Novels by Author INA

Bethany clung tightly to Fred’s waist as the bike rode down the empty road. The night air rushed past them, cool against her skin, but she wasn’t sure if the shiver running down her spine was from the cold or the man in front of her.They had been riding for over an hour when Fred finally pulled over near a secluded bridge. The road was abandoned and dirty while the sound of calm rushing water echoed below.Bethany got down, helmet still secured on her head, while Fred did the same.With a heavy sigh, he raised his hands in the sky.. “What a view,” he murmured, lips slightly parted in admiration."I can’t see a thing!" she snapped, frustrated.Bethany sighed, still wearing her helmet. “Okay, kidnapper. Mind telling me why we’re in the middle of nowhere?”Fred chuckled as he took off his helmet, shaking out his messy hair. “You seriously don’t remember this place?”“Should I?” Bethany frowned.Then, he stepped closer, eyes twinkling with mischief. Without warning, he reached for her h

NEXT MORNINGBethany woke up at 7 am, her body automatically rising at the same time every day. She rubbed her temples, trying to alleviate the throbbing pain. Memories of the previous day flooded her mind.She got out of bed and began getting ready for work. The hotel had reopened, and she was eager to start her day. As she opened the wardrobe, she was surprised to see a collection of clothes in her size."Huh…." She stared at the clothes in disbelief.She selected a suit jacket and trousers and placed them on the bed. After taking a shower, she came out wearing a towel wrapped around her body.Suddenly, she heard a voice behind her. "You look hot!!" Dean's voice sent shivers down her spine.Bethany shrieked in fear and turned around to see Dean peeking out from the door. "Oh my God! What are you doing here?" She yelled, tightening the towel around her body.Dean's eyes roamed over her, his gaze making her uncomfortable. "What happened, sweetie? I can't come in!" He asked softly.

FLASHBACK: 2 YEARS AGODEMAY SUPERMARKET Dean crouched behind a car, his gaze fixed on Bethany as she loaded bags of items into her car. He took a look at a photo of her on his phone and caressed the screen. "Don't worry, love... We'll be together soon!" he whispered, his voice filled with longing. Soon, he called a number and said. "She's trying to pack her things in the car. Be a stranger now and help her!" He hung up the call, and immediately, the man he hired had already arrived there and was helping her. "Until you're under my roof, I'll always be your watchman!" He said with a grin across his face.Just then, Natalie startled him, and he turned around to see her glaring at him with her hands on her hips. "You're doing this again. Stalking that innocent woman?" She said, concern laced in her words.Dean rolled his eyes and bit his lip as his gaze landed on Bethany's curvy body. "Nah, bro. If she was that innocent, she wouldn't have lured me in!" Natalie's expression twi

5 MINUTES LATERDean entered the sitting room with a smile on his face. He raised his gaze to see Bethany and Natalie staring out the window, watching the horses."Well... I'm back! You can leave!" Dean said in a low tone.Natalie nodded and was about to leave when he held her hand and whispered in her ear, "Tell her anything, and they will be dead!"She flinched, pulling her hand away from his, and kissed her teeth before walking out."So... you like the horses?" he asked, watching them together.She replied weakly, "Yeah.""You know... I could stare at your beauty all night long. If you listen to my demands now, there's a possibility I would reopen the hotel!"She raised her gaze and replied impatiently, "Really? Can you do that now? I hope you aren’t pulling my leg!""I can never, Bethany. Trust me, the hotel will be back in my hands. This is my way of showing loyalty and honesty!"Her gaze softened, and she asked, "So... what's the offer?"*****7 PMHer day was spent in Dean's ma

Fred tilted his head to see Dean standing before him with a grin on his face that was annoying to the core."I see you're already sulking in your loss. How did the raid of the hotel go?" Dean taunted.Fred clenched his hand into a fist and stood up to face him.But then Dean chuckled and put a finger on his chin, "Oh, I'm sorry. You couldn't be at the office because you'll be angry at your elimination!""Shut your fucking mouth. Who the hell let you in here?" Fred questioned, his face contorted with anger.Dean clicked his tongue and didn’t answer until his gaze met Bethany, whose innocent eyes were piercing into his.He said softly and started to take a few steps towards her, "Beth... You shouldn't be here!"Fred blocked his path and sneered, "Get back. If you go near her, I swear I'll kill you."He licked his lips and averted his gaze to Fred, "Haven't you hurt her enough? Does she need to be dragged into every one of our messes? You don't deserve her...""Hey..." Before Fred could

Suddenly, the last button was pressed and automatically he had been eliminated from the group.Fred was dumbfounded, his mind racing as he tried to process Natalie’s sudden change of heart. He couldn’t believe his step-sister could do something like this to him.Though she came from a family known for backstabbing and betrayal, Natalie had always been different—even more so than her twin brother, Dean.Could this be connected to what she said earlier in the hospital? Should he believe her?Dean snapped him out of his thoughts, jabbing his finger into Fred’s shoulder. “Finally… the little rat ate a bad snack and now has come crawling to me!”Fred felt disgust rise in him at Dean’s words, but he didn’t for a second take his eyes off Natalie, who had already removed her gaze from his.“Natalie… Why did you press that button?” His voice cracked as he took a step toward her, desperate for answers. But before he could get close, Dean shoved him back.“Stay away from my sister! You’ve brain

