Novels by Ariella's Pen

Ravenna's POV.I didn’t even realize how tightly my hands were curled until my nails bit into my palms. My whole body was trembling, but I wasn’t going to show it. Not to him and definitely not now when my mind was still reeling from what we had done.“You kissed me,” I said, my voice low but sharp enough to cut the space between us. The rain outside beat against the window, steady and relentless.Anthony didn’t move a muscle of his. He just sat there, broad shoulders rigid, his eyes fixed on mine like he was waiting for me to break first.“And you kissed me back.”The way he said it , calm, almost cold knocked the air out of me. My lips parted, a thousand things tumbling through my mind. I could throw a joke to deflect, a barb to wound him back, a denial to claw my pride back into place. Anything. But nothing made it out. I just stayed silent.But he didn’t wait either. His next words landed like a blade.“That was a mistake. One that shouldn’t happen again.”I felt it physically. Li

Florence's POV.The storm outside felt like an extension of the one inside me. Thunder roared against the glass walls, lightning split the sky into jagged scars, and yet it was his silence—Anthony’s silence—that rattled me the most.I stood in front of him, arms crossed, my pulse beating so loudly I could hear it in my ears. “You still don’t believe me, do you?”Anthony leaned back against the edge of his desk, his posture deceptively relaxed, but his eyes—dark, unyielding—were locked on me like shackles. “I believe what I see, Florence. And what I saw tonight was a man with enough proof to raise questions you refuse to answer.”The words sliced straight through me, cruel and deliberate. I laughed bitterly, though the sound broke halfway. “Proof? He could barely tell me my own brother’s birthday. He couldn’t even say my mother’s name! And yet you—” My voice cracked, my throat tight. “You looked at me like you already decided I was guilty.”His jaw ticked, but his stare didn’t waver. “

Florence POV.The laughter of the Kims trailed behind us as we walked them to the entrance. Mr. Kim clapped Anthony on the shoulder with the easy confidence of a man who’d already decided the deal was his.“You handled yourself well tonight,” he said, his accent clipped but warm. “Chaos is when you see a man’s real face. And yours, Mr. St Louis, is steady. On monday, we finalize everything.”Anthony inclined his head in that mechanical way of his, as if gratitude were a transaction. “I’ll be ready.”Mrs. Kim lingered, her sharp eyes sliding from her husband to me. Her hand found mine before I could retreat. Soft and deliberate. “You’ve done well too, Florence. Keeping everyone entertained, lifting the mood—it matters. More than you know.”I managed a polite smile. “I only did what was expected of me.”Her lips curved in a knowing way that made me uncomfortable. “Expected, yes. But there’s more between you and Anthony than either of you will admit. He’s…demanding, controlling. But don’

Florence's POV The impostor’s face faltered, his act cracking like shattered glass.“You don’t,” I hissed, taking another step closer, trembling with rage. “Because you’re not him. You’re a parasite. A coward hiding behind someone else’s skin.”For a moment, silence scorched the room. My chest rose and fell with ragged breaths. I turned sharply to Anthony, my eyes burning. “Look at him. Look at me. And tell me you trust him more than you trust me.”Anthony didn’t answer immediately. His silence was a blade hovering over me. But I held his gaze anyway, desperate, furious, unyielding.“Trust me,” I whispered, almost broken, but with steel in every syllable. “Because I am telling you the truth.”Anthony’s stare was unreadable, carved from stone. “Trust you? When every piece of evidence points to the opposite?” His voice was sharp, cutting. He reached into his jacket and pulled out a folder, tossing it onto the desk. Pages spilled out—bank records, photographs, contracts—all stamped with

Florence's POV.Anthony didn’t say a word. His hand clamped around my wrist like a steel cuff, his stride long and merciless as he dragged me out of the ballroom. The chatter of the investors faded behind us, swallowed by the heavy silence of the corridor. My heels clicked frantically against the polished floor, each sound echoing my pulse.“Anthony, let go—you’re hurting me!” I hissed, tugging uselessly against his grip. But he didn’t so much as glance at me. His jaw was tight, his profile carved in cold fury, eyes locked straight ahead.I had seen him angry before but his version of angry was always controlled, clipped, like ice cracking beneath your feet. This… this was different. His anger was a storm caged inside his body, one breath away from breaking free.“Where are we going?” I demanded, though my voice wavered. “What’s happening?”He gave no answer. He just kept on walking, and I was forced to keep up, nearly tripping in my dress as we cut through the hallways. Employees sca

Florence's POV. Anthony returned to the hall like a storm pretending to be sunshine. The doors opened, and he walked in with the kind of poise that demanded silence, though his eyes betrayed him. He was definitely furious, I could tell by the tightness in his jaw, the faint tremor of his hand as he adjusted his cufflinks, and the fact that he didn’t so much as glance my way. Instead, he plastered on a mask of cool civility, his voice smooth as he addressed the investors. “I apologize for the delay. There was a minor disturbance outside, but it has been handled.” Handled. The word hung in the air like the echo of a threat. Yeah something bad had occurred. I wanted to ask what happened, but the way he didn’t even look at me made my throat tighten. Instead, I watched as he poured the investors wine himself—a gesture so out of character that it only confirmed how hard he was working to hide whatever had rattled him. I looked towards the entrance but it was clear. Only the usual g