Novels by Lizzy Aik

EVE'S POVThe first full day with Rose and Leo felt like stepping into a new world I had only dreamed about.I was still sore from the C-section, my body heavy with the deep exhaustion that came after long labor and major surgery, but the joy eclipsed everything else. The twins were nestled against me in the recovery room, their tiny bodies warm and real. Rose had settled quickly after her first feeding, while Leo continued making those small, instinctive sucking motions, already searching for comfort and connection. Their steady breathing and occasional soft sounds filled the room with the most beautiful music I had ever heard.Damon hadn’t left my side for more than a few minutes. He sat close on the bed, one arm carefully around me, the other gently supporting whichever twin needed him most. His eyes were tired but shining with a profound happiness that made my heart ache in the best way.“They’re perfect,” he whispered again, brushing a careful finger across Rose’s cheek. “Look at

EVE'S POV The pushing phase began with a surge of determination that made me feel powerful. I had been laboring for hours, the contractions building into an intense, rhythmic wave that demanded everything I had. The doctor, Dr. Patel, had checked me again and given the green light with an encouraging smile. “You’re fully dilated, Eve. It’s time to push when you feel the urge.” Damon stayed right beside me, his hand never leaving mine. The room was calm but alive with focused energy... monitors beeping steadily, the nurse adjusting the bed, soft lighting keeping the space from feeling too clinical. I gripped the handles they had positioned for me and bore down with the next contraction, following Dr. Patel’s guided breathing. “That’s it,” she said. “Good, strong push. You’re doing beautifully.” I pushed with everything in me, feeling the immense pressure and the incredible effort of bringing our babies into the world. Damon whispered encouragement the entire time, his voice steady

EVE'S POV The first contraction came quietly, like a whisper in the middle of the night. I had been lying awake for a while, one hand resting on the large curve of my belly, feeling the twins move in their usual strong, steady rhythm. The penthouse was dark and still, the city lights glowing softly through the big windows like distant stars keeping watch. Damon slept beside me, his arm draped carefully over my waist in that protective way he had perfected over these long weeks of bed rest. His breathing was deep and even, the kind of sleep that came only after days of quiet vigilance. Then it happened. A low, tightening pressure started deep in my back and slowly wrapped around my belly like a firm, deliberate hug. It wasn’t sharp or alarming... not yet. It was just different. Distinct. I held my breath and waited, counting silently in my head. The feeling built gradually, peaking for about thirty seconds before easing away, leaving behind a strange, electric awareness that hummed

EVE'S POV I was halfway through adjusting the sightlines in the family support zone of the community hub design when Damon walked into the bedroom carrying a large, carefully wrapped package. The soft afternoon light filtered through the tall windows, casting a gentle golden glow across the room and making everything feel momentarily suspended, like the world outside had decided to slow down just for this moment. I had been lost in the work for hours, tweaking layouts, moving virtual benches, and ensuring every corner felt welcoming rather than clinical. Bed rest had turned these digital refinements into my lifeline... a way to keep creating even when my body demanded stillness. “Eve,” he said gently, his voice warm with quiet excitement, “you have a delivery. It’s from one of the families who used the first hub... the one that opened before everything was destroyed. Security checked it thoroughly. It’s safe.” My heart skipped a beat. I closed the laptop carefully and sat up a lit

EVE'S POV The afternoon light in the penthouse was soft and steady, the kind that usually made the room feel calm and almost timeless. I was propped up against a mountain of pillows on the bed, my laptop balanced carefully on the tray table in front of me. The community hub design I had been refining for weeks filled the screen... modular walls that could adapt to different needs, soft green panels that brought the feeling of nature indoors, safe play areas with low fountains and carefully chosen plants that were impossible to poison. I had been tweaking the layout of the family support zone for over an hour now, moving a bench here, adjusting sightlines there, making sure every corner felt welcoming and safe instead of institutional. My hand rested on my belly out of habit. The twins were quiet today, only offering the occasional gentle roll or flutter. I kept tracing slow circles over the tight skin anyway, grounding myself in that small, steady rhythm of their movements. It remin

EVE'S POVThe penthouse felt different in the evenings now. Softer somehow... quieter. Like the whole busy world outside had decided to slow down and breathe with me for once. I was propped up in bed with way too many pillows stuffed behind my back and my feet elevated on a stack of cushions, exactly the way Dr. Patel kept reminding me every single check-up. A soft light blanket covered my legs even though the room felt warm and cozy. The twins were really active tonight, rolling and kicking in that strong, steady way that always eased the tight knot of worry sitting heavy in my chest. I kept one hand resting on my belly, tracing slow circles over the tight, stretched skin, feeling every little push and flutter like a private message only the three of us could share.Damon was out in the kitchen with Lily. I could hear her happy little giggles floating down the hallway, mixing with his low, patient voice as he gently guided her through whatever they were making together. That sound...

