Novels by Ella Parker

Elena’s POVThe door clicked shut behind them, and silence pressed against me like a heavy weight. My cheek still burned where Claudia’s hand had struck, but what hurt more was the echo of her words. Worthless.No matter how many times I heard it, the word cut deep, carving into the part of me that still believed maybe, just maybe, I was more than the pawn she had made me.I pressed my palm against my stinging skin, biting back tears. The last thing I wanted was to let her cruelty follow me even here. But when I turned toward the window, I froze.Headlights flared against the cracked glass. The sleek silhouette of Adrian’s Maybach rolled to a stop, its black exterior gleaming like a predator under the gray morning light. My heart jumped into my throat.He was back.The engine shut off, and a second later the car door opened. His tall frame unfolded into the chill of the morning air, every line of his posture rigid, purposeful. Even from behind the curtain, I could feel the storm radia

Elena’s POVThe night air was colder than I expected when we left the Blackwood estate. The chill cut through my silk gown, making me shiver as Adrian’s hand rested firmly at the small of my back. His grip wasn’t gentle it was guiding, commanding just like everything about him since the moment he’d peeled off the mask of poverty and revealed the truth.Or at least, the truth he wanted me to see.The truth was that he wasn’t a beggar. He was a billionaire. A man whose world I didn’t belong to.My thoughts spun in a thousand directions, each more terrifying than the last. I barely felt the polished leather seats of the Maybach beneath me when we slipped inside. My hands were clenched in my lap, the silk fabric of my dress wrinkling under my grip.“Say something,” Adrian’s voice broke through the silence, low and steady, though a flicker of impatience laced his tone.I turned to him, the words bursting from me before I could stop them. “You lied to me.”His gray eyes sharpened, catching

Adrian’s POVI watched her step into the living room, her damp hair cascading over her shoulders, the loose nightdress clinging delicately to her frame. She looked fragile, uncertain yet there was a quiet fire in her eyes that drew me in despite myself.Silently, I picked up the box I had set aside earlier and held it out to her. “Wear this,” I said evenly. “We have a dinner to attend tonight.”Her brows arched, confusion flickering across her face. But she took the box without protest, clutching it to her chest as though it were a lifeline.She didn’t know. She couldn’t know. The marriage she’d been forced into wasn’t just a coincidence. I had chosen her. Not out of pity, not out of convenience no, this was revenge. Revenge against the woman who ruined my family, against the shadows that haunted my past.But I wasn’t ready to tell her that. Not yet. Tonight, I would only reveal one truth the truth about who I was.As soon as she disappeared upstairs to change, I pulled out my phone,

The ride to Adrian’s home was silent. I kept my hands folded tightly in my lap, staring out the window at the passing city lights, wondering if this was the life I was condemned to forever. Adrian drove with steady hands, his face unreadable, his ragged clothes only emphasizing the air of mystery about him.The truck rattled to a stop at the end of a narrow street, the dim glow of a flickering lamppost casting shadows across the cracked pavement. I peered out the window, my breath catching at the sight before me.A small, weather-beaten house stood at the corner, its wooden boards faded and peeling, the roof sagging in places as if it had been carrying the weight of time far too long. A crooked fence surrounded it, barely standing upright.Adrian cut the engine and stepped out, his ragged clothes blending with the shadows of the night. He moved around the truck and opened my door, his expression unreadable.“This is home,” he said simply.I swallowed the lump in my throat, clutching m

The knock echoed again, louder this time. Claudia rose gracefully, her heels clicking against the marble floor as she glanced back at me with a cruel smile.“Here comes your husband,” she sneered. “Wipe those false tears off your face before you embarrass me any further.”Vanessa snickered behind her, her laughter twisting like a knife in my chest.The door creaked open, and there he stood Adrian Blackwood. His broad shoulders filled the frame, yet the rags he wore made him look like a man dragged up from the gutters. His shirt was torn at the sleeve, his shoes scuffed, his presence so out of place in Claudia’s polished mansion that Vanessa nearly doubled over in laughter.“Good evening, Mrs. Carter,” Adrian said politely, giving Claudia a small nod. His voice was calm, deep, steady as though the mocking smiles and cruel laughter didn’t touch him at all.Claudia smirked, tilting her chin proudly. “Adrian,” she drawled, as if the name itself was a curse. “You’re right on time.”Then hi

Elena’s POV“The only thing we should fear is fear itself.”Those were my late father’s words, etched into my memory like an unshakable echo.I was standing at the sink, hands submerged in soapy water as I washed the endless pile of dishes, when my stepsister Vanessa sauntered in. Her heels clicked against the tiled floor, her smirk sharp enough to cut glass. She leaned close, her voice a venomous whisper against my ear.“This had better be your last marriage, Elena… or you’ll have me to deal with.”My heart skipped. Marriage? The word rattled through me like a curse. Not again.I dropped the plate in my hand, water splashing over my apron as dread clawed up my chest. With trembling fingers, I wiped them dry and hurried out of the kitchen, rushing straight to the living room.There she was Claudia, my stepmother lounging on the velvet sofa with a glass of wine in one hand, her phone pressed elegantly to her ear. Her laughter was syrupy sweet, dripping with the kind of poison I had lea

