Novels by Jhoyvhill

The next morning, the air in the penthouse felt different—thicker, charged, as though Adrian’s new rule had changed the oxygen itself. I felt his presence before I even opened my eyes. He was already awake, already watching me. The weight of his gaze pressed into me like a brand. “Good. You’re learning,” he murmured when I stirred. His hand brushed my hair back, deceptively tender. “No running. No hiding.” I forced a smile. “I wasn’t planning to.” The truth sat like a stone in my throat. I was planning. Not escape—not yet. Just… moments. Small moments where I could breathe without him measuring the air for me. But the day stretched out like proof of his control. When I went to the kitchen, he followed. When I pretended to look for a book in the library, he leaned against the doorway, arms crossed, eyes never leaving me. Even when I retreated to the balcony, he stepped outside with me, his hand brushing my back as if to remind me the leash was still there, invisible but unbreak

Morning crept into the apartment in soft slants of light, but Jannah felt no warmth from it. The air was too heavy, too still. When she shifted on the couch, her limbs stiff, she realized Adrian was already awake.He sat across from her, coffee in hand, his gaze pinned on her like she was something fragile—and his.“You didn’t sleep much,” he said, not as a question but an observation.Jannah smoothed her hair nervously. “I was… restless.”“Restless,” Adrian repeated, as though tasting the word. His lips curved faintly, but his eyes didn’t soften. “That won’t do. You’ll rest better when you accept this place is yours, Alyssa.”Yours. The word curled inside her stomach, unwelcome yet heavy. She nodded faintly, pretending to agree, though inside, a tiny spark of rebellion flickered.“I’ll try,” she said, her voice gentle, practiced.Adrian leaned forward, setting the cup down. “Not try, Alyssa. You will.”The steel in his tone made her hands tighten in her lap. She lowered her gaze, hid

The moment she stepped into the apartment, a strange weight pressed down on Jannah’s chest. Adrian didn’t need to say anything—his eyes alone told her she wasn’t leaving, not tonight, maybe not ever. The door clicked shut behind her, and in that second, the world outside felt distant, unreal.“Where’s your phone?” His voice cut through the quiet, low but sharp, almost dangerous.“I… I left it in my bag,” she mumbled, her fingers clutching the strap instinctively.Adrian’s eyes narrowed. “Give it to me.”Before she could protest, he had it in his hands. He examined it with methodical precision, scrolling, checking, confirming. And then he tossed it onto the counter. “You won’t need this for a while,” he said, his tone soft but edged with authority, like velvet over steel.Fear fluttered in her chest. She wanted to argue, to demand it back, but every fiber of her being hesitated. He was always one step ahead, always knowing what to say and how to say it to make her question herself.“Ad

The morning light poured through the floor-to-ceiling windows, casting golden streaks across the bedroom. I sat on the edge of the bed, staring at my trembling hands. The bruises on my wrists had faded, but the memory of Adrian’s tie binding me was still raw.I needed to see Alyssa.The guilt gnawed at me every waking hour. She was lying in a hospital bed, fighting for her life, while I lived hers—her fiancé, her home, her name. Every time Adrian touched me, I wanted to scream. Not only because of the shame but because my sister had trusted me to protect her secret.I rose quietly, slipping into a simple blouse and jeans. I didn’t plan to stay long. Just an hour at the hospital. Just enough to sit by her bedside and remind her that I hadn’t forgotten.But the moment I reached the foyer, Adrian’s voice cut through the silence.“Where are you going?”I froze, my heart pounding. He was descending the stairs, his dark suit impeccable, his tie perfectly knotted. His eyes, however, were sha

The room was quiet, the weight of the night pressing down on me. I had finally managed to drift into sleep when strong hands slid around my waist, pulling me back against a body I could never mistake. “Adrian…” I mumbled, half-asleep, my voice groggy. “Wake up,” he murmured against my neck, his lips grazing my skin. His tone was low, hungry, dangerous. “I’m not finished with you yet.” My eyes flew open, panic stirring in my chest. “It’s the middle of the night—” “I don’t care,” he cut in, his mouth hot on my shoulder. “When I want you, I’ll take you. Time doesn’t matter. Nothing matters except this.” His words wrapped around me like chains. He rolled me onto my back, straddling me, his eyes glowing in the dim light. He reached for his discarded tie from earlier, the silk smooth between his fingers. “Hands up,” he ordered. “Adrian, please…” My protest was weak, my body already trembling with anticipation and dread. “Now.” The command left no room for defiance. Slowly, hesitant

The air in the bedroom still smelled of sweat and sin. My body ached from the way Adrian had made me unravel under his gaze, but my mind was a storm of guilt. Alyssa’s face flashed in my head, her voice before the accident echoing like a curse: “Don’t let him know… don’t tell him.”Yet here I was, drowning in her fiancé’s arms.Adrian hadn’t moved since I collapsed, still propped on his elbow, watching me like I was some rare, dangerous treasure he’d finally claimed. His lips curved in a slow, dangerous smile as his fingers brushed my cheek.“You’re flushed,” he murmured. “Do you know how beautiful you are when you come undone?”Shame surged through me. I tried to look away, but his grip on my chin forced my eyes back to his.“Don’t hide from me.” His voice hardened. “You gave me everything just now. And I’ll keep taking until there’s nothing left for anyone else.”“Adrian…” My whisper trembled, more plea than protest.His gaze darkened, hunger and something more dangerous swirling th

