Novel-novel oleh Ayomide

Chapter 83 - Epilogue Three (Final)•AUTHOR•The soft murmur of voices filled the house, a cacophony of excitement that had grown louder over the past few days. It was a week since Eleanor had been born, and Brianna and Adrian had finally brought her home. Life had changed again, in ways both expected and unexpected. The twins—Evelyn and Evan—were eager to meet their new sister, bouncing around in the living room with restless energy. Brianna couldn’t help but laugh at their enthusiasm as she stood in the doorway, cradling the baby in her arms.“Okay, you two, take a deep breath,” Brianna called, trying to keep the situation calm. “Remember, she’s tiny. Gentle hands only.”Evelyn, always the more composed twin, stepped forward first, her eyes wide as she took in the sight of her baby sister. “She’s even smaller than I thought,” she whispered, reaching a hand out slowly, as though unsure of how to approach the fragile little bundle.“She is,” Brianna confirmed, her smile tender as she

Chapter 82 - Epilogue Two•BRIANNA•I stirred awake, letting out a yawn as I peeled my eyes open. My eyes first drifted to the open window, and I saw that it was still dawn. The sky at dawn was a gentle wash of colors, soft pinks and warm oranges blending seamlessly into pale blues, with the faintest traces of lavender lingering at the horizon. The world outside the window was bathed in a delicate golden glow as the first light of morning filtered through, casting everything in a serene, dreamlike hue.A cool breeze drifted in through the open window, brushing against my skin and carrying with it the faint, earthy scent of dew.I turned my head, expecting to see Adrian sleeping beside me, but his side of the bed was empty, and it seemed like he had been gone for a while.I shifted awkwardly, trying to sit up, one hand instinctively cradling my rounded belly. A small grunt escaped me as I swung my legs over the edge of the bed, each movement slow and deliberate. The mattress dipped und

Chapter 81 - Epilogue One•AUTHOR•Today was a special day for the CARTER family. It was the third birthday of Adrian and Brianna’s twins, Evelyn and Evan. They had been eagerly anticipating this day for quite some time because it meant they could finally reunite with their loved ones. It had been a while since they had all gathered together—busy schedules and various commitments to work, school, and family had kept them all apart for too long.“Walk quietly!” Brianna whispered urgently to Adrian as they tiptoed toward the twins’ bedroom.“I’m trying!” Adrian quipped, rolling his eyes as he followed closely behind her.A few moments later, they reached the door of the twins’ room, and Brianna slowly pushed it open. They entered the room as quietly as they could, careful not to wake the children. Adrian stood still in the middle of the room, holding a small birthday cake in his hands. The cake was decorated with the twins’ favorite colors—white and purple. Atop the cake was a small bir

Chapter Eighty•CHERRY•It had been six months since I started working for Manuel, and I had enjoyed every single moment of it. I was fortunate to have a friendly, understanding boss, a comfortable working space, and a few colleagues who were more like friends. There was a sense of camaraderie that made the workdays feel lighter, and for the first time in a long while, I actually felt like I belonged somewhere.But, like with any job, there were a few challenges. One of them was the snide comments from some of the other female coworkers. The way they shot me dirty looks or whispered behind my back whenever I walked past—like they were certain I couldn’t hear them. Well, I could hear everything, but I chose to ignore them. If they didn’t stop soon, though, I was prepared to throw all decorum aside and confront them. There was only so much I could tolerate.My thoughts were interrupted by the sudden ring of the office phone, slicing through the quiet hum of my workspace. I picked up the

Chapter Seventy-nine•MARIANA•I stirred awake as I felt the warm rays of sunlight on my face. Reluctantly, I peeled my eyes open and tried to get out of bed. I rolled to the edge of my queen-sized bed, sat up, swung my legs to the side, and slid my feet into my pink flip-flops.I made my way to the bathroom and got ready for the day. Once I was done, I came out, dressed in my school uniform, and put on a pair of black shoes. After that, I made my way down the stairs, grabbing my backpack as I went.“Good morning, Mum,” I called out as I spotted her at the dining table, eating breakfast.“Good morning, sweetie. Did you sleep well?” she asked, her voice warm as I sat down in one of the chairs.“Yes, Mum, I slept well. What about you?”“I slept like a baby,” she replied, and I smiled.“What’s for breakfast?” I asked, glancing at her plate.“Toast, scrambled eggs, and bacon. Should I ask Susan to make you a plate?”“Yes, please,” I responded eagerly.“Susan, darling! Please make a plate

Chapter Seventy-eight•ADRIAN•Two months ago, when I discovered that Brianna was pregnant, I immediately insisted that she move in with me. I wanted to ensure both she and our baby were well taken care of. She was reluctant at first, offering excuses about needing to stay with her mom and sister, but they reassured her that it was perfectly fine for her to be with me.She even tried to distract me from my decision by claiming she had to work. I reminded her that I was her boss and that she wouldn’t need to work a single day if she lived with me. After much back and forth, she finally gave in. That was the happiest day of my life—the day she agreed to live with me.Now, here we were, lying on my bed. Brianna’s head rested gently on my lap while I attempted to braid her hair. I wasn’t exactly skilled at braiding, but I was determined to keep trying.“Babe?” she broke the silence, her voice soft and casual.“Yes? What’s on your mind?” I responded, glancing down at her.“I’m starving,” s

