Novels by Olaitan Runsewe

Marissa POVThe transport van smelled like vomit and despair."You're that rich bitch," the woman beside me said. "Saw you on the news. Killed your husband with your lover boy."I didn't respond. Everyone had already decided I was guilty."What'd he do?" she pressed. "Cheat on you? Spend your money? Or did you just want it all for yourself and your side piece?""Leave her alone, Denise," another said, humming."I'm just curious. I mean, she had everything. Mansion, billions, a handsome husband. And she threw it all away for what? Dick?"My hands clenched in my lap. The cuffs bit into my wrists. Don't engage. Don't react. Just survive.The van stopped at Los Angeles County Jail. They processed us one by one. Strip search. Delousing shower. Medical exam where I nearly mentioned prenatal vitamins before catching myself. The pregnancy was my secret though I knew I couldn't keep it for long"Hale, Marissa," the guard called. "Cell block D.""That's the men's block," another guard said."Hi

Marissa POVSix hours in a concrete room will break anyone.I sat slumped in the metal chair, handcuffs digging still in my hands, staring at space still in denial . No more tears left. My body had wrung itself dry sometime around hour three, after they'd shown me the "evidence" for the fifth time and asked the same questions in different ways.I was so exhausted , my limbs felt numb and my thoughts were in disarray. " Your body is in shock." the female detective had said earlier with something almost like sympathy.My body. My pregnant body.My hand twitched toward my stomach, then stopped. I couldn't keep drawing attention there. Couldn't let them know how vulnerable I was, how terrified I was for the tiny life growing inside me. Eight weeks. So early. So fragile. After everything I'd been through, after three miscarriages that had nearly destroyed me, I'd finally been pregnant again.And now Chris was dead.The thought should have brought fresh tears. Instead, I just felt empty lik

Von POV I was in a board meeting when my perfect life ended.Twenty-three investors, a multi-million dollar security contract on the table, and my phone wouldn't stop buzzing. I ignored it. This deal was too important, three years of work coming together in a single presentation."As you can see from our track record," I continued, advancing the slide, "Castellano Security Consulting has never had a breach."My phone lit up again. Becca. The third call in ten minutes.Guilt pricked at me. My wife had been distant lately, stressed about something she wouldn't discuss. But the investors were leaning forward, interested. Just thirty more minutes."Excuse me for one moment." I silenced the phone. "Our cybersecurity division employs former government operatives..."The conference room doors burst open.Four officers flooded in, hands on their holsters. "Von Castellano?"Every head turned. I remained seated, forcing calm. "I'm Von Castellano. What's this about?""Stand up. You're under arr

Marissa POVI was going to tell him about the baby. Instead, I told him nothing because by the time I walked through our door, my husband was already dead.The pregnancy test sat in my purse like a secret weapon. Three pink lines. Three impossible, miraculous lines after five years of trying, three devastating miscarriages, and enough tears to fill the marble fountain in our front garden. My hand had been resting on my stomach for the entire drive home, as if I could protect this tiny spark of life through sheer will alone."Chris, I'm pregnant." I practiced the words again, watching my lips move in the rearview mirror. Would he cry? Probably. Chris always cried at the emotional moments, proposal, wedding, every negative test that came before this positive one. "We're finally going to be parents."The gates of our Bel Air estate rolled open automatically. Security system armed, cameras recording, everything running like the well-oiled machine my father had built before passing it to m