Novels by ijomahblessing001

With no other options left, Stephanie pulled out her phone and dialed Luke's number.“Get over to the family house right now,” she ordered into the receiver the moment the line connected, her voice entirely devoid of warmth.Luke, who was already on his way back, floored the gas pedal and arrived within minutes.“What's wrong? You sounded frantic on the phone,” Luke asked as he shoved the front door open, finding Stephanie pacing restlessly across the living room, lost in deep thought.“I came by earlier to see Arden. After she left, I tried to look around the house, but her bedroom door was locked, and none of the staff were anywhere in sight,” Stephanie explained, her brows knitted together.“Locked?” Luke echoed, a flicker of confusion crossing his face.“And all day today, Arden has been acting strange—”“How so?” Luke interrupted.“She hired a personal driver and instructed him to block everyone from entering. Then, when I confronted her about it, she made it seem like I was the

“Let’s get this over with. I still have to meet Ethan before the bridal shower tonight,” Arden said.Working quickly, she and Kate moved through the house, strategically placing hidden cameras in areas where they wouldn't easily be spotted. Arden had deliberately given the domestic staff the morning off, ensuring no one would witness what they were doing.Once finished, Arden returned to her room to pack essential documents, files, and a few personal items into a sturdy box. As she carried it out toward the stairs, a sudden commotion from downstairs caught her attention.She quickened her pace, abandoning the box on the landing and rushing toward the living room so fast she nearly lost her footing.She expected chaos, but found only Kate, sitting casually on the couch, scrolling through her phone.“Kate, what is all that noise about?” Arden asked, frowning.“Are you done?” Kate countered, offering a knowing, up-to-no-good smirk instead of an answer.Realizing Kate wasn't going to spil

Arden closed the wardrobe and turned around as another sharp knock sounded at the door.“Come in,” she called out, and a maid stepped into the room.“Good evening, Ma'am. Dinner is ready.”“Okay, lead the way,” Arden replied, following the maid downstairs.At the sprawling dining table, Arden took a seat. “Where's Ethan?” she asked, looking around the empty room.“Master said you should go ahead and eat; he will dine later,” the steward replied politely as a maid began serving her.Arden looked down at her plate, and froze. “Pot roast and apple juice?” she said aloud.The steward hesitated, his brow twitching. “Is there a problem, Ma'am? If you don't care for it, we can have something else prepared immediately.”“No... I like it,” Arden replied quietly.This is odd. Is it just a massive coincidence? she wondered. She remembered mentioning her cravings to Kate, but she had never told Ethan. Still, she was far too hungry to overanalyze it. She dug in, eating until she was entirely satis

Luke sped off toward Stephanie’s house. Stepping inside, he found her waiting right at the doorway. She pulled him into a fierce, demanding kiss, guiding him back toward the bedroom.“There's something you need to know,” Luke said, breaking away slightly.“Can't it wait? I'm already wet,” Stephanie pouted, straddling his lap with her legs spread wide.“It's about our plan,” Luke replied.“What about it?” Stephanie asked, herr expression changing when she noticed how serious he looked.“We won't be using the hotel on Riggs Road anymore,” Luke said, gently tucking a stray lock of hair behind her ear.“Why?” Stephanie's face fell into a sharp frown. She couldn't imagine a more ideal location to execute their scheme. “Why change it? That place was perfect.”“Arden did. She said her doctor told her not to travel far, so she had Kate book a different hotel instead.”“That bitch is always getting in my way,” Stephanie fumed.“Don't worry. I asked her to send me the details so we can check it

Arden walked out of the building and spotted Kate leaning against the car. As she approached, Kate hurried over to her.“Arden, how did it go?” Kate asked.“Let's go. I'll tell you everything on the way,” Arden replied as she entered the vehicle. Kate got into the driver's seat, pulled the door shut, and fastened her seatbelt.“He agreed to help me,” Arden said with a faint smile.“How did you pull that off?” Kate asked, her face lighting up.“He refused at first, but just as I was about to leave, he called me back,” Arden said. “And then he told me he had changed his mind—he will help me, but his help comes with conditions.”“What conditions?” Kate asked, starting the engine and pulling out of the parking space.“I have to do everything he says.”“Hmm... wonder what he's planning,” Kate murmured, sparing Arden a quick glance.“He said the first rule is that I have to live with him so he can protect me.”“That's actually not a bad idea.”“Kate, I didn't tell him about the pregnancy—”

Three seconds passed in silence. Ethan didn't blink, his dark eyes locked onto hers with a quiet stillness that felt more dangerous with every passing second. Beneath her tailored blazer, Arden’s skin prickled with cold sweat as those unblinking eyes dissected her. She suddenly wished she hadn't started with such a dramatic demand.Slowly, Ethan stood up.He didn't rush. Every movement—the deliberate flex of his fingers buttoning his cream jacket, the quiet sound of his shoes against the hardwood—was executed with lethal precision, his gaze never once breaking contact with hers. He rounded the massive mahogany desk, closing the distance between them step by step until the sharp scent of cedar and expensive cologne filled her lungs.He stopped inches away. Up close, his dark gaze bore down on her, tracking the flutter of her eyelashes, the desperate clench of her jaw, and the frantic rise and fall of her chest. He didn't touch her, but his sheer proximity boxed her in, making it hard f