Novel-novel oleh Mimi's pen

كايلا«رايلي ما أفضل فرصة لجعل لوغان فون يجري محادثة معي، أحتاج للتحدث معه»رفعت رايلي رأسها من حاسوبها وأنا أقف.حسنًا أنا على وشك تناول الغداء وفكرت أني قد أحتاج بعض الهواء النقي وربما أذهب إلى مطعم لتناول الطعام في الخارج.«لوغان فون لا يلتقي بأي شخص في أي وقت وليس لدي شيء للتواصل معه» دفعت رايلي كرسيها لتواجهني مباشرة.«هل يجب أن أنصحك كمساعدة شخصية جيدة؟» ابتسمت.لاااا، أفضل أن أمرر.«كنتِ مساعدتي الشخصية لفترة طويلة يا رايلي، طويلة بما يكفي لأعرف أنكِ لن تقولي شيئًا يفيدني»عبست.عيناها تدوران«حسنًا، حصلتِ على ريك»هذا أحد الأسباب التي لا أستطيع تركها تساعدني.ريك يبدأ أن يكون إلهائي، سأفكر فيه في كل وقت فراغ أحصل عليه وأتذكر الأماكن التي مارس فيها الجنس معي من قبل.«ما زلت أحاول ترتيب الأمور مع ريك ولا أعرف… آمل فقط أن يسير هذا جيدًا»وقفت مرتبة فستان الشيفون الخاص بي وألمس مكياجي قليلاً.«هل لديكِ اجتماع مع شخص ما؟» نظرت رايلي إليّ بدهشة.«لا، في طريقي لتناول الغداء فعليًا، هل تريدين الانضمام إليّ؟»هزت رأسها بعنف.«لا»«حسنًا إذن»أمسكت بحقيبتي نحو الباب.لكنه كان مفتوحًا با

مجهولكان منزل سيلفر كله هادئًا، التفت جايدن لينظر إلى السيدة أمامه.«لماذا يجب أن نصدق ما تقولين إنه حقيقي؟ لماذا يجب أن نثق بكِ؟» سأل.«لدي كل شيء ولا شيء لأخسره في الوقت نفسه، فلماذا لا تفعلون؟» بدت منزعجة.«من أعطاكِ الاستراتيجيات؟» رن صوت والدة جايدن بسيطرة.«هي فعلت وأنا لا أقولها مجانًا»«إذن هذا هو، أنتِ بحاجة إلى المال»«لا أخون شخصًا بلا شيء» قالت السيدة وذهب المنزل كله في صمت.«هل أنتم موافقون على هذا أم سأغادر» التفتت.«انتظر» سقط صوت جايدن كأنه بدأ.«ما سعركِ؟» سألت والدة جايدن.ابتسمت السيدة ساخرة قبل أن تبتسم ابتسامة عريضة.«عشرة آلاف دولار»وصلت صرخات دهشة إلى أذنيها وهي تدور عينيها.«كيف بحق الجحيم تتوقعين منا أن ندفع لكِ هذا المبلغ من المال مقابل ما لا نعرف إن كان شرعيًا»«لماذا لا تدفعون مقدمًا خمسة آلاف دولار، ثم تدفعون الباقي حين تعرفون إن كان شرعيًا»«حسنًا جدًا إذن، جايدن أرسلها إليها ثم ادفع الباقي لاحقًا حين نستخدمه»ابتسمت السيدة قبل أن تغادر المنزل.*. *. *.لاحقًا في ذلك اليومجلست كايلا في مكتبها، عيناها مركزتان على الشاشة.«أمم

