Novels by Nikky Mathew

Michael’s POVI stayed on the sidewalk long after the taillights of Damien’s car vanished into the city traffic. The evening air was biting, but I barely felt it, because of what I had just witnessed. Beside me, Owen and Scott were still talking about going for some late-evening drinks, but their voices sounded distant and unimportant to me at the moment.My mind was still stuck on the way the car door had closed, like a final sound that seemed to shut me out completely. Earlier Kelly hadn't looked at me with anger when she saw me standing with Owen as they spoke. Instead the expression on her face was a kind of exhaustion and distance, as if I was just another part of the office she was glad to leave behind."You coming, Michael?" Owen asked, jolting me back to the present. "No," I said, my voice sounding rough even to my own ears. "I have to get to the estate."Scott was the one who spoke as he heard what I said. “What does the old man still want?" I could see part of the same fr

Kelly's POV The farewell dinner at Dylan’s house ended much later than my mother had planned. And by the time the last guest walked out the door, it was nearly eleven pm in the night. The kitchen was a mess of dirty plates and half-finished wine glasses. I decided to assist Hope stack the dishes as my parents were still out seeing the last guests off and Dylan was in his study doing some last minute work. We both worked in silence, but my mind was heavy with the text message from Claire. Hope caught my eye across the sink as we stack the plates in the dishwasher, she didn't say anything, but she could tell I was worried. I had told her that Michael’s father was coming in.“Don’t overthink it, Kelly,” she whispered as she dried a plate. “It’s probably just for show. They have to make things look official after the mess of the contract.”“Maybe,” I said. But I knew that early morning meetings was more than for show.I left Dylan's house shortly after. As I got home the exhaustion o

Kelly's POV It had been two days since the fight with Michael in the hallway of my apartment building. Two days of absolute silence. There were no phone calls, no late-night messages, and not even a formal email telling me about the Jefferson contract. This was a heavy silence that made it hard for me to see a future between us whenever I thought about it for too long.My parents were leaving Seattle for Boston in a few days, and my mother, in her usual way, decided very suddenly that we needed to host a farewell dinner for the friends they had made here. She claimed it was to say goodbye properly, but I knew she just wanted to keep her hands busy so she wouldn't have to think about going back.I took an uber to my brother Dylan’s house that afternoon to help with whatever plans she had. When I walked through the front door, the house already smelled like onions and garlic sautéing in plenty of butter. In the living room, I could hear my father and Dylan arguing about something.

Michael’s POVHer words hung in the air, like a physical weight settling between us. We were still standing in the narrow hallway, the dim yellow light flickering slightly above us. Kelly’s jaw was set tight, and I could see the anger in her eyes, but beneath it all, was something that scared me more. She wasn't just venting, no it seems she had made a decision.“You’re making this into something much larger than it needs to be,” I said, as I tried to keep my voice low and measured, so I won't get more angry. “We had a professional conflict. Things got heated at the office. But that doesn't justify you going out with another man the very next day.”“Don’t you dare reduce this to a ‘professional conflict,’” she snapped. Her voice wasn't loud, but it was sharp enough to cut. “You didn't just correct a mistake, Michael. You dismantled me right in front of everyone, and you didn't care.”I felt a surge of defensiveness rise within me. “I was protecting the company! That contract coul

Kelly's POV Today was the longest day of my life at the office, because it was heavy and cold. Everything moved with a mechanical precision that felt like I was walking through ice. Michael didn’t call me into his office to talk about the mistake or the shouting, nor did he apologize.Any instructions for my work that I needed to know came through Claire, and if I had any question, I was told to ask Scott. It was almost as if Michael had decided I didn't exist in his space anymore. When we finally crossed paths near the elevators in mid-afternoon, my heart jumped, as I hoped he would finally speak to me. But instead, his gaze just skimmed over me, as he gave a short nod to a person standing behind me and kept walking.It was as if he was treating me like a stranger, or worse, like a broken piece of office equipment that had been replaced.By five o’clock in the evening, the weight in my chest was unbearable. Every time my phone buzzed, I hoped it was a text from him. Maybe he wa

Kelly's POV My fingers tracing the edges of files I had already straightened a dozen times. The office had long since settled back into its rhythmic hum, but to me, the air still felt charged and tense. It was as if the shouting had cleared away all the warmth, leaving only the sharp edges of professional expectations. Around me, my coworkers moved in hushed, careful orbits, offering no glances, nor sympathetic nods. In a high-stakes environment like this, failure was like a contagious disease no one wanted to catch.And above all, Michael’s door remained closed like a heavy, silent barrier. After Owen and Scott had followed him inside, the latch had clicked with a finality that felt like a sentencing. I had spent the afternoon watching that door, waiting for it to swing open, waiting for a summons or even another sharp word, anything to bridge the sudden, frozen distance between us. But nothing came. Claire and Scott handled the fallout with the Jefferson Group, their voices a

