Novels by Onuorah Linda

The lights of Ethan's mansion shone dimly in the misty night as Sasha drove up the long driveway. Her hands gripped the steering wheel, knuckles white, her heart pounding as she replayed the events of the evening. Rico’s dying words echoed in her mind, haunting her with every breath. She could still feel the coldness of the gun in her hand, the heaviness of the glass she had forced him to drink. Her best friend, the person who had once shared her innocence, was gone, and it was by her own doing.Trembling, she stepped out of the car and approached the door. It was late, but Ethan had always told her that she was welcome at any hour. She barely noticed the warmth of his mansion as she stumbled through the doors, a shivering mess of guilt and sorrow. One of his guards led her to his study, where Ethan was waiting, his expression immediately darkening as he saw the tears streaking down her cheeks."Sasha," he said, standing up quickly, his voice filled with concern. "What happened?"She

The night was cold as Sasha drove down the empty streets, the city lights flickering in her rearview mirror like fading stars. She had always been careful, had always walked the line between who she once was and the life she’d been pulled into. But Rico was closing in, his relentless pursuit drawing closer to truths that could ruin everything she’d built with Ethan. And now, she was at a crossroads she never imagined she’d face: she would have to kill him.As she reached the Miller mansion, her mind was clear, cold as steel. She pulled on a pair of black gloves, knowing every step would need to be precise, leaving nothing behind. She climbed the stairs to her bedroom, opened the hidden compartment in her closet, and retrieved a small vial of poison. She had kept it for years, a tool she hoped she’d never need. But Rico had left her no choice.Her fingers grazed over the gun in the drawer. It felt heavy, both in weight and in purpose. Rico was her friend—a part of her past, her childh

The morning sun was filtering through the high windows of her office when Sasha’s phone buzzed on her desk. She reached for it, glancing at the unfamiliar number on the screen. Frowning, she answered. “Sasha Brooks.”“Miss Brooks,” the voice on the other end was firm and professional. “This is Agent Wyatt with the Secret Service. We need you to come down to our office for questioning.”Sasha felt a wave of unease wash over her. “Questioning?” she asked, forcing her voice to stay steady. “Can you tell me what this is about?”“I’m afraid we can’t discuss the details over the phone,” Agent Wyatt replied. “Please come in at your earliest convenience.”The line went dead before she could ask anything more. Sasha lowered the phone, her heart pounding. She’d known that Rico’s investigation wasn’t over, but she hadn’t expected him to summon her like this. She took a deep breath, steadying herself. If Rico wanted answers, she’d give them—but only what she wanted him to know.An hour later, Sas

Ethan was still savoring the aftermath of his election victory as he reclined on the leather sofa in his penthouse office. The city stretched out before him through the glass wall, lights glittering like stars. The high of winning still coursed through him, though Sasha’s words kept gnawing at the edges of his mind. But before he could dwell on her warning, his phone buzzed in his pocket. The number on the screen made him sit up instantly—one of his contacts at the SSS.He answered, keeping his voice low. “What’s going on?”The voice on the other end was brisk and to the point. “Mr. Leo, we just received word that Rico Morales obtained a warrant to search the Vegas Casino. He’s on his way there with his team.”Ethan’s heart skipped a beat. For a moment, he stared out the window, feeling a cold, creeping dread settle in. If Rico was coming after the Vegas Casino, it wasn’t a casual inspection. Rico had been investigating Jack and Carlos’s deaths for months, desperate to connect the dot

Rico leaned back in his office chair, rubbing his tired eyes. It had been over six months since he began his relentless pursuit of the shadows that haunted the city—the figures known only as Nyx and Hades. Six months of dead ends, sleepless nights, and watching blurry surveillance footage. Jack and Carlos were dead, their bodies leaving behind a silence that demanded justice. Yet every lead felt like sand slipping through his fingers.Jack had been his friend, someone he’d trusted. And Carlos, despite his flaws, had once been a key figure in the city’s underworld. Both men were gone now, and Rico knew that somewhere out there, someone was responsible. Someone powerful, calculating, and ruthless enough to cover their tracks perfectly.He switched on his laptop and resumed scrolling through the mountain of footage. Security footage from street corners, ATMs, storefronts—anything that might reveal even the faintest hint of Nyx or Hades. He was chasing ghosts, but his gut told him that pe

Ethan’s words hung in the air, a confession raw and vulnerable, stripped bare of any pretense. Sasha’s breath hitched, her mind racing to process what he had just said. She searched his face, seeing the weight of years of torment etched into his eyes.“Bipolar?” she whispered, her voice barely audible, as if saying it too loud would shatter the fragile honesty between them.Ethan nodded, looking away, unable to meet her gaze. “I didn’t know for a long time,” he admitted, his hands clenching and unclenching as he tried to steady himself. “There were… signs. But I didn’t want to believe it. I thought I was just… intense. Driven. I’ve always felt this… voice inside me, pushing me to take control, to act without thinking.” He paused, his voice trembling. “It’s not just a voice. It’s me. It’s a part of me that I can’t seem to silence.”Sasha felt her heart break for him, realizing how much he’d been struggling, even before they’d met. She wanted to reach out, to hold him, but she knew he n

