Novels by Starlight

Aurora’s Point of ViewNana's birthday party was a success to say the least. She was so touched and she wouldn't stop saying thank you. Two days passed and things were back to usual. Eduardo called me in the morning to invite me to a coffee shop. He said we needed to talk. I didn't need a soothsayer to tell me what he wanted to talk about. I knew instinctively. The coffee shop was warm and cozy, with the soft hum of chatter and the comforting smell of freshly brewed coffee filling the air. I sat across from Eduardo, stirring my latte absentmindedly, wondering why I felt so restless. We spoke about the usual things—work, the kids, even Nana’s party. The conversation flowed naturally, but I could sense an underlying tension. Eduardo’s expression shifted as he leaned forward, his hands clasped together on the table. “What’s next for us, Aurora?” he asked quietly, his eyes searching mine. I froze, unsure how to respond. “What do you mean?” I asked, stalling for time. He sighed, h

Aurora’s Point of ViewThree months had passed, and life had finally settled into a rhythm. My business wasn’t booming like some overnight success story, but it was steady. Profitable. Enough to keep me busy and give me a sense of purpose I hadn’t felt in years.One of the unused rooms in the house had transformed into my work sanctuary. Shelves lined the walls, stocked with packaging supplies, raw materials, and finished products ready for shipment. My desk was cluttered but organized—a system that made sense to me, if no one else.It was fulfilling, but hard. Nana helped as much as she could, but she had her own responsibilities. Julie was swamped with work, and even Eduardo only came by occasionally. As for Ricardo, he’d been gone for a month on a project abroad.I told myself I didn’t think about him much. It was easier that way.But deep down, I missed him. The way he made me laugh when I was too tired to care about anything, how he believed in me even when I doubted myself. The

Aurora's Point Of View I shut the front door behind me, pressing my back against the cool wood as I tried to steady my breathing. My lips tingled, and my heart raced, but not from exertion. Ricardo’s kiss lingered in my mind, and no matter how much I tried to shake it off, the memory wouldn’t leave.“What are you doing, Aurora?” I whispered to myself, running a hand through my hair.The house was eerily quiet without Eloise and Dexter, who were already asleep. I’d hoped for a peaceful evening to focus on my work, but peace was the last thing I felt. I walked into the living room, my gaze landing on the vision board propped against the wall.It was filled with fragments of the life I wanted to build - pictures of smiling families, career aspirations, quotes about strength and independence. All of it was meant to guide me, to remind me of who I was becoming.But now, I felt adrift.***The days blurred into weeks.Between the kids, work on my new venture, and occasional check-ins with

Aurora's Point Of ViewThe afternoon stretched lazily into early evening as Ricardo and I worked at his dining table, the space cluttered with sticky notes, sketches of designs, and beads scattered across every available surface. My eyes burned from staring at my notes, and my fingers ached from stringing beads into different patterns. I leaned back in my chair with a groan, stretching my arms above my head. “I’m exhausted,” I admitted, dropping my hands to my lap. “If I see one more bead, I might scream.” Ricardo glanced at me, smirking as he shut his laptop. “You’re calling it quits already? We’re just getting started.” “Ricardo, I’ve been staring at beads for hours,” I shot back, rolling my eyes. “I need a break.” He laughed, leaning back in his chair. “Fine, fine. How about we unwind a little? I’ve got some tequila in the kitchen.” I arched an eyebrow. “Tequila? You’re trying to kill me now?” “Only a little,” he teased, standing up. “I’ll grab the glasses. Stay put.” I got

