Novels by Ij Gabriel

(Amelia’s POV)“I swear to God. I'll kill him if he comes near you again.”“Ethan, please. Calm down.” I cajoled. The words hung in the hospital room, heavy as stone. Ethan sat on the edge of the bed, still gripping my hand like if he let go I’d disappear. His eyes were hard, locked on mine, and I knew there was no dodging him this time.“Tell me everything,” he said.I shifted, the sheets rustling under me. My wrist ached, my stomach still tight from the false contractions. “Ethan—”“No.” His voice cut sharper than I’d ever heard it. “No more stalling. I walk in here and find you hooked up to machines, terrified out of your mind, and Leo’s name on your lips. I deserve the truth.”I pressed my lips together, staring down at our hands. His thumb brushed over my knuckles, steady but tense.Finally, I whispered, “He grabbed me. That’s how it started. I confronted him about Dr. Marks—about him disappearing after Leo came around. Leo didn’t like that.”Ethan’s head tilted slightly. “Dr. Ma

(Amelia’s POV)“Amelia?”I stiffened the second I heard his voice.I’d gone back to the office against Ethan’s warnings, telling myself it was just to pick up files, just to remind myself I still had control over my life. But of course he was here. Leo always managed to be where I didn’t want him.He leaned against the doorframe of my office with his arms crossed over his chest, a casual smirk tugging at his mouth.“You shouldn’t be here,” I snapped, standing behind my desk like the wood between us could protect me.“You’re one to talk,” he said. “Didn’t your husband tell you to stay home? Rest? Put your feet up? Everyone says you are on leave.”I clenched my jaw. “Don’t bring Ethan into this.”“Why not? He’s the reason you’re hiding.” Leo stepped inside, closing the door behind him with a quiet click. “But here you are, back where you belong. Back with me.”I pointed at him, hand shaking. “Don’t twist this. I came for my work. My patients. Not for you.”His expression tightened for h

Amelia’s POVI wasn’t expecting anyone. Ethan had texted an hour ago saying he’d be late, something about cleaning up a mess Ryan left at the office. The apartment was too quiet, so I had Netflix playing just for background noise while I half-dozed on the couch.Then the doorbell rang.I frowned, pushing myself up. It was late and definitely way too late for deliveries. My first thought was Ethan forgot his key. My second thought was worse. Leo.I padded to the door, barefoot, pulling my hoodie tighter around me. When I opened it, my stomach dropped.“Dr. Marks?”He stood there in the hallway, hands shoved into his coat pockets. He looked… different. Thinner, hair unkempt, eyes darting around like he hadn’t slept in days. His tie was crooked, his shirt wrinkled like he’d pulled it from the bottom of a suitcase.“Amelia,” he said with a short laugh, like he wasn’t sure it was my name. “You look… well. You look alive.”I gripped the edge of the door. “Where have you been? You disappear

(Amelia’s POV)It was almost three in the morning when my stomach decided to revolt against me. I woke up with a craving so bizarre that even I laughed out loud in the dark.Pickles. And vanilla ice cream. Together.I lay there for a minute, staring at the ceiling, debating whether I should just drink some water and try to ignore it. But then I imagined the crunch of a pickle dunked into soft ice cream, and suddenly water wasn’t going to cut it.I slipped out of bed as quietly as I could, tiptoeing toward the kitchen.“Where are you going?” Ethan’s groggy voice startled me.I spun around. He was sitting up, hair sticking out like a scarecrow’s, rubbing at his face. His tie from last night was still draped over the lamp where he’d tossed it.“Nothing,” I whispered. “Go back to sleep.”“Nothing? You’re creeping around at three A.M. like a burglar.” He squinted at me. “You’re not leaving me for another man, are you?”“Not unless that man is a jar of pickles,” I said.That woke him up a l

Sienna’s POVI kicked off my heels the second I stepped into Veronica’s penthouse. Well, Ethan's father's…along with the estate, she also got most of his properties.The place smelled like expensive perfume and fresh lilies, like always. She had a taste for making every room feel like a showroom instead of a home.She didn’t even look up when I stormed in. Just sat on her cream sofa with a glass of wine, scrolling her phone.“Seriously?” I snapped. “I texted you three times. This is important.”Veronica sighed, finally setting the phone aside. “Everything’s important to you, darling. Sit down.”“I don’t want to sit down.” My voice cracked, more desperate than I liked. “I need your help.”That got her attention. She leaned back, one leg crossing elegantly over the other. “With what, exactly?”“Ethan,” I said.Her lips curved in that knowing way I hated. “Ah. Of course.”I paced, running my fingers through my hair. “He won’t even look at me anymore. Not the way he used to. She’s got him