Ike’s PovConfusion and shock washed over Ike as he witnessed Ade and some guys being handcuffed, emerging from the building where Ada had been held captive. He rushed toward them, eager to unravel the unfolding situation.“Hey, why are you handcuffing my friend? Shouldn't you be going after the kidnappers?” he asked, bewildered.Linda looked at him with pity. “He is the kidnapper.”“I don't understand,” Ike said, glancing at Ade. “He is my best friend; he can't do that to me. Would you?”Ade did not answer; he only stared at Ike with intense hatred before being taken away. Ike remained in shock, grappling with the betrayal of his best friend. Hurt and on the verge of tears, he held himself together. From the corner of his eyes, he saw Ada walking up to him. They locked eyes for a few moments before he grabbed her and kissed her, feeling her respond to the kiss.“I love you,” he said after their kiss. “I mean those three words and eight letters.”“Are you sure? What about your

Ada PovAwakening in what appeared to be a dimly lit room, she realized she was securely tied to a chair. It took no time for her to comprehend that she had been kidnapped. Ada struggled to free herself from the chair, attempting to calm down and focus all her thoughts on devising an escape plan.She examined the room, hoping to find anything that might assist her, her mind wandering to how she ended up in this predicament. If she hadn't pretended to be someone she wasn't, she was certain she wouldn't be in this mess now. Shifting her thoughts from the chaos she was in, she pondered on Ike. Oh, how she missed him. Sitting there, she yearned to see him again, even if it were the last time. Knowing in her heart that he might never forgive her for what she did, whether she emerged from this ordeal alive or not, she was determined to confess her feelings and true identity to him. She believed that if he discovered she was the Ada from his secondary school who once dated him, he might un

Ike’s POVIke brushed past his wife and went upstairs to his room. He went to his bathroom and had his bath. While dressing up, he felt like he needed to talk to Joy and lay down some rules for her; she can’t go about talking to people in his house that way. She was very rude to his parents last night, which made him very upset. He needed to talk to her about that too; she needs to show his parents some respect. He was the man of the house, and she needs to do what he asks of her.Dressed up, he planned to go over to Ade’s house. He needed to pour out his heart to him, moved towards his wife’s room. As he was about to enter the room, he heard her having a conversation with someone. Out of curiosity, he decided to eavesdrop on her conversation, then heard her say, “That fool, he bought my story. He thought that some man rescued me from the plane incident. He does not know that I was with you, that I never went to the airport.” He heard her laugh; all this while she had a lover and she

Ada's PovAda sat at the back of the car, unable to stop herself from crying, thinking of the look in Ike’s eyes when she told him who she really was. She wished she could turn back time and do things differently. Seeing a sample blouse in a shop, she wanted to cheer up. She stopped the driver and went into the shop. She left the house without any clothes or shoes, only the purse Ike had once bought her, which had the bank ATM card tied to the account he opened for her after the plane incident. She lied to him, claiming she couldn't remember her password, and, not wanting to go to the bank, he opened another account for her. Her phone was also in the purse. After explaining everything to Linda over a call, Linda comforted her and gave her the address to her apartment, which she had just bought and never stayed in, but was willing to let Ada stay there. Ada was happy to still have a friend in Linda. She took a deep breath and walked into the shop.Benito's PovBenito saw his opportunit

Ike’s POVIke found himself in a bewildering situation, staring at two women claiming to be his wife. His mind was a whirlwind of confusion, unsure if he was experiencing some surreal illusion or if reality was playing a cruel game on him."Who are you?" he managed to utter, directing his question to the lady standing at the door."What?" Joy snapped angrily. "You don't know me again? And who the hell are you?" Joy glared at Ada, demanding an explanation.Ike turned to Ada, desperation in his eyes. "Explain this," he implored, his thoughts scrambled and emotions in turmoil."Who is that?" Joy demanded, seeking clarity."What is happening here?" Mma voiced her confusion."You really are dull," Joy scoffed at Ike's mother. "This girl," she pointed at Ada, "is impersonating me."Ike, still grappling with the surreal scene, looked at Ada, anticipating an explanation for this bizarre situation."I am sorry," Ada uttered tearfully. "I am not Joy. My name is Ada Okoli. I sneaked onto

Linda's PovLinda returned to the office after spending some time with Ada. It was still weird to know Joy as Ada, but she really did not care who Ada was; that’s her friend, and she was going to stick with her either way. She only hopes that Ada does the right thing by telling Ike.“Ma, we found something,” Musa's voice rang inside her brain.“What? How?” she asked.“We got the numbers of people from their registration book that bought that kind of gun from the last gun shop we went to, just like we did for the rest. One of the men said he sold it to someone else, but the registration on the gun still has his name. We asked for the number of the person he sold it to, and luckily he had it. We traced the number, and it was registered under one Benito Dam. He is an ex-convict, and nobody seems to know where he lives. It looks like he has software blocking where his location is, but we managed to trace it. I think this is the guy we have been looking for.”“Put someone on him now. I