Aurora's Point Of View It was Dexter’s idea, of course. My son had a way of bringing people together, even when the adults in his life were determined to stay in their separate corners. “You’ve been working too hard, Mom,” he’d said, his voice full of authority for a five-year-old. “We need a day for all of us. Me, Ellie, you, and Dad. And Uncle Ricardo can come too! My friend said her mama and daddy go out together all the time!"At first, I balked at the idea. Spending a whole day with Eduardo, Ricardo, and the kids in the same space? It sounded like a recipe for awkwardness. But Dexter was insistent, and when Eloise chimed in with a quiet, “It could be nice, Mom,” I caved. So, here we were, standing in the middle of the city park on a sunny Saturday, my nerves jangling as Eduardo unloaded a picnic basket from the back of his car. Ricardo stood a few feet away, holding a soccer ball and trying to coax Dexter into teaching him “the rules of football.” “Uncle Ricardo is being emba

Aurora's Point Of View The sun filtered through my window as I sat at my desk, notebook open and pen in hand. The page stared back at me, blank as always. I sighed, resting my chin on my hand. I had been at this for weeks - trying to figure out what I liked, what I wanted, who I was outside of Eduardo and everything else. The buzz of my phone pulled me from my thoughts. I glanced at the screen to see Ricardo’s message: “Morning, explorer. Time for your next adventure. Dress comfy—I’m picking you up in an hour.”I smiled despite myself. Ricardo had a way of dragging me out of my head and into the world. “Where are we going this time?” I texted back. “You’ll see. Trust me.”***An hour later, Ricardo pulled up outside my house, his car as loud and attention-grabbing as his personality. I slid into the passenger seat, eyeing the mischievous grin on his face. “You’re going to love this one,” he said, shifting the car into drive. “Is it another cooking class?” I asked, trying to gu

Kane’s POVExcitement thrumming faintly within him at the chance of getting rid of the marriage now and being done with it, Kane didn't know exactly what he was expecting.Maybe for the woman to bite her lips and flutter her brows while coming up with the fakest smile known to her manipulative gender, or for her eyes to go wild with shock while she stuttered and asked to know 'what the hell he was talking about?'Because that was most certainly not what happened. Instead, the devil incarnate stared at him, raked her eyes from his head down to his shoes, and asked, "How can both of you be cousins?"It was through sheer force that he refrained from asking "What!"Instead, he made himself lean closer to her until his lips were almost shadowing hers. Her eyes screwed further uncomfortably,"What are you doing?" she asked, swallowing, her eyes flitting around as if she was looking for something.He smiled toothily. "Far be it for me to sound persistent, but you didn't answer the question."

Anna’s POVAnna looked into the green eyes of the man who held her and instantly looked away. Those eyes looked familiar, and they twitched something loose in her memory but it was too vague.“So this is our bride?” the man asked, and her mind immediately descended into the gutter. What did he mean by our?Correctly interpreting the look on her face, he laughed out loud and her cheeks reddened at the attention the noise brought. “Oh, no,” the man said with a huge smile. “You belong to my family, you’re safe.”She nodded, and they continued their dance. For such a big man, he could move flawlessly, maneuvering her from position to position as if she weighed next to nothing.“What did my cousin tell you?” the man asked when the song got slower and they could talk quietly.“Your cousin?” He nodded at the man whose attention was, thankfully, elsewhere. It was weird to note, but Kane frightened her more than the Capo, probably because he hadn’t caught her in a compromising situation and

Anna’s POVAnna smoothed her dress down her thighs nervously. The three men on the table Leila had pointed her attention to didn’t look like men she’d voluntarily want to shackle herself with. The one at the centre looked more in her age group, but there was a madness in his eyes that made her flinch every time she met his dull blue eyes. She really hoped he wasn’t the choice. To his right was a man that reeked of authority, even sitting down. His green eyes surveyed the room as intensely as if he could see past the walls and blocks. He had to be the Capo, which meant the last man with them looked like her best approach. But, this was the man who had implied that she’d gotten the wrong end of the stick while trying to have sex with a partner. She already knew he was going to be their choice, one because her luck was the wirst on the planet, and because since she’d been introduced, the man’s eyes had not left hers for a second and he had a smirk on his face.She hid her face again an

