Novel-novel oleh Dark Lótus

Las Vegas was the city of illusion. A bright mirage in the desert, built to make people believe they were lucky. Few actually won at the casinos; many left behind not only their money, but their dignity, their hope... and sometimes their lives.Sebastian was in his office, surrounded by marble, glass, and numbers. The afternoon was not over for him yet; he analyzed the previous night’s winnings with the precision of someone studying a war. For Sebastian, the numbers were battles won.The knock on the door interrupted the comfortable silence.“Come in.”The secretary entered, her face betraying something her words might not dare to say. She was rarely shaken; she knew how to deal with desperate gamblers, arrogant millionaires, and ruthless investors. But here... there was unease.“Mr. Sterling, there is someone insisting on speaking with you. I tried to explain.”“Does this person have an appointment?”“No, sir.”“You know the rules.”“I know, it’s just that...”She didn’t finish her s

Chapter 21: The Owner of the EmpirePeter found his father in his office surrounded by papers, documents scattered across the desk, and a glass of expensive cognac within easy reach. Marcus Sterling worked late. He always had. Business came first. Before my family. Before children.Peter learned that early on.“You invited the bastard to the annual dinner,” Peter said bluntly, closing the door behind him hard enough to make his point.Marcus didn’t look up from his papers. “Yes, I invited him.”Peter approached the desk, resting his hands on the polished surface.“You’ve never invited him before. Why now?”Finally, Marcus looked up, removing his reading glasses and setting them aside with slow, deliberate movements. He studied Peter for a moment—that appraising look Peter knew all too well. The look that measured worth, usefulness.“I want to meet the woman he married,” Marcus said simply. “She has our surname now.”Peter let out a harsh, humorless laugh. “She was my employee. An orph

“My lawyer is having dinner here tonight,” Sebastian announced as he loosened his tie.Karen was confused. She didn’t understand why he was telling her this.“Then... I’ll stay in my room,” she said, almost hopeful that she could disappear before causing any embarrassment.The idea of not having to face stares, questions, or judgments brought her brief relief.Sebastian let out a short, humorless laugh.“You’re my wife, not a hostage.”“But Dr. Chen knows the truth about our marriage. I don’t want to... bother anyone.”The silence that followed seemed too long.When Sebastian finally looked up, it was with a firmness that brooked no disagreement—a cold, calculated authority as natural to him as breathing.“Be ready on time.”There was no explanation, no attempt to make her more comfortable. Just an order she had to obey.Karen went to her room, and strange as it may seem, she missed that place. At Saint Mary’s, everyone was equal. There, in Sebastian’s house of marble and luxury, she

Sebastian walked through the corridors as if revisiting a battlefield. He knew every door, every crack, every hiding place where he had once survived—and where he had sworn never to return.As he stepped out into the courtyard, the warm air hit his face, bringing with it the bittersweet smell of grass and old paint. He crossed the lawn unhurriedly, knowing full well that Karen and Mrs. Malcolm were watching him from the window.He wanted them to watch him. He wanted them to believe he was just... reminiscing.On the other side, children’s laughter broke the heavy silence. A group of boys ran across the side yard, wearing the same uniform he had been forced to wear. Faded blue, stiff collars, rough fabric that hurt the skin.That sight struck a nerve—not as nostalgia, but as a scar pulled tight. He remembered how much he hated that uniform. How much he hated feeling like the property of a place that never wanted him.His jaw locked.He kept walking to the edge of the courtyard, as if a

Sebastian had spent his life trying to forget the past—but being there again was like being forced to face it in a harsh light. Every wall, every smell, every sound seemed to test his emotional endurance.“How are you, Mrs. Malcolm?” he asked cordially, a fake smile on his face.The orphanage director adjusted her glasses, still surprised. “I’m fine... but I confess I didn’t expect to see you here, Sebastian. Much less the two of you together. I had no idea you knew each other.”Sebastian straightened his posture with rehearsed elegance and put on the social mask he wore so well.“Karen and I are married, and we came here in person to tell you the news.”Mrs. Malcolm blinked, opened her mouth, closed it, opened it again—as if trying to process the information before it escaped her.“You two are married?” She finally managed to articulate, still in shock. “When did this happen?”Sebastian put his arm around Karen’s waist, pulling her close—a gesture too calculated to seem affectionate.

