Novels by Balqees Suleiman

XavierI was counting hours until the annual Gala, my whole body reeling with excitement at the surprise I had prepared for Skyla. For someone who didn’t like surprises, I was going to make sure she loved this one.I was going to make this memorable for her. Maybe I should have stopped, but I couldn’t bring myself to. Not after all the hurt she had caused me.Not after all her lies, deceit, manipulation, and whatnot. “Everything is going according to plan mate,” Charlie’s voice cut through my line of thought as I watched the video over again. My heart broke into splinters at the denial in her voice, at the defiance in her warm, light brown eyes. I balled my hands into fists, my breath ragged as I stared at how she left without looking back.I let out a shaky breath. “Thanks Charlie”He paused in his tracks, thin worried lines forming on his temple. “Honestly, Xavier, I would not advise yo

SkylaMy life had been going downhill, with no escape route. Right now, I was curled up on the makeshift vanity table Ed had placed in my room. My mouth slightly parted in confusion as I watched Ed try to convince me to go to the annual ball after the incident with the mayor two days ago I scoffed in disbelief, glaring at him. “You can’t be serious, right?I watched him clear his throat, his jaw ticking with frustration. “I am dead serious” he said in a firm voice, not backing down from my glare. “You need to make new connections, Sky. We are going under if you do not use this opportunity.” I hissed sharply, my nostrils flaring with anger as I watched him drop the invitation letter on my nightstand table. A tight smile spread on his face. “You don’t have a choice, Sky. I would ring Steph, we need to make you look presentable”And with that, he was gone, not even bothering to ask me if I was good. I mean, Xavie

SkylaEd was waiting at the airport the moment My flight landed. My whole body tense with fatigue as I pushed through the sea of people, my limbs aching, my heartbeat drumming in my ear.I anxiously scanned the parking lot, my breath hitching when I finally found him, his signature baseball cap sat snugly on his head as he waved me towards his car.I rushed to where he stood, my heart hammering in my chest as I took him all in, searching for any bodily harm, but all I saw were two curious honeyed warm orbs staring back at me.His face contorted into a small smile.I let out a shaky breath, handing him my suitcase as I followed dumbly behind, cold beaded sweat forming at the crown of my temple.“Ed? Why aren’t you saying anything?” I asked, my orbs digging into his as we strapped ourselves in. The sweet scent of sunflower and his woodsy perfume lingering in every corner of his car.

SkylaIt had been two uneventful days in Chicago, yet my encounter with Mr Anderson still played vividly in my mind like a broken tape stuck on repeat.I had thrown myself into helping out at the bakery, taking orders, making deliveries, and also trying out new desserts that we could add to the menu.It was the perfect distraction, the escape that I currently needed to take my mind away from the disaster my life had become in Manhattan. I was currently trying out a new peach cobbler recipe. Flipping through my grandma’s recipe while taking notes. The shrill ring of my phone made me jump with fear.I took a quick glance at the phone, but it was pointless. Almost all my apps and contacts had been deleted. The only contact I had saved was Ed’s, and my mom’s.I had been trolled during the first few days the scandal broke out, numerous strange numbers called just to cuss me out.

Xavier Liberated?The answer was noFor every chess piece I took out, every pawn and knights I conquered only made me feel like crap. Left a bitter aftertaste in my mouth. I had waited years, plotting and planning out my perfect revenge. Taking out chess pieces, dancing across chess boards. Conniving with people who I knew wanted to settle scores with her, and now that I had started to execute these plans. I should have been over the moon, giddy with excitement and whatnot, but all I felt was a gaping hole.Instead, I felt like a complete douche bag.With a slow exhale, I slumped back into my chair, tiredly rubbing my temple. Staring intently at the woven design on the ceiling, these past weeks in Manhattan was already taking a toil on me, and my office that I had taken pride in to design from scratch now felt like a cage.The weight of these past few weeks pressed down heavily on me

SKYLA’S POV The trip to California was one long, exhausting trip, with almost everyone and everything getting on my nerves. If there was anything that I was grateful for? It was that almost everyone minded their business, and they weren’t all up in mine. Which meant no prying eyes, no unnecessary conversations. Just me and my thoughts. I was currently in the back of one of the local taxis headed to my mom’s bakery, the rickety car jolting me every now and then as the man blasted country music from his run-down radio. A song I never thought I would hear again played loudly through the static radio, about a love that was never meant to be, a love scorned by society. And just like that, my mind drifted to Xavier and the events that had led to the end of our relationship. Cliché? Maybe, but that was the truth. “Here we are,” the driver called out, his southe