
Nicole’s life changed drastically when she was reunited with the Riddle family. “Nothing is more important than my sister,” said her eldest brother, the domineering CEO.“You are still a student with no income. Take my credit card and spend however you like,” said her second brother, the financial expert.“I will allow no one to bully you at school,” her third brother, a top student, said.“Why did I compose this song? Because it would put a sweet smile on your face when you hear it,” her fourth brother, a talented musician, said.“You're so delicate. Let me do the dirty work for you if you want to beat someone up,” said her athletic fifth brother.Just when Nicole was barely accustomed to the pampering of her five brothers, she found herself having a fiancé, a nemesis from whom she had hacked a hundred million dollars.She needed to cancel the engagement, no matter what. But he pressed her against the door and said, “How can you run away just like that after stealing my money, you brat?”“Even if I don’t run, I don’t have the money to pay you back,” Nicole acted tough.“Oh, yeah? Then I will take you instead of money.” He then carried her on his back and took her away. 
Bella Thompson assumed a new identity and entered into a three-year marriage contract with Justin Salvador, hoping to win his heart with her unwavering devotion.To her dismay, Justin hastily presented her with the divorce papers as soon as their contractual period expired. Heartbroken, Bella signed them and returned home, resuming her identity as the heiress of the Thompson business empire.From then on, Bella no longer hid her remarkable talents. She was not only a billionaire heiress, but also a medical prodigy, a world-class hacker, and a fencing champion.Determined to get her revenge, Bella went all out to humiliate her ex-husband’s childhood sweetheart at an auction. She also became her ex-husband’s biggest business rival.Finally, Justin confronted her, saying, “Bella Thompson! Must you be so ruthless?”Bella sneered and retorted, “How I treat you now is only a fraction of the cruelty you subjected me to back then!” 
In the enchanting town of Lunar Wells, secrets whisper through ancient fortresses, and Jennifer is reluctantly drawn into "Reunion of Secrets," a captivating werewolf romance. As she navigates personal challenges and tensions at her half-sister Carla's wedding, a shocking revelation about Jacob, a key figure in the upcoming tribal union, unveils a web of deception and sinister intentions. Get ready for a gripping tale of forbidden desires, supernatural twists, and unexpected chaos that ensues when a daring plan to halt the wedding goes awry. Lunar Wells holds more secrets than meets the eye, and in this riveting werewolf fanfiction, love and loyalty are tested against the backdrop of a supernatural world. Brace yourselves for a journey where passion and peril collide, leaving you eagerly turning pages to uncover the next thrilling twist. Welcome to "Reunion of Secrets," where every chapter unravels a layer of mystery that keeps you on the edge of your seat. 



Alden Crestfall remains cold and distant to his wife, Thalia Marquette, even after two years of being married to each other. Furthermore, they only have sex once a month as previously agreed.
Thalia smiles and accepts Alden's condition out of love for him. She trusts that one day, she'll make Alden love her in return.
On the day of their wedding anniversary, Thalia catches Alden and his sister-in-law, Kiera Hollindale, getting it on in his office. As Thalia watches them going at it like wild, lustful beasts, she realizes Alden isn't as sexually disinterested as he claims to be.
It's just that Thalia isn't the woman Alden loves.
Any hope that Thalia had dies in an instant, and she divorces Alden before taking control over her family business once again.
When Thalia's name is listed in Fortune Global 500 and becomes her country's first female billionaire, Alden shows up with a bouquet of 999 roses to beg her for forgiveness.
"I was wrong, Lia. Please give me another chance," he says.
In response, Thalia takes a step back.
Meanwhile, the famous and prestigious scion, Darius Backshaw, suddenly appears and pulls Thalia into his arms.
"Screw off, you piece of scum! Don't you dare taint my wife's eyes with your presence any longer!" Darius exclaims. 
"I agree to your request to keep this marriage a secret. We'll get a divorce in three years; I won't stick around.""You'd better keep your word."As part of her plan to get revenge on her backstabbing family and fiancé, Skylar Sullivan gets involved with the head of the Martin family, the most prominent family in the city.Shortly after, her family and fiancé come knocking on her door. They've brought along bigwigs with whom they're on good terms; they want to teach her a lesson.But when the bigwigs see the people who are at Skylar's beck and call, their jaws drop. They fall to their knees and start begging for mercy.…On the day the marriage contract expires, she leaves behind a divorce agreement when she sees a couple getting engaged in the ceremony of the century.Then, she starts a live stream. "I'm looking for a husband. Anyone interested in me can slide into my inbox."Thousands of people join the live stream; Skylar goes viral.When she starts sifting through the messages she's received, a man's face appears on the screen with her. He stands behind her and says, "I've drawn a bath, babe. Care to join me in there?"In that instant, the live-streaming platform breaks down due to the sheer number of viewers. Everyone in the city learns of this.Isn't the man with Skylar… Joe Martin? 

