Novels by Jennifer Okoye

Her hair was released, cascading in glossy black waves. Nails filed. Jewelry arranged like offerings. Scarlett glanced at the clock. “My interview is in three minutes,” she snapped. “Move faster.” “I’m trying to make it flawless,” the makeup artist said carefully. “I’m just struggling to cover the dark circles under your eyes.” Scarlett turned her head slowly. “What did you say?” The artist stiffened. “I—I meant stress. With your parents’ passing, I’m so sorry—” The nail tech leaned in, voice low and foolish. “Is it true the culprit was your sister?” Scarlett smiled. Slow. Dangerous. Sweet as poison. “Enough.” The word fell softly. Deadly. “You’re paid to work,” she continued, eyes glinting. “Not to gossip. Especially now.” Her gaze swept the room. “Be quick before your poverty-stricken hands infect me.” They moved instantly. Her dress arrived—white, sculpted, breathtaking. It clung to her like it had been designed around her sins. Gasps rippled through the room. “It’s

Jade’s feet moved without permission. Cold metal snapped around her wrists. Click. “You’re under arrest.” Scarlett lunged, screaming, face twisted with triumph and fury. “She’ll pay! I’ll make sure she pays!” Officers restrained her. Jade didn’t look at Scarlett again. She looked at Kain. Their eyes locked. His were dark. Furious. Promising. This wasn’t the end. Not even close. ** A WEEK LATER** KAIN WOLF’S PENTHOUSE ~ Scarlett kept her spine straight while the stylist worked, shoulders loose, chin tilted just enough to signal confidence without trying too hard. The chair beneath her was plush and imported. The room smelled like citrus disinfectant and money. Blow dryers hummed in obedient harmony. Brushes whispered through hair like secrets. Everything was controlled. She watched herself in the mirror. Mint-green silk slid over her body, the robe catching light every time she moved. Her legs were long, toned, crossed with elegant precision. The clay mask co

Kain. The world tilted off its axis. Sound dulled. The night stretched thin and unreal. Rage drained out of her like blood from an open wound, leaving only shock… and grief… and a pain so sharp it bent her nearly in half. “Kain…” His name broke apart on her tongue. He didn’t answer. He pulled her into him. Hard. Her face hit his chest. His arms locked around her like a cage, like armor, crushing her against him as if something invisible was trying to rip her away. One hand pressed firmly between her shoulder blades. The other wrapped around her shoulders, unyielding, final. “I know,” he said into her hair, voice rough, urgent. “Don’t explain. Don’t say anything.” She shoved weakly at his chest, breath shuddering. “I—I—” “No.” His grip tightened. “You don’t have to.” Her legs gave out. The sob tore out of her—ugly, broken, uncontrollable—and she collapsed fully into him, fists twisting into his jacket. Her phone slipped from her fingers, hit the ground, forgotte

She typed a reply. Deleted it. Typed another. Erased it. Anxiety twisted in her stomach like cold, cruel fingers. She called once. Twice. Again. No answer. Panic coiled tighter. She didn’t think. She waved down a cab without registering the motion. Inside, she gripped her purse, knuckles white, watching the city streak by. Red lights dragged on, seconds stretching painfully. Every heartbeat was a drumbeat in her skull. The cab stopped. She bolted out before the driver could finish speaking. The door to her parents’ house hung slightly ajar. Her stomach dropped. “Mom?” Her voice cracked as she stepped inside. Dark. Too dark. She flipped the light switch. Nothing. Another. Weak flickers, pale shadows dancing over familiar furniture. “Dad?” Her voice broke. Silence answered. Fear rose in her chest, cold and sharp. She moved room to room, heart hammering. The house, usually a sanctuary, felt alien—empty, silent, waiting. Her breath came short and shallow. In the kitc

Preview X Recap❤️ ───────────────────────── Hi, lovely readers! This is not an official chapter, but a special little treat for those who can’t wait for the next update, plus a short recap to refresh your memory and keep the story vivid. I hope it excites you and gives you something fresh to enjoy in the meantime. Drop your thoughts. This is a safe space. Happy reading ✨✨✨🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹 🌹PREVIEW: ───────────────────────── Chapter 47: Her face crumpled instantly. Tears spilled fast, uncontained. “My parents paid,” she sobbed. “I didn’t do anything illegal. I’ve changed, Kain. I swear I have. I changed for you. You should believe me.” He laughed. Just once. A short, empty sound. “Changed?” he echoed softly. “That would be new.” Something sharp finally cracked through his control. “Is that what you told Jade?” His voice rose, raw now. “Did you tell her who you really are?” ───────────────────────── Chapt

Her face crumpled instantly. Tears spilled fast, uncontained. “My parents paid,” she sobbed. “I didn’t do anything illegal. I’ve changed, Kain. I swear I have. I changed for you. You should believe me.” He laughed. Just once. A short, empty sound. “Changed?” he echoed softly. “That would be new.” Something sharp finally cracked through his control. “Is that what you told Jade?” His voice rose, raw now. “Did you tell her who you really are?” Scarlett hesitated. Just a second. But Kain caught it. “I—I agreed to be your fiancée because I want a fresh start,” she rushed out, words tumbling over each other. “Not just because of the money your stepmother offered. I want us to fix this. I want you.” “You’ll always be a liar,” Kain snapped. “And don’t insult me by pretending innocence makes you believable.” He stepped closer. He didn’t touch her. He didn’t need to. His presence alone pressed down, suffocating. “This ends soon,” he said quietly. “I’ll clean up the mess