A New GamePyotrThe air in Antonio's estate courtyard was still warm from the afternoon sun, it felt different after the wedding ceremony. I watched Elisa and Antonio move among their guests, they were both the picture of happiness. Their love was strong and undeniable, a rare occurrence, and I respected it, even if I didn't fully understand it. My own path was clearer, and simpler.I had stayed long enough to offer my congratulations to the couple, it was a matter of courtesy, and also a clear signal to Antonio. Our alliance was now confirmed by the shared moment of both war and peace, but everything was quiet now, so my work here was nearly done.I found Antonio near a fountain, speaking with David, they were already discussing the new power dynamics in Sicily. Antonio listened, a calm authority in his posture."Antonio," I said, stepping forward, both men turned to me.Antonio offered a slight nod. "Pyotr, thank you for coming.""The wedding was... well organized," I stated. "A

A New BeginningElisa Six weeks had passed since the fight against Marco Bianchi. The estate, which had buzzed with tension and men moving around before, was now quiet. The smell of gunpowder had faded, replaced by the scent of jasmine from the gardens, it was a strange kind of peace, one that we earned, but it was still fragile. Antonio had spent every day dealing with the fallout, rebuilding and securing alliances. The old world was gone, and a new one was slowly taking its place.Today, there was no talk of enemies or strategies, today was about us, today, Antonio and I were getting married.I stood in front of a tall mirror in our bedroom, the afternoon light streaming through the window. My dress was simple, made of soft ivory silk, it hung gracefully on my body, it wasn't tight, letting me move freely and letting my belly which was now very obvious, space. There was very little jewelry, just one of my mother's diamonds on my ears, which I got from the vault where Antonio st

The End of an EraElisa Marco's words hung in the air, cold and heavy, he had just laid bare the truth of my past and of Antonio's past. My entire family, gone, not for some random act of violence, but as a calculated move in his twisted game for power. The clarity was painful, but it hardened my mind. He thought he had trapped us, but he had only fueled our hatred and zeal to destroy him.Antonio moved first, his hand still on his gun, but his eyes blazing with fury and his face was a mask of determination. Pyotr and his men, ever watchful, shifted, weapons ready. Marco's remaining guards moved to shield him, the bunker, which had felt like a secret chamber of truth just a moment ago, was about to become a tomb now."You thought we fell into your trap, Marco," Antonio said, his voice a low growl, "but you are the one that was caught today, your reign ends now."Marco simply smiled, it was an arrogant grin. "Do you think so, Antonio? Do you really think you can take me down, end

The Truth UnveiledElisaMarco Bianchi stood before us, untouched by the chaos of the battle that had torn his compound apart. The flickering lights of the bunker cast long shadows, but they didn’t hide the cold arrogance in his eyes. He wasn't afraid, he was looking down on us, a small, knowing smile on his face. This was the man who had ordered my family killed, who had used Pietro to mold me into the assassin I was, and he had destroyed Antonio's life. Hatred, cold and sharp, coiled in my gut.Antonio now stood beside me, his body rigid, his hand tight on his gun. I could feel his hatred, a silent force beside my own, his eyes were locked on Marco."Antonio," Marco said, his voice calm, cutting through the silence. "You've made quite a mess in my house, and all for what, a personal vendetta? You are so... predictable." His words were like a slow poison.Antonio didn't reply, his jaw was tight, his face a mask of stone, he wasn't going to give Marco the satisfaction of a reac

Face to Face with the DevilAntonio The darkness clung to the hills of Tuscany, heavy and cold, it was the deepest part of the night, just hours before dawn. The air tasted of damp earth and the tense anticipation of what was coming. I stood at the head of our combined forces with Pyotr, looking at the silent faces of my men. My close captains, Matteo and Ricky, were solid walls of muscle beside me, Pyotr’s men, a quiet, efficient unit, were already in position. And David ’s maps folded tight in my pocket, had shown us the weaknesses in Marco Bianchi’s compound, now, it was time to use them.This wasn't just another battle of wit and strength, this was the final push, this was for everything. My father, Elisa’s family, was wiped out by Marco's orders. This was the end of a long, bloody path, I gripped my rifle, the cold metal a familiar comfort.Elisa walked up beside me, she looked tired, but her eyes held a fire I knew well. She didn't say anything, just put her hand on my arm

The Eve of BattleElisaThe air in our private room inside the estate felt heavy, it was thick with unspoken thoughts. Tomorrow, the true fight began, we were bringing the war to Marco's doorstep.The house was quiet, too quiet for the number of men moving through its halls, preparing. Every soldier's face held a grim resolve, mirroring the tension in the air.I found Antonio in our bedroom, standing by the large window overlooking the darkened Sicilian hills. The moon cast long shadows across the olive groves, and a cool breeze swept through the open glass. He wasn't looking at the view, though, he was staring out, his mind miles away, already on the battlefield. He was lost in thought, burdened by the weight of the coming fight.I walked to him quietly, my steps soft on the marble floor, and I slipped my arms around his waist from behind, resting my head against his broad back. I could feel the tension in his muscles, hard and unyielding. Even now, in what should be a moment of