Novels by faith-emby

ALICIA“Levi, what are you talking about?” She demanded in a calm tone.Raising her voice, she knew, would be like holding the dagger to her throat, herself.“You heard me clearly.” He repeated.His fast depleting graciousness was the reason he still lingered at the door.“You can’t do that. I won’t sign it,”“You seem to think you have a choice, Alicia.” His tone took on a more daunting edge, as he turned to face her. “Neither of us would want the footage from Rutherford Private Room 8 to be shown in the courtroom.”The revelation struck her harder than any physical blow she’d ever received from him or anyone. It was like a sharp needle, forcing its way through to her heart.The air ceased for a second.“How.. how did you get access to that?”Only she, the owner of the restaurant, could demand access to the footage to be given to even the State Defenses. No one else could obtain it, and certainly not that fast.The horrible thing was, her frantic reply had already proved him right be

THEODOREThe world seemed to still around him.His heartbeat slowed rather than quickened, a strange calm replacing motion as recognition settled deep within his chest with undeniable certainty. The city sprawling endlessly beyond the glass walls while the past quietly returned through a single message. He’d almost forgotten that he dropped his number on the table. He didn’t even think she’d notice it. Now he had to decide what to do.He first sat down to ponder the possibilities; there were only two people who could have sent the message. One, the person for whom it was intended. And two, a highly observant staff member who had to clean out the private room. But only one of them had a real motive to type those words.“What is wrong with you, Teddy?” He sighed, running a hand through hair. “Of all the stupid things you’ve done, this is by far the most reckless.” He continued to scold himself.“Your private number? Really? Right there on the table where anyone could have picked it!”H

ALICIAAlicia finally got home by seven in the morning, the pale gold light of dawn stretching across the marble driveway just as Elias was helping little Tobey into the car. The boy stood proudly beside the open door of the black Porsche, dressed in his miniature uniform with the solemn importance only children possessed, his backpack nearly half his size, and his small fingers wrapped stubbornly around his lunch box as though surrendering it would somehow diminish his independence.The moment he spotted her, his entire face lit up.“Mama!”He abandoned Elias without hesitation and ran toward her, shoes slapping excitedly against polished stone. Alicia barely had time to drop her purse before she caught him, lifting him effortlessly and spinning him once, twice, letting his laughter wash over her like the first breath after drowning. The exhaustion clinging to her bones softened beneath his warmth; for a fleeting moment, the heaviness of the night disappeared, replaced by something p

THEODORENovaris Holdings was an enterprise built from loss, sweat, and toil. At the top of the empire sat Theodore Lucian Banks, on his black leather throne, carved from the quiet arrogance of success and the cold permanence of survival. The chair had been commissioned from Italian craftsmen who spoke reverently about legacy while measuring angles and stitching perfection into every seam, yet Theodore often thought it less a symbol of victory and more a monument to endurance - proof that he had outlived every circumstance designed to break him.He hadn’t stumbled into this wealth and power, nor had fortune ever softened his path with convenient inheritance or family privilege. There had been no powerful surname waiting to open doors, no father’s empire passed down through reluctant hands. Every inch of Novaris Holdings existed because Theodore had learned early that the world rewarded neither innocence nor patience, only those willing to outwork despair itself.Life had never offered

ALICIAGreat. It had all been a dream - albeit the best dream she’d ever had.She checked the time on her phone; it was six thirty. She had to be home in time to see Tobey before he left for school.How could she have even spent the night at her restaurant? She was angry and exhausted, and had apparently gotten so drunk that she just passed out right there in the room.This was not the kind of mother she wanted to be for Tobey. His father was already a scoundrel.She began to gather her things and was putting on her heels when she noticed the small piece of paper on the table. She picked it up and froze when she saw the number on it.Who left the paper here if she was the only one in the room? And if she hadn’t been alone, then she hadn’t been dreaming.A wave of dizziness washed over her. She felt the strong urge to puke. Who was the man she was with? She’d seen Theodore’s face on him. She’d touched him, held him, kissed him, and it hadn’t all been a dream.It couldn’t have been Theo

THEODOREHe watched her sleep, breaths even, chest rising and falling against his. He could hardly believe she was here with him, much less that they’d just done what they had done.It was very obvious that she wasn’t in her right mind, but he was.He’d watched her down bottle after bottle, not having the words to speak up even if he tried.It had been seven years since they were this close in proximity, and his brain was busy mixing truth and lies in his head like a skilled barista.The truth was married with a kid, and they should have nothing to do with each other. The lies were that she thought of him as much and in the same way as he thought of her. And that this was the universe proving to him that there was still something there.There was nothing there. There could never be.But here she was, drunk and closing the gap between them.He wanted to stop her. Call her name, perhaps. Let her know that he was there and make her understand the gravity of the situation. Not just that t