Carolyn’s POVEvery day at school felt like an adventure. I was scared of what I was doing with J.J., but at the same time, I was excited. There is an excitement that comes with just sneaking around. Although I wasn’t used to lying. It clung to my skin like sweat on a humid day—itching, heavy, suffocating. Yet here I was, living a lie every day, walking the halls of Covenant High like nothing had changed, when everything had.I was in love with J.J.No, worse—I was secretly in love with J.J., and hiding it from the world like it was something shameful. Never in a million years would I ever think that I would fall in love with my school bully, maybe I was in denial all these while because I know deep down that I have always felt something for him from the first time I laid my eyes on him. Now I was in a secret relationship with the boy every girl in school wanted, the heir of the Johnson's empire.We had become professionals at it. Quick eye contact during assemblies, long glances in c

J.J.'s POVI never thought I'd be the guy sneaking around school for a girl—let alone Carolyn. But here I was, grinning like an idiot as I texted her under the table during history class.Me: Meet me behind the science block. Ten mins. Bring that shy smile I like.I watched from the corner of my eye as she read the message. Her lips twitched—almost a smile—and she didn't look my way. But I knew she would come.The thing about being with Carolyn—really being with her—was that it didn’t feel like I had to pretend. I didn’t have to perform, didn’t have to impress. She saw me. The version of me no one else knew existed. Not J.J., the heir. Not J.J., the golden boy. Just... me.As I turned around to see if anyone else noticed us, my eyes rested on Tiona, who, as always, was sitting behind me. She had a frown on her face, but immediately, I smiled at he.r She smiled back. I turned back and wondered why she had been weird these few days. She was clinging to me so much these days that one wou

Carolyn’s POVLoving J.J. was like standing on a tightrope suspended above fire—beautiful, thrilling, but dangerously close to burning me alive.Every moment I spent with him in school felt like a stolen piece of paradise. But the second I stepped through the front door of Aunt Pat’s house, that fragile happiness curled into something else—anxiety.I couldn’t afford to smile too widely. Couldn't let my voice get too light on the phone in case Emma was eavesdropping or Aunt Pat's husband was watching me from the hallway like a hawk. Even the way I held my phone now felt suspicious.“You’ve been on that phone a lot lately,” Emma muttered one evening, perched on the sofa beside Aunt Pat with her knees tucked beneath her designer throw blanket. “Let me guess... your school project team?”I forced a neutral smile. “Yes. We have a deadline coming up.”She hummed like she didn’t believe me. Her eyes lingered on me too long. There was no doubt in my heart: Emma was watching me. Closely.That

J.J.’s POVFor the first time in weeks, I didn’t wake up with the weight of dread sinking in my chest. The moment my eyes blinked open, I remembered: She’s mine.Carolyn.My girlfriend.Even thinking the words made my heart hammer like a lunatic in my chest. I lay there in bed, staring at the ceiling with the stupidest grin on my face. I couldn’t stop it. Couldn’t tone it down. The world might be burning outside, but I didn’t care.We were together.Secretly, of course. But still.Every time she smiled at me in class—just a brief flicker of her lips before she’d quickly look away to avoid suspicion—I felt like I could float. When our hands brushed by accident in the hallway and she’d shoot me a tiny glance that only I was meant to notice, it felt more thrilling than anything I’d ever done. And I’d done a lot.Being with her was like holding a spark in my hands—dangerous, electric, and impossible to let go of.At school, no one suspected a thing. To them, Carolyn was still the quiet, r

Chapter Title: The Secret We ShareCarolyn’s POVI kept my eyes trained on the path ahead, my hands clutched tightly around the straps of my backpack like they were the only things anchoring me. The school day had dragged by like an eternity, and the weight of every avoided glance, every silenced urge to turn and look at J.J, pressed down on my chest like a rock I couldn’t lift.Avoiding him hurt more than I thought it would.But I had to.I had to if I wanted any chance at peace—any chance at keeping my place under Aunty Pat’s roof. At least until I could figure life out on my own. What was the alternative? Stir up more chaos? Watch Emma unleash another round of venom, or worse—his father crush me under the weight of his cold disapproval?No. I couldn’t afford to get pulled back into J.J’s world. Not again.The sun was low in the sky, golden rays slicing across the school walls as I walked toward the exit. I was supposed to be heading to the parking lot where the commercial cabs usua

J.J.’s POVThe school lounge was unusually quiet for break time. The buzz of students laughing and chattering outside in the corridors felt miles away, like distant static.I sat alone on the leather couch, hunched forward, elbows on my knees, staring into my barely touched bottle of soda.Everything felt wrong.Carolyn wouldn’t even look at me. Tina was back with a smile too wide and too sweet to trust. And my head was a fog of thoughts I couldn’t untangle.I took a sip of the soda. It was warm now. Tasteless.I leaned back and exhaled slowly, my mind drifting toward the same question that haunted me every day since the party:"Why does it all feel like it's falling apart?"The lounge door creaked open, and I didn’t bother looking up—until I heard a familiar voice.“Yo.”Julius.I raised my eyes slowly, blinking like I wasn’t sure he was real.He stepped in, tall and calm as always, his hands in his pockets. Right behind him—George.My heart sank. I straightened, unsure if I should