Nobela ni Valerie Ashibeshibe

That night, Leila didn't sleep at all. She sat by the massive window in Adrian’s penthouse, watching the city lights flicker against the stormy sky, her thoughts a tangled mess. Nathan Cross’s sudden appearance wasn’t a coincidence. It was a disclaimer. But what was he really after? On the coffee table, her phone buzzed, breaking the silence. Unknown amount She picked it up, her heart pounding. A single message flashed across the screen: > Visit Whitmore Park to meet me. Midnight. Be on your own. Leila cursed under her breath. She should ignore it. She should wake Adrian and tell him everything. Instead, she slipped on a jacket, grabbed her keys, and disappeared into the night. A Nighttime Ghost Whitmore Park was nearly deserted, the old fountain in the center casting long, eerie shadows under the moonlight. Nathan was sitting on the fountain's stone base like he had all the time in the world when Leila saw him immediately. "You’re late," he said lazily as she approached. L

The Whitmore Hotel gala was supposed to be simple. Make a grin for the cameras. Take Adrian by the hand. Make it appear as though the kiss that changed everything never took place. Leila had mastered the art of deception. Until she saw him. Nathan Cross was holding a drink and standing across the packed ballroom. The only man she had ever truly trusted was tall, handsome, and dangerous. Until he betrayed her. Publicly. Brutally. A scandal that had nearly ruined her. Leila lost her ability to breathe for a brief moment. Nathan’s blue eyes locked onto hers, and a slow, mocking smile curled his lips. Like he knew exactly what seeing him again would do to her. In an effort to concentrate, she turned her attention away. The time had not come. This wasn’t the place. Adrian noticed immediately. His breath felt warm against her ear as he leaned in. "Something wrong, darling?" Leila flashed the paparazzi in the immediate vicinity her brightest smile. She replied in a whisper, "Not at

The rest of the world vanished as soon as Adrian touched her lips. There will no longer be staged smiles or careful masks—only heat, chaos, and raw need. Leila kissed him back before she could think, before she could remind herself who he was. The adversary The man she was supposed to outsmart, not want. His hands framed her face, tilting her head, deepening the kiss with a hunger that stole her breath. It was messy and desperate and real. Too true. As if she could forcefully erase the past few months of animosity between them, Leila's hands fisted in his shirt and pulled him closer. Adrian groaned low in his throat — a sound that made her knees weaken — and lifted her onto the counter, slotting himself between her legs. Their bodies fit together too well, as if they were made for this. Leila let herself fall for a wild moment. No thinking. No planning. merely feeling Adrian pulled back just slightly, resting his forehead against hers, both of them breathing hard. He snarled,

The following days were like a game of chess. Leila and Adrian exchanged double – meaning glances and words. Each hand brush was a new action that neither of them wanted to admit. In public, they remained the picture-perfect couple — untouchable, enviable.However, behind closed doors, the tension grew even more intense, pointing toward an unavoidable outcome. Leila had managed to persuade herself that the storm kiss was accidental. a foolish display of weakness that had no significance. She told herself this every time Adrian looked at her with those stormy gray eyes, every time his touch lingered longer than necessary. She didn’t believe herself. The morning was no exception. Leila stood in the living room, adjusting the navy dress she was wearing, which was simple but elegant. They were scheduled to attend a charity luncheon. Adrian was pacing with a frown across the room while talking on the phone. After cutting off the conversation, he turned to face her. "You ready?" Leila ga

Leila could still feel Victoria Moreau’s gaze on her, even long after the woman had walked away.It wasn’t insecurity—Leila didn’t have time for that. It was something else.Something sharper.Something she didn’t want to acknowledge.She hadn’t missed the way Victoria and Adrian had looked at each other. The history. The lingering weight of something unfinished.And that bothered her.Which was ridiculous.Because she did not care about Adrian Kane.Leila turned her attention back to the party, but it was impossible to ignore the heat of Adrian’s presence beside her. He had been unusually quiet since Victoria left, and for once, she couldn’t decipher his expression.She took a sip of her champagne, trying to shake the unwanted irritation twisting in her chest.Then Adrian leaned in.“Are you jealous?”His voice was rich with amusement, a low murmur against the shell of her ear.Leila turned, giving him a dry look. “Not even remotely.”He smirked. “Really? Because you looked like you

Leila Oke had spent her career exposing men like Adrian Kane—powerful, untouchable, and arrogant beyond belief. She was now sitting next to him in the back of a sleek black limousine and getting ready to smile at the cameras as his wife. She was wearing a diamond ring that was worth more than her apartment. She clenched her fists in her lap, her nails digging into her palm. This was temporary. Just six months. She could survive six months. Adrian sat next to her in a perfectly tailored black tuxedo and maintained his composure effortlessly. The soft glow of the car’s interior lights sharpened the angles of his face, making him look even more infuriatingly handsome. He turned his gray eyes to her. "You appear nervous." Leila exhaled through her nose. “Gee, I wonder why.” Adrian smirked. "You need to relax if you want to pull this off." With a serious expression, she turned to him. “You blackmailed me into marriage. Forgive me if I don’t feel relaxed.” He chuckled, the sound