NYRA’S POV Richard picked me up like he said he would, and dropped me off the next morning like he said he would, and by the third day of it I had started to understand that this was not really about worry at all. It was a leash. A polite, gentle, well-dressed leash, but a leash all the same. Soft voice in the car. Hand on mine at the curb. Texts at eleven and at two and at four, just checking in, hope the day’s going okay. Every one of them a small reminder that he knew where I was supposed to be, and when, and how long it should take me to get from one door to the next. I did not have the energy left to fight it outright. So I did what I had gotten so good at doing lately. I found the gaps. The gap that week was a Thursday. Richard had a call with Feldman that ran long, some new wrinkle in the fraud referral that had him distracted and short with me over dinner. When he said he needed to swing by the lawyer’s office again after, alone, I told him I would just take a cab home wh

NYRA’S POV Clara found me in the break room on a Monday, and I knew immediately from the set of her shoulders that this was not going to be the gentle, careful version of the conversation we had had weeks ago. “Sit down a second,” she said, closing the door behind her. Something in her voice left no real room to say no. I sat. She pulled the other chair around to face me directly instead of standing at a comfortable distance the way she had before, and studied my face a long moment. Her expression was unreadable in a way that made my stomach drop. “I’m not going to pretend I don’t see it anymore,” she said finally. “The sick days. The sleeves. The way you’ve started flinching when someone reaches past you too fast, even just to grab a stapler. I gave you weeks, Nyra. I told you I wouldn’t push, and I meant that, and I’ve kept my word. But I watched you wince this morning putting your bag on your own shoulder, and I’m done pretending I don’t understand exactly what that means.” “C

NYRA’S POVRichard picked me up like he said he would, and dropped me off the next morning like he said he would, and by the third day of it I had started to understand that this was not really about worry at all.It was a leash.A polite, gentle, well-dressed leash, but a leash all the same. Soft voice in the car. Hand on mine at the curb. Texts at eleven and at two and at four, just checking in, hope the day’s going okay. Every one of them a small reminder that he knew where I was supposed to be, and when, and how long it should take me to get from one door to the next. I did not have the energy left to fight it outright. So I did what I had gotten so good at doing lately.I found the gaps.The gap that week was a Thursday. Richard had a call with Feldman that ran long, some new wrinkle in the fraud referral that had him distracted and short with me over dinner. When he said he needed to swing by the lawyer’s office again after, alone, I told him I would just take a cab home wheneve

RICHARD’S POVShe didn’t come home.I sat up most of the night on the couch, phone in my hand, watching the screen for a text that never came, rehearsing apologies I wasn’t sure I’d even get the chance to give. By two in the morning I’d convinced myself something had happened to her. That maybe I’d actually done something worse than I remembered doing. The whole night was already blurring at the edges in that particular way where shame starts editing memory before you’ve even finished living it.By four, I knew where she was. I didn’t need her to tell me. There was only one place she’d go.The irony sat in my mouth like metal. I had spent months building a case against her in my head. Late nights. Soft answers. His name too easy on her tongue. And the whole time I had my own nights I never accounted for. A woman from the industry circuit. Hotel bars after conferences. A number saved under a supplier’s name. I had told myself it didn’t count the same way. That men under pressure did wh

NYRA’S POV I did not go home. I sat in the garage under the office building with the engine off until the lot emptied around me, until the security guard’s second pass made me feel watched, until the only place left that did not belong to Richard was the one place I kept telling myself I should not go. My face still ached under the makeup. My wrist throbbed when I turned the wheel too far. Every time I thought about the driveway, the lit windows, the apology text I had deleted without answering, my hands went cold on the steering wheel. I could not do another night of locked doors and careful breathing through the wall. I texted Luca from the dark car. Nyra: Can I come over. Three dots. Then nothing. Then: Luca: Yes. Always. I stared at the words until they blurred. Always. Like it was simple. Like I was not still wearing a ring and a layer of concealer thick enough to lie under office lights. His building was quieter than ours. Different side of the city. No shared driveway.

NYRA’S POV I stood in front of the bathroom mirror at six in the morning with a face that looked nothing like the one I needed to walk into that office wearing. The bruise along my cheekbone had bloomed overnight into something darker than I expected. Purple shading into a sick yellow-green at the edges. My wrist, when I turned it carefully under the light, showed a matching set of finger-shaped marks I would have to keep covered for at least another week. I stood there a long time just looking at myself. At the wreckage of a face that still had to go sit across a desk from Luca in four hours and give a convincing performance of nothing being wrong. I had slept maybe two hours, curled on the guest bed with the door locked. Richard’s apologies had gone quiet sometime after midnight, when he finally gave up and went to bed himself. I had not spoken to him again. I waited until I heard his breathing even out through the wall, then crept to my own room to shower, moving carefully, cata

