Novels by Jo

ARIA HALE You disgust me. I replayed all the conversations that occurred tonight in my head. I stirred in bed, unable to sleep. It was usually something I struggled with all my life since I had been diagnosed. I had eventually learnt to live with it. In between tolerating my stepmother’s snide remarks and my father’s suspicious gazes, I figured I wouldn’t be able to do the same for Adrian. I had no grace in me to lend him. He had broken my heart. He was cheating on me with Cassie and still dared to come visit the house and dine with us. Just how heartless could he be? Lying to my fucking face? How much of a fool did I resemble?I had questions but I was too weak to sit through one with him. I was both mentally and physically drained. I needed to take a breather first. I changed into a thin nightgown and crawled under the covers, turning to my side. The night breeze slipped in, through the window, cool against my skin. I closed my eyes and tried to will myself to sleep. But noth

KADE WOLFE I’ve guarded politicians, arms dealers, and men who smile while signing death warrants. But none of them have unsettled me the way Aria Hale does when she pretends she isn’t breaking. She thinks no one notices but I do. She walks straight ahead, with a stiff spine and her chin lifted. She doesn’t look back. The Hale Estate hasn’t changed. It never does. It was still the cold, ruthless mausoleum that had witnessed and hidden more secrets than any place. It was the kind of place that sucked you dry and left you parched and miserable. Aria must have felt this way all her life. She looked nothing like the young, bright-eyed girl I once knew. She stopped at the base of the stairs.“I’m going to rest.” She said without looking at me. “You don’t have to hover.” “I do,” I replied.She clicked her tongue. “Of course. You never listen to me.” She took the stairs slowly, one hand grazing the banister to steady her. I followed closely behind her. She paused at the door to her

ARIA HALE The SUV rolled to a stop and the gates parted slowly. The moment we crossed the threshold, a familiar tightness settled in my chest. We had gotten home. Home. That’s if you could call this prison a home. I have never felt at home in this large, cold mansion. The car pulled into the driveway. Before I could reach for the handle, Kade was already standing there, holding the door open for me. I hesitated, then stepped out in wobbly legs. I was back to being a prisoner. The front doors opened almost immediately. My brows shot up. Margaret Hale stood there waiting with that fake smile plastered on her face. My stepmother looked as immaculate as ever. Pearl earrings. Soft cardigan. She looked put together as always, the face of a woman who had mastered the art of pretending. “Oh Aria,” she rushed forward to my side, “My poor darling.” If I didn’t know any better, I would have thought she actually cared. She wrapped her arms around me before I could escape. Her perfume, lav

ARIA HALEI didn’t scream. I didn’t cry either. I lay still, my eyes trained on the ceiling. The sound of the whirring fan and the beeping of machines around me, like they were mocking me. Maybe they were. Maybe everyone was. I was a fool, after all. My chest hurt in a way no illness had ever caused before. The pain was sharp and hollow, like something had been taken out of me and I was left, bleeding. It felt like I would die, but I didn’t. Once she dies, we inherit everything. His voice echoed in my head. I swallowed hard. So that was all I was to him. Someone he could benefit from endlessly after a brief period. A long-time investment. Did he ever love me? My fingers curled into the sheets, nails digging into the fabric because I desperately needed a grounding—an anchor. After all, it felt like I was drowning and I needed something to hold onto. My eyes brimmed with fresh tears that were too stubborn to fall. I was nauseous. Angry. Humiliated. Betrayed. I should have know

ARIA HALE“…..Her pills were tampered with. The pill bottles looked like they had been swapped at the audition. Do you know anyone who could have done that? Her condition is bad enough, we can’t afford to entertain more complications, Mr. Hale,”Doctor Watson’s voice sounded distant, almost like I was underwater. My father’s reply came; strained and low. “I understand, Doctor Watson. It’s under control. I am assigning a bodyguard to her today onwards,” My ears perked at that word. Bodyguard. My eyes fluttered open slowly, taking in my all-familiar environment. Sterile white ceiling. The faint beeping of machines. The familiar cold scent of antiseptics invaded my airways. I turned my head. The doctor was gone. Only my father was standing in the middle of the room, staring into space. He looked older, like he had aged a decade overnight. My throat burned as I tried to speak, the words coming out raw and groggy, “A—a bodyguard? You can’t be serious, Dad,” I attempted to sit up bu