Novels by Aichatou

The sun dipped low in the sky, casting a warm golden glow over Damien’s beautifully decorated home. Guests milled about, laughing and enjoying the gourmet hors d'oeuvres that were artfully arranged on silver platters. The atmosphere was filled with excitement and relief, marking a new chapter for Seraphina, Rachel, and their families.As the doorbell rang, Mrs. B and Emma arrived, both looking stunning in their evening attire. Mrs. B wore a flowing, deep emerald gown that complemented her graceful demeanor, while Emma opted for a chic navy dress that highlighted her youthful charm. They stepped inside, their expressions a mix of nervousness and determination.“Seraphina, we need to talk,” Mrs. B began, her voice steady but warm.“Of course,” Seraphina replied, her heart racing slightly. She led them to a quieter corner of the living room, where the laughter and chatter faded into a comforting hum.“First, I want to apologize,” Mrs. B said, her eyes sincere. “For believing you were inv

The room was thick with tension after Damien had pulled Seraphina back. Seraphina stood there, breathing heavily, staring at her sister, feeling the weight of everything Amanda had done. The police were already preparing to step in and arrest Amanda when a new voice broke the silence.“Wait,” a shaky voice said from the doorway.Everyone turned to see one of the house security guards stepping forward, his face pale and his hands trembling. He hesitated, glancing nervously between Amanda and the others.“I... I have to confess something,” the guard said, his voice barely above a whisper. “I can’t keep this secret anymore.”Seraphina and Damien exchanged confused glances as the guard took a deep breath and continued. “The day Mrs. B’s necklace was found in Seraphina’s wardrobe... that wasn’t an accident. Amanda... she made me do it.”He looked at Seraphina, guilt written all over his face. “She promised me a payout if I tampered with the CCTV footage so no one would see her plant the nec

Amanda’s hands shook as she fumbled through Damien’s bedroom, frantically pulling open drawers and searching for anything that could help her escape. She already had the briefcase of dollars on the bed, its contents scattered across the comforter, but it wasn’t enough. “I need to get out of here. Now.”Her heart pounded in her chest as her mind raced. Everything was crumbling, and she could feel the walls closing in. Victor hadn’t called—something must’ve gone wrong. He had promised to take care of Rachel, to get rid of the problem once and for all, but now her gut told her something was terribly off.Amanda zipped the briefcase shut, stuffing a handful of loose bills into her coat pocket. She glanced around the room, her breath quickening. “What am I missing?” She couldn’t afford to stay another second. She had to disappear, start fresh somewhere new, far from this mess. With Damien’s money, she could disappear for good.She was just about to lift the heavy briefcase off the bed when

“Stop right there!” Damien shouted, his voice echoing through the large, empty space.Victor spun around, caught off guard. His expression shifted from surprise to fury as he realized they had found him. “What the hell are you doing here?” he spat, taking a step back, his eyes darting between Seraphina and the others.“Get away from her!” Seraphina yelled, her heart racing as adrenaline surged through her veins.Rachel’s eyes widened in relief upon seeing her friends, but the terror of her situation was still palpable. “Seraphina, be careful!” she cried, struggling against her restraints.Before they could react, Victor pulled a gun from his waistband, pointing it at them. “Get back! You think you can just barge in here?” he shouted, his voice filled with anger and desperation.“Victor, put the weapon down!” Damien urged, his eyes locked on the gun.“Worse? It already is!” Victor growled, his finger hovering dangerously close to the trigger. The tension in the air was electric, and Se

“Let’s focus on the moments right after the black car left the area,” Damien said, pointing at the screen. He adjusted his glasses, his expression serious. “We need to see where it went.”The team nodded, their eyes glued to the screens as they rewound the footage. After several minutes of scrutinizing the images, one of the investigators leaned forward, excitement in his voice. “Look! There it is!” He pointed to the black car reappearing on a different camera feed, making a left turn a few blocks away from Rachel’s house.“Let’s track that route,” Damien instructed, watching closely as they followed the car’s movements through the city. They watched as the black car sped along deserted streets, its path becoming clearer with each passing moment.“Alright, it’s heading toward the industrial area,” another investigator noted, pulling up a map on the screen. “There are several abandoned warehouses along that route.”Seraphina stood to the side, her heart racing as she listened to the fi

Back at Damien’s Office, Damien had been working nonstop, determined to find Rachel, but they needed a breakthrough soon. Seraphina stood by his side, her eyes locked on the screen, anxiety gnawing at her every second that passed without a clue.“Let’s start near Rachel’s house,” Damien instructed, his voice steady despite the tension in the air. “That’s where she was last seen. We need to see if anything unusual happened around that time.”The team nodded, quickly rewinding the footage and pulling up views from the cameras positioned around Rachel’s neighborhood. They fast-forwarded through the images until one of the investigators suddenly stopped the feed.“There!” he said, pointing at the screen. The monitor displayed a black car parked a few houses down from Rachel’s, idling for several minutes. The timestamp matched the time Rachel would have left her home.“Get the license plate,” Damien urged, leaning in closer. They zoomed in on the car, capturing the license plate number cle

