Novels by Sunflower

I was barely able to get any sleep. I spent the remaining hours of the night tossing and turning, my mind refusing to quiet.Adie.Imani.The nightmare.And the gardener.There was something about him that I couldn't place. Every time I looked at his face, a strange sense of familiarity settled over me, as though I'd seen him somewhere before. But where? No matter how hard I tried to remember, the answer remained just out of reach.The sunrise painted streaks of gold and pink across the sky, a beautiful contrast to the unease churning inside me.My eyes drifted to the window overlooking the backyard.The spot beneath the old oak tree was empty.I released a slow breath I hadn't realized I'd been holding.Maybe I'd imagined how unsettling it had been.Maybe he'd simply been finishing some work before heading to bed.I wanted to believe that.Shaking off the lingering feeling in my gut, I got dressed and headed downstairs, following the comforting smell of freshly brewed co

I woke in a puddle of sweat, my body trembling from yet another nightmare the third one in as many nights.They always began the same.I was trapped in a room with no windows, the darkness so thick it seemed to swallow every breath I took. The air grew heavier with every second until it felt impossible to breathe. Then the figure would appear.Sometimes I was alone, locked inside my bedroom with nowhere to run. Other times, Adie was trapped there with me. It never mattered. The moment I saw the shadow moving towards us, I always woke before it could reach me.Tonight was no different.My heart hammered against my ribs as I stared at the ceiling, willing myself to calm down. Sleep was no longer an option.With a quiet sigh, I slipped out of bed and made my way downstairs for a glass of water.The house was almost completely dark. Only the soft amber glow of the decorative lights hanging from the chandelier illuminated the hallway. I didn't want to wake anyone, so I left the main

Adie and Imani returned later that evening.I heard the front door open before I saw them. Their voices drifted faintly through the hallway, too low for me to make out the words. By the time I stepped out of my room, they had already disappeared into the sitting room.As usual, they didn't say much to each other.The silence between them wasn't awkward exactly. It was... practised. Comfortable enough that neither of them seemed eager to fill it.Adie still refused to acknowledge my existence.Not once did he look in my direction.I considered skipping dinner altogether.The thought was tempting.But my stomach had been protesting for hours, and unlike every normal house. I couldn't simply sneak into the kitchen for a snack.The refrigerator was always locked.So were most of the pantry cupboards.The first time I'd discovered it, I'd assumed Maurine had forgotten to unlock them. Instead, she'd calmly explained that meals were served at specific hours, and outside those hour

Today, Adie and Imani had an appointment at the antenatal clinic. From the fragments of conversation I'd overheard over the past few days, I gathered that she still didn't know exactly how far along she was or whether the pregnancy was even viable. They had both left unusually early that morning, the house swallowing the sound of the front door closing behind them.Once they were gone, an odd stillness settled over the mansion.I wandered aimlessly around my room, searching for something anything to occupy my mind. There was only so long I could stare out the window before the walls began to feel as though they were inching closer together. I rarely left my little room unless I had a reason to. It wasn't that anyone had forbidden me from exploring the house; it simply never felt like my place to do so. Every hallway, every polished surface, every expensive piece of furniture reminded me that I was only a guest. A temporary inconvenience tucked away in someone else's perfect life.A so

ZARA’S POVKnow thy enemy, Sun Tzu wrote in The Art of War. And that is exactly why I am sitting in my car outside Imani’s house right now, with moving boxes piled in the truck behind me.After Adie ended things, nothing felt the same. I started showing up to work late and leaving early. Kate believed I was just stressed. Adie… well, let’s just say I barely saw him. He was avoiding me like the plague.Part of me hated it. The other part the delusional, lovesick part took it as a small victory. If he was avoiding me, it meant seeing me still affected him. It meant he still wanted me and was fighting it. That was better than him looking at me like I meant nothing.But it also meant I had no chance to win him back.He only came into the office for the most important meetings, and even then, he scheduled them at external locations. Important documents were sent straight to his house by Kate. He made excuses to skip family dinners, and when he finally showed up, he dropped the bomb:

ZARA’S POV“Zara! Finally,” Mom called when she saw me. She pulled me into the kitchen, handing me a bowl of salad. “Help me set the table, sweetheart.”Imani was already there, looking more composed than she had at the airport, but still quieter than usual. Her eyes flicked to me briefly before returning to her phone. Adie sat on the couch with Dad — the perfect son-in-law, relaxed, charming, laughing at the right moments.Our eyes met across the room. The heat in his gaze nearly made me drop the bowl.Dinner started normally enough. Mom and Dad asked about work, about life, about how Adie and Imani were doing as a couple. Every time someone mentioned “marriage” or “grandchildren,” my stomach twisted.“You two look so good together,” Mom said warmly, smiling at Imani and Adie. “Sweetie, I don’t mean to sound inconsiderate, but don’t you think you should try having another…” Imani’s face changed slightly. Even I felt pissed on her behalf.Imani smiled softly instead. “We’re wor