Kane took a sip of the wine on his table and surveyed the room, resisting the urge to check his watch again. The party was to start by 11:00 am, and even though they’d flown the distance, they were still earlier than their host. Around the room, no other person looked concerned and he buried a sigh.Lateness was either a normal thing in this part of the world, or the Moreni house planned to take them by surprise. If that was it, they’d be pleasantly surprised. The major reason why the Outfit had never been attacked in the past even with the young age of her leaders was because it was difficult to take them by surprise. In fact, the first time someone had seemed to get one on them was when some secret information about some of their business had been stolen and given to the Russian rival house. And that, added with other things he’d remembered in the time he’d spent recovering, told him that it had been an inside job. Someone close to them had hired the girl and sent her to him. Becau

Anna’s POVAnna glared at her reflection in the mirror as she contemplated packing her hair or leaving it down. It was her engagement ceremony to one of the Capo’s family, and they’d be coming here for the party, spending the night and then she’d be going back with them after the wedding the following day.“Leave it down,” Leila said from the door as she walked into the room.Leila was the first daughter and apart from her confusing relationship with Luca, the only member of the family who had a somewhat working relationship with her. She let her hair fall back on her shoulders and looked in the mirror again. Leila looked around the conspicuously empty room.“I assumed there’d be arrangements for help. Make-up at the very least.”“I told Mom I could do it myself.”Leila opened her mouth. “And she approved?”She just shrugged and rested her hip against the dressing table. Her own version was far from what had actually happened. The past two weeks had been full of wedding preparations,

Kane’s POV“Wait. What?” he asked. Of all the scenarios he’d gone through, he’d never imagined that. “Why me?”Victor leaned closer until his hot breath was against my face. “Because you owe me.”“Isn’t it in the agreement for you to send someone from your family while they send someone from theirs to raise the stake?” he asked desperately. Earlier, he’d done his best not to react when he’d heard about a marriage but this was a little too far. He could still remember the efforts and hoops he’d had to jump through before Victor had been ready to hear about any plans for peace. Marriage had never been a part of his original proposal; they were just seeking ways to mess him up more. He could hardly believe they’d been friends once—one higher in position than the other, but still friends. Victor shrugged. “I doubt if they’d notice anything. We can make up a story where you’re a distant relative, though. That’d work, right?”“Victor,” he snarled. “I have no idea what your plan is, but doi

Aurora's Point Of ViewWhat was I going to say? Just as I was about to stutter what was probably going to be nonsense, Mr. Gomez came to the rescue. "Hmm no, I'm not his dad but I am his very very cool uncle." Dexter grinned and nodded, "Yes! He's my cool uncle." "And he has a big car!" Eloise added proudly, wrapping her little arms around Mr. Gomez's leg. I smiled at the sight. "Really?" The little boy's eyes widened in amusement. "He has a big car?" He gasped and Mr. Gomez nodded smugly. "Probably the biggest in town and Dexter gets to ride in it every day." Mr. Gomez said. "And me too!" Eloise chirped and Mr. Gomez chuckled while patting her hair. "Of course, princess." "Whoa! I want to have a cool uncle when I grow up." The little boy said dreamily. "No, little guy. Be the coolest uncle when you grow up." Mr. Gomez fisted his hands and he and the little boy bumped fists before he skipped off. I glanced at Mr. Gomez and our gazes met. I couldn't help but smile appreciative

"Thank you for having me, Aunty." Umbria smiled. "I hope you come visit some other time, Dante. I'd love to cook for you again." "I'll find time, ma." Dante turned to Ezekiel, who inturn smiled at him. "I don't have your phone number. Can I have it?" Zeke asked Dante. "Sure. It's 019*****" "Ok. I'll make sure to call you.""Mhm...bye and..."Let's go, Dante." Sebastian cut in, taking Dante by his arm. Dante waved Keane goodbye as Sebastian dragged him along. "Are you okay?" Dante asked as soon as they got in the car. Sebastian gave a simple nod and faced the window. Dante glanced at Leo quizzically. Leo shrugged and ignited. There is surely something wrong with him, Dante thought. Reaching home, Sebastian immediately went to the shooting range. Unknown to him, Dante followed him silently. Sebastian picked up a AK pistol and aimed at the dummy. Dante covered his ear as Sebastian fired. The sound from the gun was so loud that Dante thought his ears would rip apart. He hid in a co