NEXT MORNINGDante's POVI woke up feeling grumpy, my head throbbing with a familiar ache. The morning sunlight streaming through the window only intensified my irritation. My mom's meddling was the last thing I needed. Why did she always have to pry into my business? I thought I was the head of the family business, not her.Standing up from the plush bed, I opened the window to gaze out at the expansive pool below, its crystal-clear waters sparkling in the morning light. The sound of gentle lapping against the pool's edges was a brief respite from my anger.Suddenly, I heard a knock on the door, unusual since the maids knew better than to disturb me after 8 am. It couldn't be my mom; she never knocked. That left one possibility: Vanessa, the naive newcomer."Come in!" I yelled, my deep voice echoing through the room.Vanessa entered, dressed in a crisp maid's uniform, a tray of delicacies in her hands. Her bright red and black hair was tied back in a neat bun, and her green eyes spa

*Vanessa's POVI opened my mouth in fear as I saw the strand of red hair in his hand. What is happening? Am I dreaming? "There's no way my hair ended up in this room," I thought, my mind racing. I never cleaned his room, and I certainly didn't steal his drugs."Tell me... now! Why did you do it?" Dante yelled, his deep voice echoing off the walls, making my heart almost stop. His piercing gaze seemed to bore into my soul."I...," I began, but memories of Jade flooded my mind. Wait... did Jade set me up? I blinked rapidly, and my gaze met Jade's, who was laughing in the corner, her eyes gleaming with malice.The rage boiling inside me manifested in my actions as I gritted my teeth and clenched my fists, trying to break free from the guards. "You bitch... you set me up! How dare you? I saved you from that monster, and now you're shoving me under the bed!" I spat, my voice venomous.I couldn't get to her, but I heard her mocking laughter, fueling my fury. The nerve to betray me after I

Vanessa's povThe knife pressed against my palm as I deliberated my next action. Should I kill her for intimidating me or let her go? I raised the blade but stopped midway, throwing it to the floor. The noise didn’t even wake her. She was so intoxicated that not even an earthquake could rouse her. Regardless, I saw no reward or good outcome in killing her. I still needed to find my sister, and the last thing I wanted was to end up dead—or to make another enemy. At some point, I wanted to give up, but thoughts of my sister—how she was breathing, eating, drinking—rekindled my determination. I groaned and muttered before leaving, “Jade… you’re one lucky bitch.” ---### 8 A.M. I was in the bathroom cleaning the toilet of a room next to Dante’s when I heard screams and cries. What’s going on? Who are they torturing now? I barged through the door and froze. Dante sat on his little throne, Alessandro and Bella standing with their arms crossed, and Jade lay half-naked on the fl

**Vanessa's POV**I froze as warm blood splattered across my face, painting my vision in red. The man in front of me collapsed to the ground, a gaping hole in his head where the bullet had struck."Oh my God!"My gaze darted up to find my savior—Alessandro, his gun now pointed at Dante. Alessandro saved me… but why? After everything, after betraying me last time, why would he come back?Enemy or not, he was the only person here I could cling to, hide behind, and trust even a little.My body trembled in fear as my eyes scanned the scene. Finally, I bolted behind Alessandro, seeking refuge, every nerve in my body on edge.Dante’s cold, dangerous voice shattered the silence. "What did you just do?" He moved closer, his gaze fixed on Alessandro.Alessandro lowered the gun slightly, still gripping it tightly. "I did what I had to do."Dante’s voice sharpened. "Alessandro, have you gone soft? Why would you do this?"Alessandro's tone was raw, as if revealing something painfully close to him

Dante's povMy eyes narrowed, jaw clenched in rage. The slap echoed through the room, and for a moment, time stood still. Vanessa's defiance was replaced with a flicker of fear, but she stood her ground.'You dare to slap me?' My voice was low, menacing. 'You, a mere maid, think you can disrespect me?'I took a step closer, my movements deliberate, calculated. Vanessa's eyes widened as I grasped her wrist, my grip tightening.'You need to learn your place,' I hissed, my breath hot against her ear. 'And I'll make sure you do.'"I dragged Vanessa out of the room, her feet stumbling to keep up with my long strides. The maids watched in silence, their faces pale.'Where are we going?' Vanessa demanded, trying to wrestle free.I didn't respond yet I pulled her through the winding corridors, finally stopping at a door hidden behind a tapestry.'Inside,' i growled and shoved her into the dimly lit room.Vanessa stumbled, her eyes adjusting slowly. The room was sparse, with stone walls a

Vanessa's PovI screamed as the men closed in on me, my mind spinning. What the hell was Bella thinking, trying to hand me over to a group of quack doctors for some bizarre “surgery?”I darted toward the door, but Bella’s voice stopped me in my tracks. “Stop it!” she snapped, then hesitated before quickly adding, “He’s back! Everyone, act like you’re treating her!”The men stumbled to put on the act, pretending to check me over as “patients.” Then, just as they got in place, the door opened.He was back—Dante. The air shifted, heavy and silent as he scanned the room with a cold, unreadable expression. His gaze flicked between me and Bella, and I could practically feel the questions in his eyes.Before he could speak, Bella jumped in, forcing a warm smile. “I… I realized I might’ve overreacted earlier,” she said, her tone calm. “So, I brought in doctors to help with her wounds!”I felt a surge of anger. Two-faced liar!Dante narrowed his eyes, glancing at the “doctors” in surgical gown