Novels by Julia Davis

I stared at him, heart thundering. My mouth opened, but nothing came out at first. “I… I did go there,” I finally stammered. “To the town. To where I grew up. But it wasn’t what I remembered.” Gerrard didn’t respond, he just watched me with stormy eyes, waiting. “The place was different,” I continued, my voice shaking. “It was like… like time had erased everything. There was no trace of my home. There’s a new building there now. Some sleek modern thing; cold and empty.” I swallowed, pressing a hand to my chest. “No one recognized me. Not even the neighbors. But then again… I’m not the little girl who left that town. I’ve changed. I'm all grown now, with a change of identity and appearance. And I guess they’ve moved on too.” Then softly, he asked, “So why didn’t you just come home? I was here waiting for you” "I know, but I needed some kind of closure." I looked down, blinking back fresh tears. “So I went out of town to find someone, an old friend. The only person I though

When I walked into the house, the staff greeted me warmly, Gilmore, Luke, even Brenda. Their faces showed surprise, but there was happiness and a bit of relief in their eyes.“Welcome back, Miss Lily,” one of the maids said with a kind smile.Luke stepped forward and gave me a small nod. “It’s good to see you. Finally, we can all catch a break."I stopped in my tracks. “What do you mean?” I asked, feeling my stomach tighten.Luke rubbed the back of his neck like he was unsure how much to say. “After Gerrard came back alone from your trip, the casino ran into some trouble. Police trouble... Don't worry, it’s all been taken care of now. The boss has powerful connections, you know.”I just nodded. I already knew Gerrard wasn’t the type to fall apart, even with Bruno stirring things up. Still, I felt a strange unease settle in my chest.Luke continued, his voice a little softer now. “But Gerrard hasn’t been himself, he was so worried about you when he couldn’t reach you. He was a mess, Li

We were trapped. Thaddeus had given the order. The guards were moving in to grab me. My heart was racing, I couldn’t let them take me to Bruno. Not like this. Not without a fight. But then, Tim stepped forward. His voice was calm, but strong. "You might want to think twice before you do that." Thaddeus raised a brow, amused. "Is that so?" "I know what you did Thaddeus, I know the old man didn’t steal from Bruno. You did." I turned to look at Tim, shocked. What was he saying? Thaddeus’s smug smile didn’t fade. In fact, he chuckled and looked straight at me. “Wow. That’s what we’re doing now?” he said. “Throwing ridiculous accusations?” I could feel my blood boiling. Tim didn’t back down. “It’s not a lie. I have proof.” That made Thaddeus pause. Just for a second. His smile twitched. Tim pulled out a small recording device. “This was recorded a few months ago. When Thaddeus was supposed to be overseas on a mission. Melissa his girlfriend is my cousin, my uncle, h

The moment I stepped back into my hometown, memories hit me like a wave. Everything looked the same, the streets, the buildings, even the air smelled familiar. But something felt off. The place seemed empty, like a ghost town filled with moments I had tried so hard to forget. I kept my hood up, my face down, and stayed hidden during the day. Sir Bruno’s men were everywhere. If they knew I was back, I wouldn’t last long. My first stop was my father’s house. The moment I saw it, my chest tightened. It was abandoned, lifeless. The white paint had peeled away, leaving dark stains. Dust covered the windows, and the porch looked ready to collapse. My father. What had he been going through all this time? Tears filled my eyes. We didn’t have much before, but we were happy, until Bruno destroyed our lives in an instant. I cried for my father, for everything we had lost. But I couldn’t stay long. It wasn’t safe. As I opened the door to leave, I ran straight into someone. Tim

I forced a small smile, sitting up and pulling the sheets around me like they could protect me from the weight of his words. “Gerrard, I...” I hesitated, searching for the right words. “I don’t think that’s a good idea.” He frowned, his concern was clear. “Why not?” I looked away, suddenly more interested in the patterns on the duvet than in his piercing gaze. “I just… I have a lot of bad memories there,” I admitted in a quiet voice. “It’s not a place I want to go back to. Not yet.” I met his gaze. "I'm not ready." His fingers brushed against my arm in a gentle reassurance. “I understand,” he said softly, though I could hear a hint of sadness. “I won’t push. But if you ever change your mind… I’d love to see the place that made you who you are.”I held him hand. "Gerrard, It's been so long I went there. It's hard to face my past." He looked at me, his gaze deep and serious. “Lily, I know it’s hard, but you need to face your fears. You need to go back there and feel something other

I forced a smile. "Ah… Chef DuPont. Of course. Good to see you again. I’m a big fan of yours." Chef DuPont dipped his head politely, his voice smooth and unreadable. "Mademoiselle, it is a pleasure to be at your service this evening." Gerrard’s smirk deepened, clearly pleased with himself. "I figured having a familiar face here would make this night even more special for you." I let out a nervous laugh, subtly gripping the stem of my wine glass for support. "Oh, yes. Very special. What a… surprise." Chef DuPont’s eyes flickered again, just for a moment. Did he know? Did he suspect? But he simply inclined his head slightly and said, "I hope the meal has been to your satisfaction." I exhaled as discreetly as possible. He didn’t expose me. Or maybe he didn’t know. Or… he did, and he was choosing to say nothing. Either way, I was safe. For now. ---- As the night wore on, dinner had been wonderful, but it was getting late. Gerrard finally suggested we head back, gu