Derick Wilcox, an executive for Steighton Publishing, softly dropped the manuscript he had been reviewing to his desk and began to stare intently at the young author who sat across from him. His gaze falling back down to what he would honestly describe as a literary masterpiece, Derick wondered how he could convince the younger man to allow him to publish the novel.

Sending the author a warm smile, Derick said, "Name your price. I can guarantee you that we will pay whatever you want for this manuscript. Never have I read a work of fiction that was written in such a way, not to mention how real all of your characters seem. Plus, I love the title. False Appearances. It definitely hints at the novel's basis."

The author barely suppressed an ironic grin as he responded, "Well, I must admit that I had wonderful inspiration." In reality, the book was not truly a work that was inspired, but was quite nearly a biographical tale of the people he had carefully observed in his hometown of Salem. Only the names of the people and a few details concerning their lives had been changed.

Flipping through the pages of the legal pad on his desk, Derick said, "I've already come up with some ideas for promo teasers. I love the way your characters' lives are so connected, and I really wanted to have that represented."

"What have you come up with?"

"Well, here's one of them: A world of false appearances erupts in a small town as its citizens harbor dangerous secrets and forbidden attractions. From the local playboy Jay Mason to the city's banished opera singer Carmen Maine, life proves to be not only a challenge, but a daily struggle for survival. Of course, I have several of these written, so we can just make our decision later."

"That's if I decide to have my novel published. I don't think you understand just how personal that manuscript really is."

Sighing, Derick decided that the best way to get the man to agree to publish the novel would be to discuss the plot and characters with him and to point out how intrigued the general audience would be with their fictional lives. "Kevin, I know that you are a highly personal man and that you feel this manuscript is a part of you. But, I have to tell you that after reading it, I feel as though the characters are a part of my life as well."

Kevin leaned back in his chair and thought of how the so-called characters were honestly a part of his life. He had spent years watching their every move. Some of the things that he had witnessed and discovered had truly shocked him. And, Kevin Lambert knew that there was still a great deal that he did not know about his former classmates.

Taking Kevin's silence as a prompt to continue, Derick said, "I've got to admit that each and every character represented something to me, and the love stories you spun were just amazing. I can only imagine how warped someone would be if this were really their life."

Smirking, Kevin simply responded, "Yeah, I'm sure that it would be enough to really screw a person up."

"Then again, if I had a sex life like the character Jay Mason, I'm not sure I'd care how screwed up I was. This guy really earned the title of playboy." Flipping to a certain page in the manuscript, Derick continued, "I mean, the guy has the town tramp as his girlfriend but is secretly in love with Deedee, the unpopular girl from high school. Then, he begins an affair with Deedee after she's married to his boss. Now, that's hot."

Returning the manuscript to his desk with the desired page still open, Derick said, "But, the most intriguing aspect of this bartending playboy is his lustful relationship with the opera star. I mean, I've heard of love/hate relationships, but those two take it to a whole new level. And, the story of how they began that twisted relationship has just enough of an emotional edge to make it believable."

Before Kevin could reply, the office door opened and Derick's wife made her grand entrance. Though she was at least in her late thirties, Sherrie had quite a youthful face and a smile so bright that it reminded Kevin of the one Belle had naturally sported in high school.

Extending her hand to Kevin, Sherrie said, "I'm sorry to interrupt, but when Derick's secretary told me that you were in here, I insisted that I introduce myself. I'm Sherrie Wilcox, Derick's wife."

"It's a pleasure to meet you Mrs. Wilcox," responded Kevin as he graciously shook her hand.

Taking the seat beside Kevin, Sherrie continued, "Please, call me Sherrie. Now, I didn't have an opportunity to finish reading your manuscript when Derick brought it home to review it, but what I did read was wonderful. I just adored the part where Shane Douglas said goodbye to his darling Elle one last time before leaving town. It was just so sad to read about her hero slipping away from her. Unfortunately, I didn't get to read much more after that happened."

As much as his wife's frequent interruptions annoyed him, Derick smiled at her outgoing personality. He had always loved that about her. "Actually, dear, Kevin and I were discussing the sexual relationship between the characters Jay and Carmen."

"Ooh, I didn't get to that. I thought that Jay was with Janet Sly but in love with Deedee Keyhart. And, Carmen was with Rob Kayman."

