Novels by Victoy Richman

The Treachery of the Mirror and the Cold Logic of Desire.The air in the Basti hotel room, a standard corporate suite, felt thick and charged, a sharp contrast to the brutal heat of the salvage site below. After their tense, conspiratorial meeting with Karen, Nina and Lara had retreated, their temporary release of physical tension in the shower having only sharpened their minds. They lay now, draped across the king bed, the silk of Lara's robe and Nina's borrowed camisole creating a soft, shifting landscape against the crisp white sheets. Their bodies were close, a silent, comfortable complicity born of shared fear and newfound, desperate ambition.Lara was running a thoughtful finger along the satin trim of her robe, her gaze distant, fixed on the ceiling where the shadows played. "She was glowing," s

Seduction and Strategy in Corporate Shadows.Later, the air conditioning whirred quietly in Carlos and Nina’s room. They were entwined on the bed, a single sheet pulled haphazardly over them, their breathing synchronised. Carlos was propped up on an elbow, gently stroking Nina’s back, his gaze distant, lost in the intricate web of Rachna’s power. Nina lay against him, her head tucked into the curve of his shoulder, the contentment of their shared intimacy a temporary balm against the anxieties of the day.The silence was abruptly shattered by the sharp, secure ping of Nina’s phone on the nightstand.Nina groaned, reaching for it reluctantly. It was Lara. An urgent text followed by an immediate call.Carlos watched as Nina pressed the phone to her ear, her expression quickly morphing from placid contentment to sharp apprehension.“Lara? What is it? I thought we were done for the night.”Lar

The Queen and the Crow.Across the hall, Roberts and Lara were already deep into their own form of post-meeting decompression. Roberts was stripped down to his boxer briefs, sorting through a digital folder of financial projections on his laptop, the pale glow illuminating his features. Lara was draped across the white duvet, a sheer silk robe carelessly tied around her body, the fabric shimmering over her in a fluid, teasing dance as she shifted.“It all comes back to Savita,” Lara mused, swirling the amber liquid in her tumbler. “The speed of that Edict. The way they crushed Desai. It’s brutal, Roberts. And brilliant. That’s the kind of power Karen thinks she has, but Savita owns it.”Roberts turned from the laptop, his expression serious. “Savita is the anchor. She’s the Kingmaker. Vinod and Rubi are the ones selling the vision, but Savita is the one who signs the papers, the one who ma

The Bong Team’s Treacherous Consensus and the Ghost of Gold.The Basti sun beat down on the makeshift conference room—a prefabricated cabin near the highway site, offering a fragile shield against the heat and the constant, dull roar of the earthmovers. Karen stood at the head of a repurposed folding table, a silk scarf knotted loosely at her neck, her posture a blend of exhaustion and brittle triumph. Roberts, Lara, Carlos and Nina were arrayed before her. The air was thick with Basti’s dust, stale ambition, and an unseen, electric tension of shared, secret treason.“We’re moving the engines tomorrow morning,” Karen announced, her voice clipped and professional. “The Expedited Edict, thanks to Minister Savita’s political manoeuvring, cleared the path. The charges against us, and the lock on our equipment, are gone. We are back on track.”She didn’t mention the crushing cost of the politi

The complex, secret alliances that fuel a ruthless political empire's night of triumph..Savita met Vinod’s gaze, her expression hardening with the pure, unadulterated pleasure of a shared, bloody-handed victory. She leaned in, letting her lips brush his. "And you, my love, own my public victory. You and Rubi are the face of this dynasty. The architects of the dream."As she spoke, her hand moved. Her fingers brushed the edge of Rubi's hand resting on her knee. Rubi’s thumb gave a tiny, almost imperceptible squeeze in return—a silent, electric acknowledgement that went unnoticed by Vinod.Vinod knows the Queen; Rubi knows the court, Savita thought, a profound, private smile touching her lips. But only Rachna knows the Kingmaker's soul

An alliance is forged, revealing the intricate political and personal machinations of a mighty triumvirate..The soft cries and shudders of aftershock continued to ripple through Savita long after Vinod had finished, a lingering, blissful tremor that gradually subsided. Rubi, who had been watching them with admiration, gently moved closer. She leaned in, her lips finding Savita's in a soft, encouraging kiss.“You now look so beautiful, Savita. Look at your tits, full, proud, and throbbing—they are magnificent.” Rubi's tender gaze lingered on the lush swell of Savita's breasts, which still showed the pink flush of their arousal.A sweet, relaxed smile spread across Savita’s face, radiating deep contentment. “Yes, dear,” she replied. “I now feel like a f

