Novels by Deedee

Theo’s POVWhen one of the maids came to the stable that morning to tell me Prince Henry wanted to see me, my first thought was simple and straightforward.I’ve been caught.The bucket in my hand nearly slipped from my fingers. For one dangerous second, panic clawed up my throat so violently that I thought I might actually throw up.But I forced my face to remain calm. Even if he caught on I still had to remain Billy. Not Theo Bellemere. I had to remain a stable boy, not the disgraced French prince. I had to act like a poor boy from the countryside, not Valecourt’s unwilling puppet.I repeated the lie in my head the same way a prayer was repeated before battle.I was Billy. Billy. Billy.The maid waited impatiently while I wiped my hands against my worn trousers.“His Highness is waiting,” she reminded me.“I’m coming,” I answered softly.Even to my own ears, my voice sounded unfamiliar these days. I had spent days forcing myself to erase every trace of the person I used to be.I cha

Rowan's POV The palace library wasn't exactly my favourite place to be in. But with everything going on in my life, the silence and peace was something I needed. Everywhere else in the palace felt unbearable for me. The dining hall was crowded even when it wasn't meal time. The corridors felt monitored by guards and invisible eyes Henry installed on me. Even my own room no longer felt safe with the constant thoughts crawling through my head.The fact that Theo was here was unsettling. And no matter how many times Henry dismissed me, that fact remained unchanged.Theo Bellemare was inside this palace pretending to be someone else. And somehow I was the only person seeing the danger in that.I pushed open the doors of the library and stepped inside. Immediately, the familiar scent of old paper and polished wood surrounded me. It reminded me of my time with Theo in the school library. It reminded me of the ridiculous punishment principal Whitcombe gave Theo and I when we broke the sc

Rowan's POV My thoughts spiraled with every step I took as I walked quickly across the palace grounds.Should I just let him be and watch him closely? I couldn't just let him be when I didn't even know his hidden motives. Was I sounding too paranoid?How could I not be paranoid after everything I had been through?I was kidnapped. I was drugged to confess. My family was threatened. And now, Valecourt had successfully manipulated Theo and he had magically appeared in my home pretending to be stable staff.I climbed the palace steps two at a time in a hurry. Servants greeted me politely as I passed, but I barely acknowledged them.My mind was too occupied with different questions and I needed to talk to Henry.Maybe he would believe me since this time was different. This time I had seen Theo with my own eyes.I reached Henry’s section of the palace and immediately headed for his private study.The guards outside didn't need to announce my presence before they nodded respectfully and

Rowan’s POVI barely slept.And when I did, it turned into something ugly.I had a nightmare and it had been a while since I had one. In the dream, Theo was standing in complete darkness.This wasn't the kind of darkness that came at night. This one felt alive, like it was breathing heavily. It swallowed everything around him until only his outline remained visible.“Theo,” I called.He didn’t answer, he just stared at me with an expressionless face. “Theo,” I tried again. This time, without a word, he reached for my hand. I grabbed it immediately because I thought he wanted help. But the moment our hands touched, he pulled me hard. The darkness behind him spread like liquid shadows, climbing around his legs while dragging him backward.“Theo!” I shouted as he pulled me. I tried pulling him toward me. I even struggled with both hands but the harder I pulled, the deeper he sank.And suddenly he smiled cruelly, like he knew something I didn’t.“Let go,” he whispered.“No!” I cried a

Rowan’s POVI didn’t even realize how long I had stayed there with Annabelle. And by the time I left the barn, the sky was already dark. That alone was enough to surprise me.Usually, conversations drained me. Especially recently, every interaction felt exhausting because people either pitied me, judged me, or tried too hard to act normal around me.But Annabelle had been different in a good way. I found her easy to converse with. And for the little time we spent together, she made me forget everything pressing down on me.I walked slowly along the stone path leading back to the palace, my hands tucked inside my hoodie pocket while cold wind brushed against my face.From the outside, the palace looked perfect, powerful and untouchable. But now that I knew how much manipulation existed beneath powerful families, even its beauty made me suspicious.I climbed the front steps quietly. The guards by the entrance nodded at me immediately and opened the doors.I had barely taken two steps in

Rowan’s POVSlowly, I was losing my mind.At first, I thought isolation would feel peaceful. I thought it would save me from the queen's wrath and Henry's judging eyes. But after days of being trapped inside my room, the silence became unbearable.Too much silence gives room for thinking and thinking was dangerous for me because every thought somehow led back to Theo.I tried to replace our bad memories with the good ones but it didn't make it any better. My thoughts circling around him was unhealthy for my mental health. But what else could I do? Who else should I think about?I shut my eyes and groaned softly, dragging a hand through my hair as I paced around my room for what felt like the hundredth time that day.The palace was massive, yet somehow it felt smaller as each day passed. I had tried everything to distract myself. I read. I slept. I played games. I watched random shows, even the boring ones. I practice piano until my fingers hurt. But nothing worked.Everything eventu