رايدر«هاي ما الأخبار»سأل جايدن بجهل، يمد ذراعه لعناق طويل.تحركت إلى الخلف قليلاً.«ما تلك الفضيحة التي خلقتها عن زوجتك والإعلام؟ أنت لا تهتم على الإطلاق بما يحدث لها أليس كذلك؟»كنا في بار الفندق، بعد أن ترك جايدن بعض فتاة المدرسة الثانوية في الـVIP تنتظره.«هي تريدني أن أوقع الأوراق، أردت فقط أن تعرف أن لدي اليد العليا»«اليد العليا في ماذا بالضبط؟»«ما القصة معك يا رجل؟ لماذا أنت مركز جدًا على كايلا؟»«لماذا أنت مركز جدًا على فتيات أخريات؟ الآن هي فتاة مدرسة ثانوية؟ ما الخطأ فيك؟»لوح بيديه رافضًا.«ليس هذا ما تظنه، لماذا بحق الجحيم أريد الارتباط بفتاة مدرسة ثانوية؟»«ليس هذا تمامًا ما أنا هنا من أجله رغم ذلك، إذا لم تكن ستصنع السلام مع كايلا فلا حاجة لخلق مشهد أيضًا، توقف عن التلاعب بها، هي فقط سيدة»«حسنًا، كان يجب أن تفكر في ذلك قبل أن تطلب الطلاق»«وقع أوراق الطلاق يا جايدن» حذرته قبل أن أخرج من الفندق.*. *. *.الليلحين جاء الليل، صرفت ليام وذهبت إلى الفندق. كنت متعبًا تمامًا بعد عمل اليوم.حين دخلت غرفة الفندق، كانت كايلا مستلقية ع

لياناحدقت في فيديو الأخبار على هاتفي، الحشود ترمى الأشياء على أختي الكبرى.انحنت شفتاي في ابتسامة، لأسباب مجنونة أحببت صوت ذلك.الرئيسة التنفيذية لمؤسسة مورينو تُنادى عاهرة في العلن.جعل بطني يؤلمني من السعادة.لا، لن يكون كذلك، حتى يصل إلى الشخص ذاته الذي أردت أن يسمعه.والدي.«لماذا تبتسمين يا ليانا؟ هل تغيبت عن المدرسة وجئت إلى هنا فقط لتضحكي وتبتسمي على هاتفك طوال اليوم؟» سألني والدي وأنا أفصل سماعة أذني عن أذني وأعيدها إلى علبتها.«أبي، أنت تتذمر كثيرًا هذه الأيام» عبس.«حسنًا ذلك لأنكِ لا تأتين كثيرًا وكايلا وزوجها سيلفر لن يخطوا حتى إنشًا إلى هذا المستشفى»أوه رائع! كايلا لم تخبر أبي عن طلاقها وحياتها الآن؟؟هذا جميل جدًا..«سأحاول المجيء مبكرًا وربما أبقى معك لمدة ساعة أو ساعتين في عطلات نهاية الأسبوع» أومأ دون أن يقول كلمة.«ألم تخبرك الأخت كايلا عن طلاقها من جايدن» نظرت إلى والدي وتكسر وجهه دهشة.«ماذا تقصدين بالطلاق يا ليانا؟» سألني والدي بغضب.«أوه لا… ألم تخبرك كايلا؟ أوه لم يكن يجب أن أقول ذلك» ضربت رأسي قليلاً وأنا أنظر بعيدًا.«من الأفضل أن تبدئي بالكلام يا ليانا!!»أ

رايدركانت سيارتي بأقصى سرعتها لكنها ستستغرق خمس عشرة دقيقة أخرى على الأقل للوصول إلى كايلا.رأيت الأخبار وأنا أتصفح هاتفي ولا أستطيع أن أتخيل كم ستشعر بالسوء الآن.كيف بحق الجحيم يعتقد جايدن أن هذه أفضل طريقة لمعالجة مثل هذه القضية؟.ترتيب حشد من الناس ضدها؟ ما الخير الذي سيفعله ذلك؟لن تسحب بيان طلاقها أبدًا، ليس مع ذلك المشهد كله.يجب أن أضع الأمور في نصابها في رأسه في اللحظة التي أراه فيها اليوم لأنه لا يستطيع معاملة كايلا بهذه الطريقة، ليس تحت رقابتي سأفعل أي شيء من أجلها.«قد تسبب لنا حادثًا يا رايدر، توقف عن المبالغة سنصل حتى بسرعة عادية لا تجعل حبك لكايلا يرسلنا إلى قبرنا المبكر» قال ليام وهو يمسك بحزام الأمان بإحكام.«أنت لا تعرف بحق الجحيم ما تتحدث عنه يا ليام، ماذا لو تغلب عليها الأمر؟»«ستكون آخر شخص في ذهنها حتى في ذلك، رأيت المشهد الذي أردت أن تخلقه أمس، كان عصر تنمرك كاملًا فيك» مازح.«أقسم أني أعتقد أني سأضطر لإبعادك عن شركتي قريبًا، لديك الكثير من السلبية في رأسك خاصة بيني وبين كايلا»«لن ترى أبدًا شخصًا يكون تحت أمرك مثلي، بجانب ذلك أنا أقول الحقيقة، هي دائمًا منزعجة

