Novels by Latton Ripley

In the blink of an eye… Months had passed and Ashton still hadn’t proposed. He started to become busy with his company, despite that not even once did the ring leave his pocket.During that time a lot of things happened. Charles had successfully dominated the shipping business and ended Hannah’s contract. She’s free to work for any company she likes. Toby continued to visit Xander and was happy to know that he was starting to respond to psychotherapy.Lani is still in maximum prison, and she is treated like a slave by everyone. She never thought in a million years she would be pushed around like trash by women half her age. That she needed to massage someone's callus feet just to have protection from other inmates.Aside from the hellish treatments, no one had visited her ever since she moved there. Ron even stopped sending her letters. She never felt alone and helpless in her life.Meanwhile, for Clarise and Zane, the day they had been waiting to arrive. It's a love story more than a

In Hannah’s ward. It was already 8 pm when Ashton returned. When he got to Hannah’s room, only Heidi was in there. “You’re back,” Hannah uttered in glee. She could sense that he was a bit calmer than before.“Have you eaten?” Heidi asked Ashton. He shook his head.“I’m buying us some food. Hannah wants some pasta. How about you? Anything particular you want?” Heidi asks. “Let me buy the food for us,” he suggested.Heidi shook his head, “You stay here. You should be resting not roaming around.” She insisted. “You kids stay here.” She added as she headed outside.He smiled and swiftly walked to Hannah to hold her hand. “I asked Clarise to buy me a hair clipper.” She blurted out while showing them to him.He narrowed his gaze, “Why?”“To cut my hair. So it will grow back the same length as my bald spot, and it would be all-natural. My hair grows back fast and it would be presentable enough at the time of Clarise and Zane's wedding. Would you help me cut my hair?” She asked as she ha

At Texas Southwestern Medical Center...“Ashton, where are you going?” Cyrene asked as she watched how his son got up from the bed and headed outside.“I want to see her. Where is she?” He replied in worry.She sighs, “She’s in the next room. Her friends are in there, and she’s still asleep. So calm yourself down. You just had 14 stitches on your chest and leg,” she explains.He shook his head, “I’m fine—”.Before he could finish his sentence, beeping sounds from the other room roared in the air, followed by shouting and cries.“Nurse!” “Nurse!” He heard Clarise and Zane’s voices in the hallway.He stood up immediately and checked what was happening.“Ashton!” Cyrene yelled, but all she could do was follow him.He entered the room next door and there she was being coaxed by Clarise and Zane to calm down.She’s having nightmares. Keeps seeing that she'll wake up in captivity and seeing a hospital ward is not helping her condition. She felt like she was still trapped in the cabin.She

After lunch, Zane and Clarise drove to one of their vendors.Zane couldn’t stop staring at his soon-to-be wife. She tried her best to smile, but she could not hide the uneasiness in her movements.He could no longer take it and finally voiced out his concerns. He closed the binder he was holding, "Do you want to postpone the wedding and wait for Hannah to return?" He asked in a soft voice.She shook her head, "She won't like that. She would hate to know that we delayed our wedding because of her. Aside from that, we have already paid for our vendors," she explained.He sighs, “I don’t want to say this... You know that... I love Hannah. She’s like a sister to me but… What kind of friend leaves her friends like that? She knew we were getting married, and she just left.” Her hands trembled. He felt fear in her. She inched close to him and glanced around the room, “The type that’s been abducted.” She said in a low voice.“Abducted?” He repeats in a louder tone.She covered his mouth imm

~Toby and I tried to call you, but you didn’t answer.~Ashton’s voice woke up Hannah from her slumber.“Ashton?” She called out. Her eyes expressed glee to hear his voice. She glanced around only to realize she was still trapped inside the room. ~You know I need to go back to dating~~You know I need to go back to dating~His recorded voice kept on repeating for a few more hours. Shortly, Xander arrived with a smug look on his face. “You’ve heard the recording. Ashton is back to his old ways. Drinking and partying with a random woman in the bar, like the filthy animal that he is. He'll sleep with anyone available.” He says mockingly.“Do you still think he is better than me?” He added as he caressed her face.She evaded his touch by hiding under the blanket. She remained silent. There’s a part of her happy that he is moving on with his life, but she can’t ignore the fact that it hurts so badly. It's like confirmation that she has already lost her chance to be happy.“How long am I i

Hannah woke up with the smell of savory food in the air.She could feel her stomach gurgling. “Are you hungry?” Xander asks her. She nods. He smiled eerily, “I made tomato soup and salad. Come get your food.” He suggested as he motioned at the table. She slowly rose from her bed, but before she could take her first step she noticed one of her feet was chained to the bed. There was confusion on her face. She slowly turned her head to him.“What games are you trying to play this time?” She asks with a trembling voice.He shrugs, “Say ‘Please’ and I'll move the table near you.” He uttered. “I will even throw on a piece of bread if you sound a little sweeter.”She doesn't want to do it, but she's hungry, thirsty, and weary. She lowered her head to hide how annoyed and angry she was, “I want to eat, please.” She uttered in a low sweet voice.He moved the table near her and then patted her head, “See, that’s not hard, is it? I knew you just needed to be retrained to be obedient. If you