Responding to his wife's confusion, Derick explained, "Carmen and Rob broke up after his nephew Douglas White came back to town. You know, Elle's brother that had secretly been working with his grandfather to break up Carmen and Rob but actually fell in love with the beautiful singer in the process."

"Of course I remember Douglas. He's the one that was named for Shane's family. But, I don't understand how Douglas breaking up Carmen and Rob could possibly lead to her having that type of relationship with a man she claimed to hate."

Interjecting, Kevin explained, "You see, Carmen is a complicated woman who always felt unworthy of real love and Jay is a man who always kept his physical desires completely separate from his emotional ones. It was inevitable that the city's two biggest screw-ups would eventually find themselves in bed together. They were almost destined to make that one unforgettable mistake."

"Yes," said Derick. "But, what I want to know is if those two misguided hearts ever lost sight of their true loves and ended up together again. The ending of your novel that you faxed me last night leaves so many questions unanswered. We are simply left knowing that the mysterious Carmen has returned to the city. That's it. We are never allowed to know what happened when she was brought face-to-face with Douglas White."

~ * * ~ * * ~ * * ~ * * ~ * * ~

Chloe stood nervously outside the penthouse. She knew that her entire life had been leading up to that single moment. All the pain, joy, and fear had eventually directed her to be standing outside Brady's front door. After all the years that had separated them, Brady and Chloe now only had a slab of wood between them. Well, that and more pain than either cared to remember.

Their love had begun that very night they first met on the pier. Each had instantly provoked intrigue and aspiration within the other. When their eyes met not only on that night, but on all the nights to come, there was always a sense of understanding.

The moment Chloe first saw Brady, she had been captivated by him. He had a personality powerful enough to actually challenge her without inspiring any intimidation. Only later would Chloe realize that it had been love at first sight.

For so very long, the two had denied their feelings. For Chloe, it seemed much easier and safer to just keep herself distanced from Brady. However, he always found a way to be near her without pushing her away.

Chloe's senior year of high school had proved to be one of the most troubling of her life. She knew that she should have been happy and content with Philip at her side, but Brady continually invaded her thoughts. No matter where she was, or who she was with, Brady was always lurking in her mind and heart.

Then, following her graduation, Chloe had been granted what appeared to be a reprieve. Near the time that her best friend Shawn left Salem, Chloe's secret love Brady Black also made his departure from the confining city.

In some ways, Brady's disappearance from her life made things easier. Chloe forced herself to see that Brady had not desired her. After all, Brady had always gone after what he wanted. If he had truly wanted Chloe, he would have asked her to leave Philip and flee Salem with him. At least, that's what Chloe told herself.

In all honesty, it was less painful for her to believe that she belonged with Philip and that Brady had never loved her than to see that Philip would never have her heart or soul because they would always belong to Brady. Deep inside, Chloe had known that Brady was leaving because she had been too weak to leave Philip. And, that knowledge had haunted and pained Chloe for roughly a year.

Then, on one warm summer morning, Chloe's life had taken a drastic change. She had started her day with her usual jog through the park. It was, and always would be, the most peaceful part of her day. That short time allowed her to contemplate the troubles of her life and the happiness she hoped for.

That particular June morning, Chloe had strayed away from merely jogging and had broken into a full run. The previous night, she and Philip had fought yet again. As usual, it was over some trivial matter that she hardly remembered. And, as she pushed her body to its fastest speed and ignored her surroundings, Chloe roughly came in contact with another person. Before she knew what was happening, Chloe was on top of the man she had knocked to the ground.

For a moment, Chloe almost forgot to breath. That was how much Brady Black would always captivate her. Chloe was still catching her breath when it was stolen from her by a powerful kiss from Brady.

It was that very kiss that had ultimately changed the lives of all of Chloe's friends. That single beautiful lock of lips would later cause so many people so much pain. In retrospect, Chloe found it terribly ironic how something that felt so wonderful had eventually made her and those surrounding her so miserable.

Six weeks after that kiss in the park, Chloe left Philip. Somehow, Brady's return had given her the strength she needed to step away from her safety net and into the arms of true love. Nearly immediately, Chloe and Brady became the hottest couple in Salem.

