Novels by Vivian O

The operating room doors were the same shade of pale green they'd been the first time, and Daggy sat in the same uncomfortable chair in the same waiting area, though this time nobody had offered her coffee and she hadn't asked.They'd allowed her a few minutes with her mother before they wheeled her back, Mitchell groggy and frightened despite trying to hide it, her hand gripping Daggy's with more strength than her weakened body should have been able to manage."You'll be right here?" Mitchell had asked, her voice thin."I'm not going anywhere," Daggy promised, and it was the one promise in weeks she'd been absolutely certain she could keep.Now she sat alone, the guard positioned a respectful distance away near the hallway entrance, and the minutes crawled by with a slowness that made the clock on the wall feel almost cruel.She thought about calling someone, but there was no one left to call. Lincoln was gone, vanished after that night, and the only other person who might have sat w

Foster arrived at the study just past eleven, still dressed in his day clothes though the hour suggested he'd been pulled from something closer to sleep than work, his usual composure slightly frayed at the edges."You said this couldn't wait until morning," Foster said, taking the seat Dynan gestured toward, his eyes already moving toward the folder sitting closed on the desk between them."It couldn't." Dynan slid the report across, watching Foster's expression as he opened it, waiting for the same slow dawning horror that had settled over him hours earlier.Foster read in silence for several long minutes, occasionally flipping back a page to cross-reference something, his jaw tightening incrementally with each new revelation."This is thorough," he finally said, setting the report down and removing his glasses to rub at his eyes. "Where did this come from?""I authorized an internal audit two weeks ago. Quietly." Dynan's voice was flat, controlled in the way that usually meant he w

The setback came without warning, the way these things often did, a nurse's hurried footsteps down the hallway pulling Daggy from a half-sleep she'd fallen into in the small waiting area outside her mother's room."What's happening?" Daggy was on her feet before she'd fully processed the movement, watching two more nurses rush past with equipment she didn't recognize, her heart already hammering with the particular dread that had become familiar over these past weeks."Your mother's oxygen levels dropped suddenly," one of the nurses said, not stopping as she moved toward the room. "Dr. Wells is on his way."Daggy tried to follow but a hand caught her arm gently, one of the guards who'd been assigned to escort her, his grip firm but not unkind. "You need to wait here, ma'am. Let them work.""That's my mother," Daggy said, her voice cracking with a desperation that had become almost constant lately, worn thin from weeks of watching everything she loved hang in uncertain balance."I know

Nina had gotten used to Mary's phone ringing during their lunches, a small habit that had never bothered her before because Mary was the alpha's wife and alphas' wives had responsibilities that didn't pause for lunch dates.But lately the calls had changed. Mary used to just glance at the screen and let it go to voicemail with an apologetic smile, promising to call back later. Now she excused herself entirely, walking outside or into the restroom, her voice dropping low the moment she thought she was out of earshot.Nina noticed because Nina had spent years learning to notice things about Mary, the small tells that gave away more than her friend probably realized, and today's lunch was no different."Sorry about that," Mary said, sliding back into her seat with a smile that didn't quite reach her eyes. "Palace business. Never ends.""Must be important," Nina said carefully, watching her friend reach for her wine glass with a hand that wasn't quite as steady as usual. "You've been step

Rita didn't sleep that night, lying stiff and awake in her narrow servant's quarters bed, replaying the conversation with Peter over and over until the words had worn grooves into her memory.She kept thinking about his face, the way he hadn't accused her outright but hadn't needed to, the quiet certainty in his eyes that told her he already knew more than he was letting on.By morning she'd made up her mind, or thought she had, dressing carefully and rehearsing what she wanted to say the entire walk down to the administrative wing where Foster kept his office.The door was open when she arrived, Foster hunched over paperwork with his reading glasses perched low on his nose, and Rita stood frozen in the doorway for a long moment before he finally noticed her."Can I help you?" he asked, not unkindly, setting his pen down and giving her his full attention in a way that somehow made this harder rather than easier."I need to talk to you," Rita said, her voice smaller than she wanted it

Curtis Boyle had worked the palace grounds for almost six years, mostly keeping to the hedges and flower beds along the eastern wall, the kind of job that let a man stay invisible if he wanted to, and Curtis had always preferred it that way.Peter found him kneeling in the dirt near the rose garden, gloves caked with soil, a small radio playing static-heavy music beside him that he switched off the moment he noticed someone approaching."Mr. Boyle." Peter kept his tone light, unhurried, the way he'd learned worked best when you didn't want someone bolting before you'd gotten anything useful out of them. "Got a minute?""Depends what for." Curtis didn't look up right away, brushing dirt from a trowel with more attention than the task really required."Just following up on some vehicle registrations. Routine stuff." Peter crouched down near the edge of the flower bed, keeping himself at eye level rather than looming. "You drive a blue sedan, right? Older model."Curtis's hands stilled f

