Novels by Bernice

Dominic’s POVI downed the remainder of my whiskey, warmth spreading through my chest, before setting the glass down with a dull thud. The evening stretched long, but fatigue never came easy to me. Alessia was already in bed, and for the first time in ages, I was loath to get up and go to her.As I pushed my chair back and rose to my full height, Matteo stood against the wall, eyeing me with the same craggy gaze he had previously displayed.“Should I investigate the reporter?” he asked, his voice low but firm. Should I keep him at bay?”I played with the cuffs of my shirt, thinking about it. “No,” I said finally. “Not yet.”Matteo’s eyebrows knitted a little. “I don’t like him, Dominic. He’s trouble.”My facial expression was neutral as I turned to him. “I know.”We exchanged silence, and I gave him a curt nod, then turned on my heel and walked away.The bedroom was dark, the city lights softly gleaming through the curtains. Alessia was curled under the covers, her breathing slow and

Dominic's POVAt the instant Alessia uttered her last words, the room became heavy. Gasps surged through the crowd, cameras burst like a thunderstorm, and eyes zeroed in on her. I could feel the stares, the keen curiosity, and the slow dawning acknowledgment rippling through the spectators. But none of it mattered.What mattered was her.Sophia froze, mouth parted slightly, trying to hide the fury contorting her face. That carefully polished mask of poise and arrogance shattered in an instant. The self-assured woman who had once been certain she owned the stage now seemed a damn fool."You bitch!" She said.Alessia gasped as she served the best stink eye I've ever seen, and I struggled to stifle my chuckle."Be polite to people, Sophia. Maybe you won’t get slapped again,” I said sternly."You..." Sophia quivered. "You're my fiance. You're supposed to be on my side.’”“I am not a fan of evil, Sophia. It’s about time you stopped being a shit to people, and you just might get some nice t

Alessia’s POVThere was an agitated buzz in the ballroom, the air heavy with tension that had been in the air all night. The whispers snaked, venomous, among the guests, wrapped around me, constricting like an invisible noose. No amount of pricey perfume and expensive champagne could cover the fetid aromas of pretension.I had stood tall, unmoved, but inside, my patience was wearing thinner.The presentation for the charity had begun and the focus moved to the stage where the host, a classy older gentleman with gray hair, cleared his throat.“Ladies and gentleman,” he said, his voice heavy with practiced elegance, “this evening, we are graced with the generosity of some of the most powerful people in this city. Let us begin the donations."One by one, the society’s finest stood up and threw around obscene donations like confetti at a parade. Five million, seven million, or even a comically inflated twelve million from some tycoon pulling out all the stops.Then, it was Dominic’s turn.

Alessia’s POV“Thank you,” I said, as I took the champagne glass from the waiter. I took a sip to hide my nervousness.Beams from above danced like splintered diamonds, spreading a forced light throughout the ballroom. Laughter and conversation wafted around me like poisoned honey. It was sweet, yet deceptive, and choking.I remained at the center of it, my fingers clenched around the stem of the champagne glass. My spine erect, and a blank expression on my face.But beneath that grin, my blood was boiling.Eyes burned into my skin. Women whispered behind their jeweled hands, their eyes darting between me and Sophia with barely restrained glee. Men leered at them, some with curiosity and some with glee, as if vying for a show. And Sophia? She basked in it.Dominic’s grip on my waist was tight but not painful, his fingers pressing against me lightly as if reminding me to keep calm. He didn’t need to. I had long since mastered the art of keeping my cool.But Sophia was testing it.She

Dominic’s POVSophia had become a problem I could no longer ignore.She was relentless. Always watching. Always waiting. Always scheming.At first, I let it slide. I thought I could control the situation, keep her in check. I was wrong.Sophia didn’t just want to be part of my life, she wanted to own it.She had spent years manipulating, twisting, and forcing her way into places she didn’t belong. And when I tried to pull away, she dug in her claws deeper.I should have never agreed to the engagement plans. It was a stupid idea from the beginning.“What are you going to do about her boss?” Matteo asked. “She's not going to stop.”“Anything I see fit. She's starting to become a problem,” I answered.“Do you think she knows about Alessia?” He asked.“Of course, she does,” I answered.“And the new location?” Matteo asked.“I suspect she might know. That reminds me, I checked the CCTV footage yesterday and it seemed cut,” I answered.“You're thinking someone in the house did it,” Matteo s

Dominic’s POV“This offer is the best in the market. You won’t find a better deal anywhere else.” I negotiated.I sat back in my leather chair, my voice low and gravelly, my features all stone. Mr. Fonzie and Mr. Demetrius exchanged a silent glance and nodded to each other across the table.“We accept the offer, Mr. Dominic,” Mr. Fonzi said at last, gripping the pen in his palm.“Then we have a deal,” I replied bluntly.We signed and shook hands. Matteo trailed behind, rising from the signed documents, and walked to escort them out of my office.“Pleasure doing business with you,” Mr. Demetrius said as elevator doors opened.“Same,” I nodded, keeping my eyes on my office.I watched the elevator doors close and turned back to return to my office. Once I walked in, my eyes noticed the black blotch on my freshly washed white T-shirt.I hadn't seen it earlier and it must have spilled when I wasn’t paying any attention. I ignored it and returned to business.A knock on the door took my att

