NOVA I didn't know I would meet him this fast. I expected the meeting to happen a week, or even a month after my return, but it happened this fast. It hadn't even been up to 48 hours since I arrived, and I had seen him. Seeing him in the audience gave me different emotions, ones that took a lot of time to conceal. If there was one thing I learned during my five years abroad, it was how to keep my face devoid of any thoughts. I had just concluded my speech and had gone into my private box when he appeared. The last man I wanted to see in the entire world. With Dashiell standing in front of me, it reminded me of the ugly incident that happened five years ago, when he sent Lilith to force me to get rid of my babies. “Nova,” he called out, taking hurried steps towards me.Dashiel hasn't changed that much. He still looked as handsome as he did, five years ago, reminding me of the time I was madly in love with him. Watching him, my heart soared at the sight of my ex-husband in a tailore
DASHIELLMy face clouded in anger at his words, as I took a step towards him, glaring at the idiot that thought to speak. "Who the hell are you to speak to me in that manner?" I demanded."Brion Marshall," he deadpanned, waiting for my face to dawn in recognition, and it did. Brion Marshall owns one of the most famous jewellery companies in the United States. Of course, I know him. He was the man I was to partner with on an upcoming project. "Ring a bell?" he demanded, taking more steps towards me. "I don't care who you are, or who the fuck you think you are, Mr Dashiell James, just get the fuck away from my girlfriend." "Your girlfriend?" I scoffed, regaining from the initial shock I got at the mention of his name. "She's my bloody wife, and we are married. I will advise you to remove your claws from what doesn't belong to you. Because she's mine! Touching her is courting death.” "Yours?" Nova stepped in, glaring as she took his hand in hers, further infuriating me. "I'm not a pr
NOVA “Bloody bastard!” I gritted out, fuming with rage. Stomping over to my car, I kicked the tyre a good number of times before BRION rushed over to stop me. “You need to calm down,” he whispered, his tone soothing as he patted my hair. “He's not worth it.” “I know he's not! I just wish to strangle him alive!” I growled, imagining how pleased I would be, the thrill that would envelop me as I watched him struggle for breath under me. Furthermore, I wouldn't kill him easily. That would be too merciful for him. Letting him feel the pain I went through, five years ago was my plan for him. “Don't worry, you will have enough time to do that,” Brion said, coaxingly. He had always been like this, constantly having my back through every breakdown. With teary eyes, I turned and hugged him tight, not letting go. Brion was my light. The little ray I found at the end of the tunnel. Without him, I doubt I would have made it out alive that year. Lilith would have caught up with me. And had s
“Yeah! That was what Uncle BRION said,” River countered, supporting his twin sister. Just like winter, he has blonde hair, only that his hair is always slightly tousled as if he just rolled out of bed or had been playing outside. No matter how much I brushed it, it always tangled after a while. His grey eyes are a deep, rich shade that seems almost wise beyond his years. He always reminded me of someone. DASHIELL. Even though he had my eyes, he still looked like his father. A miniature version of the man I never wanted to think about. Sighing, I squatted in front of them, grinning as I reached over to pat their hair. “Mum apologizes for not taking you with me. Don't worry, I will let you tag along the next time I'm going for a brand reveal,” I promised, despite knowing I might not fulfil it. Not only would it be a hassle taking them with me, but the last thing I wanted was for them to meet Dashiell.Whatever it takes, I intend to keep my kids as far from him as I can. I won't let t
DASHIELLThere was this gnawing emotion within me, one I couldn't understand. Spending time with Lilith always calmed me down, but not anymore. It felt like there was something else, something I needed but couldn't have.The feeling was foreign, something I'd never experienced before, which was why I decided to take a walk, to ease my mind of the insistent concerns raging havoc in my mind. Staying with Lilith at the moment didn't sound like the best solution. I needed some time alone, to clear my mind.As I strode down the busy streets, my thoughts returned to Nova and what transpired between us yesterday. I was still mad at her for everything that had happened. However, there was this sad feeling each time I thought of how she held hands with Brion. With the sad feeling came an anger so fierce it startled me each time. I had never been consumed by such an intense rage before, one that made me want to storm over to them and rip her off his arms. I wanted to dominate her, to possess
NOVAI put the phone on a high speaker as I drove out of the school car park, waiting for Brion to answer. “Hello, darling. Did you miss me?” Brion's cheerful voice filtered in, reminding me there were more good guys out there, ones who were better than that bastard Dashiell. Each encounter with him always made me question how blind I must have been years ago when I gave him my all. I must have been sick in the head, that I didn't realize what a bastard he was until I left. “Nova?” He called out, dragging my thoughts from my reverie and back to my phone. “Are you okay? Why aren't you saying anything?” “I want to leave,” I said, keeping my focus on the road and trying not to clench my fists hard on the steering wheel. “Why? Did you meet him again?” “Yeah, I did.” Nodding as if he could see me, I left the highway for the less busy street to avoid getting honked on by those desperately driving to work. “And he made you decide to leave?” “I can't take this anymore. Each encounte