كايلالمسته تجعلني أشعر بإحساس مختلف بحد ذاتها.أضجعني على السرير وأنا أبقي يديّ على قضيبه، ويداه تعبثان بحلمتي بينما يبتلع ثديي الآخر بشفتيه.ألا يجب أن أرتجف وأغضب من هذا الرجل الذي لم يأتِ لأنه نام مع سيدات أخريات.لكن الجحيم أنا مفتونة به الآن.أزلت يديّ من طوله ببطء.«أريد أن أدخل يا كايلا» صوته الخشن جعلني أكثر بللًا.«اللعنة، فقط افعلها يا ريك» توسلت.دفع قضيبه داخل فرجي، مما أحدث أصواتًا رطبة.اللعنة.هو دائمًا ضخم ويملأني.صدم قضيبه كله بداخلي حتى استطعت أن أشعر بالدموع في عينيّ.أنا أحب هذا جدًا.قد أجن في هذه المرحلة.واصل بعنف بسرعة حتى وصلنا معًا.سقط إلى الجانب، يلهث.مسحت العرق الذي كان يغطي وجهي كله.«لن تعمل لسيدات أخريات في الليالي الأربع القادمة» قلت له وهو ينظر إليّ.استطعت رؤية الدفء في عينيه.مني؟«سأعطيكِ كل الوقت والاهتمام الذي تريدينه يا كايلا» نادى باسمي بهدوء.«من أنت؟»هل خرج ذلك بشكل جيد؟«هل ستجنين حين أريكِ من أنا؟» رد.لم أستطع إلا أن أهز كتفيّ.«لا أعرف من أنت ولماذا سأجن إذا أخبرتني؟»ابتسم فقط.«نامي جيدًا يا كايلا»همس وأغمضت عينيّ، أغفو إلى النوم.

Kayla My father looked at me for a while then he raised a brow. “What do you mean by that, Kayla?" Noah passed a file to him but my father tossed it to the side of his table. His eyes still fixed on me. " Do you want me dying from a high blood pressure?”I shook my head in disapproval. " Then what is this about?” I strode to his seat and made him relax his head on his pillow." Was I ever a twin?. At any time?” " Why do you ask?" “Because the heir of the West family has been on my neck. He says I'm his twin. He says we are related whereas I just knew him as a friend. I want clarity over all these.” I dropped the file on his lap again.Slowly,he dragged the seal over and opened each document. His eyes traced over them carefully like he might make a slight mistake. " Is that true father?”Silence." Father,?” My voice failed me." It is true that you were born a twin. But,” his voice reeled over, sullen. “But?”“He died.” Noah's hands went from his side pocket to his back. His f

Kayla TWO DAYS LATER The past two days have been a hellhole for me. I didn't go anywhere. I haven't received either Riley, Camilla and Noah's calls. I kept turning it off. I kept swiping the red button of each call till I got tired of it.Answering Ryder's call wasn't an option either. He'd continue to push till he gets the truth from me. Ryder came around yesterday. He kept knocking on my door, calling my name, pleading for me to let him in. But I can't do that when I'm in a mess,I don't even know if I'm sane anymore.Trash packs of snacks filled the house at every space and it hurts that I always turn limp whenever I remember the words of Noah. How can I be a twin?, that too with Noah?. And Camilla's word?. I don't even know what to say. I can't imagine the possibility of Riley betraying me.Earlier today, I got a message from Noah. It had a PDF document attached to it. I knew it was info about Riley and Camilla's claim.Since then my phone has been on my table while I stared bl