There was practically no one that didn't know of their passionate love for one another. By Halloween, rumors were circulating that the two were considering making their whirlwind romance a lifetime commitment. When Thanksgiving rolled around, it surprised no one to find out that Chloe had lunch with the Black family, and Brady gladly dined with Chloe's family for dinner. Brady was so in love with Chloe that he paid no attention to her mother's disheartening and snide remarks. Instead, the young man had simply focused on his beautiful girlfriend. By the evening's end, even Nancy Wesley could see that whatever Brady and Chloe shared could never truly be ended. No amount of time or pain would ever be able to separate the enchanting soulmates.

Of course, the rest of Salem didn't stop living their lives simply because Brady and Chloe were lost in their own magical romance. Elsewhere, hearts were breaking and love was blooming. Yet, Chloe and Brady were far too in love to really worry about the distresses of a world that they believed could never tear them apart.

However, overhearing a single conversation had quickly snatched away Chloe's feelings of security and replaced them with uncertainties that would forever haunt her. It had been a mere week before Christmas when Chloe begrudgingly agreed to go with Brady to visit his grandfather. Chloe had never trusted Victor Kiriakis but had refused to allow her view of him to taint her love for Brady.

Chloe had lasted an hour before finding a weak excuse to leave the Kiriakis mansion. She had been halfway to her car when she realized that she had left her purse in the study where Brady and Victor had been sitting when she left them.

Just as Chloe reached the ajar door, Victor's powerful voice drifted to her. The words she heard were enough to bring tears to her eyes. In his most smug manner, Victor was telling Brady that he had done the right thing by returning to Salem to help him tear Philip and Chloe apart. Before Brady could respond, Chloe burst into the room. She tried to fight her tears, but it was useless. Learning of Brady's heartless betrayal had simply destroyed her.

Chloe vaguely remembered Brady approaching her and trying to explain that he wasn't really using her. Yes, he had returned to Salem to help Victor keep Philip away from her, but he swore that he had changed his mind about the scheming when he honestly fell in love with Chloe.

Due to her immense anger and pain, Chloe refused to listen to Brady's explanations. Grabbing her purse, she stared at her lover and swore to him that she would never forgive him. In fact, she was determined to hate Brady and cause him pain for the rest of his life. Then, maybe he would know how it felt to be a victim with no chance of hope.

Chloe Lane was an immensely strong woman, but even she wasn't strong enough to deny her heart what it knew was right. No amount of hurt could really make her hate Brady. On Christmas Eve, Chloe's willpower crumbled, and her heart won control of her body. And, her heart led her straight to Brady.

That night, an enormous party was being held at the Kiriakis mansion. While searching for Brady in hopes of rekindling their romance, Chloe had stumbled upon a slightly drunken Jason Masters. He grumpily mumbled something about needing to talk to Mimi. All that Chloe could gather from Jason's brief grumbles was that he needed to tell Mimi that he hadn't meant something that he had said. Never did Chloe discover just what it was that Jason had been so very sorry for saying.

Chloe had peevishly agreed to join forces with Jason in an attempt to find Brady more quickly. After half an hour of searching, Jason and Chloe had reached the last unexplored room on the second floor. Both were ready to believe that Brady and Mimi had already left the lavish party.

Opening the door, Jason and Chloe received the greatest shock either would ever know. Remaining oblivious to the sentimental mistletoe that hung over the heads, Chloe and Jason stared at the couple on the bed.

Their bodies only partially covered by a soft gray sheet, Brady and Mimi were running their hands over each other's bare skin while moaning loudly. As though it were only yesterday, Chloe could still remember the way Brady had slowly rolled his exhausted body off Mimi's and stared at Chloe with an unreadable expression. For quite some time after that night, Chloe had wondered what exactly Brady had been feeling when he saw her standing there in abhorred shock.

Was it regret? Pity? Maybe he was simply numb to the world and felt nothing.

The days following that sadly unforgettable Christmas Eve were the loneliest that Chloe had ever known. It was one thing to be alone in the world, but it was much worse to be alone in the world when the man you loved with all your heart was only a few miles away. It was also that short span of time between Christmas Eve and New Year's Eve that had forever distorted Salem's view of Chloe. She went from a young woman in love to a heartless vixen that just couldn't get enough of using other people.