Adam’s POVAs soon as Corinth made a run for it, the chase ensued.The guards immediately shouted orders, their heavy boots echoing on the marble floor as they pursued her. Corinth moved swiftly, weaving through the crowd with a sense of urgency that gave precision to her every action. Her arms pumped, and her legs propelled her forward as she ran down the hallway, holding on tightly to the stolen gun.I followed her at a measured pace. She was driven by survival instincts, but panic often leads to mistakes. She would eventually slip up, and I intended to be there when it happened.At the end of the corridor, Corinth took a sharp turn into another hallway. A guard lunged at her, barely grazing her sleeve, but she spun around, driving her elbow into his ribs. He grunted in pain and stumbled back, crashing into a glass cabinet that shattered, sending pieces of glass everywhere.Another guard was on her quickly, reaching for her arm, but she ducked, swinging the gun to connect with his j

Corinth’s POVThe kitchen was filled with the aroma of fresh herbs and cooked meat, but it didn't give me the satisfaction I needed. I felt out of place.I stood at the shiny counter, my hands steady despite the cold surface.The head chef worked quickly and skillfully, preparing Elizabeth's dinner with pride in his work. He had no clue about my intentions.The moment had arrived. I reminded myself, "Don't mess up. Just do it and get out. It won't kill her. She'll be okay."I kept these thoughts in my head.I glanced at the spice rack. There was a small vial hidden between jars of basil and oregano, easy to miss. I had placed it there earlier to blend with the spices. My fingers brushed over it as I pretended to care about the plates.My heart was racing. There was no turning back.If I hesitated, my boss would punish me harshly. He never forgave mistakes. Failing was not an option for me.The chef turned to grab some rosemary. That was my chance.I carefully added a few drops of the

Adam’s POVThe room felt incredibly small, almost as if it were closing in on me. I could hardly breathe. My heart was pounding loudly, like war drums, as I stormed out, each step driven by the burning anger inside me.Corinth!!!That name was stuck in my thoughts, gripping my anger tightly. She had a simple task: deliver my message. Just one task, and she didn't do it.Maybe she even ignored it on purpose.I moved quickly through the hallway, my hands clenched in fists. I needed to find out what happened right away. Kevin had come out of his coma. That should have been the first thing I was told. Instead, I was kept in the dark. Someone was trying to keep me uninformed, someone wanted me off balance. And Corinth was at the heart of it all.As I got to the stairs, ready to go down, I noticed something move from the corner of my eye."Adam."I stopped and turned to where the voice came from. I saw Maximus standing there.He stepped in front of me, his face serious, his eyes sharp. He w

Adam's POVI hadn’t slept. I was tired, my eyes burned, and yet morning came, but my head wouldn’t sleep. Mirroring a shivering voice, slithering through the thoughts of the mind, wherever I closed my eyes, the very next moment, shadows got keen at the border of my moment, my sight. I didn’t know what was real anymore.Elizabeth curled up next to me, her breathing steady but shallow.Carefully I pushed her hair from her face, letting my fingers linger on her cheek. She appeared serene, but I knew it was an illusion. She was still plagued with nightmares. I had gotten up more than once to her shaking in her sleep and mumbled words that made no sense.That thought turned my blood to ice.Elizabeth turned a little and buried her face in my chest. I held her a bit tighter and then slipped out of bed gently. She didn’t stir.I dressed quickly. My body was worn out but my mind was as sharp as it had ever been. Today was the day I would get the answers I needed.By the time I entered the sec

Adam's POVI first noticed it in the little things — pauses, misplaced objects, an extra beat spent staring into space. Elizabeth had always been sharp, from her calculated endeavors to her scalpel-sharp mind. But recently, there was something different.She would reach for her food but then stop, narrowing her eyes as though she were aware that something just wasn’t right. Then she’d shake her head and make herself eat, though her appetite was sporadic. On some nights, she would eat an entire meal in minutes. On other nights, she hardly ate at all.And then came the confusion.She would forget things, the little things at first. Where she had left her phone. If she had answered a message〕. Then it escalated. Whole conversations fell from her mind. She repeated the same questions, even within minutes of one another.Initially, I told myself it was just stress. Pregnancy was complicated on the body, and Elizabeth had enough on her plate. However, I was not someone who disregarded my gu

Elizabeth's POVThe first time it happened, I wrote it off as nothing but exhaustion. I had screamed my fucking head off at that disappearing figure in the mirror.I caught a glimpse of a mirror today while fitting in brushing my hair before bed. I took the lamp off, and then turned back, and I swear my reflection didn’t follow.I blinked.There was nothing peculiar in the glass. Just me. My slightly uncombed hair, my weary gaze, my finger caught in mid-action.I exhaled and wrangled myself into laughter.Pregnancy fatigue. That’s all it was.But later that night, I was roused by whispers.My pulse quickened as I opened my eyes to stare at the darkness. It was faint, like a voice on the wind, low enough in pitch that the words couldn’t be made out.I turned my head slightly.Adam was lying next to me, his breathing slow and steady, deep in sleep.I held still, listening.The murmurs appeared to come in from one end of the room, close to the window. But when I changed, they went away.