Novels by Jovita Raphael

DORIAN'S POV***I’d kept Amara's birthday in mind for a while. Not because it was some casual note in a file, but because she’d submitted the date once, and for some reason it stuck. Earlier in the day, I’d called her to my office through the intercom. She appeared, polite, professional, expectant.“You can leave early today,” I said, keeping my tone casual.Her brows lifted. “Uh… okay?”“I’ll have a dress sent to you,” I continued. “Get ready tonight. Dinner.”“Dinner?” she asked, clearly surprised.“Just… because,” I replied, giving nothing else away.She nodded, still processing, and left.Once she was gone, I picked up the phone and called Davina. I got her number from the information I asked my secretary for on Amara.“Hello?” she answered.“Hello,” I said. “This is Dorian Wellington.“Okay….” She said. “I know alot of Dorians, so which one might you be?”“Your best friend Boss.” I stated.“Ohhh,” she said. “I hope she's okay. Right?”“Yeah, she's well.” I continued. “ It's Amar

AMARA’S POVI didn’t know how to act. Because I wasn’t used to this kind of attention. I wasn’t used to walking into a place and seeing people waiting for me, smiling like I mattered.And I definitely wasn’t used to someone like Dorian Wellington being the reason behind it.We all sat around the long dining table, plates already arranged, wine glasses sparkling under soft lights. The restaurant wasn’t crowded. It felt like the whole space had been reserved just for us, and that alone made my stomach twist.Davina sat beside me, grinning like she had personally planned the entire universe.Her sister and some childhood friends were there too, looking overdressed and excited. Jayden was on the other side, already acting like he belonged.And Dorian…Dorian sat across from me.Calm. Quiet. Composed, like this was nothing. But every time I lifted my eyes, I caught him watching me.Not staring like a creep.Just… watching. Like he was making sure I was okay. Like he was waiting for me to s

AMARA’S POV***I went home early, but instead of relaxing, my anxiety followed me into my apartment like a shadow.I kept checking the time.6pm.6:30pm.7pm.Then my doorbell rang. My heart jumped like I was expecting trouble. I opened the door and found a delivery man holding a large package.“Amara Harpers?” he asked.“Yes.”He handed it to me, collected my signature, and left.I closed the door slowly and stared at the box like it might explode. I carried it into my living room and opened it.Inside was a dress. Red. Strapless. Body con. Long.It looked expensive enough to pay my rent for the next six months.There was also a pair of Louis Vuitton red bottom heels, shiny, elegant, terrifying and a small black D&G purse with gold details.I sat on my couch, holding the fabric between my fingers. My chest tightened. This wasn’t normal.This wasn’t “boss taking PA to dinner.”This was… something else.And I didn’t know what to do with it.By 7:45pm, I was dressed.The dress hugged me

AMARA’S POVMy alarm rang like it always did—annoying, loud, and completely uninterested in the fact that it was my birthday.I groaned, rolled over, and slapped my phone until it shut up. For a few seconds, I just lay there, staring at the ceiling, trying to convince myself to get up.Then my phone buzzed again.I grabbed it with sleepy eyes, expecting a reminder or an email, but it was a message.Davina: HAPPY BIRTHDAY MY LOVE!!! 🎉❤️Another message followed immediately.Cynthia: Happy birthday Amara. May this year be kind to you.Then another.And another.I blinked at the screen, my lips tugging into a small smile.It felt… nice.But it didn’t feel like some big moment. Not the way birthdays used to feel when I was younger. Now it just felt like a date on the calendar that everyone else remembered more than I did.I dropped the phone on my bed and sat up.“Another year,” I muttered, more to myself than anything.I dragged myself out of bed, took a quick shower, dressed up, and ti

DORIAN'S POV***I scrambled backward on the bed, forcing myself to sit upright, hands raised like I’d been caught committing a crime.“No—what? God, no.”Amara pulled the blanket up quickly, wrapping it around her body like armor. She sat up too, staring at me with wide eyes.“I’d never do that,” I said quickly. “Never.”She blinked, still shocked.“I woke up like that,” I continued, trying to sound calm even though my heart was racing. “I swear. I didn’t… I didn’t do anything. I woke up and I was lying on you. I tried to move, but you were—” I stopped myself before I said wrapped around me like a snake.I cleared my throat.“You were holding me,” I finished, more carefully. “So I didn’t want to wake you. You barely slept last night.”Amara stared at me for a long moment. Then she exhaled slowly.“I believe you,” she said, quieter.Relief hit me so hard I almost closed my eyes.She stood up, the blanket still wrapped around her like a dress. She reached down and picked up her clothes

DORIAN’S POVI woke up slowly, like my body wasn’t ready to admit the night was over.The fever was gone or at least, it wasn’t drowning me anymore. My head still felt heavy, but the crushing weakness had eased. I could breathe without feeling like my lungs were full of fire.For the first time in hours, I felt… normal.Almost.I shifted, trying to get comfortable again, and my cheek brushed against something soft. Warm.My hand moved too, instinctively tightening around whatever it was.Soft again. Comforting.I frowned slightly, still half asleep, my eyes closed. Whatever it was, it felt too good to let go of. I tightened my hold without thinking, letting myself drift for a second.Then it hit me. Amara.My eyes snapped open. And my entire body froze. I was lying on her.My face was pressed against her stomach, my arm wrapped around her waist, and my hand—God help me—my hand was gripping her breast like my life depended on it.Her own hand rested on top of mine, relaxed, like she’d