Novels by Felconlee94

Ariana’s POVHow long do I plan to still keep this a secret?The question didn’t leave me after it formed. It lingered heavy and accusing.I stared at my reflection, searching for signs. A change in my face or a shift in my body. Something obvious enough to justify the fear rising in my chest.But I looked the same.A wife under contract.A woman carrying a child conceived in a moment that wasn’t supposed to become permanent.My fingers pressed gently against my stomach again.The expiration date hovering over us like a silent countdown.If I told him now, what would change?Would he feel trapped? Or would he think I planned it?Would he believe it was an attempt to extend something that was always meant to end?A knock startled me.“Ariana?” Amanda’s voice floated through the door.I stiffened.“Yes?”“Are you coming to bed, or should I assume you’re admiring yourself?”My jaw tightened slightly.“I’ll be there.”A pause.Then, casually, “You really should eat more carefully. You loo

Ariana’s POVThe knock pulled me from sleep gently.“Madam,” the chef called through the door. “Dinner is ready.”For a moment, I didn’t move.My body still felt heavy. Not just from exhaustion but from everything I was holding in.“I’ll be down shortly,” I replied.When I stood, the room tilted faintly before steadying again. I pressed my palm against my stomach instinctively, breathing through it.You’re fine.No one knows.I freshened up quickly and headed downstairs.The dining room was already set. Amanda sat comfortably in one of the chairs, scrolling through her phone as though she belonged at the head of the table. She looked up when I entered.“There you are,” she said casually. “Feeling better?”Her eyes snapped not to my face but lower.“I’m fine,” I answered, taking my seat. “It was nothing.”“Mm,” she hummed, like she didn’t quite believe me but was willing to pretend.The chair at the head of the table remained empty longer than usual.Amanda filled the silence easily, c

Ariana’s POVThe knock pulled me from sleep gently.“Madam,” the chef called through the door. “Dinner is ready.”For a moment, I didn’t move.My body still felt heavy. Not just from exhaustion but from everything I was holding in.“I’ll be down shortly,” I replied.When I stood, the room tilted faintly before steadying again. I pressed my palm against my stomach instinctively, breathing through it.You’re fine.No one knows.I freshened up quickly and headed downstairs.The dining room was already set. Amanda sat comfortably in one of the chairs, scrolling through her phone as though she belonged at the head of the table. She looked up when I entered.“There you are,” she said casually. “Feeling better?”Her eyes snapped not to my face but lower.“I’m fine,” I answered, taking my seat. “It was nothing.”“Mm,” she hummed, like she didn’t quite believe me but was willing to pretend.The chair at the head of the table remained empty longer than usual.Amanda filled the silence easily, c

Ariana’s POVThe Weekend flew by and when Monday arrived,I dressed quietly, choosing something simple but structured which was a soft blouse tucked into tailored trousers, I slicked my hair back neatly as my work had become my refuge lately. The one place where my name meant my skill and not my proximity to anyone else.Amanda was still asleep when I left.That fact alone felt like a small mercy.The fashion house buzzed with a kind of controlled chaos the moment I stepped inside. Voices overlapped, fabric rolls were dragged across the floor, assistants moved briskly with tablets and pinned sketches, and the scent of fresh textiles and coffee hung thick in the air.The exhibition was close.“Okay, everyone, listen up!” one of the senior coordinators called out. “Final sketches are due by the end of the week. First fittings start next Monday. If it’s not ready, it doesn’t walk.”Pressure snapped into place instantly.I dropped my bag at my desk and rolled out my sketchpad with my fing

Ariana’s POVThe gates closed behind me with a finality that felt louder than it should have but I kept walking.Not fast or slow just enough to stay ahead of my thoughts. The morning air pressed cool against my skin, but it did nothing to settle the tightness coiled in my chest. Slade hadn’t followed me. I hadn’t expected him to. Part of me was relieved. Another part felt abandoned by the very restraint I’d asked for.Amanda’s voice lingered in my head, bright and intrusive, threaded through spaces that were supposed to be mine now.I hailed a car at the corner instead of walking all the way.The clinic was quiet when I arrived clean, neutral, calm in a way the mansion hadn’t been in days. The receptionist smiled when she saw me, already familiar, already expecting me. That alone steadied me more than I cared to admit.The appointment passed in a blur of soft questions, measured reassurances, routine checks.“You’re doing well,” the doctor said gently, eyes scanning the chart. “Every

Slade’s POVAriana lay beside me with her body still, breath measured, but I knew better than to believe she was asleep. She had that particular silence when her mind was racing and when she was building walls instead of resting against them.I stared at the ceiling long after the lights were off, listening to the distant hush of the city and the quieter, more unsettling sounds of the house itself. The mansion had always been silent in a controlled way but tonight, it felt occupied.Amanda’s presence had settled into the walls far too quickly, like dust finding familiar corners.When Ariana finally shifted, turning slightly away from me, something tightened in my chest. I wanted to reach for her, to reassure her without words, but instinct told me not to. She needed space more than comfort right now and perhaps I did too.By morning,I left the bedroom early, careful not to wake her, and headed downstairs with my phone already buzzing in my hand. Three missed calls and One voicemail.M