Novels by desireoparaugoezichi

POV - Adrian I stared at the hand resting on the small of Regina’s back for a second longer before shifting my gaze to the man who owned it and my jaw tightened in recognition.Dominic Valentine.My gaze washed over his tall frame from his head to his toes, taking in his casual black shirt and pants, and a smirk that I wanted—more than anything—to punch clean away from his face. My hands folded involuntarily into a fist.“Everything alright over here?”I noticed how warm and unhurried his voice was, his posture and relaxed expression exuding confidence and power.I unclenched my fists and mirrored Dominic’s expression before either of them could see that I was affected by their interactions.Regina didn't flinch at his touch, and that told me how personal the relationship between them actually was.She shot him a warm glance. “Yes, Dominic. Everything is fine, thank you.” Her voice carried none of the sharpness she'd aimed at me moments ago.The man, Dominic, turned towards me then,

POV: ReginaMy restaurant, Maison Price, sat inside a renovated nineteenth-century building, which still looked elegant despite that the original brick and brass fixtures had gone soft with age. The exterior didn't need a flashy sign to prove its worth, and inside, warm light flooded the room from the brass pendants over the bar and candles flickered low on every table, while the scent of charred citrus and butter drifted faintly from the open kitchen behind me.I always loved this room whenever it got busy, like today. I loved the low hum of conversations beneath the soft jazz, the clink of glass wares, the different fashion statements in the room. Tonight, every table was full, from the VIP section, which was three steps from the main floor. I was mid-way through checking on table six when I felt someone approach my side.“Chef Price.” Diane, one of the waitresses, appeared briefly at my elbow. “The couple on table twelve won’t shut up about seeing you.”I gave her a side glance. “

POV: Regina“Hold still, mummy!”Bella scolded with a little frown on her face as she held my hand firmly in place, carefully applying pink miniature nail polish to my fingers. “I’m holding still, honey,” I countered in a teasing tone. “But you’re too slow, and Mummy’s tired.”My little girl narrowed her eyes at me, her brows furrowing slightly as though she was genuinely offended by my complaints. “I gave you water a few minutes ago, for your tiredness.”I laughed. “What’s funny, Mummy?”I leaned forward, reaching across the shining kitchen table to stroke her cheek gently with my free hand. “You are so adorable, Bella.” I smiled at her for a few seconds before continuing. “The water was a kind gesture, but tired people need sleep. I need to sleep. Besides, it’s almost your bedtime.”My eyes shifted to the round wall clock above the kitchen cabinets and Bella’s gaze followed mine. The time read 9:25PM.“What time is bedtime?”I almost laughed at the way her little shoulders dropp

POV: AdrianSaturday mornings were for two things: silence, and Damien trying to beat me at something.The private court sat on the roof of one of our newer developments. The building was still unfinished, but the tennis court had been completed first because Damien had insisted on it before the concrete on the foundation had fully cured. Typical of Damien to get the “priorities” in order before the building even had walls.The morning air still had traces of last night’s coolness, though the sun was rising fast enough to promise a brutal afternoon. Below us, the city stretched out in every direction, cranes and rooftops and glints of the East river caught the early light. Up here, it was just the two of us, the hollow pock of a tennis ball, and eleven years of trying to out-beat each other at almost everything.“You’re slow today,” Damien called from the baseline, bouncing the ball twice before serving.I returned it hard, cross-court, and he barely got his racket on it in time.“Sl

POV: Adrian“What did you say?”“Chef Price rejected the contract, Sir.”I closed the report I’d been working on and lifted my eyes to Alice’s, my movement slow and deliberate. I didn’t speak for a moment, and my assistant shifted uneasily under my gaze.“Did she say why?”“No, Sir.”“I see.” My fingers drummed on the tables involuntarily. My voice and expression was calm, but my mind was far from calm.“Anything else, Sir?”“No, Alice. That’ll be all, thank you.”She gave me a small nod and headed for the exit, closing the door with a silent click.I sat back in my chair, staring at the closed file in front of me, my mind wandering very far. Regina outright rejected the contract. She didn’t even say she was going to think about it. She rejected it.A short, humorless laugh escaped my lips before I could stop it. Didn’t she look at the numbers I’d placed on that contract? I was going to pay triple whatever she would’ve charged, yet she blatantly refused.I laughed again.Regina had

POV: Regina“What?” My brows furrowed as I watched my best friend laugh, slightly offended. “Did I say something funny?”Sienna nodded, her long black braids bouncing and splashing droplets of water on her rich dark skin as she laughed.I rolled my eyes. “Not funny, Si. I’m talking about my daughter.” I looked away, my expression turning a bit sour.“I’m sorry, Girl,” Sienna said, the laughter dying down as she placed a hand on my arm. “I just think that you’re worrying over nothing.”I gave her a side glance. “So, my situation is nothing?”She groaned. “Baby, you know that wasn’t what I meant.” She sighed. “Listen, Adrian is a busy man, and I’m sure that the last thing a man like him wants is having a child tied to him.”She paused as though allowing her words to sink in.“I mean, think about this,” she continued, “this man was scared to show you off for the three years that you dated. Why? Because of his almighty empire,” she rolled her eyes, using her fingers to quote her last word