A month ago:As I stand here, silently observing the world as it continues to turn around me, a profound and a somber ache takes root in the depths of my chest. Each passing moment serves as a stark reminder of the stark contrast between their lives and mine. They stride through their days unburdened, pursuing their aspirations with a sense of freedom that eludes me. Meanwhile, I find myself ensnared within the confines of a reality that I never wished for nor chose.“Every day, the yearning within me intensifies, an insatiable hunger for something more. I long to shatter the shackles that my family's expectations have placed upon me. I burn with the desire to chase my passions, to venture into unexplored territories, and to infuse vitality into the dreams that haunt my restless nights. Yet, every step I take seems like a battle, an unending struggle against the oppressive weight of their demands and the chains of tradition that bind me,” I reflect, my thoughts continuing to echo in t

As the layers between them fell away, Leon's gaze traveled over the contours of her body, a smoldering intensity that seemed to set her aflame. "Take off your heels," he ordered, the words punctuated by his gaze that held her captive. With each action, Ava's daring seemed to grow, an unwavering assertion of her presence and her desire.Finally, the moment arrived, an apex of audacity and vulnerability that neither of them could escape. "Take everything off." The command, issued with a mixture of command and curiosity, hung in the air like a challenge that Ava met with a resolute gaze. She stared into his eyes, a silent understanding passing between them, a recognition that they were both testing the boundaries of their attraction.And then, as fabric fell to the floor and inhibitions were stripped away, a silence descended, heavy with unspoken desire. Leon's closeness was intoxicating, his scent mingling with the charged air that enveloped them. Ava's heart raced, the thudding rhythm

As she ventured further, the silence of the mansion's interior seemed to envelop her, the grandeur of the surroundings both captivating and imposing. Her gaze roved, searching for the man who had effortlessly dominated her thoughts, her emotions inextricably linked to his enigmatic presence.In the dimly lit expanse of the mansion, Leon's movements remained unhurried as he poured himself a drink, the liquid glinting in the ambient light. Although his posture was seemingly nonchalant, his senses were attuned to the slightest shift in the environment. He sensed Ava's presence, her arrival a palpable shift in the air, even before she had made herself known. His voice, rich and layered, broke the silence with an observation that echoed his own intrigue. "You are one brave kid, aren't you?" The words, laced with a mixture of amusement and curiosity, seemed to hang in the air like a challenge.With each step that brought him closer to her, the layers of mystery that shrouded him seemed to d

Ava met his gaze, her eyes steadfast and resolute. "I want to get to know you better," she confessed, her words carrying the weight of her determination. With a half-smile that revealed a touch of enigma, Leon responded, "Be careful what you wish for.... It will cost you."The words hung in the air, a subtle challenge that resonated with the promises and mysteries that had woven their paths together. The masked ball had become more than an event; it was a turning point, a juncture where their worlds converged and diverged, each step they took on the dance floor reflective of the journey that lay ahead.Drawing on her own well of courage, Ava took the initiative, flipping the script as her curiosity drove her to voice the question that had lingered in the recesses of her thoughts. With a steadiness that belied the racing of her heart, she inquired, her unwavering gaze fixed upon him, "Why did you agree to go out with me?" The weight of her query hung in the air, a palpable undercurren

There he stood, clad in a manner that effortlessly exuded charm and authority. It was as if time itself paused, allowing her to take in the sight before her. The man who had captured her thoughts and ignited her curiosity was now standing before her, a living embodiment of her dreams. As their eyes met, a palpable connection formed — an unspoken understanding that held promises yet to be revealed.In that fleeting moment, Ava's nervousness was replaced by a sense of wonder, and the discomfort she had felt vanished in the wake of his presence. The ambiance of the event now seemed to bend and mold itself around them, cocooning them in a world of intrigue and possibility. With his words still hanging in the air, they were poised at the precipice of an encounter that would forever alter the course of their destinies.A month ago :Positioning himself gracefully before Ava, Leon donned a coy smile that exuded an irresistible allure, a beguiling charm that effortlessly seized her undivided

In this intricate web of longing and uncertainty, the world had taken on an ephemeral quality, reduced to a backdrop for her yearning. Time flowed with the pulse of notifications, and each ding, each buzz, carried the potential to shift her reality. As the days melded into nights and then back into days, Ava's existence became intertwined with the device that held the key to a door she desperately wished to open.Her phone, once a constant companion and harbinger of anticipation, became a weight in her hand. The persistent staring yielded to a sense of resignation, a realization that the insistent vigilance was claiming too much of her mental real estate. The hope she held onto like a fragile flame was gradually extinguished by the relentless passage of time.It was in the midst of one such early midday, as the sun stretched its rays across the sky, that the familiar ringtone pierced the air. The screen flickered with an unknown number, a digitized beacon in the sea of uncertainty. Un