Novels by Rikki

AFTER SOME MONTHSWEDDING DAY REID'S POINT OF VIEWThe wedding day finally arrived.And I was sweating badly.Not the polite, composed kind of sweating.The nervous, slightly panicked kind.“Take it, Reid.”James pushed a neatly folded handkerchief into my hand before I could even ask.“Thanks.” James once my assistance said.Correction, not just my assistant anymore.Family.After secretly dating Mia for one year, pretending they were “just friends” and publicly dating for exactly one dramatic day before announcing their engagement, they decided by the third year that waiting was pointless.They got married.And somehow James, who once trembled during presentations, now stood in front of me calm and married.“Thanks,” I muttered, pressing the handkerchief to my forehead.He smirked. “You know, I was also this nervous on my wedding day.”“It’s not my first wedding either,” I replied dryly.He raised an eyebrow.“But it feels different,” I added quietly.Different wasn’t even the rig

THIRD PERSON POINT OF VIEWEthan had fallen asleep inside the farmhouse, curled under a thick blanket Isabella had tucked around him.Matteo and Isabella had long since gone in as well, leaving the yard bathed in moonlight and the faint orange glow of dying fire.The farm felt different at night.So still and silent now.Karline stood near the wooden fence, her fingers resting lightly on the cool surface. Beyond it, the fields stretched into darkness, silvered by the moon. A soft breeze moved through the grass.Reid stood a few steps behind her.He watched her quietly.There was something in his expression, not doubt, not regret, but a nervous weight.He swallowed once.He had rehearsed the words in his mind all evening.And yet now, standing under the open Italian sky, they felt heavier.He walked toward her slowly.Tired from the day.Content from the laughter.But carrying something fragile in his chest.KARLINE'S POINT OF VIEWI heard his footsteps before I saw him beside me.I di

AT NIGHT THIRD PERSON POINT OF VIEWClosing time always came gently.The last customer waved goodbye, promising to come early the next morning for cinnamon rolls. Karline smiled and turned the sign on the glass door from Open to Closed.The soft click felt satisfying.Reid was already stacking the outdoor chairs neatly, lifting two at a time like it was nothing.“You don’t have to do all that,” she said, wiping down the counter.He glanced at her over his shoulder. “I know.”“But you still will.”“Of course.”Ethan dragged a small broom that was slightly too big for him. “I’m helping too.”“You’re mostly spreading the crumbs around,” Karline teased.“It’s strategy,” Ethan replied seriously. “Ants need food.”Reid laughed under his breath. “He’s got a point.”Karline shook her head, but her eyes were soft.Within twenty minutes, the tables were aligned, the lights inside dimmed to a golden glow, and the ovens turned off. Reid locked the door and tested it twice, out of habit.“Ready?”

THREE YEARS LATERTHIRD PERSON POINT OF VIEWThree years had passed.Life no longer felt like something they were surviving. It felt like something they were living. Slowly and peacefully.The little bell above the bakery door chimed as the last morning customer stepped out into the soft Italian sunlight. The street outside was calm, lined with flower pots and pale stone buildings that warmed under the sun. The scent of sugar and baked bread lingered in the air, sweet and comforting.Behind the counter stood Karline, tying a thin ribbon around a pastel pink box of pastries. A loose strand of hair had slipped from her bun, and there was flour faintly dusted along her apron. She looked content, not tired, not overwhelmed, just quietly fulfilled.“Mumma, all the blueberry muffins sold out?”She looked down immediately.Ethan stood in front of her, now eight years old, taller, leaner, with the same bright eyes and that wide, toothy smile that had somehow grown even more charming with time