Kayla We sat in his car as he listened to me and when I finished my last sentence,he let out a deep sigh that I felt was a little exaggerated.“Do you think I could be of help to you?." His eyes locked with mine and for a moment I felt uncomfortable." You've always been of help to me, Noah.” I replied fast and avoided his gaze. My eyes swept over the city and everyone walked to and fro with their daily schedules in mind." You're with Ryder Brooks now. Right?” I nodded my head and he sighed for the second time since I entered his car."Yes.”He blinked twice like an action suddenly dawned on him. Is something wrong?Does this have to do with Riley as well?”He shook his head in denial. " No.” he finally said after a few seconds of uncomfortable silence.My tensed muscles relaxed and I closed my eyes. I can't even grasp what Camilla just told me and now this.. the fact that the atmosphere is totally weird and awkward makes me feel something is wrong.Noah turned to me, his lips parte

Kayla THE NEXT DAY I watched as Riley’s fingers worked on her keyboard while her eyes fixed on the screen. “You've been staring for a while now. Don't you have any work on your desk?" She snapped and turned fully to face me. I played with my pen while my mind wandered aimlessly without a clue. " How’s the hotel going?.” I finally asked. She raised her brow, spiralled her chair to face me completely. “That's random." She smacked and said to me, “You haven't told me much about the hotel ever since our company came out of bankruptcy. Or ever sim I had something to do with Ryder." I turned it off my system and relaxed on my chair. She blinked her eyes rapidly and avoided my gaze. “It's going well. Making a name for us and with time we'd get there." My lips curved into a smile. “We'd all get there." I said softly to her and she nodded and turned to her system, she clumsily knocked off her hot latte on the floor and it spilled over some files. “I'm sorry." She whispere

Kayla OUTSIDE THE HOSPITAL “What did my dad talk to you about?" Ryder didn't even spare me a glance nor did he even think of giving me an answer. He smacked his lips and put both his hands in his side pocket." Guess?” He grinned at me.Guess?. Would I even bother to ask if I guessed it right?. “Forget it.”He smiled and held my hand. “Good thing he's fine. Now you won't get to bother yourself about him for now. Should I get you something to eat?What should I cook for you? Are we going over to your place?.” He opened the car door for me and ran around to the car.“Let's just have pizza. Go back to work,” I turned to look at him when he accelerated the car engine. “Why do you come around while Liam does the work?" He popped his eyes. “Huh?"“Riley makes me do all the work because her husband is in distress.” He chuckled. " I'd do exactly that.” We stopped at the Nile Restaurant that wasn't far from the office and Ryder walked in to get what I ordered.I realized that I didn't let h

Kayla The next day The morning breeze hit me from the window and clearly reminded me that I needed to get my lazy ass off the bed and go to work. Trusting Riley to do my work wasn't a good idea and the thought of the stack of files that waited patiently for me on my desk made me shudder. Of course I was all alone in this.. I was soon ready after a whole catastrophe I made and called breakfast. An outrageous amount of soap I added to my bath water.. and the clumsy messy bun I made. What's even wrong with me? I really hope the drive to Moreno Enterprise won't be another temptation. Well,it wasn't. And Riley won't stop pestering me no matter how occupied I am. “Apart from the nights where you both had a contract. Have you both done anything else?” My pen seized to move when she asked me that question. " See. You both have. And I can see he's good.” She patted her desk slightly. " What?” " He's good. That's why you stopped moving and your face.." She gestured round my face.

Author POV The rock was cold in Alex’s hand. Jagged edge pressed against his palm. Seraph felt it hover behind her head, close enough that her hair moved when his fingers trembled.Sloane’s gun stayed level. “Alex. Put it down. Now.”Alex didn’t move. His arm stayed locked around Seraph’s waist. His breathing was fast, uneven, against the back of her neck. Not calm. Not cruel. Terrified.“I can’t,” he whispered in her ear. “If I don’t, Maya gets arrested tomorrow. Elena has files. Her signature. Forged, but it won’t matter. She’s twelve, Seraph. She thinks I’m the one who keeps the monsters away.”Seraph’s heart hammered. She didn’t struggle. She didn’t scream. She listened. “Then let me help you,” she said, voice low. “There’s another way. We have the drive. We take Elena down. No one has to die.”Alex laughed. It hurt to hear. “You think Elena doesn’t know that? She sent me the photo of Maya because she knew I’d choose her. She wants you to watch me become him. She wants me to prov

