Novels by Divine Osas

I forced myself to look away, back to the front and focus on the stage. But the feeling didn’t leave. It lingered, like something pressing lightly at the back of my mind, refusing to be ignored. After a few seconds, I gave in. I turned my head again. And there she was, still staring. Our eyes met again, and this time, I didn’t immediately look away. For a second, neither of us did. Then, slowly, I gave her a small, polite smile. The kind that you give when you don’t want to make things awkward. But she didn’t return it. Her expression didn’t change at all. I frowned slightly and turned back to face the stage, shifting in my seat. Okay… that was weird. For a moment, I considered leaning toward Adrian and mentioning it and ask him who she was. But I just decided to let it go. Or at least, I tried to. By the time the speech ended, the room had come alive again. There was soft conversations, laughter, glasses clinking. I exhaled quietly and turned slightly toward Adrian.

It had been two weeks. Two full weeks since whatever this was between Adrian and me started. And somehow, in all that time, we hadn’t been seen together publicly, not exactly. It almost made it feel… private. Like it existed in a space that belonged only to us. But that will change today because Adrian had earlier in the week, informed me of the Corporate anniversary gala. This wasn’t just an event, it was our first appearance together. Adrian made that clear. Earlier that week, I had told Zoey and Brianna that I was now in a relationship. Not everything. Just enough to get them off my back. "I’m seeing someone." That alone had been enough to cause chaos. "Excuse me?" Zoey had nearly screamed. "Seeing who?" Brianna added immediately, already leaning forward like she was about to interrogate me. I refused to give them details. They were dramatic about it, of course they were, but in the end, they hugged me, squealed, and told me they were happy for me. And for

By the time we arrived, I already knew where we were. I had heard of the restaurant before. Everyone had. It was one of those places people talked about in hushed, impressed tones, the kind you didn’t just walk into on a random evening. Adrian stepped out first, then came around to my side and opened the door. I placed my hand in his, stepping out carefully. Then I felt his hand settle at the small of my back as he guided me toward the entrance. We walked inside together. I paused slightly, my eyes scanning the space. The restaurant was beautiful with soft golden lighting, elegant tables, quiet music playing in the background, but... there was no one else. Not a single guest. Every single table was empty. I turned to him. "There’s… nobody here." His expression didn’t change. "Yeah, I booked it." I blinked. "You… what?" "I booked the entire restaurant," he repeated simply. For a second, I just stared at him. I wanted to ask why but then, I just nodded instead.

I gave him a small smile. For a moment he just stood there looking at me, his eyes still fixed on my face as though he had forgotten what he was supposed to say next. "You look beautiful, Amelia" he said again. "Thank you," I replied. "You look good yourself." His lips curved faintly in a smile at that before he walked past me to open the passenger door of the car. He held it open and gestured slightly. I stepped forward and got in, the fabric of my dress shifting softly as I settled into the seat. He made sure the door was closed before walking around to the other side of the car. A moment later he slid into the driver's seat. The engine hummed to life as he started the car, and soon we were pulling away from the quiet street in front of my house. For a few minutes, the only sound inside the car was the soft rhythm of the engine and the occasional passing headlights outside the window. I turned slightly in my seat to look at him. "Where are we going?" I asked as

I stood up from the chair. Adrian rose as well, pushing his chair back with the kind of controlled ease that seemed to follow him everywhere. For a second the weight of the conversation we had just finished still hanging in the air. Four months. A fake relationship. A contract that would soon exist somewhere on paper. I walked around the desk toward him and stopped a step away. Then I stretched out my hand for a handshake. His eyebrow lifted slowly. His eyes dropped to my hand as if he wasn’t entirely sure what he was seeing. Then he looked back at me. "You want me to shake your hand?" he asked, amusement faintly threading through his voice. I gave a small shrug. "Well… yes. It's a business arrangement, isn't it?" He stared at my hand again like the idea was mildly ridiculous. "Oh, come on," I said. "Just shake my hand." A low chuckle escaped him, a sound that was dangerously attractive, before he finally reached forward and took my hand. His grip was firm and wa

I knocked once before opening the door and stepping inside. Adrian was already there, sitting back in his chair behind the large desk as if he had been expecting me for some time. The office lights were dimmer than usual. His gaze lifted the moment I entered. For a second, neither of us spoke. Then he straightened slightly in his chair. "Amelia," he greeted. "Adrian." He gestured toward the chair across from his desk. "Please, sit." I walked forward and took the seat, smoothing my skirt slightly as I settled down. The office felt different now that it was mostly empty. The building itself seemed quieter, almost like the entire place had slowed down after the workday ended. He leaned back again, studying me with the same calm, unreadable expression he always wore. "What would you like to drink?" he asked. I shook my head gently. "It doesn’t matter for now," I said. "We should just get straight to the point. We both know why I'm here." A faint smile touched hi

