Novels by Oluwapelumi

EpilogueSix Months LaterThe shopping mall bussied around Karen as she wove through the aisles, her heart hammering in frustration."Austin!" she called, glancing around the shelves filled with colorful toys.No answer."Paris?" she tried again.She spun around, her eyes scanning the store, but the two little troublemakers were nowhere to be found. A pang of panic crept up her spine. Jordie, who had been helping her keep an eye on them, jogged up, her face mirroring Karen’s concern."I swear, I just saw them two minutes ago," Jordie said, glancing around.Karen let out an exasperated sigh, running a hand through her hair. "They're fast. Too fast."She pushed past the rows of toys, checking behind shelves and peeking into play areas, but the kids were gone. Her heart pounded harder.Then, suddenly—"You might want to be careful with these two."A deep voice—steady, familiar.Karen turned sharply, and her breath caught in her throat.A man stood a few feet away, holding both Austin and

Karen’s POVThe door burst open with a thunderous bang, the sound echoing through the cold night air. My breath hitched as a swarm of armed officers stormed in, their guns raised in precision, their movements swift and practiced.“Hands in the air! Nobody move!” a commanding voice barked.The room shifted instantly. The arrogant smirks on Liam and Troy’s faces faded, replaced by something I had never seen before—fear.“What the hell is going on?” Liam hissed, his eyes darting toward the doorway.And then she walked in.Lauren.Clad in a sleek black jacket, her presence radiated confidence. She stepped forward, unbothered by the chaos around her, her gaze sharp and unyielding."You forgot about me," she said, her voice dripping with amusement.Troy’s jaw clenched, his eyes narrowing. "Lauren," he spat. "I should’ve known you’d stick your nose in where it doesn’t belong."She smirked, stepping closer, her gaze sweeping over the room before landing on me. There was something in her eyes—

Karen's POV I forced my eyes open, but my mind felt sluggish, struggling to catch up with my surroundings. A dull ache pulsed at the base of my skull, and my body felt impossibly heavy, as if every limb had been weighed down. The sharp sting of cold air sent a shiver down my spine, and a strange, salty scent filled my lungs. This wasn’t the alley. I blinked rapidly, my vision adjusting to the dim light. Instead of damp concrete and graffiti-stained walls, I saw open space. The ground beneath me was rough and uneven, dirt and gravel scraping against my skin as I tried to move. A cold breeze brushed against my skin, sending a shiver through my body. My limbs felt heavy, but I forced myself to move, shaking off the haze.Where had I been?The last thing I remembered was the alley—Devon tied to the chair, Troy’s grip on my arm, Liam’s smirk—then, darkness.As my vision slowly sharpened, I realized we weren’t there anymore. The damp, suffocating alleyway had been replaced with an op

Karen’s POV“Alright, they’ll be back this afternoon.” Jordie’s voice came through the phone, warm and reassuring.In the background, I could hear the kids giggling and playing. My heart ached with how much I missed them.“Let them stop over at the ice cream shop, okay? There’s no rush,” I said with a small smile.The response was immediate—excited squeals and the sound of tiny feet shuffling around.“Mommy!” Austin’s voice piped up next. “Luna and Lucas told us stories!”I chuckled. “Oh? What kind of stories?”“About a pirate and a lost treasure!” he said excitedly. “But Lucas says the treasure was actually a puppy!”“That sounds like a fun story,” I mused. “Did you like it?”“Yes! But Aiden said the pirate should’ve had a pet parrot instead.”Aiden’s voice came in the background. “Because pirates always have parrots, Mommy!”I laughed softly. “Well, I can’t argue with that.”“Can we tell you the story when we get home?” Austin asked hopefully.“Of course, sweetie.” I smiled, my hear

Devon’s POVThis was it.The final move.If I wanted to fix the mess I had created, if I wanted any chance of making things right—not for myself, but for Karen—this was what I had to do. Even if it was the last thing I ever did.Stepping out of the cab, I adjusted my coat and walked toward the elevator. The security at the front barely acknowledged me; Liam had always been arrogant enough to think no one would dare come after him.The elevator ride up was suffocating each passing second amplifying the weight pressing down on my chest.As soon as the doors slid open, I stepped into the hallway leading to Liam’s office. The air carried a faint scent of cigars and leather, a familiar stench that brought back too many memories I’d rather forget.I pushed open the doors without knocking.Liam was seated behind his oversized desk, a whiskey glass in one hand, his other hand lazily flipping through documents. The moment he saw me, his lips curved into an amused smirk, his dark eyes glinting

Devon’s POVThe night was thick with silence, the kind that settled deep into the bones and made a man question everything. The cold metal bars in front of me felt heavier than they should, the dim flickering light above casting elongated shadows across the small, suffocating cell.I leaned back against the wall, running a hand through my hair as my mind spiraled into the past—into the mess that had landed me here.Karen.Her name echoed in my head like a ghost refusing to be forgotten. I remembered the accusations, the way they had thrown my name into the fire, claiming I had been the one threatening her and the kids. The sheer disbelief in her eyes had stung more than I cared to admit.Had it really come to this?A sharp rattling sound jolted me out of my thoughts.I straightened, my instincts kicking in as I turned toward the cell door. The metal groaned, the lock shifting before it swung open.Troy stood there, his face impassive but his eyes burning with something close to contem