Novels by Atuu_

Sophie heard the faint creak of the bathroom door and turned to see Drake emerging, his hair damp and pushed back, droplets of water clinging to his skin. He looked refreshed, like a man who had reclaimed control after losing it entirely. But the moment their eyes met, she knew something was different.Gone was the faint vulnerability she had glimpsed last night. His expression was unreadable, his eyes cold and distant.“Feeling better?” she asked hesitantly, her voice softer than she intended.“Fine,” he replied curtly, moving past her without a second glance.The distance in his tone caught her off guard. She had spent the entire night nursing him back to health, watching over him when he was at his weakest. Now, it was as though none of it had ever happened.Sophie forced herself to breathe, brushing off the unease creeping into her chest. It’s just the fever, she told herself. He’s probably still recovering.“I made breakfast,” she said, trying to bridge the gap forming between th

Sophie stirred at the faint sound of his voice, low and raspy. She blinked against the morning light spilling through the curtains, her eyes landing on Drake as he shifted restlessly on the bed."Althea…" he muttered, his voice cracking like it carried the weight of something unspeakable.Sophie frowned, inching closer. “Drake?”He didn’t respond, his brow furrowing deeply as he whispered the name again. Althea.Her chest tightened. Who was Althea? The name meant nothing to her, yet the way he said it—it was almost desperate.She reached out, her hand hovering just above his shoulder before gently pressing against it. “Drake, it’s me. Sophie.”His eyes fluttered open, glassy and unfocused. For a moment, it was as though he didn’t recognize her. Then his gaze softened, and the corners of his mouth twitched in something like relief.“Sophie,” he rasped, his voice barely audible.“Yeah,” she murmured, trying to ignore the knot forming in her stomach. “It’s me. You’re burning up.”Her han

Drake’s body sagged against Sophie as they stumbled through the front door. His weight was unbearable, nearly sending her to the ground more than once, but she clenched her teeth and pushed forward. She wasn’t sure what scared her more—seeing him collapse or the raw weakness she’d seen in his eyes just before he did.She lowered him onto the bed, her arms trembling from the effort. He looked like a shadow of himself, pale, damp, and utterly defeated. Drake Hazelwood, the man who never flinched, never broke, was now lying there like a man on the edge of something terrifying.“Drake.” Her voice was steady, even though she didn’t feel it. “What’s wrong? What happened?”His eyes flickered open, just barely. The usual sharpness was gone, replaced with something softer, something that tugged at her chest. “Nothing,” he croaked, his voice so quiet she had to strain to hear it.“Don’t give me that,” she snapped, brushing the damp strands of hair from his forehead. “You don’t just collapse in

Sophie woke up to the blinding light streaming through the window. It felt like she’d only just closed her eyes, but the day was already here. A new day in the hell that Drake had trapped her in.Her phone buzzed. A message from him. Be ready in an hour. We have somewhere to be.Sophie wanted to throw the phone across the room. But she didn’t. She knew better than to act out now. If she was going to survive this, she needed to keep her cool.She threw on a dress, something simple, nothing too flashy. She didn’t want to give him any reason to look at her more than necessary. But deep down, she knew it wouldn’t matter. He looked at her like she was a puzzle to be solved—a toy to be played with.When she walked into the living room, Drake was already waiting, his usual cold expression plastered on his face. He stood by the door, hands in his pockets, looking like a goddamn statue. His gaze met hers, and for a split second, something flickered in his eyes. But then it was gone, replaced w

Sophie barely slept that night. Every time she closed her eyes, she saw the cold, unreadable expression on Drake’s face as he told her she was married to him. Married. To him. The words echoed in her mind, but no matter how many times she repeated them, it didn’t make any sense.What had she signed? She kept trying to remember the papers she’d scrawled her name on, but the memory was fuzzy. Had she missed the marriage certificate buried in the stack of documents? No, she hadn’t seen it. It was a trap, a calculated move by Drake, and now she was tangled in a web of his making.She sat up in her small apartment, staring at the gray morning light spilling through the window. Her phone buzzed on the table, and she grabbed it, hoping for some kind of reprieve from the nightmare. It was an unfamiliar number, but Sophie didn’t hesitate before answering."Hello?""Mrs. Hazelwood," came Drake’s voice, smooth and chilling as ever. "I need you to meet me at my office today. It’s time to finalize

Lucas stepped into the massive office of Drake Hazelwood. The room was dim, save for the streaks of sunlight slashing through the tall windows, painting sharp, golden lines across the mahogany desk and leather chairs. Everything in here spoke of wealth, power, and the silent danger Drake exuded because Drake Hazelwood didn’t do anything unless it benefitted him.And Lucas knew that.Drake sat behind his desk, leaned back in a leather chair, a glass of dark amber whiskey swirling lazily in his hand. He didn’t bother to look up as Lucas entered, his eyes fixed on the city skyline outside the window.“You’re late,” Drake muttered, his voice smooth and low, as if he couldn’t be bothered to care.Lucas clenched his fists to his sides, fighting back the irritation clawing its way up. “You knew I’d come.”Finally, Drake looked at him. His gaze was sharp—too sharp. “Of course you came. You wouldn’t be here otherwise.”Lucas ignored the smug tone and cut straight to the point. “I need you to f