She powered the phone on. When the screen lit up, for a split second, nothing happened. Then, vibration. A sharp, aggressive buzzing in her palm. She flinched. It hummed relentlessly, like it had been waiting for this exact moment. Notifications began to pour in one after another. The screen filled so quickly she could barely read anything. Messages stacked on top of messages. Her hands started trembling almost immediately. Ryan’s grip tightened slightly around her free hand, steadying her, but he didn’t try to take the phone. At least not yet. Her eyes scanned the top of the screen. Liana. Dahlia. Mum. Dad. Zade. The names blurred together. Then she tapped Liana’s chat first. The messages were frantic. ~ Sylvie where are you?? Please answer your phone. You didn’t say anything before leaving. Are you safe? Sylvie I’m serious, just tell me you’re okay. ~ She scrolled upward. There were even more. Messages sent hours ago. Voice notes she hadn’t opened. Her throat tighte

The first thing Sylvie noticed when she woke up was the quiet. Her lashes fluttered open slowly. For a brief moment, she didn’t remember where she was. The ceiling above her wasn’t hers. The curtains weren’t hers. The faint scent in the air, wood, detergent, something subtly masculine wasn’t hers either. Then it all came back. Ryan, his house, the way she had fallen asleep with her cheek pressed against his chest. As she shifted slightly under the covers, she realized she had slept unexpectedly well. Her hand moved instinctively to the other side of the bed, it was empty. The sheets were cool too. She blinked at the space beside her, processing it. She realized Ryan was already up. She sat up slowly, pushing the duvet down to her waist. Morning light filtered through the curtains in pale streaks. Swinging her legs over the side of the bed, her bare feet met the cool floor. She stretched slightly, shoulders rolling back, then stood as she slipped her feets into the hous

The mall lights were already glowing against the deepening evening when they pulled into the parking lot. It was one of those malls with glass front, automatic sliding doors, soft gold lighting. Ryan cut the engine and glanced at her. "You okay?" She nodded. "Yeah." He stepped out first, walking around the car to open her door. She noticed the way he automatically took most of the weight, always positioning himself between her and everything else. Inside, the mall hummed with life. It was almost six-thirty now, the early evening rush still alive but beginning to thin. Ryan slowed his steps so she could walk beside him. "Pick whatever you want," he said quietly. "Don’t worry about anything." She looked at him. "Ryan..." "I mean it." His voice was firm but soft. "Whatever it is at all that you need." She hesitated. "I can pay for some of it." He gave her a look, gentle, but unyielding. "No. You shouldn’t worry about that. Just… trust me. It’s not an issue." She swallowed and

For a few more suspended seconds, their foreheads rested against each other. Their breathing mingled in the narrow space between them. His thumb still lingered near her cheek, warm against skin.But then, the reality of the last twenty-four hours surged back into Sylvie’s mind. The abandonment, the panic, the tears shed on Liana’s shoulder, it all came rushing back, She pulled away suddenly creating a distance. Her eyes, which had moments ago softened with relief, began to shine with something else entirely. Tears. They gathered quickly, blurring her vision. "Why?" she demanded, her voice breaking before it could fully rise. "Why did you leave? How could you? You left me." Ryan froze. She stepped back further, shaking her head as if the sight of him standing there only made her more angry. "Do you have any idea what that did to me?" she asked fiercely. "Do you have any idea?""Sylvie, listen to me..." He instinctively reached for her hands, but she yanked them away from him.

By the time the bus came to a stop, it was almost noon.The sun was high now, bright and casting shadows across unfamiliar streets. Sylvie stepped off the bus slowly, her legs was a little bit stiff from sitting too long.For a moment, she just stood there. Her hairdo was already starting to fray, with a few loose strands of hair falling across her face.This city felt different from hers. Nobody here knew she was supposed to be getting married that morning. Good.She adjusted the strap of her bag on her shoulder and began walking. She asked three different people before she finally found the right direction to a car rental place. Her voice was steady each time she asked, though her heart hadn’t stopped pounding since she left home.The rental building wasn’t large. Just a modest storefront with wide glass windows and a faded sign overhead. She stepped inside.A man behind the counter looked up. Mid-forties with a neutral expression."Good afternoon. How can I help you?""Good afterno

After a while, there was another knock at the door. Liana froze mid-sentence while talking, her eyebrows lifting. "There’s going to be a lot of knocking today. We might as well remove the door." Dahlia stifled a laugh. The hairstylist paused in her movements, her fingers still holding a section of Sylvie’s hair in place. "Come in," Sylvie called out, her voice steady. The door opened and a worker stepped inside with her hands folded politely in front of her. "Miss Sylvie, pardon the intrusions" she began respectfully, "But Mrs. Wilfred sent for Miss Liana and Miss Dahlia. She is in the garden." Liana blinked. "The garden?" "Yes." "Do you know why? Liana asked immediately. The worker gave a small apologetic smile. "I do not really know." Silence lingered for a second too long. Then the worker bowed her head slightly and left. The door clicked shut. Liana turned slowly toward Dahlia getting nervous. "Why do you think Sylvie's mom would be calling us?" Dahl