In Lily Defoe's first life, she was betrayed by two scumbags. They harmed her mother, smeared her name, and stole her money. All her relatives betray her, her family was ruined, and Lily died in the end. Opening her eyes again, she was no longer the weak and deceitful daughter of a famous family, and she started her career of revenge for these scumbags. Her sister, Daisy Defoe, knelt before her and begged for mercy. "Lily, I know I was wrong, please let me go!" Lily sat gracefully, smiling beautifully and evilly, "It depends on my mood." Robert Whitman, Lily's ex-fiance regretted and proposed to her again. "Lily, marry me, and I will make you happy forever!" Lily shook her hand, raised the knife, and with all her strength, aimed at the scumbag and slashed at the scumbag. "Fuck off! " Henry Swift was a rich and powerful man all the women in the world wanted to marry. He was handsome, cold, and powerful. However, he fell in love with Lily who was disgusted by many people. 
"Tell me you don't want this, Vivianne..." Noah's breath warmed against my skin, his finger dragging against my aching clit, and his eyes locked on me. "I'll stop if you tell me to..." My waist arch, a soft moan slipping off my lips as he pushed two fingers inside me, a smirk curling at his lips.
I should push him away... I should curse him, but I couldn't. My body betrayed me. I wanted him, I hated to admit it. How could my body want the same man who ruined my life?
"No... Noah..." My breath stuttered, nails digging into the bed as desire washed over me.
"Do... don't... touch... argh! Right ther...e... Fuck! Please don't stop..."
"Where, V... Tell me where you want me to touch." He fingers moved inside me, teasing my inside.
"Ri...right there... Fuck!" My hips jerked up, pussy throbbing with pleasure, walls tightening on his fingers... right before my orgasm tore through me... 
“Do you want to play a game with me?” Ash asked, leaning forward as he caressed my chin.
I raised an eyebrow. “A game?”
“A love game…” He placed his lips on my ear, slightly licking my earlobe. “Whoever falls in love first, loses. If you’re really confident that you won’t fall for someone like me, then play the game with me.” Ash bit my ear, and a pool of hits struck my body. “What can you say, Miss good girl? Are you in?”
****
Sapphire only wanted peace. She did her best to become a wallflower so no one would notice her. She avoided everyone, especially Ash Cassius Coleman, the son of the owner of the University where she was studying.
She hated Ash, his guts, his frequent make-outs with different girls…And that hatred caught Ash’s interest. Suddenly, the rebel billionaire came into her life, wanting her to fall in love with him. But does Ash really like her? No. He was just challenged and curious as to why his charms didn’t seem to affect Sapphire at all.
And that was the reason why he decided to ask her to play a game.
A love game. 

Right before sitting for our college entrance exams, Samuel Stafford insists on calling off our engagement because he's fallen for Madison Locke, a woman who saved his life.His parents vehemently object to it, so Samuel and I get married as planned after we graduate from university. However, Madison dies in an accident, and it's revealed that she's pregnant. From then on, endless humiliation and insults await me.Up until his death, Samuel doesn't realize Madison was a promiscuous woman. She wasn't pregnant with his child at all.After being reborn, I learn my lesson and boldly pursue Evan Stafford, to whom I owe a favor. I become Samuel's aunt.Heh. This time, I'm going to give Samuel and Madison my full support so they can end up together. I'm going to make Samuel enjoy the feeling of being cuckolded! 
Wynter Quinnell has never known that she's not related to the Yates family by blood. When her childhood sweetheart and the rest of the world turn on her, the Yates family kicks her out and tells her to search for her biological parents in the hole she'd crawled out from…Wynter laughs it off. She's about to stun everyone by revealing her secret identity, but it turns out the "hole" the Yates family had mentioned is actually the richest family in Kingbourne, the Quinnell family!Over the course of a single night, she goes from the Yates family's fake daughter, who's despised by everyone, to the actual daughter of the richest man in the country. She also has six brothers who absolutely adore her!Her eldest brother is a domineering president. "Let's pause the meeting right here. Get me a ticket back to the country—I wanna see who are the people who have the nerve to bully my sister!"Her second-eldest brother is a famous celebrity. "Cancel the function. I'm gonna take my sister home right now."Her third-eldest brother is a god in his industry. "Postpone the competition. Nothing's more important than my sister."This rocks the country!The Yates family regrets every wrong move they make, and Wynter's childhood sweetheart tries to win her back.But before she can reject him, Dalton Yarwood, the president of Yarwood Corporation and the son of the renowned Yarwood family, proposes to her. It makes her the talk of the town! 