Arian's pov Mrs Palmer won't stop talking about her love for our friendship. I'm still finding it hard to believe that she was the same director of the college. And I wonder how things will go when I finally resume school after this holiday. Well, I'll worry about that later. Now, it's time to worry about Kael's packing techniques. I sat cross-legged on his bed, watching him as he knelt by the suitcase on the floor, meticulously rolling his clothes with an efficiency that made me both amused and impressed.“You pack like a soldier,” I teased, holding up one of his perfectly folded t-shirts.He glanced up at me, smirking. “And you pack like a disaster waiting to explode.” His gaze flicked to my suitcase, a chaotic mess of shirts, shorts, and toiletries stuffed in no particular order. “Do you really think this is going to fit in the overhead compartment?”I shrugged. “It’s Thaland. I’ll just wear shorts the whole time. Who needs all this anyway?”He shook his head, chuckling softly

Kael's pov Finally, the day my father wanted so badly was here. But unfortunately for him, he was locked behind bars. The morning sun shines so brightly on our graduation caps. I adjusted the collar of mine for what felt like the hundredth time, my palms sweaty despite the cheerful breeze. The crowd stretched out across the college hall, parents, siblings, friends, well-wishers, everyone of us, buzzing with excitement. For once, the spotlight wasn’t something I dreaded. It was something I had earned.My name had been called minutes earlier, the diploma now tucked under my arm like a key to a door I’d been knocking on for years. The clapping and cheering still rang faintly in my ears, not because of its volume, but because of the faces behind it.In the front row of seats, my mother had been on her feet, clapping with tears streaming down her cheeks. I’d never seen her so openly proud of me. Arian had been right behind her on the second row, his grin wide, his hands clapping loudest

Arian's pov Guess who is back to the book club again… me. Walking through the door of the book club meeting room felt like stepping back into a world I left behind. A world I wasn’t sure I would ever go back to. It's been a hell of a month since I took an unofficial break from the book club. Now, I was back to explain why I haven't been around. Aside from the awkward silence, I was relieved to be back again. The book club members are like my family and we've spent years working together as a team. The look on their faces told me their surprise to see me there.“Arian!” my name echoed through the room. I froze as April rushed forward and threw her arms around me. Behind her, Maya came, smiling in a way that made my chest ache. Sammy was already on his feet, even Brent's eyes shone with relief. I missed them, that's undeniable. But the warm welcome made me feel like I've lost more since my absence. I should have been here with them, not drowning in the darkness Karl Palmer created

Kael's pov The night air was soft against my skin, carrying the faint scent of salt and peace. The waves rolled lazily to shore, their rhythm steady and unhurried, as though the ocean itself was reminding us to breathe. I dug my bare toes into the cool sand and glanced at Arian walking beside me.His hands were tucked in his pockets, his hair pushed back messily by the sea breeze. He looked tired but lighter, as though the storm we’d both endured had finally broken and left him standing in the clear.“It feels strangely peaceful,” Arian said suddenly, his voice low. “To just… walk without being scared of anything. No one is plotting behind our backs. No one is trying to force us into anything. It's just us.”I smiled faintly, shoving my hands into my jacket pockets. “We finally got the peace we deserve. Against all odds, we got to write their ending.”He looked at me then, his eyes shining in the moonlight. “Did you ever think we’d make it here?”I hesitated before answering. “Honest

Kael's pov After the debate between the prosecutor and Karl's lawyer, the judge struck her gavel once, the sound sharp and final.“On the charges of corruption, bribery, and facilitation of prostitution, this court finds Karl Palmer guilty. He is hereby sentenced to fourteen years in federal prison.”The courtroom erupted in murmurs. My chest tightened, but I forced myself to keep my expression calm. My father, the untouchable, the almighty Karl Palmer was no longer above the law.Fourteen years was enough to keep him away from us. Fourteen years was enough to make him reflect on himself. Fourteen years was enough to make him repent and change from his old and cruel ways. The judge’s voice continued. “On the charges of evidence tampering and unlawful interference with the life-support of Mrs. Smith, this court finds George Wellington guilty. He is hereby sentenced to twenty years in prison.”Arian, seated beside me, let out a breath that sounded half like a grasp and half like a rel

Arian's pov The room was quieter than I expected. Just a table, two chairs occupied by me and the commissioner, and his pen tapping lightly against his notepad. I sat down, trying to steady myself for the questioning. After everything that had happened, after Karl’s downfall and George’s arrest, I wanted this moment to count.The commissioner leaned forward, his eyes kind but probing. “Arian, thank you for coming in today. We've been trying to reach you first but you've been busy.”I nodded, forcing a smile. “I'm aware that you’ve been through a lot, and I don’t intend to make this harder than it needs to be. But we need your statement. You can start wherever you feel comfortable.”I nodded, my fingers lacing together tightly. “I’ll start with something important, something I don’t want people to misunderstand.”“What is it?” he asked.“Whatever Karl Palmer has done, whatever crime he has committed, let's not forget that his businesses… His company feeds a lot of people. Hundreds o

