Novels by Star anise

The routine at the office had consumed Asher's day, with back-to-back meetings and a pile of pending documents demanding his attention. By the time he concluded his work and made his way home, the clock had already struck midnight. The villa, usually lively during the day, now stood silent and shrouded in darkness.Checking in on his mother, Asher found her peacefully asleep in her room, a photo frame clutched in her hand. The gentle touch of Asher lifted the frame from her grasp, revealing Ezra's photo within. As he observed the sleeping figure of his mother, a thought crossed his mind: 'Mom misses Ezra, yet she doesn't seem to care about us.' Placing the photo frame on the bedside table, Asher retreated to his own room, the weight of the night settling in.Exhaustion claimed him, and Asher succumbed to sleep as soon as he hit the bed. The night offered no reprieve from the lingering thoughts, and as he stirred awake early the next morning, the events of the previous night weighed he

Asher stood in front of Ezra's door, debating whether to knock or not. His internal turmoil manifested in sweaty palms, a physical manifestation of the emotional storm within him. Just as he was about to make a decision, Ezra's voice pierced through the silence, and his hand froze mid-air. She was on the phone, expressing affection to someone, referring to them as "my sweetheart."His initial urge to confront her transformed into a simmering anger. "I was wrong when I thought maybe she has changed, that's why she's back," Asher muttered to himself. The echoes of disappointment reverberated in his mind, plunging him back into the emotional turmoil of Ezra's departure years ago. The night stretched endlessly as his restless heart grappled with the pain and confusion.As the first light of dawn broke through, Asher made a decisive choice. Unable to face Ezra, he left the villa to escape the suffocating atmosphere. His destination: the refuge of his office. Immersed in the distraction of

The evening sun cast a warm glow over the dining table as Ezra and Scarlet shared a meal. The atmosphere was filled with an unspoken tension, the weight of unaddressed questions lingering in the air. Scarlet, determined to bridge the gap of three years, began filling Ezra in on the events that unfolded in her absence. With each word, Scarlet painted a vivid picture of the family's journey in her absence. The news of their grandfather's demise struck Ezra's heart, the revelation of his last moments waiting for her leaving a heavy ache. Ezra, choosing silence over words, listened intently, realizing she had no answers to the myriad of questions Scarlet presented. A sudden pause hung in the air, and Scarlet's gaze shifted from the plate to Ezra. "I am getting old," she confessed, her eyes distant. "I want you to come back and live with us. I don't want to hurt you, but you can't leave us like that." Scarlet's plea hung in the air, the vulnerability in her

The air in Asher's office crackled with tension as frustration and confusion danced around the room. Asher, his patience wearing thin, finally snapped, "Dylan, we are in the office, and I am not your friend right now."Dylan, the master of nonchalance, lazily retorted, "I don't think we have to act formal when we are alone, Asher boy." The nickname only fueled Asher's annoyance, leaving him rubbing his temples in exasperation. Dealing with Dylan was like navigating a maze of unpredictability.Collecting himself, Asher took a deep breath before attempting to reason with the unpredictable force that was Dylan. "Could you please enlighten me? Why did you cancel all my meetings without informing me?" Asher asked, desperately trying to grasp the logic behind Dylan's seemingly irrational actions.Dylan, ever the picture of casual indifference, released a lazy sigh. "Yeah, sure. Mrs. Gray called me and ordered me to cancel all the meetings you have today. So, as a good

The clock struck 3 in the morning when Asher finally reached home, exhaustion weighing heavily on his shoulders. After dropping Natalie at her place, he quietly entered the house, careful not to disturb the tranquil silence that enveloped the night. Making his way to his mother's room, he checked on her. She was in a deep, peaceful sleep, the worries of the world momentarily lifted from her shoulders. Satisfied that she was well, Asher retreated to his own room. Once inside, he closed the door behind him and, with a sigh, began to loosen the buttons of his shirt. The day had taken its toll on his body, leaving him physically drained. However, as he crashed onto his bed, his mind refused to find rest. Thoughts of Ezra swirled relentlessly, occupying every corner of his consciousness since the moment his eyes had first landed on her. In the quietude of his room, with the soft hum of the night outside, Asher lay there, his tired body seeking reprieve, while his

Natalie's fingers interlaced with Asher's, creating a subtle connection between them as they navigated through the crowd of old classmates. The reunion was in full swing, with laughter and nostalgia filling the air. However, the atmosphere around Asher carried an unspoken weight—the presence of Ezra. Lost in the memories and unspoken emotions, Asher struggled to concentrate on the present moment with Natalie. Unbeknownst to her, his thoughts wandered into the enigmatic realm of Ezra. As they mingled with old friends, Natalie turned to Asher with a question, breaking through the walls of his reverie. "What do you think about it, Asher?" she inquired, her eyes filled with curiosity. Only then did Asher's thoughts pause, and he blinked back into the current conversation. "Hm? I'm sorry, guys. I didn't hear what you said," he apologized politely. It was in that moment of Asher's distraction that Natalie, closely observing him, noticed the intensity of his gaze. Her eyes followed his, l