Amelia’s POV"tell me, Amelia...who?"Ethan’s hand closed around mine, gentle but firm, holding my wrist up in the low light.The bruise was angry now, blooming dark against my skin. His jaw tightened as he stared at it.“Who did this to you?” he asked again, quieter this time, but sharper.My throat dried up. For a second, I thought about lying. Pretending I’d slipped, or hit it against something. But the way he was looking at me—I couldn’t.I pulled my hand back and stepped away from the railing. “We should sit.”“Amelia.”“Please,” I whispered.We sat on one of the lounge chairs tucked into the balcony corner. My hands twisted in my lap, my chest tight. He was still watching me, waiting, his face set in stone.“It was him,” I said finally. “Leo.”The name seemed to freeze the air between us. Ethan didn’t move, didn’t breathe. Just stared at me.“He found me today when I went for a walk,” I went on. “He wanted to talk. I tried to leave. He grabbed me.” I lifted my wrist again, forci

The knock on the door was soft, almost hesitant.Naya frowned, setting down the chipped mug of tea Zipper had left for her earlier. She wasn’t expecting anyone he was the only one allowed in and out of the guest house without clearance.She opened the door and froze.“Daniel.”He smiled the same polished smile she used to fall for, the one that looked effortless but cost her everything. His suit was sharp, his cologne familiar. He leaned on the frame like he belonged there.“Can I come in?” he asked.Her throat tightened. “You’re not supposed to be here.”“I know.” He glanced over his shoulder, then back at her. “Two minutes. That’s all I want. Just to check on you.”Naya almost slammed the door. Almost. Instead, she stepped aside, stiff and unwilling, and he walked in as if he still had rights to the space.The guest house felt smaller instantly.“Nice setup,” he said, looking around. “Better than the ward, I imagine.”“Say what you came to say,” she muttered.Daniel turned to her,

“You brought me here for what?” Naya asked, crossing her arms as she stood in the dim little office above a coffee shop. The place smelled of burnt espresso and dust, and the blinds were half-closed like it was hiding from daylight.Zipper was leaning against the doorframe, hands shoved into his pockets. “Patience. You’ll see.”She gave him a narrow look. “I hate it when you say that.”“You’ll live.”Before she could snap back, the door at the far end opened and a man walked in. He was older, maybe late forties, tall but a little stooped, with sharp eyes that scanned her like he was filing away every detail. His jacket was wrinkled, his tie crooked, but his step was steady.“This her?” he asked Zipper.“Yeah. Naya, meet Reed. Reed, meet trouble,” Zipper said, tipping his chin toward her.“Charmed,” Reed muttered, setting a thick folder on the table.Naya frowned. “Who exactly are you?”“Private investigator,” Reed answered flatly. “Been following Adrian and Daniel for months.”Her st

“You always ruin everything!”Naya froze mid-step. Adrian’s voice, sharp and too close, echoed down the hallway. She pressed her back against the wall, heart thumping.Chloe’s reply came just as sharp. “Don’t put this on me. You’re the one who cracked first. You looked like an amateur in there.”“I didn’t crack.” Adrian’s shoes scraped against the floor, pacing maybe. “You contradicted yourself twice. Twice, Chloe. Do you have any idea how bad that looked?”“I wouldn’t have if you’d done your part,” she shot back. “You promised me Daniel would never doubt me. But I can feel it—he’s looking at me different. And that’s your fault.”Naya leaned closer to the corner, hardly breathing. Her palms were clammy.Adrian lowered his voice, but the words still carried. “We’re this close. All we need is for her to break down once more on the stand. If you can’t hold your story together—”“You don’t get to lecture me,” Chloe hissed. “You’re not the one pretending to be pregnant every day. You think