THIRD PERSON POINT OF VIEW The door closed quietly behind them.Karline stepped in first this time.She didn’t rush and simply walked forward slowly, taking in the silence of the house.Sunlight poured through the tall windows, resting gently on cream-colored walls and warm wooden floors.It felt calm, simple and beautiful.Ethan ran past her with a small laugh. “It looks so new!”Reid smiled faintly. “That’s because it is.”Karline moved further inside.Her fingers brushed the wall lightly as if she needed to feel it to believe it.“The color…” she said softly. “You chose this?”Reid nodded. “You once said white feels cold. And dark colors feel heavy. So… I tried to find something in between.”She smiled gently. “It’s perfect.”There was no exaggeration in her voice.Just honesty.She walked toward the living area.The furniture wasn’t flashy. It was not like their old home back in the new york but beautiful soft fabrics sofa.A wooden coffee table.A woven rug beneath it.“It’s bea

AFTER THREE MONTHSThree months had passed since the night the tent collapsed.Three months since blood on the ground. Since sirens. Since fear sat in Karline’s chest like a stone.Now, the hospital corridors no longer felt terrifying. They felt familiar. Almost gentle.Reid had been discharged a month and a half ago after spending six long weeks under constant monitoring. The doctors had been cautious, especially about the head injury. But every follow-up visit brought better news.“The swelling has reduced significantly,” the neurologist had said during the last appointment. “His procedures and medications will taper down gradually. A few more months of care, and he should be fully recovered.”Karline had nearly cried from relief.Ethan was recovering too.Reid had changed.Not dramatically in loud ways, but quietly.Deeply.He and karline attended therapy sessions without complaint, not just physical therapy for his shoulder and balance, but counseling too. For their trauma. For th

Epilogue 1(Natasha point of view)***EPILOGUETWO YEARS LATER... PRISON***Pain.That's the only word that defines me now. Not my name. Not my past. Just... pain.It lives in my bones. It's stitched into my skin.I've been here for two years-twenty-four months of slow rot, surrounded by cement, steel, and shame.The food makes me sick. Sometimes the female prisoners beat me.I don't fight back anymore.Because maybe... just maybe... I deserve it.After everything I've done.Sometimes I think about who I used to be.Natasha Raghuvanshi. Beautiful. Elegant, wanted and untouchable.I believed the world revolved around me.But now... I can't even revolve around myself.My eyes sting as tears slip silently down my cheeks. I don't bother wiping them. There's no one to impress here. No mirrors. No cameras. No crowd.Just me and my sins.I wish I had made better choices.I wish I hadn't been so foolish.So arrogant.I thought I was perfect. I thought I deserved the best.But I didn't. I

Two Months Later –The skyline outside their house was different now—sleek towers, foreign language hoardings, and the unfamiliar scent of a new land. But inside, within the four walls they now called home, everything had started to feel like theirs.Raghav was now handling the main branch of his company abroad, a position of greater responsibility, yet he had not left behind the ones who stood with him in darkness—Leela and Bilal were right there, part of his growing world.What was once broken had now begun to rebuild.And at the center of it was love.Today, love was taking its grandest form.Their wedding._______The resort sparkled like a dream—hanging lights draped across the gardens like golden threads, soft music in the background, and the scent of fresh roses blended with incense.Guests were scattered throughout the open venue, chatting and laughing, the air rich with celebration.Three-year-old Esha twirled on the lush green grass in her beautiful bottle-green dress, her l

Soon they reached the hotel and departed the next day for Raghav's private jet.During the car journey, Esha was asleep in Kiyara's arms, her tiny body curled up peacefully. Kiyara’s head rested gently against Raghav’s chest as he softly rubbed her arms for warmth.Raghav looked down at them and whispered, "Kiyu, Esha is asleep… give her to me na now."Kiyara slowly shifted and carefully placed the sleeping child into his arms.Raghav took Esha gently, as if cradling a piece of his heart. He leaned forward and placed a tender kiss on her forehead."Kiyara… she’s so small," he murmured, his voice filled with the wonder and tenderness of a father.Kiyara nodded, her eyes soft."What if I… might hurt her?" he asked quietly, his hands trembling just a little."The last thing you’ll ever do is hurt her, Raghav," Kiyara whispered back, placing her head against his shoulder again.Raghav gently rubbed and patted Esha’s back, holding her closer — as if promising with every heartbeat that he’d

