Novels by Joe Honey

The morning was unusually quiet at the Moretti estate, the kind of quiet that felt heavy with anticipation. Maya couldn’t shake the feeling that the storm brewing within the family was about to break. She had spent the night piecing together the events of the past few days—Luca’s cryptic threats, Zane’s confrontation, Helena’s manipulative advice.Her instincts told her that something big was coming.Helena’s Moves in the ShadowsMaya hadn’t seen Helena all morning, and that alone was cause for suspicion. She knew by now that when Helena was out of sight, she was likely orchestrating something behind the scenes.She found Alex in the security wing, his focus on a bank of monitors.“Alex,” she said, stepping inside.He glanced up, his expression neutral but alert. “Maya. What’s going on?”“Have you seen Helena today?” she asked, her tone carefully casual.Alex frowned. “She left the estate early this morning. Said she had errands to run, but I wasn’t given any specifics.”Maya’s chest

The gala may have ended, but the echoes of the evening lingered in Maya’s mind. She lay awake in the suite, staring at the ceiling as the weight of Helena’s schemes and Luca’s manipulations pressed against her resolve. Despite standing her ground, the night had reminded her how relentless her adversaries were.Beside her, Zane slept soundly, his features relaxed for the first time in days. Maya found comfort in his presence, but she couldn’t ignore the growing storm brewing within the Moretti family.If Helena and Luca wanted to play games, she would need to be ready for whatever they threw at her next.A Morning of Subtle BarbsThe next morning, Maya joined Helena in the sunroom, aware that avoiding her would only give the older woman more ammunition. The room was bright and airy, a sharp contrast to the icy tension between them.“Good morning, Maya,” Helena greeted, her tone pleasant but her eyes cold.“Good morning,” Maya replied, taking a seat across from her.Helena sipped her te

The estate’s oppressive atmosphere showed no sign of lifting. Maya had been up since dawn, her mind racing as she pieced together what she’d learned. Helena’s use of a private investigator confirmed her suspicions—Helena wasn’t just undermining her, she was actively trying to destroy her credibility.But Maya wasn’t going to let it happen.The Gala InvitationOver breakfast, Zane slid an invitation across the table toward Maya. She glanced at it, the elegant gold lettering catching the light.“What’s this?” she asked, picking it up.“The Blackwell Charity Gala,” Zane said. “It’s one of the most high-profile events of the year. We need to make an appearance.”Maya frowned, her chest tightening at the thought of mingling with the elites of Zane’s world, many of whom she knew were eager to see her fail. “Do you think it’s a good idea for me to go?”Zane’s silver eyes softened as he reached for her hand. “You belong by my side, Maya. This is our chance to show everyone that nothing can sh

The estate felt like a pressure cooker, ready to explode at the slightest provocation. Every interaction with Helena or Luca seemed charged with hidden motives, every silence laced with unsaid words. Maya woke early, her mind spinning with plans. She wouldn’t let them keep her on the defensive any longer.Today, she would act.Testing the WatersAt breakfast, Maya sat across from Helena, the older woman impeccably dressed as always. Zane was absent, already immersed in business matters, leaving the two women alone in the cavernous dining room.Helena regarded Maya with her usual coolness. “You’re up early,” she remarked, sipping her tea.“I’ve been thinking about the family’s future,” Maya replied, keeping her tone even.Helena arched a brow, clearly intrigued. “Have you? And what insights has this reflection brought you?”Maya leaned forward slightly, her gaze steady. “That this family is only as strong as its unity. And that the cracks need to be repaired before they become fracture

The estate’s tension had reached a fever pitch by the next morning. Maya could feel it in every strained interaction, every clipped conversation. But this time, she wasn’t content to sit back and wait for the next blow to land.She had decided to fight back, and she would start by understanding the battlefield.A Search for AnswersMaya spent the morning in the library again, combing through records and documents. She needed to know more about the Moretti family’s tangled web of alliances, betrayals, and power plays.Her search was interrupted by Alex, who appeared in the doorway, his expression cautious.“You’ve been busy,” he said, stepping inside.Maya closed the folder in front of her and looked up. “I need to know what I’m up against, Alex. Helena, Luca—they’re playing games, and I can’t fight them if I don’t understand the rules.”Alex hesitated, then nodded. “I can’t give you everything, but I can tell you this much—Helena’s not just trying to undermine you. She’s testing you.

The morning came with an oppressive heaviness, the Moretti estate quieter than usual, as though everyone was holding their breath. Maya’s mind was still reeling from the night before—the discovery of Donovan’s connection to Moretti business dealings and Zane’s insistence that it was in the past.But was it really?As Maya dressed for the day, she resolved not to let the doubt consume her. If she wanted the truth, she would have to search for it herself.Helena’s CalculationsMaya entered the dining room to find Helena already seated, sipping her tea with an air of regal detachment. Her piercing eyes flicked to Maya as she approached, her smile faint and unreadable.“Good morning, my dear,” Helena said smoothly.Maya forced a polite smile as she took her seat. “Morning.”Helena set her cup down, her gaze sharp. “I heard you’ve been spending time in the library. Researching family history, perhaps?”Maya’s chest tightened, but she kept her expression neutral. “Just trying to understand