LorettaWhen I slowly opened my eyes, the first thing I noticed was the strong smell of antiseptic. White walls surrounded me, and machines beeped softly beside the bed. That was when it hit me, I was in the hospital. My head throbbed as the memories came rushing back. I must have passed out after I stabbed Rosie.I tried to move, but pain shot through my body, making me hiss softly. Everything hurt, but my hand hurt the most, the same hand Rosie had stabbed. I took a deep breath and carefully pushed myself into a sitting position, ignoring the sharp ache in my arm.Just then, the door to my hospital room flew open.Asher walked in, holding my favorite flowers. The moment our eyes met, relief washed over his face. He hurried to my side, leaned down, and gently kissed my forehead before placing the flowers in my hands.“How is my favorite woman in the world feeling?” he asked softly.I looked at him and smiled despite the pain. “Your favorite woman?” I repeated teasingly, my smile wid

Loretta It was strange, i had been sitting alone in the house when suddenly I heard a loud noise. My heart skipped a beat. Tonia had gone out for work, Adrian was still at the hospital, and his twin sister was at school. I wasn’t expecting anyone, and the house was usually so quiet.I got up cautiously, my steps quiet on the floor as I made my way toward the living room. As I opened the doorway, I froze. Standing right in the middle of the room was someone I hadn’t seen in years, looking around as if exploring a place that wasn’t hers.When she noticed me, her face lit up with a sheepish smile. “Loretta! Is that really you?” she said. “It’s been so long, five years since I last saw you!”It took a moment for my brain to catch up with my eyes. It really was her, Rosie, standing there like nothing had changed.,“How did you get inside?” I demanded, my voice trembling slightly with anger. Right now, it was the only thing that made sense. Only Tonia, Asher, and I had the keys to this pl

Asher I walked into the meeting room calmly, but the moment my mother and my brother saw me, their expressions changed instantly. Their eyes widened in shock, and the room fell into an uneasy silence. My mother slowly turned to Mr. Peterson, confusion and disbelief written all over her face. “Is this the investor you were talking about?” she asked him, her voice tight. I didn’t respond to her question. Instead, I walked straight to the head of the table. Mr. Peterson immediately stood up and pulled the chair out for me, showing clear respect. I sat down comfortably and folded my hands on the table. “I’m not just the investor,” I said calmly, lifting my gaze to meet theirs. A small smile curved my lips. “I own this company.” My mother shot up from her seat, anger flashing across her face. “How dare you trick us?” she spat. “This is fraud, this is a clear breach of contract, and you will be sued for this.” She was shaking with rage as she spoke. I remained calm, unfazed by her ou

AsherReluctantly, I left Loretta behind, even though every part of me wanted to stay with her. My mind was restless as I headed straight to the office. Logan had sounded unusually tense on the phone, and to make things worse, Richard had also called me moments later. Whatever was happening clearly couldn’t wait.By the time I arrived at the building, my patience was already wearing thin. I rushed to my floor, barely acknowledging anyone along the way. The moment the elevator doors slid open, Logan was standing there, as if he had been waiting the entire time.“Welcome, sir,” he said quickly, falling into step behind me as I walked briskly toward my office.I didn’t respond until I dropped into my chair, loosening my tie slightly as I looked up at him. “What on earth needed my attention so badly that I had to rush here?” I asked, my voice sharp with impatience.Logan hesitated for a second before speaking. “Sir, you’ve been trending online for over an hour now.”My head snapped up imm

AsherI stood between her thighs, close enough to feel her presence, close enough that my eyes kept drifting to her lips. I had to remind myself why we were here. This was about words that had been left unsaid for years, about wounds that never truly healed. I forced my attention back to the conversation we needed to have.“I am so sorry,” she said softly. Her voice was calm, almost too calm, “I should have listened to your side of the story back then. If I had, we wouldn’t be standing here today. But when I saw Sarah’s baby bump and she told me you were married, I felt completely betrayed. I didn’t want to hear anything else. I just shut you out.”As she spoke, her eyes wandered everywhere at the floor, the wall, anywhere but never once did she look at my face.I took a deep breath, the old pain rising again like it had never left. “I won’t lie to you,” I said, my voice rougher than I intended. “I hated you back then. I hated you so much after I found out you were pregnant and you s

Loretta It had been two weeks since everything happened at Asher’s place, the revelation that had turned my world upside down and since my mom came back into my life. I had never felt so complete, so at peace. Just having her around was refreshing, like a weight I didn’t even realize I had been carrying had finally been lifted.I still hadn’t really spoken to my dad. Even though Mom told me that she had forgiven him and that I should too, I couldn’t see myself doing that anytime soon. Some things felt too raw, too heavy to just brush aside.“You and Asher, have you made a decision about your marriage yet?” Mom asked gently, her eyes searching mine.We were sitting in Adrian’s hospital room. He had just come through a kidney transplant a few days ago and was slowly recovering. The beeping of the monitors and the faint smell of antiseptic made the room feel sterile, yet my mom’s presence brought warmth to it. She had been coming every single day since we met, supporting me in ways I di