Novels by Marina Norman

Julian didn’t respond immediately.Her words lingered in the air, challenging him in a way he hadn’t expected.Was he putting Alexis first?Or was he still driven by the ghosts of his past?For now, he pushed those thoughts aside. Protecting Alexis was his priority, everything else could wait.Evelyn rose from her chair, smoothing her skirt. "I’ll hold you to your word, Julian," she said, her tone formal but not unkind.He stood as well, offering a small nod. "You have my word."As he left the Montgomery residence, Julian felt a strange mix of emotions.Evelyn’s cautious approval was unexpected, but it only reinforced the weight of his responsibility. He couldn’t afford to falter, not now, not ever.Driving away, his mind was already racing with thoughts of his next move.Sophia and Ryan had crossed a line, and if protecting Alexis meant confronting his own conflicted feelings, then so be it.His focus was clear, uncover the truth, protect his wife, and ensure no one, especially the M

“Julian,” she finally said, her voice trembling slightly.He crossed the room in a few strides, pulling a chair close to sit in front of her. “I'm here.”Alexis looked down at her hands, her fingers twisting together nervously. “I didn’t push her, Julian. I swear I didn’t. She tripped, and I tried to catch her, but...” Her voice broke, and she shook her head. “It doesn’t matter what I say. No one’s going to believe me.”Julian reached out, taking her hands in his. “It matters to me,” he said firmly. “And I believe you.”Tears welled in her eyes, but she quickly blinked them away. “It’s a circus out there. Reporters are camped outside the gates, and social media is tearing me apart. My father is furious, my mother is worried, and I don’t know what to do.”“You’re not alone in this, Alexis,” Julian said, his tone gentle but resolute. “We’ll figure it out. I’ll make sure the truth comes out.”Alexis pulled her hands away, standing abruptly and walking to the other side of the room. “What

The hotel lobby had been bustling with late night travelers, but she had barely noticed them, her vision blurred by tears of anger and humiliation.Her feet had carried her to a nearby bar, one she had frequented before with her friends. The music had been loud, the lights dim, and the crowd rowdy. It was the perfect place to drown her frustration.That night, she hadn’t been alone for long. Two of her male friends, Lila and Ethan, had been there, already a few drinks in. They had waved her over, their faces lighting up when they saw her.“Sophia!” Lila had exclaimed, sliding a drink her way. “What’s a queen like you doing here alone?”She had smiled weakly, taking the drink and downing it in one go. “Just needed to get out. Ryan’s being... Ryan.”Lila and Ethan had exchanged knowing looks. They had never liked Ryan, always quick to point out his flaws whenever Sophia vented about him.“You deserve better,” Ethan had said, his tone serious despite the playful smirk on his lips. “Why d

The doctor looked between the two of them and then spoke calmly but firmly. “Miss Sophia, you’re pregnant. About eight weeks along, based on the results of your blood work.”The room fell silent, the words hanging heavily in the air. Sophia’s eyes widened in shock, her lips parting as if to say something, but no sound came out.Ryan’s expression shifted from confusion to disbelief. “Pregnant?” he echoed, his voice low and strained.Sophia finally managed to find her voice, though it was barely above a whisper. “That’s... that’s impossible. I mean... I...”The doctor raised a hand gently. “I understand this might be unexpected, but I recommend you start prenatal care as soon as possible. Rest is crucial, especially after today’s incident. I’ll give you some referrals for an OB GYN to follow up with.”He placed a pamphlet on the bedside table and left the room, leaving Ryan and Sophia to process the bombshell in stunned silence.Ryan ran a hand through his hair, pacing again. “Pregnant,

One thing was clear, Julian couldn’t let this slide.His mother and Ryan had crossed a line, and he wouldn’t stand by and let them hurt Alexis any further.The cafeteria buzzed with quiet conversations as Alexis sat at a corner table, her hands gripping the edge of her coffee cup.She had chosen the place carefully, a quaint café tucked away from the busy streets, offering a semblance of privacy.Her heart pounded as she waited for Sophia, the weight of the earlier meeting and the mounting suspicions gnawing at her.The bell above the door jingled, and Alexis looked up to see Sophia entering. Her expression was guarded, and her heels clicked sharply against the floor as she approached the table.“You wanted to meet?” Sophia said curtly, sliding into the chair opposite Alexis.Alexis didn’t waste time with pleasantries. “Thank you for coming. I wanted to talk about the logs.”Sophia arched a brow, her lips pressing into a thin line. “I already told you, I didn’t do anything. If this is

Alexis gestured for Ethan to sit, her focus sharpening.Ethan placed his laptop on the desk and opened a detailed report. “We’ve been combing through the access logs for the design server. So far, there’s no evidence of an external breach, which strongly suggests this was an internal issue.”Alexis frowned, leaning over the screen. “So, someone from the company leaked the manuscript?”Ethan nodded grimly. “It’s looking that way. Only a select group had access to this particular design file, yourself, the head designers, and a few key members of the marketing team. We’ve narrowed down the list of activity during the suspected timeframe.”He tapped a few keys, bringing up a chart. “Here are the access records from the last 48 hours. You’ll see that most logins were routine, except for one unusual activity early yesterday morning.”Alexis’s eyes scanned the chart, her pulse quickening when she noticed the flagged entry. “Whose login is this?”Ethan hesitated before replying. “Sophia’s.”