Novels by Joy Marvel

Chapter 07-EvelynI lay still on the wide hotel bed, staring at the ceiling as morning came too quickly. It wasn't the sunlight creeping through the blinds that kept me awake. It was him, Adrian.The memory of the elevator weighed down on me with every breath. His nearness, the way his gaze pinned me in place, and his words that kept replaying in my head.God, even now it echoed inside me.I turned to my side, pulling the sheets closer like they could do anything to relieve me. I was shaken, not just because of what he did, but because of how I responded. My body betrayed me. I would be lieing to myself if I said my heart was still with Paul at that moment.I squeezed my eyes shut, trying to banish the thought. As if to help, the buzz of my phone broke the silence. I flinched, coming back to life and reached for it on the nightstand.‘My heart’ glowed on the screen, which was Paul.I shook my head in disbelief of how my real heart has been betraying me lately. I put on my perfect smi

Chapter 06-AdrianEvelyn Hartwell was pressed against me, her breath slowing, those hazel eyes snapping up to mine. I didn’t let go. Not right away. Again.God, she was devastating up close. Her lashes trembled, her lips parted slightly, gloss shining under the dim light. She looked like royalty wrapped in silk, but the heat radiating off her skin pulled me somewhere darker, somewhere far from polished elegance.She has no idea what she does to me.I let go slowly, dragging my fingers against hers just enough to feel her warmth before stepping back. She smoothed her gown without meeting my eyes, pretending she wasn’t shaken. Pretending I hadn’t just disturbed her.Good. Let her pretend. I like That.“Apologies.” I said, voice low, the edge of amusement slipping through. “Paris has a strange way of throwing us together, doesn't it?”She cleared her throat, clutching her phone like it was armor. “I—I should call for help.”“Already done.” I slid my phone from my pocket, tilting the scre

Chapter 05-Evelyn When I got back from my outing, Paul was waiting in the bedroom, his tablet propped on his knee, his expression hard, almost tired. He looked up when I stepped in, forcing a smile that didn’t quite reach his eyes. “Mi amor,” he said, patting the mattress beside him. “There’s news. We’ve been invited to a gala in Paris tomorrow. It's a big deal.” My chest lifted. Paris, A gala. That was our thing and we never missed them. But before the excitement could settle, his smile slipped. “But…” he sighed, rubbing his temple, “I can’t go.” I froze halfway out of my heels. “What do you mean, you can’t go? Paul, you’ve never missed one. Not once.” He tossed the tablet aside with a little too much force. “There’s a contract I’ve been chasing. If I don’t lock it down now, I’ll lose it. And you know to who.” His voice carried a bite. He didn’t need to say Adrian’s name. I unclipped my earrings slowly, trying not to show my disappointment. “Couldn’t it wait just two days?”

Chapter 04-EvelynSteam clouded the bathroom mirror as I stood under the rush of water, head tilted back, letting it pour down my face and shoulders. Last night had been…good. Paul had been gentle, the way he always tried to be, and I gave myself to him, let myself belong to him like I always did. Still, as the water ran over me now, another picture pressed in where it didn’t belong.His cologne. His nearness. The way his hand had had caught me, steady, but not letting go fast enough.Adrian.My chest tightened, and I pressed my palms flat against the tile as if that could shove the thought out of me. Stop it, Evelyn. He’s your husband’s brother. Stepbrother, but still—Paul’s blood in a way. You love Paul. You chose him. You belong here. I told myself each word, like reciting a line I didn’t fully believe.But my body refused to listen. The memory of Adrian’s scent clung too strong, darker than soap, heavier than steam. And a traitorous part of me wondered—what if he hadn’t stopped?

Chapter 03-AdrianMy PA’s voice filled the study, efficient and businesslike.“Since last night’s announcement, we’ve had seven requests already,” he said over the phone. “Two want design deals, three are pushing for long partnerships. The rest…they just want their names tied to yours.”I smirked faintly, walking closer to the window. The city stretched out in front of me, glass and concrete catching the weak Saturday light. It was still waking up from Friday night, same as the people in it.“And the Europe deal?” I asked, finishing my coffee.“Finalized,” he said. “Three more years, confirmed.”“Good.”My company had its hands everywhere—buildings, hotels, real estate that scraped the sky. Towers with my name on them. Every deal was another stone added to the empire I’d built piece by piece. I'm really proud of this.But my mind wasn’t really on business today.“You’ve done well,” I told him. “Take the weekend off.”A pause. “Are you sure, sir?”“Yes. I’ll call if I need you.”I drop

Chapter 02-EvelynThe clapping stopped and the clinking of glasses went down, but my heart still kept racing. It wouldn’t slow. I could still feel Adrian's gaze on me hot and heavy like it was burning my skin.For a moment I just stood there, my hand clunged in Paul's arm. I could feel how tense he was under his fake smile like he was ready to explode. Adrian stepped down from the stage then just walked right through people like he owned the whole place, his smile wide pulling every eye to him.“Paul!” He called out loud drawing everyone's attention, then he pulled my husband into a hug. It looked normal but I saw how their backs became stiff when they patted each other, both smiling for the crowd, but I knew Paul so well to miss that mean look in his eyes.“What was that stunt you pulled on stage?” Paul asked, his voice low.Adrian only chuckled, waving the question away with his hand like it was nothing. “Don't make it sound so big. It was just family truth. People should know we