Novels by MeritAbi

POV: David WilsonI watched Evans from across the foyer of the mansion. He looked like a man who hadn't slept in a week. His tie was loose, his eyes were bloodshot, and he was gripping his phone so hard his knuckles were white. He was a mess.In the Wilson family, we are taught from birth that weakness is a choice. Evans was choosing to be weak. He was choosing to let a woman like Valarie pull his strings, and he was choosing to hide a freak show like Nancy in the basement. It was disgraceful.I checked my watch—a custom Patek Philippe that cost more than most people’s houses. It was 6:55 PM. The car would be here in five minutes."You can't take her, David," Evans said, his voice raspy. He stepped into my path, trying to look intimidating. It didn't work. I was taller, stronger, and I didn't have a conscience dragging me down."It’s a business dinner, Evans," I said smoothly, adjusting my cufflinks. "The Arnault group expects a Wilson presence. You are currently 'indisposed' with you

POV: HaileyThe next morning, I was trying hard to be the good, happy wife, just like I promised Evans. I had almost forgotten the big, scary truth about Nancy and the basement, thanks to the sleeping medicine Evans had given me. All I remembered was that Evans was protecting an orphan, and that Calix was a bad guy.Evans looked very tired when he came downstairs. He said he had an "urgent meeting" and had to leave super early, but he hugged me tight and promised he loved me. I just wanted to believe him and move on.I went to the office to work on my fashion designs. I was sitting at my big desk, sketching a beautiful dress, when my assistant, Claire, poked her head in.“Mrs. Wilson, David Wilson is here,” she whispered, looking a little scared. “He said he wants to see your new collection, and he won’t take no for an answer.”My heart did a little flip. David, Evans’ older brother, was a huge name in the company, and he was so cold and perfect. I remembered how his eyes felt like ic

POV: EvansI stood in my closet, staring at the navy suit Valarie had demanded I wear. It felt like putting on a clown costume for the saddest show on earth. My older brother, David, had just left, leaving behind a trail of cold fear and the huge mess he made by getting rid of Calix. Now, I was facing a different kind of monster: Valarie, the blackmailer.I had told Hailey I had an urgent late-night meeting with investors, another lie piled onto the mountain. The truth was, I was driving to Valarie’s fancy apartment for our first official "date," or what she liked to call our secret affair meeting.I checked the time. Seven-thirty PM. I felt physically sick. Every second I spent with Valarie was another betrayal to Hailey, but I had to keep going. Valarie had those dangerous secrets—the video of her kissing me and the proof that she was working with Dr. Frost—which meant she still had the power to hurt Hailey and Nancy. I had to play her game until I found a way to win.I drove to Val

POV: HaileyI woke up feeling wonderful, like I’d finally gotten rid of a terrible cold. The confusion from yesterday was gone, and my head felt clear and focused. I remembered Evans and me having a big, sad talk about the lies, and how he confessed he was hiding Nancy, the orphan girl, to keep her safe. He was so honest, and I told him I forgave him.Calix, I remembered with a frown. That weird man who kept telling me scary, crazy things. I shook my head, realizing I must have been so stressed that I believed him for a moment. He was just a troublemaker who wanted to break up my marriage. I felt much better now that I had put that whole mess behind me.I went downstairs, feeling a new sense of peace. Evans was already in the kitchen, looking a bit tired but smiling warmly.“Morning, sleepyhead,” he said, kissing my forehead. “You slept for twelve hours. Are you feeling better?”“So much better,” I said, hugging him tight. “I’m sorry for being so dramatic yesterday. I love you, and I’

POV: David WilsonI was sitting in my top-floor office, watching the city turn grey as the sun began to rise. I wasn't just working; I was waiting. I had already sent Evans a chilling text message—Calix is being dealt with. I suggest you focus on your business and keep your wife contained—just to let my younger brother know I was in control. Evans was too slow, too messy, and too emotional to handle a threat this serious.I pulled up the screen on my secure tablet. It showed a live feed from a camera planted near the cheap motel where that pest, Calix, was hiding. He was the root of all the recent embarrassment: the talk of "special bloodline," the claims about the basement, and the threats against the Wilson name.Calix had to go.I had given Evans a chance to handle the problem like a man, but I knew he would try to be soft. He would try to "just scare" Calix, as he planned with his simple-minded investigator, Marcus. I had already canceled Evans’ soft plan and replaced it with mine

POV: EvansI watched Hailey wake up very slowly, like a computer restarting after a huge, forced shutdown. I sat in the armchair across the room, feeling every second of the fourteen hours she’d been asleep. My whole body ached from staying awake and waiting, but the pain was nothing compared to the guilt eating me alive.When she finally pushed the blanket aside and sat up, my heart hammered against my ribs. I saw the sunlight catch her face. She looked peaceful, but her eyes, when they met mine, were hazy and strange. The sharpness, the anger from yesterday, was gone.“Hailey, you’re awake,” I said quickly, standing up and kneeling right beside the sofa. I forced a look of simple worry onto my face. “You’ve been asleep for nearly fourteen hours. I was so worried about you.”She looked at me, trying to sort out her feelings. I could see her mind working, trying to grab the details of our enormous, shattering fight, but failing. The Memory Cocktail was working. I had won the battle, b