Raghav cupped her cheeks gently, as if touching a fragile dream he was afraid to shatter.His thumbs trembled against her damp skin, brushing the tears that refused to stop. His gaze searched hers like a man searching for light after years of darkness."Kiyu… it's really you," his voice cracked, barely more than a whisper — aching, raw, and breathless.A tear slipped down her cheek as she saw him, the man she thought she could never see again. For three years, she had imagined this moment. But now that it was here, everything felt more fragile than ever.Kiyara's lips parted, her eyes swimming with tears. She gave a slight nod, the movement almost invisible, but it was enough.A sob escaped him — soft, strangled."I tried to find you everywhere…" he confessed, his brows furrowed with pain. "Every day, every night…every damn place"Kiyara opened her mouth to speak but no words came. Her breath shook as her lips trembled."Raghav..I… I missed you,…" she finally managed, her voice breaki

After a few days…Raghav finally flew to Uttarakhand with his team and Bilal Baba. The snow-kissed mountains greeted them with a silence so dense, it felt like the earth itself was holding its breath.Their eyes scoured every face, every village, every trail, yet after 5 long days of relentless searching, there was still no sign of her—no Kiyara.The winter mist hung low, curling between pine branches and clinging to the ridges like whispers of hidden secrets.The nights were colder than he remembered, and the mornings seemed to punish his hope with the same monotony of silence.Standing at the edge of a narrow dirt path, Raghav finally turned to Bilal Baba, weariness layered beneath his voice."Let’s go and meet Lila chachi first. Finding Kiyara… it may take longer than we thought."Bilal gave a slight nod, his wrinkled eyes filled with understanding."Okay, beta."They both climbed into a creaking old jeep, its engine coughing to life as they followed a winding road through towering

(Raghav's Point of View)Location: Kashi | Time: Late Night, near Ganga GhatThe city was chaos wrapped in divinity-Kashi. A place where death met salvation, where every breath carried the smoke of agarbatti and the weight of a thousand chants. The narrow lanes curled like ancient veins around temples, homes, and history. The smell of sandalwood, marigold, ghee, and dust wrapped around me like a memory.In my hand, the rudraksh mala hung loosely-its beads cold against my skin. The same mala she had tied around my neck. I used to believe in God once.Before her.Before Natasha.Before everything I was crumbled like dust.The day I put sindoor in another woman's hair, I had buried my faith alongside my soul. But tonight, standing under the dark velvet sky of Kashi, with the stars hidden behind city smoke and temple bells echoing in the distance-I felt something stir inside me.Hope. Maybe just a flicker, but it was there.I walked toward the ancient Shiv Mandir that stood at the edge

NIARA'S POINT OF VIEWI..I couldn't believe drevan, you too..I..but we have to be careful of Logan, We couldn't let him be suspicious", Draven’s eyes darkened the moment Logan’s name left my lips.A dangerous growl rumbled low inside his chest as his arms tightened around me possessively.“Give me one command,” he said coldly, his dark blue eyes turning red again. “Just one, Niara… and I’ll kill that bastard tonight.”The air around him became suffocatingly heavy. Pure Alpha power. Terrifying and dominant.I had heard stories about Draven Ravencrest my entire life. Entire packs feared him. Even powerful Alphas lowered their heads around him.And right now…That terrifying man was looking at me like my pain belonged to him too.“Draven…” I whispered softly.“No,” he growled immediately. “You don’t understand what it took for me not to rip his throat apart the second I saw him touching you downstairs.”His jaw clenched violently.“That bastard stood there beside you after everything he