Gabriel’s POVThe moment I ended the call with Edward, I grabbed my keys and strode toward the garage, my mind a storm of calculations and frustration.She had insisted on leaving.I had been on my way. I had told Edward to not leave the restaurant before I got there. But Aria, being stubborn and impossible, had decided otherwise.I yanked open the driver’s side door and slid in, the engine roaring to life beneath my grip. As I pulled out of the driveway, I was already dialing Jonathan.He picked up immediately.“I need you tracking a vehicle. Grey sedan, following my wife’s car. Edward just confirmed it.”I couldn’t stop myself before I said it. My wife.There was no hesitation. “I’m on it.”“Get me everything. Were they waiting before she left? Did they tail her from the restaurant?”A few clicks on Jonathan’s end. Then: “They were parked a block away before she even stepped outside.”My jaw tightened. That confirmed it. This wasn’t a coincidence.“They’re taking the alternate route

Gabriel’s POVSaturdays used to be mine.No meetings, no endless calls, no forced conversations. Just quiet.Some mornings, I’d work out in the private gym, the rhythmic sound of weights grounding me. Other days, I’d spend hours in my study, reading reports or reviewing investments, uninterrupted. If I felt like it, I’d take the car out for a long drive with no destination—just me, the road, and silence.But that silence had been harder to find ever since I got married.I told myself nothing had changed. That I still did what I wanted, when I wanted.And yet, here I was, sitting in my private lounge, drink in hand, watching her.The live feed played on my screen, and my eyes were locked onto it. Locked onto her.Aria sat in the corner of the restaurant, completely unaware that I could see her. She was smiling—really smiling. Not the forced, polite one she gave me. Not the blank look she used when she wanted to ignore me. This was different. Effortless. Real.I let out a slow breath, s

Aria’s PovThe restaurant buzzed with the usual weekend crowd—brunch-goers sipping on mimosas, forks clinking against porcelain plates, and soft laughter weaving through the background noise. But my attention was locked on the entrance.Minutes passes and then, I saw them.Nicole. Jenna. Liv. My girls.Three hurricanes walking into a room—effortless, loud, and completely unapologetic.Before I could react, I was engulfed in a hug—Nicole’s arms tight around me, her silky black bob brushing against my cheek. She smelled like expensive perfume, the kind that lingered even after she left the room. “Do you know how much we missed you?” she huffed, pulling back just enough to scan me from head to toe. Her sharp brown eyes sparkled with mischief. “Look at you. Hair done. Nails done. Dripping in money. You look rich.”I scoffed. “I look the same.”“Oh my God, I can’t believe you’re actually married now,” Liv gasped, holding me at arm’s length. Her sun-kissed blonde waves were lighter from the

Aria's POVI pushed the thought aside, forcing my mind to focus on something other than the unsettling weight of last night.I wasn’t about to sit here and analyze why Gabriel had helped me. That wasn’t something I needed to think about. What I needed was space, air and a distraction.I turned away from him, heading toward the bathroom for a shower. Not just because I had just woken up, but because I needed to wash off the remnants of last night. The heaviness in my chest. The way Gabriel's voice had been the one pulling me out of my panic. The thought of him carrying me here.I couldn’t think about any of that.So, without another word, I grabbed my towel and headed straight to the bathroom, locking the door behind me before Gabriel could say anything else.I let the water run hot, standing under the stream for longer than necessary. My muscles ached, my body still felt heavy, but by the time I stepped out, I was at least more awake. I wrapped the towel around me, wiped the steam off

Aria’s POVThe first thing I felt when I woke up was warmth. Softness. Comfort. For a moment, I let myself sink into it, my body instinctively relaxing against the mattress. But as consciousness fully set in, confusion followed. My eyes fluttered open, and the familiar sight of the bedroom came into focus. The realization hit me like a jolt. I was in Gabriel’s bed.My heart lurched.I hadn’t slept here in months. Not since that night. Not since everything between Gabriel and me had gone from unbearable to something even worse, something unfixable.I had kept my distance since then, choosing the couch over sharing this space with him. It wasn’t just about avoiding him; it was about me. About respecting myself. I refused to let myself be reduced to some fragile woman who clung to a man who didn’t even want her there. A sluggish heaviness weighed down on my limbs, like I had been wrung out and left to dry. Even as I sat up, a strange fatigue clung to me, making every movement feel slow

Lately, the bed had felt colder—something I never thought I’d notice, let alone care about. But I did.I woke up to silence. No soft rustling of sheets beside me. No warmth lingering where she used to be. Just emptiness. The space next to me remained untouched, as if she had never been there at all.I’d been going to bed late lately, and waking up randomly in the middle of the night. Most times, like tonight, I woke up restless. I reached for my phone to check the time, it was 4:18 AM on Saturday.I turned my head slightly, already knowing what I’d find.She was curled up on the couch again.Aria lay on her side, her arms wrapped tightly around herself, her body tucked into the corner like she was trying to disappear. A thin blanket barely covered her legs, and I couldn’t help but notice how vulnerable she looked.In the beginning, I’d caught her shivering on those first few nights. I almost reached for a thicker blanket more than once, but every time, I stopped myself. Instead, I’d j