During that brief period, Chloe had lost her true love, her dignity, her hope, and her friends. Belle had truly turned against Chloe a few days before New Year's Eve. Due to Shawn and Chloe's closeness, Belle had always felt left out. Though she had never said a word, Belle was almost jealous of the unique friendship that Shawn and Chloe had developed after the truth about Isaac and J.T. had been revealed.

Despite Belle's refusal to broach the subject, Chloe was well aware of her friend's feelings. And, when Belle pushed her just a little too far, Chloe had used Belle's doubts to cause her a great deal of pain.

Not knowing what had transpired between her brother and Mimi on Christmas Eve, Belle had called from Colorado and furiously demanded that Chloe forgive Brady and stop breaking his heart. She added that it wasn't fair for Chloe to drag Brady along like she had some other guys. Of course, Chloe understood that Belle wasn't just referring to any guy. She meant Shawn.

Chloe didn't know why, but Belle believed that Shawn and Chloe had been more than just friends. Knowing that, Chloe had turned her inner feelings of despair into a powerful display of anger directed at Belle. Venomously, Chloe declared that Belle should simply mind her own business. After all, Belle had let Shawn slip away, so what he did with Chloe should be of no concern to her.

With a cruel smirk, Chloe had given Belle many of the details concerning the night Shawn had turned to her for comfort and support - including Shawn's request that Chloe runaway from Salem with him and the gentle kiss that he had placed on her lips. Chloe conveniently forgot to mention that both she and Shawn had immediately regretted the kiss and that it had truly meant nothing. At that moment, all Chloe had wanted to do was cause perfect Belle to hurt just as she had.

After driving Belle and everyone else away, Chloe found herself alone and quite intoxicated on New Year's Eve. She had been drowning her sorrows with far too many drinks when Jason arrived at the bar. Apparently, he had already had a few drinks somewhere else, but wasn't quite ready to call it a night.

On several occasions after Christmas Eve, Jason and Chloe had run into each other. And, on each of those occasions, they had allowed themselves to share quite a dangerous diversion. Though their lips and bare skin did not meet until New Year's Eve, Jason and Chloe were definitely playing a sexual game following the night they discovered Brady and Mimi in bed together.

Once, when they had seen each other at Salem Place, Jason had pressed Chloe's body against the wall of an alley and simply stood staring into her eyes before bringing his lips near her right ear and whispering, "Even though I hate you, I will make love to you. And, it'll be a night you'll never forget. Trust me, Chloe, you'll be screaming my name."

And, after finding himself at the same bar as Chloe on the last night of a tradgically significant year, Jason made good on his promise. Together in the solitude of a nearby hotel, Jason and Chloe had actively rung in a new year that proved just as dismal as the previous.

Forcing away her tainted memories of the past, Chloe took a fortifying breath and loudly knocked on the door of Brady and Mimi's penthouse. When she had been parking her car, Chloe received a call on her cell phone from Jason. He confirmed that he had been able to lure Mimi away from the penthouse and that he would ensure that Chloe had Brady all to herself for the entire night. Chloe wasn't quite sure she wanted to know what Jason would be doing to distract Mimi, but she knew that her resourceful cohort would definitely find an enjoyable way to pass the time.

Chloe could almost feel her heart leap into her throat when the door was quickly thrown open by Brady. For a moment, both found themselves unable to break the intense lock of eyes. Without warning, the surprised expression on Brady's face disappeared. In it's place, Chloe could only find the same numb expression that had graced her former lover's face on that fateful night when she had discovered him in bed with Mimi.

Unable to tear her eyes away from the coldness in Brady's, Chloe simply stared at him in a state of near wonder. After all the time that had passed, they had finally been reunited. And, all the suffering and the pleasure had been the product of a single kiss from a summer several years earlier.

That kiss had made Chloe realize just how much she loved Brady. Therefore, she had no choice but to end her relationship with Philip. That sent him to Belle and ruined Shawn's chances of being able to return and easily win back his own first love. Then, Chloe had eventually discovered that Brady had been plotting with his grandfather to break up her and Philip. Once she knew the truth, Chloe had pushed Brady away - straight to Mimi. That had destroyed Jason's dreams of having her.

All that sadness and regret was because of a single kiss one summer morning.