Novels by Wendy

“So… How are you feeling?” Samuel asked Susan after she dropped off their mother at his apartment one evening. Susan stopped short. He had offered to walk her to her car, but there was something in his voice—a knowing edge—that sent a ripple of nerves through her. Susan shot him a glance, “Mom told you, didn't she?” she asked gently. Samuel nodded, his expression both apologetic and concerned. “Yeah, she did.” Susan exhaled, a mix of relief and apprehension washing over her. She’d been dreading this conversation, but now that it was happening, she realized she was grateful she didn’t have to find the words to break the news herself. She braced herself for the questions she knew were coming next. They got to her car, and Susan turned to face her brother. “Why didn’t you tell me?” Samuel asked, his voice tinged with hurt. “I mean, I know I’m not the easiest person to deal with sometimes, but this…” He paused, searching for the right words. “This is something… beautiful, Suzy.” H

Susan nodded, taking a sip of water to avoid further scrutiny. “Yeah, just a lot going on.” Samuel chimed in, changing the subject. “Mom, she's doing so well at work. With the way she's always busy, I bet she’s going to be running the place in no time.” Susan shot her brother a grateful look. “Hardly. But thanks for the vote of confidence, Sam.” The conversation shifted again, moving to Elizabeth's plans for the week and Samuel’s idea of signing up for a cooking class. Susan laughed along, grateful for the reprieve from any personal questions. Samuel left for the kitchen and reappeared with dessert, and the mood lightened even more. When dinner was over, he insisted on cleaning up, while Susan and their mother went up to the living room to talk. “You seem carried away by your thoughts,” Elizabeth told Susan when they were finally seated and alone in the living room. “I do?” Susan asked in astonishment. Clearly she'd not done a good job of hiding her feelings properly. “Yes, y

Susan set the plate of rice, stew, and salad in front of her brother and turned to fetch a bottle of wine and a glass. By the time she turned back, Samuel was already halfway through his first bite, chewing with exaggerated enthusiasm. “Wow, at least pretend to have some self-control,” Susan said with a smirk, placing the wine on the table. “You act like you haven't eaten in days,” Samuel didn’t slow down but grinned between bites. “You act like I’ve eaten something decent in the past week,” he said, his words muffled by a mouthful of food. “Seriously, though, I’ve been living off instant noodles and takeout. I barely have time to cook anything worth eating these days. I'm a busy man, you know. I leave for work early and I come back late at night or in the evening, then I repeat the same thing the next day.” “Ever heard of meal prep?” Susan teased, pouring him a glass of wine. He waved her off. “Too much effort. Maybe I should just get myself a wife. Problem solved.” Susan raise

Susan stood in front of the mirror in her bedroom, staring at her reflection as if it belonged to someone else. Her usually vibrant complexion was pale, her eyes puffy and shadowed, and her hair hung in disarray, as if it had given up along with the rest of her. In her trembling hand was the pregnancy test kit that seemed heavier than anything she’d ever held. Behind her, Caroline perched on the edge of the bed, her expression a mix of concern and impatience. “Just take it to the bathroom and pee on it, Susan,” she said gently but firmly. Susan turned away from the mirror to glare at her best friend. “I know how it works, Care,” she snapped, though her voice was shaky. “I’m not stupid. I’m just… scared.” Her knuckles whitened as she gripped the test. “What if it’s positive?” Caroline met her gaze with calm resolve, crossing her arms. “Then you deal with it. One step at a time. But you’re not doing yourself any favors by dragging this out.” She tilted her head slightly. “You’re goin

The room fell into a heavy silence. She finally turned back to him, her eyes glistening with unshed tears. “You were right,” she said, her voice trembling. “You were right to push me away. I should’ve listened. I should’ve stayed away.” Leo didn’t move, but she saw the flicker of pain in his eyes. “Susan…” “No,” she interrupted, shaking her head. “This isn’t working. It’s not good for either of us. As much as it hurts to say it, we need to cut ties, Leo. Completely.” She swallowed hard, the words almost choking her. “It’s the only way.” Leo leaned back in his chair, his expression unreadable. He didn’t argue, didn’t try to convince her otherwise. He just sat there, staring at her like he was memorizing every detail of her face. “I get it,” he said finally, his voice low and rough. “You’re right.” Susan’s heart broke a little more at his calm acceptance. A silly part of her wanted him to fight her on it, to tell her she was wrong, that they could make it work. But deep down, she k

Justin Beck adjusted the rearview mirror, his eyes fixed on Susan’s car as it pulled out of the driveway. “You see that place?” he muttered to his partner, Collins. “Guy’s living like a damn king.” Collins Hallman smirked, his fingers drumming on the dashboard. “Bet the wallpaper in that place costs more than my house.” “Focus,” Justin snapped, watching as Susan’s car turned onto the main road. “This is it. She’s got to be making the drop.” “About time,” Collins said, sitting up straighter. “Vince better not be screwing us over.” “He knows what’s at stake,” Justin replied. “Let’s tail her. Keep it subtle.” They followed Susan’s car at a safe distance, their unmarked sedan blending into traffic. Justin’s grip on the wheel tightened as adrenaline coursed through him. Months of surveillance, countless hours piecing together this case—it all came down to this. “She’s heading downtown,” Collins said, checking the GPS. “Warehouse district, maybe?” “Looks like it,” Justin said, his ey