Novels by Ariel

“Christy, we need to talk,” Jillian’s voice cut through the thick silence of my room. It wasn’t a command, but a plea, laced with something deeper. He wasn’t standing in the doorway, but I could hear him just outside, as if giving me space to process. His presence was overwhelming, though, and I could feel the tension in the air, thick and suffocating.I didn’t move at first. Instead, I just sat there, my hands wrapped tightly around the fabric of my robe, the weight of everything—Alyssa, the baby, the lies—pressing down on me like a thousand tons. I wanted to ignore him, bury my face in my hands and forget the world existed. But I knew that wasn’t possible. Not anymore. Not with the way everything had changed between us.I took a deep breath, pushing myself up from the bed, my feet hitting the cold floor with a sharp thud. I could feel my heart pounding in my chest as I opened the door, the cold morning air rushing in to greet me.Jillian was standing there, his back to me, hands in

The sun barely peeked through the heavy curtains when I woke up the next morning, my mind still swirling with everything that had happened in the past few days. The wedding. The confrontation. The heartbreak.I rolled over to the other side of the bed, expecting to find Jillian next to me, but the space was empty. For the first time in weeks, I felt a cold, aching emptiness settle deep in my chest. I couldn’t quite figure out if it was anger, regret, or something else entirely. Maybe it was the exhaustion from the emotional rollercoaster I had been dragged through, but one thing was clear: I needed space. I needed time to think.My thoughts raced back to the truth Jillian had hidden from me—Alyssa’s pregnancy. I still couldn’t shake the bitter taste in my mouth. All this time, he had known. He had known and hadn’t told me, and it felt like a betrayal.My fingers curled into the sheets, gripping them tightly as if holding on would keep me grounded. I had believed in him. I had trusted

I could barely breathe.The church was warm, filled with candles and people and chatter, but I felt frozen. My heart thudded painfully beneath the lace bodice of my gown. Everyone was here. Joseph sat in the front row like a king overseeing his legacy. Mafia affiliates from all over Texas whispered behind masks of politeness. Jillian stood just a few steps ahead, his tailored black tux a sharp contrast to the white roses surrounding him.And me?I was moments away from marrying the coldest, most complicated man I had ever met.“Christy,” a soft voice said beside me. It was Mia, my assigned bridesmaid—though at this point she felt more like a handler than a friend. “It’s time.”My knees wobbled beneath me as the chapel doors creaked open. The music swelled—some classical arrangement that felt too grand, too surreal. I clutched the bouquet in my trembling hands and started walking down the aisle, eyes fixed on Jillian.His face was unreadable. Stone cold.I should have been used to it b

I didn’t slam the door when I walked out. I wanted to. I really wanted to. But I didn’t. Because I knew if I did, he’d only hear the echo of my pain. And he didn’t deserve that. Not after what I just saw.Jillian and Alyssa.His lips on hers.My heart hadn’t stopped racing. Every beat echoed in my ears like gunfire, sharp and painful. My hands were trembling, and no matter how many times I wiped my palms down my dress, I couldn’t get them to stop.I walked aimlessly down the hallway, unsure of where I was going. The mansion felt like a maze tonight, and all I wanted was to escape. Not the house. Him. The way he looked at her. The way he didn’t even hesitate.How dare he?“Christy!”I flinched, his voice cutting through the silence like a whip. I didn’t turn around.“Christy, wait!”“No,” I said without facing him. “Don’t. Just… don’t.”He caught up with me anyway, grabbing my arm and spinning me around. His grip wasn’t tight, but it was firm enough to make sure I couldn’t walk away ag

The mansion was chaos.People in suits and dresses buzzed through the hallways like bees in a hive, barking orders and throwing swatches of fabric in the air. The scent of fresh roses—hundreds of them—mixed with the tang of heated arguments, making the air thick and exhausting. I hadn’t even had breakfast yet.“No, no, no! The centerpieces go on the mirrored stands, not the crystal ones!” I heard someone scream from the grand ballroom.I was already regretting every single choice we’d made.“I didn’t pick the crystal stands,” I mumbled under my breath, arms folded as I stood in the middle of the grand hallway, surrounded by fabric samples and clipboard-wielding coordinators.“You didn’t not pick them either,” Jillian muttered beside me, his voice low and a little amused. He looked down at his phone again, scrolling, not even pretending to be helpful.“You’re not even paying attention,” I said sharply.His head tilted slightly. “To chaos? No thanks.”“This is our wedding, Jillian.”“An

“Jillian,” I whispered, grabbing his wrist, “don’t go out there alone.”His hand closed gently over mine, gun in the other. “I’m not. You’re with me.”“That’s not what I—”He turned, eyes locking on mine, serious. “Christy, if anything happens, I need you to run. You know the side hallway by the library?”I nodded.“There’s a hidden passage behind the tall bookshelf. Pull the black book with the red spine. It opens a door. Go through, stay quiet, don’t stop.”“You’ve had that here this whole time?”“I have escape plans for everything.”“And when were you going to tell me?”“When I was sure I could trust you to come back to me.”I stared at him, the weight of his words sinking in, warming me even through the rising cold of fear.A creak echoed again, closer now.Jillian turned toward the hallway. “Stay behind me. Keep your eyes open.”We moved through the dark corridor like shadows, silent but alert. I could hear my own heartbeat in my ears, pounding wildly. The hall stretched long and