The moment I stepped into the office, my jaw almost dropped to the floor at the Beauty. It was enough to take my mind off that damned bastard and his slutty girlfriend. The first thing I noticed was the large, rich brown mahogany desk, perfectly polished to a warm sheen. The desk was paired with a comfortable, high-backed leather chair upholstered in a complementary earthy tone.To one side of the room was a plush couch, its cushions a soft, creamy white. They positioned the couch to take advantage of the stunning view through the wall-to-ceiling window, which stretched from floor to top and allowed natural light to flood the space.From there, I could see those walking below, something I was grateful for since it overlooked the car park. Throughout the room, vibrant green plants added a pop of colour and freshness, their pots a decorative complement to the peach hue of the wall.I could tell, undoubtedly that the decorator put his all in the room. It was so breathtaking that I didn
Lunch was awkward. Dashiell tagged along with us despite my warning not to do so, and that made Astrid so clumsy that she ended up throwing everything to the floor. “I'm sorry,” she apologized for the twentieth time since we arrived. Her gaze kept on the turned-over plate on the floor as the waiter on standby rushed over to our table to clean it up. “It's okay. I will pay for the damages,” Dashiell said, dropping a wad of cash on the table as he got up. “Let's change to the other table. It's vacant and —” “I'm no longer hungry.” I rose from the chair and turned to Astrid, who was trying not to make herself as small as she could. “Let's go.” “But you haven't had anything yet,” Dashiell protested, reaching out to hold my arm, only to drop his hands to the side when I shot a dark glare at him. “Can't you at least have something before you go?” “With you here, I doubt I will have the appetite to eat.” I tugged Astrid up from the chair and led the scared woman out of the restaurant
When I came to, I was lying on a bed. The scent of disinfectant in the room made me realize where I was. I slowly sat up, grimacing at the pain in my arm. I had a bandage wrapped around my biceps, one that was stained with blood.The monitor next to me beeped as if it could sense my discomfort. Wincing, I leaned on the bed as I looked around the empty room. From the looks of it, Ben took me to the clinic I left Brion in. Heaving out a breath, I closed my eyes as images of the last time I was awake assaulted me. A knock on the door interrupted my thoughts. Snapping my eyes open, I looked towards it as it opened and Ben stepped in. “Thank God you are awake,” he said as he walked over to my bed and sat beside me, relief etched on his face. “Welcome back. You've been out for hours.”"Hours?" rubbed my temples, trying to clear the fog. “What of Gabriella?”“Dead. You did a pretty good number on her. The police have agreed to rule it out as self-defence. As she was an offender, it's not
“Where is Dashiell?” I asked after a few seconds, still wondering why she hadn't attacked me. I figured all it would take was a little talk before we get down to business. “Dashiell?” She made a face at that before a knowing smirk took over. Getting up, she glanced towards the stairs, which seemed like it had seen better days. The stairs didn't look like they would last for another year before caving in. Just like the rest of the house, it was dying — most times, I always believed houses were entities. She snapped her fingers and three men appeared from a door behind where she stood, their chest bare, showing off muscles that must have taken years to build. My heart skipped as I gripped the pistol in my hoodie tighter. I knew it was about time for the fight. But I doubt I could take the men on. Gabriella alone? I could. “Do you assume the gun you hid in your hoodie will help you, darling?” She smiled, her eyes crinkling at the sides. "How?" I was dumbstruck by the question. “How
It looked just like the place someone as shady as Zoey would be. As I approached, I noticed the overgrown yard and weeds sprouting through cracks in the pavement. Nature had reclaimed the property, wrapping vines around the porch pillars. I slowed my pace, my senses on high alert. Something felt off. Though Ben's hidden presence reassured me, my heart continued to thud like a bass drum in my chest. I took a deep breath and stepped onto the porch, the wooden boards groaning beneath my feet. The door creaked as I pushed it open, and I called out, “I'm here.” My voice echoed through the empty corridor. At first, nothing happened, until I heard a rather familiar voice asking me to come forward. I looked back at the place Ben was likely hiding in before I fully stepped in and closed the falling door. I shivered as I walked forward, guided by the dim lighting in the hallway before I arrived in the sitting room. A figure sat perched on one of the sofas, the minute I walked in. “Hell