Sophia's pov I stared at the text for twenty minutes before calling Vincent. He answered on the first ring."Did you tell Diana where I live?""What? No. Why would I?""Because someone just texted me to stay away from you."Silence on his end. Then, "She must have followed me to your house.""That's insane.""That's Diana." Vincent exhaled. "I'm sorry Sophia. I shouldn't have come over. I didn't think she'd—""Save it. I'm not scared of her." I wasn't sure that was true but saying it out loud helped. "But we need to deal with this before it gets worse.""I don't know how.""I do. Meet me at the library tomorrow. Noon. Bring every text, email, anything you have from her.""Sophia, you don't have to—"I hung up.Tuesday morning I called in sick to work. Spent three hours researching extortion laws and blackmail cases. Most of what I found wasn't helpful. Vincent was right. Diana could claim everything was consensual. That he owed her legitimate business debt.But the breaking and enter

Sophia's povI watched from across the street as Diana got out of her Mercedes. She wore a red dress that probably cost more than my monthly salary. Vincent's whole body went rigid when he saw her.They talked. Diana moved closer. Put her hand on his chest. Vincent stepped back. She followed. Even from this distance I could see him shaking his head. Saying no to something.Diana pulled out her phone. Showed him something on the screen. Vincent went completely still. Then he nodded. Got in the passenger seat of her car.They drove away.I sat there for ten minutes trying to figure out what I'd just seen. A landlord doesn't touch her tenant like that. Doesn't show up at nine pm on a Wednesday. Doesn't make someone get in her car with whatever was on that phone.Thursday I couldn't focus at work. Kept checking my phone like Vincent might text me an explanation. He didn't.Friday morning Pastor Williams called me into his office. I work at the church library three days a week cataloging t

Sophia's povI didn't sleep for three nights. By Sunday morning I'd decided not to go to church. Not to meet Vincent for coffee. Not to hear whatever excuse he'd prepared.But at nine thirty I was in my car anyway. Because some part of me needed to hear him say it.Vincent was already at the piano when I walked in. He looked up and smiled like nothing was wrong. Like I hadn't spent three days imagining him in hotel rooms with strangers.The service passed. I didn't hear Pastor Williams's sermon. Just watched Vincent's hands move across the piano. Those hands that had given me tissues on Wednesday. Those hands that had touched people for money.When it ended, Vincent caught my arm."Coffee? There's a place two blocks over."I should say no. Walk away. Go home."Okay."The coffee shop was small. We sat in the back corner. Vincent wrapped his hands around his cup but didn't drink."You know.""What?""About New York. About what I did." He looked at me. "I can see it on your face.""My si

Sophia's pov Diana left after ten minutes with some excuse about an appointment. The way she looked at Vincent before she walked out made my stomach tight. Like she owned him.Vincent sat at the piano running through scales."When did you stop singing?""Eleven months ago.""The same time you stopped coming to church." It wasn't a question. He already knew."Yes.""Do you want to talk about why?""No.""Okay. We don't have to talk. We can just sing."He started playing a hymn I knew from childhood. His voice came in first, showing me where to enter. I opened my mouth but nothing came out."It's okay. First time back is hard.""How do you know?""Because I had a first time back too. Two years ago. I couldn't sing for almost a year.""Why not?""I lost someone. Someone important. Singing reminded me of them. So I stopped.""What changed?""I realized not singing hurt more than singing did. The pain was there either way. At least with music I felt something other than empty."His words

Sophia's pov I haven't step foot in Grace Community Church for eleven months. Not since the funeral. Not since I buried my husband Marcus and our stillborn daughter on the same gray October afternoon.Today was Sunday. The bulletin said they hired a new choir director. Pastor Williams thought live music might bring back the congregation that had dwindled during the pandemic. I came because my sister Isabella wouldn't stop calling until I did.The sanctuary felt smaller than I remembered. Wooden pews that needed refinishing. Stained glass windows that let in too much light. Twenty people scattered across seats meant for two hundred.Isabella grabbed my arm when I walked in. "You came. I'm so glad you came.""Don't make a big deal out of it.""I won't." She pulled me to a pew near the front. "But I am glad."The organist started playing. People stood. I stood because everyone else did but my mouth stayed closed during the hymn. The words felt wrong in my throat. Empty.Then the choir d

Maya's pov Six months later, I stood in Sophie's rebuilt barn. New wood. Fresh paint. Twenty hives arranged in neat rows outside."Hand me that frame." Sophie was up on a ladder installing shelves.I passed it to her. She hammered it into place."That's the last one." She climbed down. "We're officially done with construction.""Took long enough.""Six months isn't bad for a complete rebuild." She looked around. "It's smaller than before, but it works."The house was more compact too. One bedroom instead of two. Kitchen and living room combined. But it was ours. We'd built it together.My phone rang. Mom."Maya, just checking if you're still coming to dinner.""Yeah. Seven, right?""Right. And bring Sophie. I made her favorite.""Will do."Sophie smiled when I told her. "Your mom's been feeding me every Sunday for half a year. I'm getting spoiled.""She likes having someone to cook for." I pulled her closer. "Plus she loves you.""I love her too." She kissed me. "You ready for today?