"I told the maid to make varieties of dishes. I hope you find what you like here, Dante. I didn't know Sebastian was bringing a guest along." "It's fine, Aunty. The dishes are fine. They are delicious." Umbria smiled, "good." She turned to Sebastian, who was picking his food, a blank expression on his face, "what about you, son?" Sebastian : "..." Umbria turned to Gabriel, Sebastian's father. Gabriel tapped the table, "Sebastian, she's asking you a question. Or don't you like the peach pie? She made that herself, you know. Show some appreciation." Sebastian smirked in disbelief. He laughed throatily, his laugh echoed throughout the room. He raised his head from his food and turned to Gabriel. "I'm allergic to peaches." He said simply before he let down his spoon. "Sebastian.." Umbria tried saying. "You know, I get she isn't my mum so she can't know bit what about you, dad? You're telling me you didn't know? Or you're pretending not to?" "Sebastian..." Zeke called, trying to ca

Dante tossed left and right. He trailed his hand up and down the bed to turn off the device disturbing his sleep. His frustration grew as he couldn't get hold of it. In annoyance, he sat up. He turned sideways to his ringing phone, which was on the stool beside the bed. He picked up the phone aggressively, ready to curse out the person calling. He got more agitated when he saw it was an unknown number. "What?" He demanded in anger. "Seesh, did someone offend you in your dream?" "Keane?" "Morning." Dante sighed, rubbing his eyes. "You know I almost cussed you out right? You disturbed my sleep. It's just..." He brought his phone down to check the time. "It's just 6.45 in the morning." "Don't doctors wake up earlier than that?" "What do you want?" Dante demanded impatiently. He really wants to go back to sleep. "I called to check how you are doing." "Since when did you start caring about how I'm doing?" "Ugh! One can't be nice to you. Anyway, I have a question. Why did you tel

"You seriously didn't know I was the celebrant?" "I had no idea." "But I gave you the invite and you're here. How come you had no idea?" Dante bit his bottom lip nervously, "um...I didn't open the invite and also, my boss told me I couldn't come because we had a party we had to get to. I just didn't know the party he was talking about was the same one you invited me to." "Boss? You work for someone here?" "Um...yeah." "Who?" Holy shit, should I tell him it's Sebastian? I shouldn't say that, right? Let me just lie. But who do I say I work for? I know nobody else. "Dante?" "Hm?" "What are you thinking about? I asked for whom you work?" "Oh...um..." Dante looked sideways and the first person he saw was that driver. The driver he saw with Keane that day. "Keane!" He blurted out, startling Zeke. "Sorry, I mean...I work for Mr. Miller." "Oh.." Zeke smiled. He picked up his glass of wine and took a sip. Dante's eyes followed all of Zeke's movement. From the way he picked up the g

"Sir, we're here. Boss?"Sebastian breathed in sharply. Dante could see hesitation in his face. He looked both hesitant, unsure and terrified. Dante held his hand gently, "you'll be okay." He assured and Sebastian nodded. Dante tightened his grip on Sebastian's hand and pulled him gently out of of the car. Fred, Leo and Timothy lead the way, while Dante and Sebastian followed suit. Five other bodyguards followed behind.A cold shiver ran through Dante's spine as they stepped into the royal-like ballroom. "Shit, are they royalty?" Dante wondered to himself, looking around, Sebastian's hand still in his but he's gotten oblivious of it."They are not. They are just stinky rich. They are the second richest family on the island." Fred whispered to Dante. If they are the second, I wonder how rich the first would be, Dante thought to himself. Dante looked down, finally noticing Sebastian's hand in his. He pulled his hand away abruptly, looking around."Master Sebastian, this way please." A m