“The court will reconvene tomorrow morning for the ruling.”The judge’s gavel hit the desk, sharp and final. The sound bounced in Naya’s chest like a hammer. She sat frozen at the defense table, her hands gripping the wood so tight her knuckles burned.Tomorrow. One more night. Then she would either walk free or be buried.Zipper leaned over, calm as always. “Stand up, princess. Show them you’ve got spine.”Her knees felt like paper, but she forced herself to rise, chin lifted. Cameras clicked from the back of the room, reporters shouting questions as the bailiff moved to block them.“Come on,” Zipper said under his breath, guiding her toward a side door.The moment the door shut behind them, the courthouse noise vanished, leaving a quiet hallway. Zipper pushed open a small side room—just a table, some chairs, and a buzzing light above. He shut the door with his foot.Naya dropped into a chair, burying her face in her hands. “Tomorrow. They’re dragging this out to tomorrow.”“Better t

Naya's Pov“I don’t even know how you sleep at night.”The voice stopped Naya mid-step, halfway down the hall that led to the women’s bathroom. She froze, her hand tightening around the strap of her purse. She didn’t have to turn, she already knew it.Daniel.Slowly, she looked over her shoulder. He stood leaning against the wall like he owned the place, his suit sharp, tie loosened just enough to look casual. His dark hair was still perfect, his jaw tight. He looked the same as always, like it was a tiring activity. And somehow that hurt more than anything.“What do you want?” Naya asked, her voice flat.Daniel pushed off the wall, stepping closer. “Just to talk. You’ve been telling stories up there, painting me as some monster. Thought I should remind you of the truth.”She lifted her chin. “The truth is what I told them. You ignored me for a year. You left me alone in that house while you were God knows where. And your mother treated me like I was dirt.”He smirked. “You think any

Chloe' PovChloe had dressed carefully that morning, even more than usual. The ivory silk dress hugged her tall frame just enough to look elegant but not too revealing for court. Her blonde hair was pinned in soft waves over one shoulder, pearls at her ears, and her makeup precise, warm blush, a faint gloss to make her lips look fuller. She wanted sympathy. She wanted to look like the picture of grace.Daniel walked beside her into the courthouse. Broad shoulders filling his tailored navy suit, his dark hair trimmed neat, face freshly shaven. He looked sharp, controlled. The perfect businessman. But Chloe knew better. His jaw was tight, his hand flexing at his side as they entered the courtroom. He hated losing control of the narrative.And today, Adrian had slipped.The whispers had spread fast: forged papers, forged signatures, Adrian stammering for the first time in years. Chloe had seen Daniel’s knuckles go white around his pen as the evidence came up. He hadn’t said a word to he

I did not open the e-mail.Not that night. Nor the next morning. Not even after reconsidering the subject line—We have to discuss something.Landon needed a lot of things. Closure. Forgiveness. Maybe a soul.I did not intend to provide anything else.I opened up a browser and typed in two words that I had forgotten: personal reinvention.The salon smelled of citrus and hairspray. I sat beneath the harsh glow of vanity lights while a stranger studied my face like a canvas she’d been aching to paint."So," she said, taking her gloves off, "what are we going to do today?"I looked at my reflection—flat, lifeless brown hair, cheeks still pale from the hospital, lips pressed into a firm, unsmiling line.I pressed the glass gently. "We're deleting her."She raised one impeccably arched eyebrow. "Erasing?""She is too soft. She forgives people who don't deserve forgiveness. She stays quiet when she should be speaking out."The stylist smiled mischievously. "Oh, I see. We’re making a monster.

The hospital smelled of antiseptic and shattered hopes.It felt odd entering through the doorway again—this time without cane to lean on or hand to cling to. I went in without support, shoulders squared, sunglasses shielding still-sensitive eyes. It was all sharper. Brighter. As if waiting for me to awaken.Dr. Knox's office was located at the far end of the hall. The receptionist double-taked when she noticed me."Elara?" she spoke softly, nearly whispering. "You"Such as one who is seeing for the first time?" I suggested, tilting the brim of my spectacles with a half-smile.She pasted on a smile. "Dr. Knox is expecting you. Go right on in."I knocked, then went in.Dr. Knox looked up from her tablet. "There she is." She stood up from her seat, approaching me with a smile. "Let me take a look at you."I removed the sunglasses, and we sat there staring at one another for some time. Her eyes searched me intensely."Tracking is fine. Any pressure sensations? Flashes of light? Headache?"