Lewis sat in the break room staring blankly at a vending machine. It didn't necessarily want anything from it. He only fixed his gaze on it because he lacked the energy to look elsewhere. His body ached from ruining here and there, his head hurt from overthinking. And somewhere at the back of his mind sat the uncomfortable awareness that Derek or one of Derek's men might have been watching him from across the street while he was working. That thought alone was enough to make his blood pressure unstable because he didn't even know what Derek might do next. The last time Derek wanted attention, he made a huge donation to the hospital. This time, he might end up buying the whole paramedic station. “Lewis.”He looked up to see who called. Cheryl stood at the doorway holding a clipboard against her chest.Unlike most people at the station, Cheryl never needed to raise her voice to command attention. She carried authority naturally. Even now, dressed in navy scrubs with tired eyes and

As each day passed, the paramedic station had become a place of unexpected dramas. Not dramas like that of Barbie and Lewis, or Derek and Lewis. These were medical related dramas. Emergency and chaos kind of drama. It had been three days since Lewis left Derek's house and those three days were occupied with nonstop work. One moment, Lewis was sitting at the back of the ambulance with Annie, lazily discussing whether cold pizza counted as breakfast. The next moment, calls erupted with overlapping voices about a gas leak at a daycare center two streets away.Now the station looked like a battlefield. Children cried from every direction. Some coughed violently.Others clung to terrified teachers while paramedics rushed back and forth with oxygen masks, stretchers, and medical kits.The scent of gas filled the air around the victims, but was faintly mixed with antiseptic, medicines and panic.Lewis moved quickly through the crowd despite the exhaustion weighing on him from his sleepless

Raine knocked twice before entering Derek’s study. She already knew he would not answer.Derek rarely answered knocks when he was irritated. He simply expected people to either leave or take the risk of entering anyway. And Raine had learned very quickly that he preferred the second option.“I'm busy,” he said without looking at her. “You know that won't stop me,” Raine said as she shut the door behind her calmly.Without lifting his gaze, he said, “If you’re here to talk about Lewis, Paulo already said enough.”Raine walked further inside as she replied. “Did he tell you everything you did wrong?” That finally earned her a glance from Derek. “He told me enough. You don't have to add to it.”“Just so you know, both of you are at fault,” Raine said, surprising Derek. That made him give her his full attention. “But you could have handled it better,” she said, causing him to scoff. “He involved the police.”“He reported his ex-girlfriend for destroying his apartment.”“He involved

Lewis had no one to call. He had nowhere to go.He regretted saying he had a couple of normal people willing to help him if he asked. Because he clearly didn't have anyone to help him at that moment. His life had been simple. Like really simple before Derek came in to make it colorful with violence. He went to work regularly, he came back to his apartment when he was done at work. His mother and sister visited when it was important but he never visited them due to personal reasons. He had Barbie at some point in his life and he thought he was settled in life. But now that his apartment was gone, Barbie was gone, his mother's house was unsuitable for visiting, he was left with one option and that was his work place. He didn't even know he would end up there when he told Raine. He just said it and just like a prophecy, he eventually ended up there. Lewis arrived at work exhausted. He was emotionally drained as his brain replayed the argument with Derek over and over again like an

Lewis walked out of the house like someone trying to escape a fire.He just kept walking… walking as fast as his legs could go. His shoes crunched against the gravel pathway while his fingers tightened around the brown paper envelope in his hand. He couldn't believe he had bought breakfast with the intention of sharing it with Derek and maybe Raine and Paulo. Now, holding it made him feel ridiculous and embarrassed. Behind him, the mansion doors opened again.“Lewis!” Raine called but he ignored her. “Lewis, stop walking like someone in a heartbreak scene of a music video!”That made him pause. Quickly, Raine jogged down the steps toward him, struggling not to laugh.“You’re very dramatic for a paramedic.”Lewis resumed walking as she got closer. “I learned from the psychopath inside,” he said flatly. “Okay, that one is kind of too much,” Raine said as she finally caught up beside him near the edge of the driveway.Lewis stopped abruptly and turned toward her.“What do you want?

“You shouldn’t have overreacted,” Paulo said the moment Raine ran after Lewis. Derek let out a dry laugh as he leaned on the edge of his desk. “Overreacted?” “You just did,” Paulo said carefully, not to raise the tension more than it had been. Derek turned slowly toward Paulo with a deeper frown. “You heard everything he said.”“I did.”“And you still think I overreacted?”Paulo shrugged lightly. “I think both of you are acting stubborn.”Derek scoffed and walked toward the liquor cabinet.“That boy acts childish all the time.”Now, it was Paulo's turn to lean against the desk.“He’s not used to this life,” he said.Derek poured himself a drink.“And whose fault is that?”“Yours,” Paulo answered immediately.Derek paused midway before slowly turning toward him again.Paulo looked completely serious.“You started this.”“How exactly did I start this?” Derek asked, narrowing his eyes.Paulo looked genuinely offended by the question.“You provoked his girlfriend.”Derek took a sip fr