Novels by Humphrey Victory

Mira forced a smile and reached for her glass of water. “Of course I haven't forgotten. I've just been overwhelmed with work since our last meeting, and I'm afraid I haven't had much time for anything else.”“Oh, my poor little girl!” Vanessa exclaimed before Alexander's mother could respond. “Why don't you stop being such a workaholic? You'll exhaust yourself before the wedding even arrives.”Her remark drew laughter from the others, and the conversation moved on as though nothing unusual had happened.Mira joined in when necessary, answering the questions directed at her while cursing Benita in her thoughts. How could that girl have left the country without considering what Mira would face in her absence? More importantly, how had Alexander failed to mention that his mother had spent an afternoon with Benita just weeks ago?Mira had no answers, so she concentrated on getting through dinner without making another mistake.Alexander's father asked about her work, and she explained som

The moment Alexander and Mira stepped out of the car, the attention began.Several employees standing near the entrance turned toward them, and whispers spread before they had even reached the building. Some offered congratulations with bright smiles, while others watched them with undisguised curiosity. Mira caught a few employees exchanging looks, and she didn't need to hear their conversations to know she was the subject of them.“She actually managed to have him all to herself. How selfish can someone be?”“I pity Miss Rachael. Her boyfriend has been taken by this nuisance.”Mira heard both comments clearly. She kept walking, refusing to give the speakers the satisfaction of seeing her react, but their words followed her all the way to the entrance. Three years suddenly seemed much longer than they had when she signed the contract.Alexander, on the other hand, behaved as though nothing had happened. He walked beside her without acknowledging the stares or the congratulations, his

By the time Mira returned home, the news of her kiss with Alexander had already spread. She had barely stepped into the living room when Benita hurried toward her, phone in hand and a smile that seemed far too wide for the hour.“Look at you! You're all over the news.” Benita turned the screen toward her. Several pictures showed Mira kissing Alexander outside the restaurant, followed by another of them smiling at each other as though they had just shared a romantic evening. “This is perfect. Now I can finally live my life with my real name, Benita Nolan, and do whatever I want. If things go wrong, I’ll still have somewhere to fall back on.”Mira glanced at the pictures, then at the sister who had arranged for her to take her place. Benita looked genuinely pleased, as if Mira’s life were simply a spare key she could keep in her pocket until she needed it. Mira didn’t answer. She walked past her and headed for the stairs, but Benita’s words followed her, bringing back memories she had s

Mira had barely started changing out of her work clothes when Benita entered her room without knocking. She was still unbuttoning her blouse when her stepsister dropped a garment bag onto the bed."Take this dress. You have your first date with Alex this evening, so please don't mess things up."Mira turned to her. "Don't you know how to knock?""Stop complaining and listen. You have a date to prepare for."Mira wanted to remind Benita that she had never asked for this arrangement, but arguing would change nothing. She finished changing before picking up the garment bag."Since we're making an agreement, I want a contract," she said. "I don't intend to trust anyone's word when my future is involved."Benita laughed. "You think I'll back out? Please. When I return, I'll still be everything you aren't."Mira ignored the insult. A moment later, Vanessa entered with several sheets of paper and placed them on the bed."We prepared the contract," she said. "Read it and sign."Mira examined

For two weeks, Mira Nolan had endured her boss's unreasonable attitude without knowing what she had done wrong. She had finally had enough. After finishing the day's work, she gathered the last file he needed and headed for his office, determined to find out what had changed between them.She stopped outside his door and knocked twice.When nobody answered, she waited a moment before knocking again. Hearing voices inside, she reached for the handle and pushed the door open, only to stop when she saw Alexander Jobs kissing a woman beside his desk.The woman's arms were wrapped around his neck, and Alexander seemed in no hurry to let her go. From the way they were touching, Mira could tell they had been doing more than talking. She glanced at the clock on the wall, then back at her boss."Mr. Jobs!"Alexander pulled away from the woman and looked at her with obvious irritation."What is it now?"Mira stared at him in disbelief. "Office hours aren't over yet, and you're making out with s