Elle’s POV The first thing I felt when I opened my eyes was warmth. A steady, solid warmth that held me like a shield against the world. For one blissful second, I let myself sink into it—his arm draped across my waist, his breath slow against the back of my neck. And then the memory hit. The night. The heat. The way I whispered his name like it belonged to me. Aiden. My heart lurched painfully, and I shot up from the bed, the sheets pooling around my waist. My body screamed its betrayal—sore, tender, marked in ways that would remind me of him long after I tried to forget. “What have I done?” I whispered, my hand covering my mouth. Aiden stirred at my sudden movement, eyes blinking open slowly. For once, he didn’t look guarded, or stern, or grumpy. He just looked… human. Vulnerable. “Elle.” His voice was rough, still heavy from sleep, but it sent a shiver down my spine. I couldn’t look at him. Not when the weight of guilt was pressing down on my chest. This was

The silence in Aiden’s apartment felt louder the longer I stayed. My head was still against his chest, his heartbeat steady beneath my cheek, but my mind wouldn’t stop racing. Not about him. About Liam. Every breath I took, I wondered if he’d ever held me like this. If I had ever meant this much to him. If he’d ever wanted me to stay. And that was the problem. Because I was here—with Aiden. I shifted, sitting up a little. His eyes followed me, dark and unguarded. “What?” he asked softly. I shook my head. “Nothing.” But it wasn’t nothing. My chest ached with too much need, too much hurt, too much wanting that didn’t have anywhere safe to go. Maybe that’s why I leaned closer. Maybe that’s why I let my lips brush his before I could stop myself. The kiss was soft at first. Just a test. But Aiden wasn’t soft. He went still, his breath catching, and when I pressed again—really pressed—he responded like he’d been holding this back for years. His hand slid to t

Elle’s Point of View That night, I couldn’t sleep. I stared at my ceiling, arms wrapped around a pillow like it might keep my heart from unraveling. Everything was too quiet. The kind of quiet that makes your thoughts scream louder. I thought about Aiden in the bookstore. The way he stood still—but never made me feel stuck. The way he listened, even when I didn’t speak. And the way he looked at me like I was someone worth knowing deeply—not just watching from a distance. But mostly? I thought about what he didn’t do. He didn’t push. Didn’t try to kiss me when he could’ve. Didn’t take advantage of the cracks in my chest. He just waited. And somehow, that made everything worse. Because I wanted him to stay. And I wasn’t sure if I was allowed to want that yet. I sat up, grabbed my phone from the nightstand, and hovered over his name. Aiden. No emojis. No cute nickname. Just his name. Solid. Quiet. Untouch

Elle’s Point of View Anywhere I don’t have to watch you lie to yourself. Aiden’s words echoed like thunder in a room that had gone too still. I stood frozen in the kitchen, Liam only a step away, but somehow I’d never felt more distant from him than I did now. My hands were still wet from rinsing the plate, but I didn’t move. Didn’t speak. Liam scratched the back of his neck. “He’s dramatic, huh?” I didn’t answer. Because deep down, I knew Aiden wasn’t being dramatic. He was being right. Liam glanced at me. “What was that about?” “I don’t know,” I lied. But I did know. And maybe that’s what scared me most—how much I was starting to understand Aiden without needing explanations. Liam stepped closer, lowering his voice. “Is something going on between you two?” That stopped me cold. I turned to face him, blinking like he’d slapped me. “You mean like how something wasn’t going on between us for years?” His face fell. “I didn’

Elle’s Point of View The morning light felt different. Not warm. Not soft. Just... too bright. I blinked up at the ceiling of Liam’s living room, still curled up in my usual spot on the couch, the blanket I always used tangled around my legs. The pillow smelled faintly like detergent and lemon and something I couldn’t name. Maybe it was comfort. Maybe it was goodbye. I sat up slowly, muscles stiff, the events of last night rushing in like water breaking a dam. Liam’s half-hearted smile. Aiden’s steady stare. And that one sentence still looping in my head: “You didn’t have to.” Why did that feel louder than anything Liam had said? I ran a hand through my hair and made my way to the kitchen, fully expecting the usual—Liam standing at the stove making scrambled eggs too dry, music playing from his phone, his mom humming in the hallway. Instead, I found silence. And Aiden. He stood by the counter, wearing a plain black shirt and swea

Elle’s Point of View The rooftop was our place. Mine and Liam’s. It wasn’t anything fancy—just cracked cement, an old blanket tossed over shingles, and soda cans we always forgot to throw away. But up here, it felt like time slowed. Like I could pretend he was mine for just a little while longer. Liam handed me a soda, his arm brushing mine like it always did. Casual. Familiar. Killing me slowly. “You’re quiet tonight,” he said, tilting his head to look at me. “That’s new.” I forced a smile, eyes on the horizon. “Just tired.” Not a total lie. Just not the real one. I was tired of almost. Tired of loving someone who never looked at me the way I looked at him. He leaned back on his hands, that easy, golden-boy grin on his face. “You’re not stressing about midterms, are you? I told you—you’ve got it in the bag.” “No. I’m just... thinking.” I swallowed hard. “Dangerous, right?” He laughed, and it hit me straight in the chest. I hated how easily