In the Citadel Headquarters command center.Alpha Barkus stared at the flickering monitor, his face darkening as the last footage from the mercenary’s live camera before they got blown out by explosives played out. The feed was shaky, the view obstructed by debris and flashes of light. Then, there it was—the unmistakable silhouette of Citadel Manor, its spires piercing the night sky. The image was clear enough to make his jaw tighten.Beta Lisara, standing at his side, leaned in closer. “Citadel Manor,” she murmured, her voice low and dangerous. “They’re planning an attack, aren’t they?”Alpha Barkus’s eyes narrowed as the screen shifted, showing the maps. Arrows and marks scrawled across the image pointed directly at the manor’s defenses and weak points.“They’ve been planning this for a while,” Alpha Barkus growled. His fists clenched at his sides. “But why the Citadel manor and not the Headquarters?”Beta Lisara’s gaze hardened. “It's less guarded. No humans in sight within the man

The headlights of the black truck cut through the deepening dusk as Rico and his friends drove Vesper. They followed the winding dirt road to the ranch. Memories surged into her with every mile. Soon they reached the entrance of the ranch. "You can drop me on the arch," Vesper demanded with a cold, menacing voice.Rico slammed the break immediately, as he was eager to get her out of the car. She stepped out of the front passenger seat.She closed the door with great strength, and it made the whole car shake and the window glass shattered instantly.The 3 young vampires gasped in fright. They thought the car would roll down the road."Why is she so strong?" Rico asks via a mental link to his friends.Ron gulps down slowly. "Don't ask me, dude. You're the one who said we could have fun with her because she smells like a newly turned vampire. No new vampire has eyes like hers." He replied in fear. He could feel cold sweat forming on his back.While Jericho remains silent as he pees hims

The wind carried whispers of the past, sweeping across the barren plains as Vesper continued to walk into the remnants of Adobe Walls, Texas. The town wasn’t much—a ghost of its former self—but its echoes held stories she needed to remember.It was a ghost town in the eyes of humans and the government, but now it has become a haven for vampires like her. She rummaged in her pocket, took one of the rings out, and wore it in her forefinger. It immediately altered her scent. “For protection,” she mumbled, then her attention landed on the other ring in her pocket—The ring for the mental link. One call and she knew Qillalon would be running to her like a wild beast hungry for her attention. She smiled bitterly as she hid the mental link ring. She resumed walking, her boots crunching against the gravel. The air smelled of mesquite and history, the kind of scent that clung to you like an old memory. She adjusted the brim of her hat, shielding her face from the sinking moonlight, and scann

Inside Elder Mauritius’ chamber, the smell of aged parchment and burned incense is in the air. The Elder is trying to calm the chaos in his mind.But none could pacify the flickering fire inside him.The Elder sat in his cushioned office chair, his form stooped and frail, yet his piercing eyes burned with the sharpness of a man who had seen too much.Around his neck hung a necklace hidden under his thick clothing. Its delicate gold chain seemed almost alive as it glimmered faintly in the warm light, and the pendant—a beautifully decorated vial that contains concentrated nightshade mixed with vervain—looked as though it had been crafted by a master artisan. But the object held an ominous venom. A venom he prepared for Vesper in case she goes rogue.He discreetly felt the vial under his clothes, “So she’s not coming back?” He uttered his voice sounding conflicted rather than relieved. He should be happy, but knowing that they are still in the dark about the Headmaster’s plan, it's bett

In the dead of night.The fire crackled low on the hearth, casting flickering shadows across the wooden walls of Delta Sevy's room. Outside, the wind howled, but inside, Delta Sevy was trapped in the grip of a dream—a nightmare that seemed too vivid to be anything but real.It was the Troll attack again.He saw the chaos, heard the guttural roars of the Trolls, and felt the pounding of his heart as he fought to save Vesper from the troll's grasp. But this time, his dream focused more on Vesper’s subtle movements.His dream replayed how she removed her ring and her scent hit him first: rich and dark, an intoxicating mix of earth and metal, tinged with something sharp and unnatural. Then came her strength—unnatural, otherworldly. He saw her lift a Troll twice her size and hurl it like it weighed nothing. And finally, those eyes—obsidian black, as if they absorbed the moonlight instead of reflecting it.In his dream, a voice whispered through the chaos—a revelation so shocking that Delta

The car rumbled gently along the winding country road, its headlights cutting through the thickening dusk. Raindrops began to splatter against the windshield, each one blurring the path ahead. Inside, Alpha Qillalon gripped the steering wheel tightly, his knuckles pale against the dim glow of the dashboard. His emerald eyes, glassy and red-rimmed, stared straight ahead, unseeing. “She said she'd try…” he whispered to himself, his voice breaking in the hollow silence of the car as he remembered how she pleaded for him to let her go. The words looped in his mind, intertwining with the rhythmic swish of the windshield wipers. “She said she needed space to think.” He let out a long, trembling breath. The weight of her absence pressed against his chest like a stone. The certainty of her words still lingered in his mind, "At least take the ring with you and reach me whenever." The only thing he could utter. She took the rings and wore them. Her scent, power, and looks dialed down enorm