Chapter 40KIANA“I’m done. This is it. Watch me shake the world.”That was the moment I clicked Publish on my hook. I have never been this happy in my life! It felt like I had finally pushed a heavy burden off my shoulders. My heart pounded so hard I could feel it in my fingertips, in my ears, in my throat. The sound was so loud it felt like it had taken over the room, like even the city outside might stop for a second just to hear it. The glow of the laptop screen lit up my face, throwing pale blue light on my trembling hands.And then it was out there. That was the main news! It was really out there!My words were no longer mine alone. They belonged to the internet and to strangers who would read them, love them, hate them, tear them apart, or hold them close.I sat there staring at the screen, breathing in shallow bursts. Those lines I had just sent into the world didn’t feel like sentences anymore. They felt like a dream came through. And maybe they were. Because what came n

Chapter 39KIANA“Are you seriously alive?” My voice cracked like a loud whip as I slapped him hard. The sting in my palm was not just for him. It was for every second I thought I had lost him forever.Aiden blinked, caught off guard. “I thought you had moved on too fast. What happened? What, exactly?”I stepped back, my chest heaving heavily as my heart kept pounding like a war drum. “Moved on? You vanished all of a sudden and I buried you in my mind a thousand times.” I answered and he smiled, but it was a sharp thing. Whenever he smiled like that, I could see his heart slicing into pieces. “I had to. For the final move.”“The final move?” I echoed as my voice trembled. My hands shook as they instinctively pressed against my belly. Months into pregnancy and the weight of the life inside me felt heavier now than ever before. “Explain! Now. You aren't even making sense!”He looked away and his brows furrowed . I wasn't going to let him come in here because he can. “I drew D

Chapter 38KIANAWeeks later“I think I’m going to fall,” I said to myself before the spoon in my hand slipped, clattering onto the plate. The whole room spun around me and the light above me flickered. Before I knew what was happening, my knees gave way.I didn’t even feel the floor.When my eyes blinked open, I saw Aiden’s face right above me with his sharp jaw and furrowed brows.His eyes were wide like he had just watched me die. I had no idea what was happening.How did I even find myself here?“Kiana. Hey. Look at me,” his voice was low but trembling.I tried to move but my head felt like it weighed a hundred pounds. I felt so heavy up there and the room was spiralling . “I’m… fine.”“No, you are not.” His hands cupped my face like he was afraid I’d vanish. “You just fainted in the middle of breakfast. What’s the matter? This is very unlike you. ”From somewhere behind him, Emma’s voice wavered. “We should take her to the hospital. Now.”“I said I’m fine,” I shouted out. My

Chapter 37AIDEN"Take it off."She froze like I had just set the room on fire. I knew that if I didn't do it tonight, she was going to set the whole house on fire. I don't have any excuse now. I was alive and well and this was going to be our first night together. I wasn't in the hospital anymore. “You heard me right. Take it off.”The soft rustle of her dress against her skin made my throat tighten. Kiana stood in front of me, her fingers twitching near the hem, her breath uneven. We were finally alone, really alone with no disturbance whatsoever. There were no tubes around me, no hospital smell, and no fear hanging over us. It was just us and our first night. With the look on her face, I was very sure that she had always been expecting this. She has waited all through to experience our first night today. "You heard me. Take it off, slowly."She let out a shaky laugh, biting her lip. That damn lip I kept thinking about even when I was on morphine. I watched her chest rise,

Chapter 36AIDENMy life snapped before my very eyes yet a low feminine and sweet voice kept ringing in my head. “If you die before I enjoy life with you, I will haunt your grave.”I woke up immediately and I kept remembering what sounded more like a voice. No, it was not a whisper, it was also not a prayer and not even a shaky breath of relief.It was all her voice and it was sharp, low and threatening.And god, I wanted to laugh except my lungs were screaming, and it felt like my ribs were stapled together with fire.“Damn,” I muttered, coughing through the blood in my mouth. “You sound mad.”Kiana hovered over me like a raging cloud.Her hands were clenched together and her jaw became tight. Her makeup was smudged and her eyes were red like she had been crying for hours but refused to break in front of anyone else.I understood that pain. “I am mad,” she snapped, raising her eyebrows in anger. “You made me a bride and almost made me a widow in less than twenty-four hours.”I smi

Chapter 35KIANA"You are marrying into hell, but I will walk through it first."Those were his words and those words stayed stuck in my throat long after he walked away. I knew that I had agreed to enter into this with him because I loved him but on a deeper level, that would be a lot of trouble for me. Those words of his were ones which burned more than the ring on my finger. The words that made me want to follow him into the flames just to make sure he made it out.But the worst part? He said it with a smile. Aiden smiled like he was not scared of anything. The cracking of guns, the blood, the cartel and the madness didn't touch him. He acted like he didn’t just find out someone put a price on my head.And that was Candice!She did it.She actually did it. “Tell me it’s not true,” I whispered, staring at her across the bridal suite. My hands were shaking and my body was cold. “Tell me you didn’t give them my location.”She just laughed at me, making me look like a fool.“I to