Novels by Natasha Gwen

I want to thank you all for reading my book and adding to library. Please endeavor to unlock exciting new chapters. I am open to criticism 💞Much loveThe Author

The rain tapped quietly against the windowpane, but Alina's breath came in gasps. She sat upright in bed, drenched in cold sweat. The images wouldn't stop-Damian's voice, the kiss, Jesse's eyes full of pain, the box full of secrets. It all swirled in her dreams like smoke.She looked around the dim room, heart still pounding.The light from the study was still on.She rose slowly, wrapped in silence and guilt, and padded down the hall. Jesse sat by the window, head leaned back against the chair, eyes open, staring into the night like he was trying to see through it."You're not sleeping," she said softly.He looked at her, face unreadable. "Neither are you."Alina hesitated, then sat across from him. "Nightmares," she whispered. "Everything feels like it's falling apart."Jesse's voice was low. "It is. You just haven't accepted it yet."She blinked. "That's not fair."He turned to her, tired. "What isn't fair is loving someone who doesn't even know if she trusts you."Silence hung bet

London – Underground Vault, 03:00 A.M.The vault doors sealed with a hiss. Damian stood in front of an ancient server rig known only to four people in the world-two of whom were already dead.Selene entered without a word, handing him a biometric key. "Access is confirmed. The Black Channel is live.""Any trace of us?""Scrubbed and masked," she replied. "And the decoy files were delivered to the Reyes Foundation two hours ago. If she opens them...""She won't know what's real anymore," Damian finished with satisfaction.He stared at the interface. A dozen encrypted threads flickered to life, blinking like quiet landmines waiting to be stepped on."Let Jesse draw her close again," he said. "She still thinks he's hers. That makes him more dangerous than even I could be."Selene hesitated. "What if he flips? He's unpredictable."Damian turned to her, the cold certainty in his gaze making the air feel thinner."Everyone believes in the people they love-until the wire snaps."Somewhere on

London. Midnight.The top floor of the Vale Tower was a study in excess disguised as elegance. Italian marble, antique gold fixtures, oil paintings older than the building itself-but the tech running behind the walls was newer than the next quarter's future.Damian Vale stood alone, facing a digital display of market trends, security profiles, and strategic maps that looked more military than corporate.Behind him, the room slowly filled.His inner circle was small. Hand-picked. Unshakably loyal-or easily disposed of. Tonight, only three joined him: Selene-his chief of strategy, Kaito-former MI6 and current head of operations, and Luc Renard-a French media baron with a morally flexible empire."She's harder than expected," Selene said without preamble. "Even the press can't touch her without it backfiring.""Which is why," Damian said, not turning around, "we don't attack her. Not yet."Kaito frowned. "Then what's the next step?"Damian finally faced them, his expression smooth as gla

Day After the Terrace Incident7:41 AM – Jesse's Apartment, SouthbankThe espresso machine sputtered to life, but Jesse barely noticed. He was already at his desk, sleeves rolled up, a tablet glowing in front of him, lines of Damian Vale's digital footprint spreading like spiderwebs.Not much was sticking.Damian was frustratingly good at controlling his narrative. High-level corporate acquisitions, some well-orchestrated philanthropy, a trail of sanitized interviews-but behind that was something else. Something carefully omitted.Jesse tapped into old networks. Some MI6-adjacent, some messier.He didn't like what he wasn't finding.---9:02 AM – Encrypted Chat ServerA green dot pulsed next to a name he hadn't seen in years: Kairos.Jesse hesitated. His finger hovered.Then:> You still owe me one. Need info on Damian Vale. Quietly.Seconds passed.Then a reply blinked back:> That's a name I didn't expect to hear from you.Jesse frowned.> You know him?> Not directly. But I know wh

Jesse's fists clenched at his sides as he watched from the shadows. The kiss-he had expected a confrontation, not *that*. The knife of betrayal cut deeper than he'd imagined.Back at his car, the silence was deafening. He stared at the photo on his dashboard-him and Alina, smiling, before everything went dark. Before Damian came back.He grabbed his phone. No message. No apology. Just time passing, cold and bitter.***Inside the warehouse, Alina pulled away first. Her lips tingled, her thoughts tangled. Damian opened his mouth to speak, but she raised a hand."I need time," she whispered. "And answers. Real ones.""You'll get them," Damian promised. "Starting now."He walked to a rusted cabinet in the corner, pulling out a small, locked box. "Proof. Of everything. What they did. What they're planning."He handed it to her.Alina's hands shook as she took it. "What's inside?""Names. Places. Targets." He looked at her, eyes dark. "Including yours."Her blood ran cold.Outside, tires s