Hey, Stranger! That became my readers. I can’t thank you enough for staying till the last chapter of the story.I always thought writing was not for me. I never thought I could gather readers, thanks for proving me wrong. :)Please follow my author account here at GN I might write another story soon. Dedication:For Simon for being an awesome author, your novel opened my eyes to the world of books. For Poncho, my English Bulldog for being a good boy. For my mother who’s my strongest fan and critic. My partner, who became my unwilling contributor for intimate scenes. Lastly, for my greatest adversary who kept on saying I can’t make it and I’m never enough A.K.A me. Sincerely, Latton RipleyThis is not a goodbye. It’s more of a see you later. :)=Mini Story=(Happens when Latton was in a coma)LUCIUS is running out of the lift thinking he is late for his first meeting with Caldwell Incorporated as C.O.O for Va-Yor-Ri Unlimited. When he opened the conference door only Lucian was in th

“A GIFT from Alison Gardner!” The man yelled before shooting her. The scene kept on playing in Latton’s head ever since she woke up, but she didn’t say anything. She let the police finish their investigation, but it resulted in nothing. Haunted by the reality that her words were useless without any evidence, she could only keep her silence and wait for the right time.CONCURRENTLY, At the Women's Penitentiary.In the middle of the night, Alison Gardner was escorted out of her prison cell to a corridor leading outside the prison in a spacious car."Finally freedom!" She screamed while breathing in the air in the car."Money well spent," she mumbles to herself."Good work you guys," she added, but no one replied to her. “I will pay you in full once I get out of the country.” She added.Shortly after, the car stopped in a secluded area. She frowns, “Why are we here? I thought you were going to smuggle me out of the country via plane?” She asks.The driver smirked, “Well, change of plans.”

AT THE Women's PenitentiaryAlison was smiling from ear to ear. She receives a letter from her friend that states the court granted temporary access to her money."I might not be able to get away from the law, but I can surely pay someone to bust me out and get back on everyone. Especially with that brat that sent me here." She said as she glanced at the prison guards. Observing which people she could bribe."You seem in a good mood, pumpkin," Sam commented.Alison nods. But she did not give any details as she didn't want Sam to escape with her. She wants to do it on her own.She's been in prison for more than a year, and she has met people far more powerful than Sam, and she wants to take advantage of them.MEANWHILE, Lucian felt a pit in his stomach.Drowning sorrow creeps all over his body. He could feel sweat forming around his forehead, palms, and neck. Followed by an unknown bump that wants to throw him out of his misery.Shortly after, someone tugs on his suit. Unwilling to open

(Continuation of CHAPTER 121 - June 19, 2026)~He is in the Maldives...destination wedding.~ This was Lucius' answer when Latton asked where Lucian was. These were the words that were tormenting her mind.It pained her that after all the things they'd been through, it all ended like this.Her heart is breaking knowing that he is there somewhere getting married in a beautiful place just 6 months after she was shot."Am I that easy to forget? He didn't even wait a year," She mumbled while replaying all the promises he had told her. Soon, the item on the spare bed caught her attention.It's the teddy bear she gave to Lucian and the scarf she made for him.Her thoughts were soon interrupted when Lucius entered with Xavier, who had just arrived from Ohio.Xavier smiled from ear to ear seeing her awake. "Latton," he called out, then gently held her hand.He could sense her sadness."What's with the sad look on your face? Aren't you happy to see me? Are you still mad?" He asks politely.She

DAYS had passed and Lucian seemed to get worse. He became overbearing, he called every hour to check on her. It is as if someone is out to get them.Latton couldn't take it anymore, but she knew too well that Lucian wouldn't tell her what it was.She needed to investigate it without raising any suspicions. She made a surprise visit to Caldwell Incorporated as it might be work-related. It's not. Caldwell Inc. was flourishing, standing stronger than ever. She witnesses on her visit how he buries himself at work while constantly checking on her."If you continue doing that you are going to get sick." She mumbled as she patted his back in concern.He smiles. "I'll be fine." He says as he kisses her hand. "Why don't you stay in the CEO's lounge? I'll finish this, and we'll have lunch together." He suggested.She nods. She could see that the dark circle in his eyes worsened, and it seemed he had lost weight over the week.She wanted to speak to him when, suddenly, someone knocked on the door

JOHN and VIVIAN's engagement party was a success. It was even featured in a local newspaper with the caption 'A decade of love story'."An inspiring love story for everyone to read." Malena mumbles while reading through the newspaper.Then an idea entered her mind, "What if I chose to be with Lucian instead of plotting revenge against him and his family? Would I be this happy?" She asks herself while staring at Vivian's smiling image in the newspaper.She starts laughing at her own thoughts. "Of course not. I'm merely a substitute for Shirley and most likely I won't even meet him if I didn't plan everything from the start." She says, then folds the newspaper and hides it in the drawer. "This time I will make things right," she mumbles.Then she started rummaging through her computer and soon began typing on her phone.MEANWHILE, at Lucian's Villa.Lucian was still having difficulty sleeping, even with Latton in his arms, he couldn't stop having nightmares about losing her.On the other