The sunbeam warmed my skin as I walked through the glass doors of the hospital. It should have been like starting over, like having a miracle set before me. But instead, I walked as if I had entered right in the eye of the storm.Mark was leaning against the car in a relaxed pose, arms crossed, sunglasses on the nose as always. He stood up straight when he saw me. "Miss Matthews," he said, opening the back door as though nothing had changed.I hesitated. “Please, don’t call Landon.”His brow furrowed. “Ma’am?”I adjusted the straps on my bag. “Don’t tell him I’m out. Not yet.”His lips had begun to open as if he were about to ask something, but an abrupt tension in my posture restrained him."I comprehend," he finally said.I nodded and moved over into the back seat. "I have to go to the family guesthouse, not the penthouse,""One in Rosehill?" he asked, briefly glancing over his shoulder in my direction."Indeed, serene. I yearn for such calmness."Mark declined to take the issue fur

Something seemed amiss.I blinked twice, then again, slowly. The pain in the back of my eyes burned, yet it was subdued—muted. The world wasn't black. It was something else. Liquid light nudged the edges of my vision, like the first hint of day through mist."Elara?" There came a voice through the mist. Filling. Warm.I shifted my head slightly, and the motion had the sensation of pulling my skull through sandpaper."Elara, do you hear me?" The voice came closer—Dr. Knox.I had a dry mouth, though I could muster a rasp. "I can hear you."A sigh of relief. "Well. That's fine. You certainly scared us enough with your post-op experience.""Did. did it work?" My voice cracked, though I barely noticed. My fingertips hurt on the rough surface of the hospital bed.There existed a pause. I could feel it before she went on.You tell me.I wrenched them open as far as I could. Light blinded me: searing, brilliant, intruding, yes. Light. No dark outlines dancing in the dark. No hues. Burning, re

The bathroom floor was cold.I laid on the cold bathroom floor, every inch of my body screaming in pain. My head was in a war zone, But the worst part? The silence. It was suffocating, like the air itself had turned heavy and still. I tried to sit up, but my limbs felt like lead. Then, a strange pressure pressed down upon my eyelids, the feeling of being sucked into some kind of dark, open space. My hand flew to my face, fingers shaking. Wet. Sticky.Blood.It trickled into my fingers, a slow tide that felt heavy and suffocating. Panic clawed at me, I tried to open my eyes, but it was useless. The effort itself was painful, and the outlines I once could see were gone.I could only see pitch darkness.My right eye, burned like fire, the pain so strong it sent my whole body tumbling back down when I tried again to stand up.I can't see.It hit my brain like a streak of lightning, and I felt breathless, frozen in fear. The bathroom swayed to a tilt, and it was as if the world had

It didn't stop.I pressed my ear to the bathroom door, and a hand to my mouth to keep my whimpering silent.Landon didn't stop cheating on me. Now, as I listened to his hearty laughter and the ‘pit pat’ of the water as it hit the ground, I wondered how I had not noticed it.“I miss you, baby…” I heard him say, and I took a step back. I didn't want to hear anymore.I'd stepped backward, and the world blurred for a second before coming back into harsh focus.My brain was screaming at me to run and to just pretend I hadn't heard any of it. “So do you need me right now? I could…”Another trembling step back from the bathroom door, every word from his mouth made it harder to breathe. This was not the Landon I knew. The more I listened, the more I felt like I wasn't even real.Like this all wasn't real.He laughed-a rich sound with that same flow that once drew me to him like a moth to a flame. Now it was all wrong-twisted. It showed me something that I had been too blind to see, too bl

"Come closer, Selene."The whisper still lingered in the air long after it should have faded, curling through the dark like smoke.I took a step without even realizing it. Then another.The trees pressed in around me, and the faint golden shimmer over my hands dimmed into nothing, leaving me feeling exposed.My claws stayed out, though. My nails dug into my palms as I walked, following that voice, even though every instinct screamed at me to turn back.But it was the mention of my parents that kept me moving.Whoever she was — she’d said she had a message from them. And I… I couldn’t walk away from that. Not now.The forest felt colder here, and quiet in a way that didn’t feel right. Not a single branch creaked. No birds rustled above me. The usual smell of pine and earth had been swallowed up by something sour and metallic.I kept walking.The voice didn’t call again, but it didn’t have to.It felt like invisible strings were tugging me forward, guiding me through trees I didn’t reco