Samuel was standing at the door with a medical attendant by his side. The look on his face told me that I was in trouble.“Why the hell are you doing here?” He asked, shouting at the top of his voice.I stood up abruptly and stammered.“I……. I came to see Mom”.“How dare you?” He yelled again, making me take a step backward.I remained mute as usual. I refused to regret my actions and applauded myself for a job well done.“Get out of here, back to where you came from this minute, and don't ever show yourself stupid self till further notice”.I picked up my bag from the floor, tucked my hair behind my ear, and walked out of the room. Sammie and the medical attendant proceeded into the room and started discussing in low tones, I stopped walking abruptly and came back curious to hear what they were saying.I peeped and saw the medical attendant trying to inject the same yellowish substance into Mom's drip bag. I don't know why something inside of me was feeling suspicious about it but I

The driver quickly alighted and beckoned me to come out of the car, I had to bulge, not as if I had a choice. I walked briskly to Adrian's car accompanied by his bouncers and bodyguards. Why exactly didn't he just ask me to use the other cars in his convoy?The backseat door was opened and I sat inside cautiously. I felt Adrian's gaze on me but I tried to avoid looking back at him.“My home is just a stone's throw from here; I can walk down there”. I muttered.“We are heading to the office; enough of this going home nonsense.” He replied firmly.“You can't do this to me. I really need to visit home, it's very important”. I cried.“Driver, move this car!” Adrian ordered ignoring my pleas.I sank back into the car seat frustrated. Why was he just so difficult? My tear glands were alerted and so on tears began trickling down my face. Adrian kept a straight face all through and refused to have a change of heart.Suddenly, our car pulled up again. When I sat up to find out what happened, w

I resolved that I wasn't capable of telling Adrian about Julian yet, so I went ahead to narrate the incident with the crowd, skillfully excluding Julian's ordeal. When I was done, I remained mute, hoping he would just take my word for it and not bombard me with questions.However, he heaved a loud sigh and muttered.“Julian”.I wasn't sure I heard him well and I couldn't help but ask.“What did you say?”He stood up and mumbled, “Never mind”.He walked past me and headed to his room. I wasn't expecting any reply initially so I shoved it aside and went to my room. I tried so much to take my mind off Adrian's issue with Julian, but the more I tried, the more I became interested. Maybe I would have successfully shoved it aside if Julian didn't drag me into the picture.I curled up on my bed as usual hoping sleep would come knocking because it was just a few hours to midnight. I slept off a few minutes later but jumped off my bed and landed on the floor suddenly. I had a dream about Mom a

“Ma'am, what I meant is that my boss, the owner of this boutique, has granted you free shopping today. This means you can pick as many items as possible without having to pay a dime”. The cashier explained, beaming with a smile.“Who's this boss of yours?” I asked with furrowed brows.“Julian Sterling, your brother-in-law”. She replied.“You know what, I will not be taking any of these items home. It's either you allow me to pay for them or I return them”. I said matter of factly.“No ma'am, please don't do that, you will be putting my job on the line”. The cashier replied with a pitiful voice.I heaved a sigh and stared at the lady intensely. Of course, I wouldn't do anything that would make her lose her job because I understand what it means to make money.Suddenly, as I was racking my brains for the next thing to do, a large crowd started to gather around me. I was scared to my marrow; the boutique securities tried to scare away the crowd, but it didn't work. They kept chanting “Mr

Adrian's eyes widened in shock, he stood from where he sat and walked towards me. I could feel my heart pounding against my chest as I began developing cold feet.How on earth was I able to talk back to Adrian? How did I do it? As much as I know that he wasn't going to take it lightly with me, I do not regret it.He was close to me by now with his head high above mine. I fixed my gaze on the floor, looking at nothing in particular.“What did you say?” He asked slowly, I could feel his breath showering on my earlobe.“Nothing”. I replied in shutters. “I didn't say anything”.“Are you sure?”. He pressed further.“Yes”. I affirmed.“I thought as much”. He said and walked away.I heaved a loud sigh of relief and strode away silently. When I got to my room, I twisted the door knob clockwise and walked in. The first thing I did was to take off my clothes and walk under the shower. The stench of the hospital was glued to my body, and although I loved it, it had to go.After freshening up, I

“Who are they?” I asked with furrowed brows.“They said they are billionaire Adrian's……“Oh, I get it. Let them in”. I replied, interrupting the poor nurse.The nurse left my ward, and after a few seconds, the bouncers strode in. There were two, the same ones that brought me to the hospital last night. One of them leaned on the wall opposite my bed while the other strode in my direction.“How are you feeling today ma'am?” He asked with no atom of emotion in his voice.I nodded in reply.“Your husband wants you to be discharged; he said you would receive the rest of the treatment at home.” He announced.“But I have not fully recovered; why would he give such an order,” I asked at the top of my voice.“That's the same thing I said ma'am. The doctor will be coming to treat you at home”. He explained.“No!” I yelled, making the bouncers jerk. “I don't want to go home; I still need this hospital environment to facilitate my recovery.” I shrugged.Meanwhile, the bouncer who was leaning on t