Novels by Author INA

FRED'S HOMEThe moment Fred heard the news about Avery, panic surged through him like a tidal wave. His chest tightened, and he stormed out of his room, rushing towards the living room. His hand trembled as he reached for his car keys. He had to see Avery. He had to make sure she was okay.But before he could leave, a voice called out from behind him, sharp and mocking.“Where are you off to, Fred?”Fred froze, a sick feeling crawling up his spine. He turned slowly, his eyes narrowing when he saw Chantel sitting casually in the chair, holding a picture frame in her hand. The frame dangled from her fingers as if it were something she didn’t care about—something disposable.His eyes darted to the frame, then back to Chantel. “Where did you get that?” His voice was low, laced with frustration. “I told you to stop snooping around my things.”Chantel put on a mockingly sweet expression, her voice suddenly soft, “Oh, I’m sorry, Mr. Fred. Just curious. Where are you off to in such a hurry?”

OUTSIDE FRED'S COMPANYNatalie stepped out of her sleek Benz with a confident air, adjusting her coat as a smug smile curled on her lips. She took a deep breath, surveying the grand building in front of her."Home sweet home, Freddie," she muttered to herself, a quiet triumph in her voice.Her heels clicked sharply against the pavement as she approached the entrance, each step deliberate, echoing in the cool air. The sound of her heels reverberated off the walls, sending a ripple of unease through the workers nearby."Go to work, morons!" she shouted, her voice laced with authority. The employees froze, flinching at her harsh tone, quickly returning to their tasks as she passed by, not daring to make eye contact.As she moved toward the elevator, she passed Stacy, who offered a sly smile. Stacy was aware—this was Bethany's downfall, the moment she had been waiting for. She had been waiting for this opportunity her whole life, and now, it was finally within reach."Well, well, well,"

6 PM - DEAN'S HOMEThe car came to a stop in front of Dean's house. He opened the door for Bethany with a polite gesture.“Thank you!” she exclaimed, stepping out of the car.She looked up at the mansion before her. It was all white, different from the one she had seen before. It looked grand, but there was an air of unfamiliarity."You're late!" a voice yelled, cutting through the evening air.Bethany squinted and turned to see who had spoken. As the light flickered on, she saw Avery standing in front of the house, dressed in pajamas.“What are you doing here?” Bethany asked, exchanging glance with Dean. She added, “In your pajamas? What about your husband?”Avery scoffed, her eyes narrowing. “You really have a lot to learn.”Bethany stood there, confused. When had Dean and Avery become so chummy? When had they formed a plan together? The whole situation felt off.Dean gently took Bethany’s arm, guiding her inside. He sat her down on a plush couch while Avery poured a glass of wine f

A DAY AGO (AT THE PARK)Dean narrowed his eyes, waiting for a response, but she just stared at him. He sighed.“It’s okay, I understand.”Bethany smiled faintly and held his hand. “No, it’s not like that. We’ve had this conversation before. You’re my partner in the company, and we…we…”She gestured helplessly, but he simply raised an eyebrow, unimpressed. Frustrated, she threw her hands down.“Dean, really? We can’t be in a relationship. We barely hold normal conversations—it’s always awkward!”Dean clicked his tongue, shoving his hands in his pockets. “Is that all?”Her eyebrows shot up as she threw the ice cream in the nearest trash bin. “What do you mean, is that all? Why the tone?”“I thought part of you didn’t want to be with me because you still want Fred back.”Bethany gasped and palmed her chest. “What? Are you insane? There’s no way I’m even thinking about him!”“Really? Then why did you accept the offer to work in his office? You..”She cut off, “ There was probable cause! "

Bethany felt the piercing stares of everyone in the room, their judgment crawling under her skin. Were their glares meant for her—or Chantel?“I…” she began, her voice faltering. She wanted to refuse Chantel's demand, to reclaim her dignity, but the sight of Jason shattered her resolve.He was her weakness. One look at him could make her abandon all sense of reason. Her fingers trembled as she fidgeted with her dress, hoping—praying—that Fred would change his mind and spare her this humiliation.But before she could kneel, a voice boomed from the doorway.“She’s not kneeling to anyone!” The furious tone cut through the tension like a knife.Heads turned as Dean stormed into the room. His eyes locked onto Bethany, noticing her shattered expression. Without hesitation, he stormed toward her.“Have you no shame?” Dean yelled at Chantel. “Trading your son for influence—”“Step-son,” Chantel corrected with a venomous smirk.Dean ignored her and reached for Bethany. In a single swift motio

FRED'S COMPANY12 PMAfter hours of fun at the park, Dean drove them both to the company. The plan had been to spend the whole day together, but Bethany insisted on returning early. Three hours at the park felt like an eternity. Once parked, Jason quickly opened the car door, still wrapped in Bethany’s coat, and flung himself out.“Oh my God! Jason, wait up!” Bethany exclaimed, getting down from the car.She turned to Dean, who was giving her a warm smile.“Thank you so much. Bye!” she said, hesitantly blowing him a kiss.Dean pretended to catch the kiss, placing it on his chest dramatically, and waved her off before driving away.Bethany chuckled to herself before noticing Jason standing still in one spot, staring at something intently.“What’s that, Jason?” she asked, walking over.Jason raised his head, his eyes gleaming as he held up the small panda plushie he found in her coat. “Baby Panda!” he yelled.A smile curled on her lips. She crouched to his level, reaching out to touc

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