"Where the hell have you been?"The words hit me the moment I stepped into the clearing.Frey was already on his feet by the fire, his shoulders bunched, his claws out. I hadn’t even finished brushing the dirt off my hands when he stalked toward me, his sharp blue eyes catching the light like cold flame.The children all stopped what they were doing and went quiet. A little girl even pulled her blanket over her head as if that would protect her from the storm brewing.I didn’t stop walking. My heart was still pounding too hard, my skin still humming faintly with golden light, and Rafe’s smell still clung to me like smoke.Frey stopped just short of me, close enough that I could see how his nostrils flared as he took in my scent.And then his lips curled."You smell like him," he spat, his voice low but sharp enough to cut.I froze.The fire cracked between us, and I felt the golden spark under my skin prickle to life again.“You’ve been with him,” Frey said, louder now. “You went runn

"Let me go."Light flared down my arm, searing into my knuckles, and when my fist connected with his jaw, the whole forest seemed to shudder around us.He didn’t just stumble.He went flying.His body hit a tree hard enough to split the trunk down the middle, wood groaning and splintering under him before he dropped to the ground in a cloud of needles and bark.I stood there, chest heaving, the golden light still swirling around me, sparking from my fingertips to the blackened ground. My breathing sounded too loud in the silence that followed.Then I heard it.A laugh.Low. Rough. Infuriatingly amused.Rafe pushed himself to his feet, brushing a streak of blood from his lip with the back of his hand.“Feel better?” he asked, his voice curling into a dark smile.My lip curled, and I took a step toward him, the ground quivering faintly under my feet as the light coiled tighter. “Don’t start with me, Rafe.”But he was already grinning through his split lip, his silver eyes burning hotter

"We’re all just waiting to see who you kill first."The boy’s words kept ringing in my ears, louder with every breath, until I couldn’t stand to sit there another second.“Enough,” I hissed to myself, shoving off my knees.Someone said my name as I stormed away from the fire — Frey’s voice, low and careful — but I didn’t look back.Not this time.The cold night swallowed me up almost instantly, branches clawing at my arms as I pushed through the undergrowth.My fingers itched, my veins too hot, and little sparks of that golden light kept flickering under my skin like embers trying to catch.I hated it.I hated him.I hated all of them.The boy’s mismatched eyes, Frey’s knowing silence, and most of all… Rafe.That arrogant bastard’s face wouldn’t leave my mind, no matter how fast I walked. His voice — the last words he ever said to me before turning his back and letting me drown."You’re too weak to stand beside me."And I believed him.For far too long, I believed him.I shoved anothe

“I thought you’d be asleep by now.” Frey said, leaning against the tree like he owned the whole forest.I nearly jumped out of my skin.“Gods, Frey, you—” I pressed a hand to my chest and glared at him. “Do you creep on every girl who can’t sleep, or is it just me?”He smiled, sharp as a blade in moonlight. “Only the dangerous ones.”I stepped off the cabin porch and into the cool night air, arms crossed. My cheeks burned hotter than I liked to admit. All around us the camp was quiet. The fire was nothing but a faint orange glow in the pit, kids curled up in blankets like little foxes. The air smelled like ash and damp pine.I’d been trying, but failing to sleep for hours. My body was heavy but my mind just… wouldn’t shut up. Rafe’s voice still rang in my head from earlier, every word another bruise. The children’s hollow eyes haunted me. Even Frey’s crooked smile left me feeling all tangled up inside.Now here he was, all tall and lean, leaning like he’d been waiting just for me. M

I woke to the sound of boots scraping against the floorboards.For a moment, I stayed still, feigning sleep, hoping the quiet rhythm of my breathing would mask the storm churning inside me. But even with my eyes closed, I could feel it—him. Frey’s presence was impossible to ignore, a restless heat that settled in the air whenever he was near.When I finally opened my eyes, he was leaning against the far wall, arms crossed, watching me with that infuriatingly calm smirk. The early morning sun cut through the cabin window, turning his dark hair almost golden at the edges.“You’re a light sleeper,” he said.“And you’re a heavy watcher,” I shot back, my voice hoarse from sleep.He chuckled at that, low and easy, but his eyes didn’t leave mine. There was something in his stare that made my chest tighten, something that reminded me too much of the way Rafe used to look at me before everything fell apart.I sat up, pulling the blanket around me. “Do you just… stand there and stare at people