Ryan’s POVI leaned back in my chair, staring at the blinking message on my phone. A gala. Matteo and Sarah were truly going through with it. They thought they could outmaneuver me.I clenched my jaw, reading the details again. Alessandro was gone, yet somehow they had the audacity to host a celebration so soon. No. This wasn’t just a gala it was a trap. For me. For Isabelle. Maybe even for Damian.But did they think I was that stupid? That I wouldn’t sniff out their pathetic little plan before it even took shape? I smirked, tossing the phone on the table.I rose to my feet, pacing the length of the room. Matteo always underestimated me, treating me like the desperate younger brother clinging to scraps. And Sarah sweet, naive Sarah she still believed she could stand against me.The thought made me laugh, low and dangerous. They had no idea who they were dealing with. If they wanted war at the gala, I’d give them war. But I’d be the one writing the final act.I grabbed a glass of whisk

Sarah's POVMy hands trembled as I slid the phone back into my pocket, the echo of my own words still burning in my chest. The hospital’s dim hallway smelled faintly of antiseptic and cold metal.I could still see Alessandro’s face in my mind lifeless, gone and every time I blinked, the image burned sharper, fueling the anger in my veins. Ryan’s smugness, Isabelle’s deceit, Damian’s cruelty they would all pay.Mia was still asleep in her room, Ethan by her side. I couldn’t tell them what I’d just done. Not yet. This was my war to fight, and my warning to deliver.I walked toward the elevator, my reflection in its steel doors looking like a stranger’s. My voice had been calm in that text, but inside, I was ready to tear down their entire world.****The rain was still falling when I stood outside Matteo’s apartment building, the cold drops seeping through my coat. I hesitated, my hand hovering over the intercom, unsure if I should disturb him tonight.But Alessandro’s death had carved

Ryan’s POVI leaned back in the leather chair, swirling the amber liquid in my glass. Isabelle sat opposite me, legs crossed, that smug little smile tugging at her lips.“So, Alessandro’s gone,” Isabelle said, almost sing-song, as if talking about the weather. “One less obstacle in our way.”I smirked, taking a slow sip.“Exactly. Matteo will spiral. He’ll lose focus. And when he’s busy grieving… that’s when we take everything.”She tilted her head, her gold earrings catching the light.“Everything? Or just Sarah?”I let out a short laugh. “Both. I want Sarah, and I want Matteo crushed. This is personal now.”Her smile widened.“And here I thought you didn’t mix business with pleasure.”I leaned forward, placing the glass on the table between us.“When it comes to Matteo, I make an exception.”Isabelle’s smile was sly, almost feline, as she leaned forward, lowering her voice.“Then we move to phase two,” she said, tapping a manicured finger against the rim of her wine glass.I raised

Sarah’s POVMia stirred faintly on the bed, pulling me back to the room. I adjusted her blanket with shaky hands, forcing myself to focus on her breathing, steady and soft.But my mind wouldn’t stay quiet. Questions screamed inside my head about Matteo, about Ryan, about Isabelle’s cryptic smirk. I hated how they all seemed to hold pieces of a puzzle I couldn’t solve.The hospital’s hallway light spilled into the room when the door cracked open. My body tensed, expecting Ethan or a nurse. Instead, Alessandro’s driver stepped inside, his eyes searching for me.“Miss Sarah,” he said softly, almost hesitantly. “There’s something you need to hear… from Mr. Alessandro himself. He asked me to bring you.” His gaze was serious, almost urgent.I glanced back at Mia. Leaving her now felt wrong, but the urgency in his voice was undeniable. “Five minutes,” I murmured to Mia, kissing her hand before following the driver out.The hallway felt colder than before. My heels clicked softly against the

Matteo's POVI didn’t remember the elevator ride, or how I got to my car. All I knew was that Alessandro was alone. And Ryan had made a promise to kill.I gripped the wheel so tightly my knuckles turned white, blood draining from my hands. My eyes were fixed on the road, heart racing faster than the engine growled beneath me.Flashes of Alessandro’s face filled my head his warm laughter, his quiet wisdom, his endless support. My grandfather. The only man who ever truly stood in the gap for me when everything else crumbled.The mansion gates loomed ahead, slightly ajar. The guards were gone. That alone struck a chilling nerve through my spine. Something was wrong.I slammed the brake and jumped out, leaving the car running. My shoes echoed across the gravel as I rushed up the stairs, each step heavier with fear and dread.“Alessandro!” I yelled, bursting through the front door. Silence greeted me. Cold. Hollow. The kind of silence that tells you death has already passed through the roo

Matteo’ Pov The night pressed against my windows, a heavy, suffocating thing. I sat in my study, nursing a glass of scotch that had long lost its warmth, eyes fixed on nothing.I hadn’t heard from Sarah in hours not since Alessandro mentioned her brief visit earlier today. Every second stretched into something unbearable, like time was deliberately taunting me with silence.My phone lay beside me, dark and unmoving. I could call her. I could demand to know where she was. But something in me resisted the fear of what I might hear.Instead, I dialed a different number. My private investigator answered on the first ring. “Russo,” he said, voice clipped. “Any updates on Damian?” My words came out sharper than intended.There was a pause. “He’s been spotted… following Sarah earlier this evening.” My chest tightened. “She escaped,” the investigator added quickly, “Ethan picked her up.” The relief was sharp, but it was laced with fury.I set the glass down and stood, pacing across the study