NIARA'S POINT OF VIEWSoon the music filled the ballroom once again, soft and elegant as couples slowly returned to the dance floor.I stood quietly on the stage, holding my glass while watching the crowd below me.Then, as expected, Helena and Logan approached me again.Helena’s smile looked as sweet and innocent as ever, but now I could see the calculation hidden beneath it.“Niara darling,” Helena said softly, almost teasingly, “you won’t mind if me and Logan share the stage for a dance, right? Actually, I suck at dancing and Logan’s been teaching me.”She laughed lightly while holding Logan’s arm.Beside her, Logan was still visibly irritated from the humiliation earlier. His jaw remained tight, and his eyes burned with restrained anger every time he looked at me.The old me would have instantly apologized to him. Pathetically.But now? I only smiled calmly.Before I could even answer, Logan spoke coldly.“You don’t need to ask permission, Helena.” His eyes locked onto mine sharpl

NIARA'S POINT OF VIEW I wore a beautiful dark blue gown that shimmered softly with tiny sparkles every time the light touched it. The dress hugged me perfectly, flowing elegantly around my body, making me look every bit like the future Luna everyone expected me to become. For a moment, I stared at myself in the mirror. Different. This time, my eyes were no longer innocent. I took a deep breath before finally walking downstairs. The smell of breakfast filled the mansion, but the moment I stepped into the dining hall, my footsteps slowed slightly. Helena, Logan, Helena’s mother, my mother, and my father were already sitting around the breakfast table. Helena and Logan were laughing together about something. Something inside me twisted at the sight. The way they leaned slightly toward each other. The comfort between them, familiarity. Goodness…Why didn’t I notice all this before? Why was I so blind? I guess I gave far more importance to a servant’s son than I ever s

NIARA'S POINT OF VIEW My breath was suffocating, coming out in sharp, broken gasps as the nightmare still clung to me like it was real. I couldn’t breathe. My chest tightened painfully, my fingers clutching at the sheets as if I was still there… still burning… still screaming. “What the hell!!” I screamed and sat up abruptly, my whole body was trembling. My eyes darted around in panic. I was in my room. My room. The same walls, the same curtains, the same bed… everything looked exactly the same, untouched, calm, as if nothing had happened. As if I hadn’t just died. “What the hell has happened…” I muttered under my breath, my voice shaky and confused. My heart was still racing uncontrollably, sweat dripping down my neck as I tried to process everything. Suddenly, a loud knock echoed through the room. “Miss Niara?” My body stiffened at the familiar voice. “Y…yes,” I replied, still sweating, my voice uneven. The door opened slowly, and the old maid stepped in.

NIARA'S POINT OF VIEW She laughed bitterly. “Have you ever seen me, Niara?” I could only stare. “Have you ever noticed what it was like standing beside you in school? In college? At every party?” She mimicked their voices viciously. ‘Niara is prettier.’ ‘Niara is smarter.’ ‘Niara is graceful.’ ‘Niara will make a perfect Luna.’ Her eyes filled with rage. “Always Niara. Always better. Always first.” She grabbed my hair and jerked my head back. “Do you know what it feels like to live your whole life under someone else’s shadow?” Pain shot through my scalp, but it was nothing compared to the ache in my chest. “Lie… all lie…” My voice came out broken. “Dad… and mumma… loved you a lot!” Tears streamed down her face now, but they looked more like poison than pain. “They loved you more than me. Your mother never once saw me as worthy as you are. Never.” Helena said and her grip tightened. “She tolerated me because she had to… because my mother started living with your famil

NIARA'S POINT OF VIEW“No! Leave me! I didn’t do anything! Please, it was Helena who took me there! I swear I went there because she said someone needed help. Please!”My voice tore through the courtyard, raw and desperate, but no one listened.The guards dragged me down the stone steps, iron chains cutting into my wrists as they yanked me forward. Every stumble earned me another blow. A fist struck my back. A boot slammed into the back of my knees. I crashed hard against the ground, gravel tearing into my skin.“Get up, murderer.”I barely pushed myself upright before another shove sent me forward again.“Shut your mouth, you cursed disgrace!”My father’s roar froze even the crowd for a moment.Alpha Cedric Winters stormed down from the platform, rage twisting his face beyond recognition. He stopped in front of me and pointed a shaking finger at my bleeding body.“My brother, the Beta of this pack, lies dead because of you.” he thundered. The crowd gasped, then burst into vicious wh