A DARK, EROTIC BILLIONAIRE ROMANCE.
"Ah, oh my God, it's coming again..." I moaned, my head thrown back, my vision blurring.
My mouth was open, and I mumbled incoherently, my legs spread wide, facing my boss, Ethan Blackwood.
"Using your virginity to seduce me? In exchange for the power I hold, is that it?"
"You succeeded."
He thrust even more violently into the depths of my soul.
In the shudder of orgasm, he rolled me over, making me lie on my back.
I gasped, feeling him penetrate me more deeply than ever before.
———
"That night, I caught my fiancé sleeping with my sister. From that moment on, I stopped being a good girl."
For seventeen years, Leah Harnes had been blindly loyal to her fiancé, until one day, she caught him in bed with her sister.
Heartbroken.
Desperate to forget as she watched her beliefs crumbled.
So she did something unbelievable: She spent the night with a handsome stranger.
However, her entire world came crumbling down when she discovered that the man was her ruthless, powerful boss.
Ethan offered her a cruel contract: her body in exchange for his power.
However, a man like Ethan would never be gentle.
No romance, no caresses.
He only knew control, pleasure, and pain.
She vowed to hate him.
He vowed to possess her.
Caught between a treacherous stepmother, a vengeful ex-boyfriend, and Ethan's dark obsession, Leah was caught in a vortex of lies, desire, and revenge.
A man like Ethan, who despised being touched, but now, he craves the touch of only one woman—Leah.
And he would never let go of the only woman he truly desired.
Not in this life, not in the next.
~* One Night Of Revenge Turned Into A Lifetime Of Obsession *~ 
In a hasty decision, Olive Randall impetuously drags the seemingly bankrupt small-time boss, Neil Meyer, to the altar. Their plan was simple: support each other and lead an ordinary life. Little did Olive know, fate had a grander plan in store for them.After tying the knot, Olive's dreams took an unexpected turn. She aimed to buy a modest Yaris but won a luxurious Porsche in a stroke of luck. In her pursuit of a small apartment through a loan, fate intervened once again, granting her a magnificent villa through a serendipitous lottery win.Whenever she faced adversity, Neil effortlessly rescued her from every predicament, unwavering in his support. But it wasn't until the day she was addressed as Mrs. Meyer that Olive discovered the astonishing truth—Neil Meyer, her husband, was the billionaire tycoon behind a colossal consortium.As their worlds collide, Olive is thrust into a world of opulence and power. Secrets unravel, challenges arise, and their relationship is put to the ultimate test. Will Olive embrace her newfound life as the wife of a billionaire, or will she yearn for the simplicity they once sought?This captivating tale explores the intricacies of love, ambition, and the transformative power of unexpected circumstances. 

