Novels by Lex Xander

Lily’s POVThe rest of the day went by in a blur of emails, meetings, and trying to ignore the lingering looks from employees who were still processing the fact that Lucas Hawke was married. I could hear the whispers, the murmured conversations just out of earshot. It was clear that I was the anomaly in their well-structured world, an unexpected piece in their carefully crafted puzzle. By the time Lucas finally wrapped up his last meeting, I was exhausted. I had barely done anything, yet the sheer tension in the office left me drained. Sitting in his office, pretending to be productive while keeping up appearances, had been more taxing than I expected. The weight of every glance, every hushed conversation, pressed against my shoulders like an invisible burden.Lucas stepped out of his office, rolling his sleeves up as he walked toward me. The sight of him, slightly undone after a long day, was surprisingly humanizing. It was a stark contrast to the composed, untouchable version of hi

Lily’s POVThe car ride to Lucas’s office was silent, except for the faint hum of the engine and the occasional beeping of his phone. I kept my eyes on the passing skyscrapers, trying to shake the strange nervousness settling in my stomach.Why was I nervous? I had no reason to be. This was a business transaction, nothing more. But as we pulled up to the massive glass building with "Hawke Enterprises" displayed in bold letters, I couldn’t ignore the way my heart pounded.“Stay close to me,” Lucas instructed, stepping out first. I rolled my eyes but followed him, smoothing down my outfit. The moment we entered the lobby, all eyes turned to us. Employees whispered among themselves, stealing glances. Some looked surprised, others curious. I heard snippets of murmured conversations.“She’s real?”“So, the rumors were true?”“She’s actually kind of pretty.”I clenched my fists, forcing myself to ignore them.Lucas, on the other hand, walked with his usual unbothered confidence. He led me

Lily’s POVThe next morning, the weight of my conversation with Lucas still lingered in my mind. He had let his guard down—if only for a moment. And it left me unsettled.I knew better than to assume it meant anything. Lucas Hawke was a man of walls, built high and reinforced with steel. He carried himself with an air of untouchability, his every move calculated, his every word precise. But that fleeting vulnerability… it made me wonder what lay beneath the surface. Was there more to him than the cold, composed businessman he presented to the world? Or was I simply grasping at something that had never truly existed?Shaking the thought away, I forced myself out of bed. I couldn’t afford to be distracted. Not now.I made my way to the bathroom, my bare feet padding against the cool marble floor. The mirror reflected a face that wasn’t quite mine yet—at least, not the version of me I was used to seeing. There was something different in my eyes, something wary. Perhaps it was the exhaust

Lily’s POVSleep had decided to play hide and seek with me. I stared at the ceiling, mentally pulling down on a couple of clouds in the sky with the heaviness of a thousand thoughts. Marriage by contract, my father's hospital bill, Ava's unwanted presence. It was all too heavy to carry. How did my life ever come to this?A year back, I had small dreams—dreams of painting, of having my own gallery, of living a quiet life with my father. But then fate stepped in, and here I was, dragged into the midst of the rich and ruthless with a marriage to a man who did not acknowledge me except when it was needed for his own gain.I turned on my side and hugged the pillow fiercely. Lucas Hawke.A man who was some great unkindness. Cold. Calculating. Infuriatingly unreadable. One minute he would ignore me as if I were invisible, and the next, he would be on national television mildly defending my honor. Why did that moment linger in my mind?That moment should not matter. This was nothing more t

Lily’s POVMy body is glued against my mind for it could not accept the reality that lay before me. Ava had curly herself around Lucas like a snake, manicured nails tightening into the expensive fabric of his suit. My stomach sourly vomited something bitter and raised towards my throat.I want to believe that this was some mix-up maybe I was seeing things but how she pressed herself against him and the smirk that flared on her lips told otherwise. He is just standing there, stiff as a statue from discomfort, and holding her arms as if trying to shove her off. "Ava," said he coldly, with irritation dripping from his voice, "Get off me."Instead, he chosed to laugh and lean close to whisper something to the ear of the man. He caught his stare through that muscle in his jaw, starting to tick, dangling like he was about to snap at an instant. The grip on either of her arms grappled hard, and then he pulled away to set her back on her feet, as though she were a clipped annoying child.Ava

Lucas' POV:She didn’t utter a single word.Throughout the entire flight from Mexico to California she just sat motionless, staring out of the window. I didn’t bother to break the silence—what was the point?When we finally landed in California and stepped onto the tarmac, she turned to me. "I will not be going to any hospital."She looked like she was still in shock, so I didn’t argue. Not yet."Fine." I said simply, gesturing to the car waiting for us. I instructed the driver to take us straight home.The moment we arrived at the house, Lily stepped out of the car and slammed the door with such force I thought it might come off its hinges. She stormed toward the house,m."Lily!" I called, but she didn’t stop.I rushed out of the car as well. And before she could get into the house, I grabbed her wrist, turning her to face me. "Acting like a spoiled child won’t help you, Lily." I said, coldly. "Did you really think you’d be paid $25 million just to play pretend wife?"Her eyes blaz