Maybe the storm was just a blessing, a sign of fate giving them a chance to work things out. Perhaps the universe finally agreed with her because she had never had a more evident sign. They had talked, and it had been a lot of talking. They considered all possibilities, positive and negative, and they decided what was best for them was to get back together despite all odds. She always saw many things, but when it came to herself, it was always unclear, just like her situation and the moment, but she vowed she would live her best life with those who mattered to her, no matter how short. The Yadav home knew she was safe, and she had sent a message informing them she was with Zayn and would be back once the storm was over, although that wasn't looking promising again. It was everything she wanted; for once, her thoughts and vision were clear. She saw peace and solitude, for her soul was at rest. Each time her mind diverted to Zayn Vendant, she saw a hint of darkness, sometimes blur. She

Everyone in town was shopping for the next three days and rushing home to avoid getting caught up in the storm predicted by the weather forecasters. It was expected to hit in four hours and last for three days. It was a big-time rush, but Zayn wasn't a part of it. He needed to get things cleared up with Isha. Myra was gone, and that was a good thing. He just needed to see her, and despite the advice from his closest friends, he couldn't wait for the storm out without her. He wasn't sure he would make it without her.He was informed that she was out when he got to the Yadav household. It was her day off, and she had gone out, as usual. Only some people knew where. He called her several times, and she didn't pick up. He was a confused man in Delhi.He drove back to the Yadav household and met with one of the helpers."You should go home; this storm will be here anytime." She said, picking different saree colours from the cloth line where they had been left to dry. She looked bored and ju

They caught her in the most vulnerable state. With the ninety-nine issues going on with Zayn, she didn’t expect another one on her desk, so as she realised she had been set up, she just gave up. There was no fight; she was wise enough to know that it was either the 78-carat crown or her life, and for such huge some, her attackers wouldn’t have to hold a conference to decide to kill her, so she just let them take everything that had meant the world to her.The memory stayed with her, and she remembered it as fresh as if it were happening now. She and her crew had been going to the Triumph Hall on East Lane for the Oscars ceremony. When asked to bring her crown, she knew it was a bad idea. Of course, she acknowledged that it was such a huge event that all eyes were on her. For it to be hosted in India, it would be a shame if she couldn’t witness it. In the same way, it would be disrespectful to her country for her to show up without her identity, the crown. Near home, she and Vivi sat b

It had been four days since her encounter with Myra, and Isha couldn't deny that she felt like the most stupid person on the planet. The funny part was she knew she had no right to be angry like the guy was in a relationship with someone else. Officially, he belonged to Myra, but then she couldn't get the picture of him being in bed with her. It disturbed her in ways she didn't expect.Her hurt was too much. It nearly crushed her, but she needed to keep moving, which she did. She stopped picking up his calls and just avoided him generally. She tried looking at the good side, like him not dying, which was good, right?As usual, the Yadavs had a get-together dinner, and it was something they frequently did, something to boost their political involvement and expand their territory. Today, she was to serve, and she tried as much as she could to keep calm when she saw Zayn seated among the VIPs. Of course, he had been invited; he was considered one of the most influential people in the coun

The plan was to go unnoticed and so she did just that. Myra was in joggers and a sports bra, with dark glasses to hide her identity. Her hair was tied in a small ponytail that bounced as she walked into the gym. She glanced around for a while and then saw Isha at the corner working the treadmill. She walked up to the receptionist and flashed a smile.“A month, please. What’s the cost?” she asked.“Rs 1000” the receptionist replied. “Name please.” She asked as she received cash from Myra and began filling out the registration form on the system.“Abitha Solan” she lied.Things had gone down with Zayn; she had recognized the name as soon as Zayn mentioned it, who could easily forget the girl at the engagement party? Zayn didn’t have an answer to the question she asked that night and he was a terrible liar so she immediately interpreted what was going on, and she wasn’t wrong. He had sat there all night while she went into the room and man had she cried, she was hurt and didn’t think she

Uptown Delhi was the most beautiful place in India, and as they held hands, taking photos, she could see all the possibilities she had always dreamed of coming to pass. They got to a serendipity restaurant called the unicorn sundae and were back in the streets, diverting into the little tracks leading to the lake.To both their surprise and satisfaction, the lake was empty. The water was a runoff of the downfall at the end of the city, and they knew it was safe. The government kept it clean.“Hold on!” Zayn shouted as he raced behind her, struggling to get through the shrubs that lay around.Isha giggled. “Keep up, CEO.” She yelled in return. As she got to the edge of the stream, she took off her oversized polo shirt, which was his actually, and the shorts she wore joined it. She did a twirl in her optional cloth state just before his arrival.He joined her, pulling away from his dress and walking to meet her. His hands circled her waist, and he pushed her to himself. She felt him hard