Stella Richard married Rene Kingston in the place of her sister Sophia due to some reasons. But from the beginning, she knows that her marriage was just a time-limit contract and once the time was up she had to go.For RK, this marriage was just a burden but for her, it was a gift from God. Because RK was the man who she had loved all her Youth...So, in the meantime of her marriage, Stella did her best so that this marriage may work out.But on the day she found she was pregnant, her husband gives her the divorce paper and said..."I don't want this child. Don't forget to abort."These words come out of his mouth, like a bomb for Stella, and changed her life...She signed her name on the divorce paper and left the house...Because she doesn't want to be with such a cold-hearted man...Five years later...RK bought the company In which Stella worked. But Stella did her best not to have anything to do with him...Because she had a child and she didn't want him to find out about him...But one day When Stella picked up her son from school he saw her...RK, "How dare you had a child with another man?"Stella, "I don't think it has anything to do with you."RK was about to say more when his gaze fell on the child beside her...His face looked as same as when he was young... 
Even after two lifetimes, Rose still could not melt the ice-cold heart of Jay Ares. Heartbroken, she decides to live under the guise of an idiot, tricking him and running away with their two children. This infuriates Sir Ares to no end, and everyone around them is certain that this will prove to be Rose’s ultimate demise. However, upon the next day, the great Sir Ares is seen getting down on one knee in the middle of the street, coaxing the little brat, “Please be good and come home with me!” “I will, but only if you agree to my terms!”“Speak your mind!”“You are not allowed to bully me, lie to me, and especially not show your displeased face at me. You must always regard me as the most beautiful person, and you must smile whenever I cross your mind…”“Fine!”Onlookers are floored at sight of this! Is this the myth of how there is a counter to all things? Sir Ares seems to be at his wit’s end, this little fox of his own creation has outwitted him. Since he cannot discipline her, he will spoil her to the end of her own discredit instead! 



In a treacherous web of deceit, she found herself betrayed by both her boyfriend and her own sister. To make matters worse, her adoptive father, driven by greed, took her life mercilessly.In a desperate bid for freedom, she fought her way through a blazing fire, risking everything to save him. Little did she know that he would repay her selflessness with betrayal of his own.Six long and grueling years passed before she resurfaced, armed with a determination for vengeance. With her twins by her side, she vowed to take back what was rightfully hers.Enter Mr. Young, a man of towering height and striking handsomeness. His sarcasm, arrogance, and undeniable power made it clear that women should keep their distance.But one day, a shocking twist occurred—the legendary man brought his little daughter to work. The revelation sent shockwaves through everyone around them.In a remarkable transformation, the once aloof and unfeeling man became possessive and overprotective, unable to hide his jealousy. The arrival of the twins only intensified the situation.The twin brother, with an air of arrogance, warned, "Daddy is despised by everyone, so stay away from our mother!"The twin sister chimed in, saying, "Give me another brother, and I'll give you my mother!" 


Suzy Shirley and George Laine had been married for three years, but the two had never met, and very few people knew about it.At night, Suzy was the president’s wife, lying inside George’s villa, cuddling with his dog and on the sofa that he personally designed. In the daytime, Suzy was the private tutor George hired, who took wages from him, and was at his mercy as he enslaved her.Nonetheless, even though Suzy could be at George’s mercy, others should not dream of it. If someone insulted her, he would be there to support her. If anyone else bullied her, he would beat the person to a pulp and obliterate them!Gradually, everyone noticed that George was treating Suzy differently, a kind of concern and care an elder generation had toward a younger generation, but different. The guy seemed so sweet and filled with adornment toward the girl. George was a devilish tyrant who had left his evil past behind, but for her, he became firm and ruthless once more!Some had even noticed Suzy’s changes as well. For example, as someone from an ordinary family, she actually wore luxurious jewelry worth millions of dollars. Someone even said to her in envy, “Her sugar daddy must be rich!”Yet, Suzy looked back at them in disdain and scorned, “Sorry but this is from my own personal brand!” 



Adelaide Mill, a 24-year-old writer, chooses a new place to start over after breaking up with her boyfriend, moving to a new house with a new roommate.But what she didn't expect was that her new roommate was a man, Jeff Brook, who was also a very rude and irritable man. Adelaide hated him the first time they met, but after getting along for a while, Adelaide hated him. Ryder panicked and found that something was wrong with her, and she actually had a desire for this Jeff Brook. She refused to accept herself like this and chose to escape.Jeff Brook, a 29-year-old bachelor, is domineering and refuses to get along with anyone until one day, Adelaide breaks into his territory, this timid and stupid woman can always make him angry, but she Too stupid, he can only protect her for the sake of his roommate, otherwise what if he is bullied? Adelaide can only be bullied by him alone. 
"Donate your kidney to her, and I'll let you out of jail.""No way! I'm your fiancee, how could you treat me so cruelly?""You have no choice. You owe her a life."Madeleine used to be the beloved daughter of the Landry family, showered with love and affection by her elder brother and parents.Overnight, her real identity was revealed. She was just the child of the family's maid. And the real daughter, Abigail, was the pitiful person whose identity was stolen by the maid.Hence, Madeleine became the laughingstock of the city that everyone despised.Her fiancee Clinton hated Madeleine so much. Even though Madeleine was framed and imprisoned, he forced her to donate a kidney for Abigail. Tragically, Madeleine died during surgery.Unexpectedly, Madeleine came back five years later with a five-year-old baby.As Clinton was about to beg for her forgiveness, his elder brother, Beckett Beach, stopped him, saying, "Hands off Clinton, she's my wife now." 



