Novels by Nari Winters

“Afraid?”Maximilian repeated my words quietly, as if the term sounded strange to his own ears. His brow furrowed slightly, his gray eyes fixed on me without blinking.I stared back at him. Something was different. I caught a flicker of emotion I'd never seen on Maximilian's face before.Only a split second. So quick that anyone else might have missed it. But I wasn't anyone else.After years of working as both a wedding planner and event organizer, I'd trained myself to read the body language of brides and grooms. Often a bride would give her groom just the smallest glance, and from that alone I'd know the dress needed altering, the decorations needed changing, or something was making her uncomfortable.A look had become a language I understood far better than words. And just now, Maximilian had looked genuinely worried. He quickly hid that expression. So fast that his face returned to its usual coldness.“Mrs. Blackridge.” Lucas's voice broke the silence. “I believe you've spoken ou

My chest felt tight, as if something were tearing through it.The fingers gripping my phone began to tremble. Owen's short message kept filling the screen, every letter turning into a blade stabbing me again and again.[I'm sorry, Emery, my love. This will be my last message. I really am a coward. Forget about me. I'll be safer without you.]Tears fell without me being able to hold them back.I hurriedly typed a reply. “You're not even going to ask about me, Owen?”My fingers moved so fast I hit the wrong letters several times. After making sure the message was right, I sent it immediately.But it never turned into two check marks. My chest sank again.“Owen ....” I whispered.I pressed the call button right away. My hope was simple. I just wanted to hear Owen's voice one more time. I wanted to believe this was all just a misunderstanding we could fix together.But the operator's voice in my ear shattered that last hope instead.“The number you have dialed is not in service.”I froze.

“You threatened him?” I accused.My fingers still gripped the phone tightly, my eyes fixed on Maximilian standing a few steps in front of me.Maximilian's gray gaze stayed calm.“I didn't need to threaten him.”That short answer made my chest tighten even more.I didn't want to believe him. But somehow, the way Maximilian said it sounded so certain that it only made me more afraid of a worse possibility.Without wasting time, I pressed Owen's name in my contacts.I kept my eyes on Maximilian without blinking. The man met my gaze, as if he had no intention of looking away from me for even a second.Owen's number was unreachable. I bit my lower lip.“Owen ... what's happening, please .…”Before I could try again, Maximilian spoke up.“He's on the plane.” The corner of his mouth lifted slightly. “Try again later if you're lucky, naughty little cat.”I looked up immediately. “Why didn't you say so earlier?!”My irritation slipped out before I could think it through.Maximilian fell silent

“In your dreams!” My shout echoed through the empty church.I shoved Maximilian's hand off my waist, my breath coming fast with both anger and fear.Far from being offended, the man laughed.His laugh was soft, deep, and low, as if I'd just told the most entertaining joke he'd ever heard. The faint curve of his lips did nothing to soften the coldness of the gaze that had been fixed on me the whole time.My chest rose and fell as I held back my emotions.Bastard.I didn't know what else to do. Screaming wouldn't change anything, crying would only make me look weak, and hitting him would probably just break my own hand.Without another word, I turned around.If I couldn't fight him right now, at least I could still walk away from him. Before my foot could land its third step, Maximilian's voice stopped me.“One more step away from me, and I can have someone put a bullet in your fiancé's head—ah, no. Your ex-fiancé's.”My body froze. My feet felt nailed to the church's marble floor.I kn

I stared at my reflection in the mirror, my cold fingers gripping the skirt of the white wedding gown that trailed to the floor. The lace detailing on the bodice shimmered under the lamplight, making me look like a woman truly about to walk into her happy ending.If only my life were as simple as the reflection in that mirror.Four engagement rings had once graced my finger. Four times, everything had ended before it could turn into a sacred vow. This time was different. It had to be different.I took a deep breath, then exhaled slowly.“This is the last one,” I murmured to my own reflection. “I'm getting married today.”Outside the preparation room, footsteps sounded faintly. The church had been arranged for us. An intimate wedding in Bali. No guests and no crowd, just the two of us exchanging vows before God.My hands clenched at my sides.I didn't know why my heart kept pounding so fast, even knowing it would only be the two of us in there.Someone knocked on the door.“It's time.”