I got dressed for the operation. We didn't return to the hospital because I didn't think it was necessary. Brion would undoubtedly try to talk me out of my plans, which was why I didn't attempt a return there, not until we had gotten everything sorted. Today, I vowed, would be the day I bring Dashiell back home. He had stayed too long with Zoey. It was time for him to return, to his home, to me and the kids.“Ready?” Ben turned to me, lifting a brow, when I stepped out of the motel I checked into to change out of my clothes. I had a bulletproof vest under a hoodie.To cover my guns, I stuffed them into the pockets of my hoodie, waiting until I got an excellent location to conceal them. “Ready,” I confirmed, adjusting my hoodie to ensure the bulletproof vest wasn't visible. “Well, as ready as I can, for a dangerous mission,” I added with a smile. Though I was feeling as nervous as hell, and it felt like my heart was about to leap from my chest, I acted like I was okay. Yeah, perfectly
Suddenly, I was moving, being pulled towards a police car. Officer Maxwell's hands were still on my shoulders, guiding me into the back seat.As we sped away from the scene, I felt like my world was crashing down around me. My thoughts were all over the place. The drive to the hospital seemed like an eternity. It felt as if someone trapped me in a nightmare, one I was unable to wake up from.As we arrived at the hospital, I saw chaos. Police cars and ambulances were everywhere. People were running, shouting.I felt like I was going to throw up.After parking the car in the only space he could find, Officer Maxwell guided me out of the car. I stumbled, my legs weak. I wasn't physically weak, more like my emotions were getting the better of me. Thankfully, Brion was outside. However, my eyes were drawn to the little ones with him. The tears I didn't know I was holding back rolled down my eyes as I rushed towards them, feeling suddenly energetic. I knelt in front of my kids, hugging th
I complied, lying flat on the ground as the officers approached. They quickly subdued the third man, who was still trying to escape, and took the others away. I laid on the ground, thinking of a way out, until I looked up and saw Officer Maxwell walking over to me with a frown on his face. “Is that you, Nova?” He demanded, closing the distance between us. At his approach, the police officers standing around me made way for him, each watching him intently.He reached down and helped me up from the ground, passing a handkerchief to me so I could wipe the dirt. Smiling, I took it from him and started cleaning the dirt on my body. From hiding behind the bush to lying flat on the ground, I looked like a mess, like I barely survived. “Do you know how dangerous your moves were, Nova? You could have gotten yourself hit?!” He yelled at my face the moment I finished cleaning up. “Why are you so damned reckless??!”“I didn't get killed, did I?” I lifted my shoulders in a shrug, acting like I
“Are you really going there alone?” Brion lifted a brow, watching me get dressed for the assignment. Surely you're joking, right? Are you messing with me? I should have known that was what you were doing.”"Not in the slightest. I am heading out solo. I still have my gun with me, remember? If it turns out to be a trap, I will shoot those damned bastards right in their eyes. He must have found the promise in my gaze amusing, as he chuckled and covered his mouth with his right hand. “Though what you said right there is funny, we can't ignore the enormous elephant in the room. That is far too massive for that. You, Nova, aren't going anywhere without informing the police. I don't want to lose you, and I know the kids don't. We still need you, and —”“You are making this sound dramatic.” I rolled my eyes at him as I checked my reflection in the mirror. I didn't dress up. I just changed my style. Instead of the beautiful flowery gown I wore this morning, it was now a black shirt and blac
My eyes were puffy when I woke up the next morning after a restless night of tossing around in bed. I only slept for an hour, but that was enough for me. I had my bath and got dressed before I left for my kids' room. They were awake already, so I bathed them and helped them brush their teeth before I bought breakfast. After eating, Brion returned to his room to bathe and get dressed for the day, before he met me outside the children's room. I filled him up on everything, letting him know my plans. It was while we were discussing the next step to take that a nurse informed us Lilith had woken up. Brion would have gone with me, but I asked him to stay with the kids as I rushed over to her room. I opened the door and stormed in, resisting the urge to slam the door. Lilith was sitting up on the bed when I arrived. The moment she saw me, her face turned as white as a sheet. “Nova?”“Having sight issues, are you now?” I walked over to the bed, my gaze going on the handcuffs holding her.
We walked up the stairs, our gazes sharp and alert. We didn't want any of the occupants in the abandoned building to know our steps. Ben took the lead, leaving me in the rear. I was scared, thinking of someone jumping from the dark to dig their claws into my chest. The image I got was vivid. It didn't help that I recalled horror movies I watched years ago. The people at the back are mostly the ones who die first. Ben's steps were silent as he climbed, and I tried to keep the same pace with him despite the shivering of my body. I clutched tightly to the gun, pointing it in all directions. The silence in the house was deafening. For a moment, I thought we were frozen in time, walking the stairs of a haunted house. The cobwebs in every corner were the worst. I would have screamed when I caught one with my gun had it not been for the mission. I swallowed back the scream, panting heavily while seeking to remain calm. Did I tell you it was an impossible feat? Of course, it was. I'd seen