Katherine Wright has a two-faced boyfriend. During the day, he is thoughtful, sweet, and a complete gentleman. However, once the sun sets, he turns into a completely different man. At night, he behaves like a feral beast, pursuing his desires in ever-changing ways.
Everyone calls her a lucky woman. She is deaf, but her boyfriend has never shunned her because of her disability. On top of that, he's even trying to help her find a cure.
Katherine thinks she is lucky to have him too. But one day, a robber steals the specially made medicine her boyfriend had given her to treat her deafness. Because of this, she stops taking the medicine.
Just as she is about to break the news to her boyfriend, she overhears his friend say, "You and your brother sure know how to have fun! One of you plays with her heart during the day, while the other toys with her body at night. It's been three years—I can't believe that deaf woman is still completely unaware of this!"
Hearing this, Katherine's blood runs cold. 
Loved for two full decades by Stephen Rimmer of the Rimmer family, Crystal Hoffman believes she is finally about to walk down the aisle—only to be brutally betrayed right before the wedding.
In the name of love for Amy Knott, his new flame, Stephen turns cold and merciless. He hurls cruel insults at Crystal, forces her to kneel, and even threatens her mother's life, crushing every bit of her dignity.
Her mother dies tragically, her unborn child is lost, and she is left penniless. In the blink of an eye, Crystal is dragged from paradise into hell.
At rock bottom, she makes a clean break. Leaving her homeland behind, she goes abroad to pursue the dreams she once had. Through sheer talent and grit, she gains admission to a top university and meets Julian Herring, her guiding light.
While she steadily rises to become a brilliant new star in the pharmaceutical world, Stephen, obsessed with his new lover, allows her family to bleed the company dry, ultimately ending up with nothing left to his name and abandoned by all.
By the time Stephen finally comes to his senses and goes abroad to search for Crystal, she is no longer the woman he once knew.
She now wields real power, and she exacts revenge for every humiliation she once suffered, with interest, as the scumbag and the vile woman are made to pay a heavy price.
This is a story of betrayal and redemption, vengeance and self-discovery, in which the daughter of a lowly maid rises against all odds to seize control of her own destiny. 

Isabella Hart has always been a goody-two-shoes who lives a spoiled and pampered life. Unfortunately, she falls in love with Adrian Sterling, an infamous playboy known for his history in the upper crust.
After using every method in the book, Isabella finally becomes Adrian's girlfriend.
In order to stay by his side, she learns all sorts of positions and tries out various new things to spice up their intimate life together. Also, she lets him take her to bed regardless of the day and time.
Whenever Adrian is about to hit his peak, he loves leaning into her ear and murmuring, "You're amazing, babe. You're really talented at learning new things.
"Relax, babe. Don't clamp down on me that tightly.
"That's it, babe. Oh, I love you so much."
Isabella is the longest girlfriend Adrian has ever had. They've been dating so long to the point that everyone around Adrian thinks that he's finally quit being a playboy.
That is, until Adrian takes Isabella to a gathering one night after their passionate session in front of the floor-to-ceiling window. 