I sat down to think of what just happened.I just kissed the man who tried to kill me before. Do I still love him? No, I don't. I can't still have love for him even after what he had done. I need to do something. Fast.An idea came up Toretto. I need to calm my mind from all this. This is too much.I picked up my phone to call Toretto. I couldn't tell him what just happened. He would feel heartbroken and never trust me anymore. I need to trust him first before I can finally tell him about James. I brushed myself up and wore a short dress. Something that I haven't done in a long time. I applied some make-up to look more presentable and walked down the staircase. Jonathan looked up at me. He stared from my heels to my thighs, then worked his way up to my lips, he smirked. "You look lovely." He moved closer to me, I shoved him away."I'm off. Food is on the table. You can eat it or not, I don't care." I hissed, avoiding eye contact."Are you actually going to ignore what happened few

My daily routineThey say blood is thicker than water. But in my world, blood is thicker than everything—including truth, dreams, and peace.I wake up every morning at 5:00 a.m., not because I want to, but because my father says, “A lazy son brings a weak legacy.” I hear the guards shuffling outside my room—men with guns strapped to their sides like they're part of their skin. One of them, Marco, nods at me when I step out. He was the first man I saw kill someone. I was ten then.My first stop is the gym close to the mansion. Not for health but for survival. My father insists every man in the family should be able to shoot straight and fight harder.By 6:00 a.m., I’ve done my rounds—weights, sparring, then target practice. The walls are soundproof, but I still hear the gunshots in my sleep. Nightmares becomes my dreams at night.Breakfast is silent. No phones. Just eyes. My mother had died a long time ago. We were raised by only my father who reads a list of “updates”—rival movements

The Unexpected EncounterI could hear voices downstairs. Silent but still audible. Jonathan must be talking to someone. At first, it sounded like a male then later on, it sounded more feminine. I stood up from the bed, still a little tipsy and tired. Wearing my nightgown, I slowly walked down the staircase to see who it was.I could hear their voices clearly now. It was a woman. I came down to meet them and what I saw surprised me.I stood frozen in the stairway, my eyes locked on the woman sitting on my couch. My husband's secretary, Jade, looked up from where she sat, a mix of surprise and shock flashing across her face. Her eyes widened, and her mouth dropped open, as if she'd seen a ghost.Well, she did.I ran back a upstairs almost immediately. My heart beating really fast. She looked frightened like she just saw a horror movie. But I wanted to know why she came here so I walked back downstairs.For a moment, we just stared at each other, the air thick with tension. I felt a sh

Why am I doing this?I have not been myself ever since she arrived here.I bit my lip. I moved towards the window. The cool morning breeze reminding me that I haven't slept."She is still not back yet." I murmured. There was a crash and I rushed outside. Sadly, it was just an angry cat.Maybe she is actually gone. Again. I scoffed at my attitude for her and turned around. Just then, I heard some heavy breathing strips and I knew that it was her. I rushed inside and pretended that I never cared. She walked in, loudly like she wanted the whole house to be aware that sge had arrived."Jonathan!" She screamed my name. I clicked my tongue. She soon found me and waved her phone at me."Why did you do this, huh? I am not ready yet, I told you!" She snapped. "But isn't he the reason you came back, I did you a favor..." I replied. I never wanted James back. I did it for her. She wanted him so badly and now she doesn't?" Oh really! How would he feel when he sees his mother whom he thought was

The cold breeze from the window woke me up. I jerked up from the old rusty bed and scratched my head. My phone buzzed again. I blinked. Five missed calls from No name. I smiled. Susie. "Okay ." I mouthed, while dialing her number. She immediately picked it up."Hey No name, were you worried about me.." there were some sound of loud music."Susie, are you...at... a bar?!" I asked. There was no response. She must have dosed off. Or answered the call by accident. There was a sound of glasses smashing to pieces.i jerked up."Susie, stay right there, I am coming for you." I said calmly and tracked her phone. I rushed outside the toy store and almost hit Morticia."I'm so sorry, Morticia here is your money." I pulled out a freshly printed dollar notes and gave her. She counted it quickly; fifty thousand dollars. A smile appeared on her face."Go." She ordered. I had already ordered a ride and drove to where I last tracked her.Morano's bar.I sighed deeply. My Dad's bar. What if she had b

Switching on the lights, I blinked at the man on a wheelchair, staring at me. I hissed and went upstairs."So that's it then." He began."That's how it's going to be. You go out with your boyfriend while I stay at home." He continued."You wouldn't have been thinking about this if I wasn't dead like you wanted." I hissed. Every second felt like an eatery. We have only been together for two weeks but it felt like years. I just need my son. I don't need a husband anymore."Dinner would be ready in he next thirty minutes." I said and shut the door.My heart felt like it was going to come out of my body. I picked up the phone to call Toretto.I couldn't have left him like that?!"...the number that you are calling is unreachable at the moment, please try again.." the caller tone said. I tossed the phone on my bed. Lying lifeless on the bed for few minutes made me wonder why my life was this complicated. I still had some awkward feelings for Jonathan but I don't know if it is just pity. My