, but trembles with desire.
In this perverse game, the "little toy" proves to be the perfect executioner. The mafia leader found someone who not only accepts his cruel side but cultivates it, feeding the monster Vincenzo has always been.
Where there should have been fear, lust emerged. Where there should have been hatred, a perverse loyalty was born. Andrew Thompson is the dark reflection of Vincenzo, the soldier the underworld did not see coming, and the man who proved that, for some, paradise only makes sense if it is in the middle of chaos.
Vincenzo opened the doors to his empire, but Andrew was the only one capable of invading his heart.
They are not heroes. They are hell on earth.
Taste of Fate: The Vampire King's Human Mate
He reached for the back of my head and pulled me up just enough to reach my neck. When his fangs slid into me, the pain was instant, electric. I couldn’t breathe. I couldn’t think. My hands found his shoulders, clawing for something to hold. My legs kicked. Tears streamed down my cheeks.
He moaned against my throat as he drank, and the sound was devastating.
BROKEN TRUST
Neither of them knew she was carrying his child.
Emily’s affair didn’t just end her marriage—it erased the life she thought was guaranteed. Ryan left without looking back, carrying his anger like armor and leaving Emily alone with regret she would never outrun. Three years later, fate drags them back into each other’s world, along with a little girl who has Ryan’s eyes and a truth that shatters everything he thought he knew.
Old wounds reopen, grief masquerades as rage, and love refuses to stay buried. As parenthood binds them together and the past demands accountability, Emily and Ryan must face the question neither of them is ready to answer: is broken trust the end of their story… or the beginning of a love forged through loss, forgiveness, and brutal honesty?
One Weekend with the Billionaire
I open my mouth to respond, but all that comes out is a staggered breath and a small sigh. He chuckles, a low, rough rumble and then leans down and kisses the middle of my back.
I feel the tip of him again at my entryway. He pushes in slightly, and my body comes to life again. My muscles react to his presence, contracting and loosening, as if my body is trying to suck him deep inside.
He's my husband's boss, so this is supposed to be wrong.
So why does it feel so right?
Braxton Merriweather always gets what he wants. Now, he wants her--Julia Thompson, the wife of one of his workers. From the moment he first laid eyes on her, he knew he had to possess her in every way.
When Jeff Thompson takes him up on the bargain he proposes, Braxton is shocked. He's even more surprised when Mrs. Thompson agrees.
But now that he's had a taste of her, he wants more. How can he possess a woman who's already married to someone else?
Julia feels trapped by her marriage to her high school sweetheart. In the two years since they've been married, he's changed, and not for the better. When billionaire Braxton Merriweather shows interest in her, she's flattered. And intrigued. Is it possible that one of the richest men in the world could really want her?
And if so... what does she do about her husband?
One Weekend with the Billionaire is a sexy story for mature readers.
The Rejected Luna’s Rise
Luna Ariana Volkstane slid the formal rejection request across the table. "Let's end this bond. It's better for you, me, and your first love."
He just smirked. "You want me to reject you? You think you can break our bond that easily?"
So she did. Ariana cut ties with him completely, poured herself into her career, and rose to global fame as a legendary healer, her knowledge of rare herbs, wolf anatomy, and ancient magic sought after across continents.
The powerful suitors lined up. The Alpha of an overseas empire whispered, "Ariana, hurry up and perform the severing ritual. I can't wait to claim you." A powerful pack leader vowed, "I'll be there with you the day you break the bond." A legendary wolf attorney promised, "I'll handle your rejection case with the pack council myself."
Ariana just rubbed her temples. It's not that she didn't want the split, she wanted it more than anything, it's just that the Alpha she was mated to refused to let go.
Finally, she announced, "Whoever can officially get me rejected, I'll put you at the head table of my bond-breaking celebration."
Not long after, Alpha Damian was served the official rejection request right in the middle of an emergency pack council meeting. That same afternoon, he was attacked by rogues at the gates of his own territory.
When Ariana showed up at the pack infirmary with healing herbs, she repeated calmly, "Let's sever the mate bond. It's better for you, me, and everyone else."
But the cold, untouchable Alpha pulled her into his arms, his eyes blood-red with fury. "You want me to reject you? Over my dead body."
Where The Ice Gives Way
Blake Atlas scents his mate the moment Charlotte arrives. The bond hits hard and unmistakable, but Charlotte doesn’t recognise it. She doesn’t know why her chest keeps pulling toward the one boy she absolutely cannot afford to want. Blake is Charlie’s new hockey captain. Charlie’s chance at making something good. Charlie makes it clear; his sister is off-limits and Blake tries to do the right thing, but secrets don’t stay buried forever. Rogues prowl the edges of town. The ice cracks. The bond tightens. Then Charlotte’s rare white wolf awakens, the very thing that makes her powerful, also makes her a target.
Shanti needs Shakti. (Peace needs strength.)
Where the Ice Gives Way is a slow-burn YA paranormal romance filled with fated mates, protective alpha energy, fierce sibling loyalty, found family pack bonds, hurt/comfort, and quiet, aching tension. It’s a story about first belonging, learning to be cared for, and what happens when the girl who has always held everyone else up finally falls, and someone catches her.
The Unbreakable Oath
The millionaire's ugly secretary
Will Demetrio be able to conquer his ugly secretary? Will Eva be able to forgive Demetrio after this bet?
Tempted By The Enemy
She escapes to Preston Island to attend the wedding without informing him only to collide with Lucas’s hot, fiery and arrogant brother, the twenty-three-year-old, Nicholas Donnelly. Sparks immediately fly between them but Alyssa refuses to acknowledge them fearing her brother's wrath.
The wedding is over and Alyssa tries hard to forget the mysterious Nicholas Donnelly but can he forget her? Can he ignore the attraction he feels for her, feelings that have resurfaced after ten years?
What will Allyssa do when she is stalked by the man who has been invading her dreams since the day she met him? What will she do when she is whisked away to a deserted island by the unpredictable Nicholas Donnelly? Can she tame her heart or surrender to sinful temptations? Read to find out!
Part of the Temptation Series. Can be read as a standalone.