Three years ago, I had my positive cancer diagnosis in one hand as I consoled Anderson Graham, whose eyes were red and teary.
"It's just cancer. I can beat this."
However, he continued crying until he was almost out of breath. He hugged me so tightly that I thought my bones would crack.
"Yvonne, promise me that you'll beat this. I'll wait for you to return so I can marry you!"
In order to live, I had to remove most of my stomach.
Every single day, I was faced with handful after handful of pills and never-ending chemotherapy.
Three years later, I'm finally healed and can return to Anderson's side.
During my return party, his female best friend chuckles as she raises a glass.
"Andy was as celibate as a priest while you were overseas. I kept a close eye on him every single night and made sure nobody else was in his bed.
"I practically tattooed the words 'Do Not Touch' on him to make sure nobody else would go for him!"
The noisy room suddenly becomes so quiet that I can hear a pin drop.
I do my best to ignore the prickling ache coming from my chest.
With an equally bright smile, I raise my glass and reply, "Should I give you an award for keeping his bed occupied, then?" 
"Mr. Mosley, Ms. Herring said she wanted to go to the beach."Valentino waved his hand and bought the entire island so that Jade could enjoy the beach as much as she wanted!"Mr. Mosley, Ms. Herring was kidnapped by international traffickers when she went to save a friend!"Half an hour later, more than a dozen helicopters hovered over the human traffickers' base!The human traffickers thought, who did we kidnap? The daughter of the president?The netizens all thought that Jade must have saved the galaxy in her previous life, but Jade, who was caught and brought back, wanted to cry...Jade was already a world-class hacker, and she could defeat the world's top assassins. However, in front of Valentino, Jade could be a coward! 

After her miscarriage, Sabrina Frye turns into the wife Nester Blackwell has always demanded.
She stops sharing the small joys of her day and the frantic, late-night calls when he doesn't come home.
Even when she is framed in a street scam and taken to the police station, the officers tell her she can leave if a family member posts bail, but she tells them that she has no family.
She calmly spends the next seven days in a cold cell.
A week later, the heavy iron gates of the station open with a metallic clang at dusk. As Sabrina steps down the stairs, a black Maybach screeches to a halt in front of her.
The door swings open, and Nester steps out. Dressed in a tailored suit, he's tall, with near-perfect body proportions. Like always, he looks cold and untouchable. 
Natalie Bennett was ten years old when she lost her parents. The matriarchs of the Bennett and the Foster families decided to betroth her to Jeffrey Foster, who was 14 at that time.
Jeffrey had said to Natalie, "I'll always be here for you."
He was the one who made that vow. But he's also the one who ends up breaking it.
Despite being married for five years, Natalie can never win Jeffrey's heart over. She initially thinks that Jeffrey is cold and heartless by nature, but she witnesses later on just how gentle and caring he can be in front of the woman he truly cares about.
Heartbroken, Natalie trades the pregnancy report for a divorce agreement. Since then, she and Jeffrey part ways.
After the divorce, Jeffrey's life is thrown into disarray. Where's his tie? Where's the charger? Why doesn't the coffee taste like the one he drinks all the time?
The entire upper crust can't wait to savor Natalie's fall from grace. But unfortunately for them, she's an extremely outstanding woman. She makes a dazzling comeback to her workplace and keeps setting new domestic records. Just like that, she becomes the most popular artist.
Someone once comes across Jeffrey cornering Natalie with his hands on his waist. He murmurs in a humbling tone, "What is it that you don't like about me, Nat? I'll change my ways."
"I don't like the fact that you still like me."
"Well then, I'm never changing that. Never." 


BLURB
."Ever have that feeling nothing you ever do matters?"
This is Lila Vitale's story, being overshadowed by her elder sister all her life no matter the efforts she puts in.
Finally, she is put in the spotlight when her elder sister, Lily, abandons her husband because he went blind, and she ( Lila) has to be the replacement by pretending to be her.
Lila is not happy about this at first but steps up to the challenge as she is finally seen and relied on by those she cares about.
Lucien, a year later regains his eyesight due to surgery. Lila, hopeful to be set free by the truth, gets disappointed when her sister Lily miraculously appears to take back the place she abandoned and the man Lila had grown to love.
To make matters worse, Lila realizes she was just a pawn being used all along and overhears death plots about her unborn child.
As the betrayal deepens, Lila tries reaching out to Lucien who treats her like a pest, hurting and giving her no choice but to disappear. Not too long after, Lucien figures out the truth and seeks out for her but isn't he too late?
Will Lila ever want to let him back into her life again, especially when she is hell-bent on revenge?
EXCERPT.
"You have to come back, Lila. To me. You and our children". He whispered gently, his blue eyes filled with care towards me, his hands on my cheeks, stroking them softly.
I closed my eyes, rubbing my face against his palm, enjoying the texture. How I had longed so much for this.
"Our children? Remember Mr. Knight. I never married you neither are my bastard children yours". I commented, repeating his exact same words five years ago as the side of my lips curled up in disdain. 