Novels by vee.ictoria06

I should have known Ryan would say no.The moment I found him yesterday, standing in the courtyard, deep in conversation with James, I knew he wouldn’t approve. But I had gone to him anyway, laid out my plan, kept my voice steady, my expression unreadable.I told him I had a way into one of Bruce’s shell companies. That I would disguise myself, pose as an investor, and dig into his business from the inside.Ryan barely let me finish before shutting me down."First," he had said, his tone flat, "I never agreed to help you."I expected that."Second," he continued, "it’s too dangerous."That part threw me off. Not the words, but the way he said them.. low, firm, almost reluctant. Like he actually cared whether I got hurt.I waved it off then. This wasn’t the time to overthink Ryan DeMarco’s cryptic tone.This fight was mine.And I wasn’t waiting for permission.*** The wig was uncomfortable.Blonde, sleek, with blunt bangs that barely brushed the tops of my glasses. The disguise was s

Bruce sat in his office, fingers drumming against the desk, his mind replaying Selena’s words."It’s her, Bruce. I know it."He had laughed it off at first. Sophie? Out of prison? Ridiculous.Yet, something about it nagged at him."Jonas looks like her."That was the part that got to him.He had barely paid attention to the kid before, but now that Selena had planted the idea in his head, he couldn't ignore it. There was a resemblance.. small, but there.But no.Sophie was rotting in prison where she belonged.Jonas is Elena’s son.. this is just a coincidence. Still… he wasn’t a man who took chances.That’s why he had sent his men to check.The office door creaked open. Bruce leaned back in his chair as his right-hand man, Donovan, stepped inside."Got the results," Donovan said, tossing a folder onto the desk.Bruce flipped it open, skimming through the neatly printed records.Sophie Hendricks. Inmate number. Charges. Sentence.Status: Incarcerated.Bruce let out a slow breath, rel

The soft hum of an incoming notification pulled Sophie from restless sleep. She blinked, groggy, her body still adjusting to the unfamiliar bed. The room was quiet except for the occasional rustle of leaves outside the window.She reached for the phone on the nightstand, rubbing her eyes as she squinted at the screen. 1 New Email – Becca.Her stomach tightened.Sitting up, she opened the email, scrolling past the formalities. Becca never wasted time on pleasantries when it was something serious.Subject: Urgent – What You Need to KnowBruce isn’t working alone. He has deeper ties to the underworld than we thought. There’s someone else.. someone big.. who wanted Elena Maxwell gone. The real Elena had a vendetta against Bruce before she died, and it wasn’t just personal. She had information on him. Information that could have ruined more than just his business.We don’t know the full extent yet, but I’ve attached files from Janet’s contacts. Be careful. There’s more at play than just B

I didn’t expect to get caught. The second I heard Ryan’s voice behind me, my heart slammed into my ribs. I turned, slow and careful, schooling my face into something unreadable.Ryan stood a few steps away, hands in his pockets, his gaze sharp. He wasn’t angry.. just watching, studying, like he was deciding what to do with me. I didn’t shrink back, even though my pulse was erratic. "Maybe if you weren’t keeping secrets, people wouldn’t have to eavesdrop." My voice was steadier than I felt.. and believe me, I didn't mean to say that. His lips twitched slightly, but there was no real amusement in his expression. "Cute excuse. Try again." I swallowed hard. "Fine. I was listening because I need you to help me, and you keep avoiding the conversation." His expression didn’t change. "That’s because there’s no conversation to have." "I don’t believe that." He let out a quiet breath, shifting his weight slightly. "Elena, I don’t get involved in personal messes. Especially not

I sat on the edge of the bed and held the blanket tightly around my shoulders.The room was calm, except that to push the weak air air against the windows.I fell asleep but not good.Everything still felt. Very unknown.I spent years learning how to mix, how I became Elena Maxwell. But in Ryan's house, surrounded by people who went with a calm purpose and unspecified rules, I felt like an intruder.The property was nothing that I expected.It wasn't cold or furious. The halls were rolled with paintings, as they were not just for the show. The air took the scent of wood and somewhat unconscious spicy, maybe out of the kitchen.It was a house, but it wasn't mine.I harassed the blanket and stared at the door. Living here was about to feel safe, but it was made me reminded of how I was doing.I let a breath go out, I didn't even know I was holding. "My baby, just a little more time. Mom will come for you, right? Mrs. Janet assured me that Ryan would help. But last night he wasn't cur

I struggled to find words. How was this possible? Out of all the people in Spain, out of all the houses I could have walked into, why was it him?Before I could even begin to process, his voice cut through my thoughts again, sharp and impatient."What the hell are you doing here, lady?"I lifted my gaze, meeting his eyes despite the tension coiling in my stomach. He was exactly as I remembered.. tall, intense, exuding the kind of presence that made it impossible to look away.The man at the door, the one who had answered my knock with a cold, scrutinizing stare, was now standing before me, arms crossed, waiting for an explanation."Err... Mrs. Janet sent me.""And...?" His voice was void of emotion, unreadable. He didn’t blink, didn’t flinch. If he was surprised, he hid it well.I opened my mouth, then closed it again. Words failed me. I had been rude to him back at the amusement park. Would he even consider helping me? Would he give me the chance to explain, to convince him?Taking a