The car smelled like rain and Alex’s jacket. Seraph slept with her head against the window, flash drive clutched in her palm. Data that could end Tradefare. Data that made her a target. Alex drove. Quiet. Too quiet. She woke when the streetlights disappeared. No city glow. No other cars. Just trees crowding the road and the sound of tires on gravel. The GPS showed nothing but black. Seraph sat up slow, rubbing her eyes. “Where are we?” “Taking the back way,” Alex said. He didn’t look at her. Both hands on the wheel. Knuckles white. “Less traffic. Less eyes.” Seraph frowned. “Back way to where? The safehouse is on the other side of the city.” Alex didn’t answer. He reached forward and turned off the GPS. The screen went dark. The car went darker. Seraph’s stomach tightened. “Alex.” “Yeah?” His voice was still Alex. Still low, still tired. But there was something under it. Something she’d never heard before. “Why’d you turn off the GPS?” she asked. She kept her voice even. Sh

Author POV Darkness swallowed the warehouse whole. The nightlight died. The single bulb above the door went out. Even Elena’s gun made no sound.For three seconds there was only breathing. Seraph’s. Maya’s. Elena’s sharp inhale.Then Alex’s voice again, closer this time: “Hands off the gun, Elena.”A scuffle. Metal clattered on concrete. The gun skidded across the floor and hit Seraph’s foot. She didn’t pick it up.A lighter flared. Alex stood ten feet away, one wrist still cuffed to a piece of broken chain. Sloane’s cuffs, probably snapped off with a pipe somewhere between the precinct and Pier 17. His face was pale, sweat at his temples, but his eyes were clear. No flatness. No knife.“Alex,” Elena said. She didn’t sound surprised. She sounded annoyed. “You were supposed to be in a cell.”“I was,” Alex said. He didn’t look at her. He looked at Seraph. “Then I remembered you count to twenty when you’re lying. You only

Author POV The apartment didn’t feel empty. It felt hollow. Like Alex took the air with him when Sloane dragged him out. Seraph stayed on the floor for a long time. The phone buzzed again in her hand. She didn’t look. She knew what it would say. More photos. More threats. Elena’s way of saying *you’re next*. Her palm hurt. She opened her fist. The flash drive was still there. Warm from her sweat. Data that could end Tradefare. Data that got Alex cuffed. The knife lay ten feet away, blade sunk into the floorboard from where Alex drove it down. He chose not to. He chose her. And Elena punished him for it. Seraph stood. Her legs shook. She crossed the room and pulled the knife from the wood. It came free with a sound like tearing. She set it on the table. Didn’t touch the blade. Didn’t want to know if her hands would shake too. Her

Author POV Sloane didn’t lower the gun. “Alex. Last chance. Drop the knife.” Alex didn’t blink. He didn’t turn. The knife stayed an inch above his leg, blade catching light from the kitchen. Three feet between him and Seraph. Two feet between him and Sloane behind him. Seraph’s heart was so loud she couldn’t hear herself think. The flash drive bit into her palm. The phone in her other hand buzzed again. Elena. Always Elena. “Alex,” Seraph whispered. His name felt wrong in her mouth now. Like saying it might break something. “Don’t.” “I’m not,” he said. But he didn’t drop the knife either. His eyes stayed locked on hers. “I’m not making you choose, Seraph. I’m making myself.” Sloane shifted her weight in the doorway. “Alex, she has backup outside. If you hurt her, you don

Author POV The apartment was quiet after Amplified. Too quiet. Seraph sat on Alex’s couch, the flash drive warm in her palm. Data that could burn Tradefare. Data that made her a target.Alex was in the kitchen. Water ran in the sink. The sound of a knife scraping against a cutting board. Slow. He’d been quiet since they got back. Quieter than usual.Seraph’s phone buzzed on the coffee table. Unknown number. She almost ignored it. Ronan used unknown numbers. But something made her pick it up.The message had no text. Just a photo. Alex. Two hours ago. Standing across the street from her building. Hood up, hands in pockets. Watching her window. The timestamp glowed in the corner: 11:47 PM. Right after the warehouse. Right before he knocked on her door.Under the photo, three words: *She has the drive. Finalize it tonight or I will send the photos of your sister to the police.*Seraph’s