Karen and Sebastian were sitting in the back seat of the car. He was typing quickly on his cell phone, answering emails without taking his eyes off the screen, as if the whole world depended on every word he sent.Karen watched him discreetly. His gray eyes, always intense, were even sharper now with concentration. His posture was impeccable, rigid, as if even his breathing was planned.“Don’t you ever allow yourself to relax?” she asked, finally breaking the silence.“I’m a business executive, Karen.” He didn’t look away from his phone. “I can’t afford that kind of luxury.”“Why?” she insisted, seeking more than the obvious answer.This time, he paused. He took a deep breath, put his phone away, and finally looked at her.“I can’t slow down because you win in Las Vegas. I can’t admire the scenery or celebrate insignificant victories. That sort of satisfaction isn’t for me.”Karen raised an eyebrow. “And what’s wrong with not being ambitious? There’s more to the world than money.”“I

Angelina’s awakening was gentle, something that hadn’t happened for a long time, and she opened her sleepy brown eyes. The pleasant sensation of the warmth of another body next to her made her feel momentarily safe, but her tranquility was abruptly interrupted when she realized that she was on William’s bare chest.“What are you doing here?” she asked angrily, kicking him off the bed.William, ignoring the risk they were taking at the moment, answered, still wrapping his arms around her,“Why are you up so early?”Her hard gaze stared at him in silence.“Have you gone mad? You can’t sleep here in my room. You have to go back to your quarters before the maids wake up. Do you want to ruin my reputation?”He didn’t hear a word she said. She could only see her lips moving soundlessly. William was ecstatic to be there with Angelina.“Have you ever been told that you’re beautiful in the morning?”William’s compliment hung in the air, creating a brief pause before Angelina’s reply, who, with

ChapterMeg and William were anxiously awaiting the arrival of the detective, who was considerably late. Just as they were on the verge of giving up, a series of knocks on the door broke the silence. Meg quickly hid while William cautiously opened the door. Outside stood the detective, panting and visibly worried.“Peter, please come in,” said James.“I’m sorry I’m late. I had a big mishap on the way out of the station. They tried to mug me.”He wrinkled his forehead.“Are you all right?”“Yes.”“Would you like something to drink?” asked James.“My friend, this time I’ll accept, because what I’ve discovered and brought with me is cause for celebration. I think we’ve got him.”Peter smilingly placed a series of documents and photographs on the table that incriminated the doctor responsible for monitoring Angelina’s pregnancy.“This man was never a doctor. He’s the son of a butcher, and everything he knows about medicine was learned by opening the bellies of pigs. I got the information

Ever since he read the messages his mother had exchanged with Mr. Abraham and discovered the torrid romance between them, James never went to work again. He couldn’t face it and pretend everything was fine. He had always been a cold-blooded person, a man of logic and numbers, used to facing the challenges of everyday life with serenity. But the secret revealed in the letters affected him deeply.What disturbed him most was the image of his mother, the woman he thought was immaculate, almost a saint, who was his boss’s mistress. This answered many questions he had: the generosity of the gifts and the high salary he received.Mr. Abraham was worried about James’ absence and silence. So he went to the Campbell residence himself. Mr. Barton knocked on the door several times, but there was no answer.“James, I know you’re here. Your car is parked outside,” he said in a firm voice.“James, if you don’t answer, he might call the police,” whispered Meg, not understanding what was going on.Ja

The day was slowly dawning, but no one could sleep in the old hospital. Everyone was gathered in the office of the Mother Superior.“Incompetents! They let her escape right under their noses. Useless! You’re all useless!”The mother's superior shouts echoed throughout the hospital, filling the room with her rage. She was screaming and sweating while a nun wiped her forehead with a handkerchief.“A fire broke out in the hotel. A candle fell near the curtain and it wasn’t anyone’s fault,” one guard defended himself.“Now, what do we do if she decides to open her beak?” said the nun, anxiously reaching for another dry handkerchief to continue wiping the mother’s face.“She’s out of her mind. No one will believe her,” said the guard with a hint of disdain.Mother Superior began to walk around the place as she always did when she was furious and needed to think. It calmed her down and helped her relax. The windows were covered with heavy curtains that kept out the dawn light. The office wa

The next morning, Meg woke up alone in bed, the room empty and silent. She lay still for long minutes, trying to convince herself that she wasn’t dreaming. She remembered the passionate kisses and vows of love that had taken place the night before.Meg cried, but they were tears of happiness and joy. She was safe and happy. There was no sign of James, and she couldn’t have been happier.She looked around as if it was the first time she had entered that room. It was one of the guest rooms with a privileged view of the immense garden. Meg was grateful to wake up in the Campbell mansion. After all those months, she had been stuck in the hospital, sleeping in a hard, uncomfortable place. She was afraid of being attacked in the middle of the night, or of simply being abandoned by everyone.Noises coming from the kitchen and a strong smell of something burning caught her attention. She quickly got dressed and ran downstairs to find it. Then she was confronted with an adorable and, at the sa

James opened the bottle of wine and enjoyed the drink in his glass, taking each sip calmly. Silently, he celebrated his brilliant victory. It had been a long road since he had hired the private detective. There had been many false leads, many closed doors, and misunderstandings. He thought all was lost.After a few minutes, he smiled sideways and lit a cigar, letting it burn on the bed while deliberately knocking over some lit candles on the curtains. Within minutes, the room was filled with fire and smoke.He took the last sip from his glass of wine and then called the hotel reception to report the fire in the room.“I need help here. The room is on fire,” he shouted.The door was flung open. Several employees carrying buckets of water tried to contain the fire. The panicked guests made a commotion in the corridor, running and shouting non-stop.Only then did the nurse realize that something was wrong. With a distressed expression, she approached James and asked: “Where is she? Where