Novel-novel oleh Lavender pen

Valerie’s POVI couldn’t shake the feeling that someone was watching me. The text, the eerie silence of the estate, the way the air around me suddenly felt too thick—it was all too much.I gripped my phone, my breathing uneven. Should I tell Ryan? Would he think I was being paranoid?Before I could decide, the sound of footsteps echoed through the hall. My head snapped up just as Ryan strode into the room, his presence commanding as always. He had discarded his suit jacket, leaving him in just a crisp white dress shirt with the top buttons undone, revealing a glimpse of his strong, defined chest. His sleeves were rolled up to his elbows, showcasing the corded muscles of his forearms.But it wasn’t just his appearance that made my breath hitch. It was the way he was looking at me.Like a predator closing in on his prey.I swallowed hard, forcing myself to speak. “Did you—”He didn’t let me finish.Without a word, he crossed the room in long, determined strides until he was standing rig

Valerie’s POVThe entire ride back to Ryan’s penthouse was tense. My heart was still racing from the hooded figure watching us. Ryan hadn’t said a word since we got into the car, but his grip on the steering wheel was tight, his jaw clenched as if he were holding something back.I shifted in my seat, glancing at him. “Ryan…”“Not now,” he muttered, his voice sharp.I pressed my lips together, feeling frustration bubble inside me. “You can’t just ignore this. Who the hell was that?”Ryan didn’t answer immediately. Instead, he pulled the car into the underground parking lot of his building, put it in park, and exhaled slowly. Then he turned to me, his dark eyes locked onto mine.“I don’t know,” he admitted, which was somehow more unsettling than if he had.I crossed my arms. “You sure about that? Because something tells me this isn’t just about some nosy paparazzi.”He rubbed a hand over his jaw, looking almost… conflicted. That alone sent a shiver through me. Ryan Devante was never con

Valerie’s POV I woke up to the sound of my phone buzzing aggressively on the nightstand. For a moment, I lay there, disoriented, the events of the previous day rushing back like a freight train. The public appearance, the forced smiles, the uncomfortable stares… Daniel Mercer. With a groan, I reached for my phone and squinted at the screen. Over twenty missed calls and at least a hundred messages. What the hell? I sat up quickly, my heart pounding as I scrolled through the notifications. My social media accounts had exploded overnight. Breaking News: Billionaire Ryan Devante Announces Surprise Engagement to Unknown Woman! Who is Valerie Bennett? Mysterious Fiancée of Business Tycoon Sparks Curiosity! Ryan Devante’s Fiancée: A Gold Digger or True Love? I swallowed hard, clicking on one of the links. The article was a complete deep dive into my life—where I grew up, what I did for work, who my parents were. They had even found pictures of me from my college days, laughin

Valerie’s POVI should have known the day was going to be a disaster the moment I stepped out of the bedroom.The mansion was eerily quiet as I walked down the grand hallway, my bare feet making no sound against the polished marble floors. It was almost unsettling—like the calm before a thunderstorm.I had barely made it to the dining room when I saw Ryan sitting at the head of the table, dressed in an impeccably tailored suit, flipping through his phone as he sipped his coffee. He looked completely at ease, as if today wasn’t the day we were about to turn the entire world upside down.I, on the other hand, felt like I was about to walk into an ambush."You’re finally down," he said without looking up from his phone."Unfortunately," I muttered under my breath as I pulled out a chair.He smirked. "You sound excited.""I’m thrilled," I deadpanned, grabbing a piece of toast.Ryan finally looked up, his eyes gleaming with amusement. "You’ll survive.""Easy for you to say," I shot back. "

Valerie’s POVSunlight filtered through the massive floor-to-ceiling windows, bathing the bedroom in a golden hue. I blinked against the brightness, groaning softly as I turned to my side—only to freeze.I wasn’t alone.Ryan Devante lay beside me, his breathing steady, his muscular frame relaxed against the silk sheets. His dark hair was tousled in a way that should’ve looked messy but instead made him look even more devastatingly handsome.And then it hit me.I had agreed to marry him.A billionaire. A man I barely knew.Oh, God.My stomach twisted as the events of last night replayed in my head, his absurd proposal, his reasoning, and worse, my acceptance. I had said yes. I had willingly agreed to a contract marriage with the most enigmatic, unreadable man I had ever met.What the hell was I thinking?I needed to get up. To clear my head. To put some distance between myself and this reckless decision.Slowly, I lifted the blanket, careful not to disturb him. I swung my legs over the

Ryan POV"Sir we found her" One of my guards called Bradus said as my gaze shifted from the files of work that laid on the desk to him. " Let her go" I said, and his brows arched in surprise."But sir,---""It's okay, just let her go, Monica is the least of my problems right now, you can go" I cut in on his words, his mouth hung open, breaching anything he had wanted to say. I knew he would be shocked because I don't go back on my words but Monica had violated that rule of mine. "Okay, sir" He replied, bowed and left. I sighed, my mind drifting to numerous things.Grandfather had called and asked me to get married as that was the only way he would give his last assets to me or give it to the government. I had hired Monica to do the job but it seemed the slut looked through my files and ran away with my money.I asked my guards to find her and she had been seen at the airport boarding the first flight that came in sight but I didn't see the need to capture her anymore.If she wanted