Novels by Jennifer Okoye

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

Not even five glasses of scotch could cauterize what she’d done. Just heat. Liquid fire laced with regret. It scorched his throat on the way down, left it clenched tight. A sound ripped out of him. Half a choke, half a groan. Still numb. Still that void—cold, hollow—where her warmth used to be. Kain dragged a hand down his face, stubble rasping against his palm. The scotch hit sour now, pointless. Barefoot. Shirt hanging open, damp with sweat and grief. The marble floor beneath him, cold and real—the only thing grounding him in a world he never asked to wake up in. The city pulsed behind the glass. Cold lights under a dying sky. He used to own that skyline. Now? It just stared back. Mocking. “I’m sorry, Kain. I will never be your wife.” God. The way she said it. Quiet. Final. Not cruel—just… done. It echoed. Crawled under his skin. Her mouth didn’t even form his name—just silence, sharp enough to gut him. The ring had slipped through his fingers like it weighed a t

***FLASHBACK**** Steam curled like ghosts in the bathroom, clouding the mirror and crawling across the marble walls. Jade stood under the showerhead, water cascading down her back—too hot, but she didn’t flinch. Her skin was already numb. She scrubbed her arms and neck again and again, like she could scrape off what happened the night before. Kain’s mouth on her skin. His name on her lips. Then…Amara. She blinked against the droplets clinging to her lashes. Her chest rose and fell in shallow bursts. The sting wasn’t from the water—it was the shame blooming like wildfire beneath her skin. This was the morning of his wedding to Scarlett. And she—idiot, dreamer, fool—was the girl washing herself like a sin. Who the hell is Amara? Was I just a mistake? A stand-in? Did I give him all of me for nothing? Her fingers curled against her ribs. The water pelted her like rain she couldn’t run from. Her knees nearly buckled under the weight of what she’d given—of what she thought they

She knocked—twice, then three times. Her knuckles split open against the heavy oak doors of the Miller estate. The rain clung to her lashes. Her dress soaked through, clinging like a second humiliation. Her breath fogged in the cold. Chest rising and falling too fast. She had slept on their steps. For two nights. No food. No call back. Scarlett had locked her out. No one had come looking. They left me here like I was nothing. Jade swallowed hard and knocked again, harder this time. Her arm trembled from exhaustion. No answer. Her stomach growled. She looked down at her bruised hands. Then the door creaked open. Hope flickered in her chest. Her mother stood in the frame. Not a hair out of place. Silk robe. Nails manicured. Barefoot on marble. Cold eyes. No hug. No warmth. Her gaze scanned Jade’s soaked clothes, ruined eyeliner, swollen face. Please. Just pretend to care. Jade’s heart sank. “Jade,” her mother said, flat and dry. “This isn’t a go

Madeline’s mouth opened in horror. “How dare you—” “I’ve stayed silent long enough,” he growled. “My father made you. And now you’re trying to control me with a fake legacy? I’ve had enough.” “I loved your father!” she cried. “And I love you. That’s why I want to protect you. It broke me that I couldn’t give him a child, but having you made me whole.” He scoffed. “You love power. That’s why you’re still pushing the inheritance will and Amara Quinn down my throat.” “She’s the perfect bride. Your father chose her—” “What now? Think I’m a toddler you can distract with candy? I don’t love her. I’ve never met her. Never even said a word to her. I stayed celibate for Jade—and if I can’t have her, then so be it. I’ll die that way.” Madeline’s eyes darkened. “You really think Jade will stay with you?” She stepped closer, voice dropping. “And what if Jade isn’t the only one with secrets?” “Even when she finds out you have a child from your past?” she snapped. The room froze. Kain’

The sunlight sliced through Kain’s skull like a blade. He stormed out of the church, fists clenched, chest heaving. The heat stung his eyes—whether from the sun, the rage boiling inside him, or the way Jade ripped his heart out at the altar, he couldn’t tell. He snatched the keys from his driver without a word, yanked the door open, slammed into the seat, and shoved the car into reverse. The tires screeched as he flew down the street like a man possessed. No—like a man hunted. By fire? No. By Rob. If he had stayed another second in that church and watched that bastard touch her again—he’d be in jail for murder. Would’ve broken his jaw. Maybe worse. — Two days. Kain disappeared. No calls. No texts. Phone dead. Curtains drawn. Kain hid from the world and buried himself in the darkness. Locked himself in his penthouse. Shirtless. Still in tuxedo trousers. Bed soaked in sweat and silence.The room reeked of loneliness, of a man who hadn’t moved in days, of pain s

Jade stood at the back of the church in a silver dress that suddenly felt all wrong. Too tight. Too shiny. Like it knew exactly what she was about to do. Maybe her real mistake wasn’t walking into this church. Maybe it was ever loving an older man like Kain. Last night still clung to her skin. The way he touched her. The way he said her name. How the hell was she supposed to erase that? She tried to breathe. Her chest tightened. Fingers numb. Inside, her heart thundered like a war drum — but outside? Still. The church looked like a royal fantasy. Gold arches. Endless white roses. Velvet-covered pews. Cameras flashing from every corner. And at the altar, dressed like a queen in pure white, stood Scarlett. Her sister. Her nightmare. Smirking like she’d already won — little did she know, Kain had footage of her bribing hotel staff, setting them all up. After everything she had done , she would be done for. Jade didn’t flinch. Her parents smiled like everything was fine — l