Novels by Sophs

Chapter 140: With all my heart ETHAN The soft hum of the television filled the living room as I scrolled through my phone absentmindedly. The news anchor’s voice droned on about economic fluctuations, political scandals—nothing that interested me. That was until I heard Smith Cole’s name. I glanced up at the screen. The bold letters at the bottom of the screen made my eyebrows lift. “BREAKING NEWS: BUSINESS TYCOON SMITH COLE FOUND DEAD IN PRISON CELL” I sat up, the remote slipping from my fingers. “According to sources, Smith Cole was found unresponsive in his cell early this morning. While initial reports suggest suicide, investigations are still ongoing.” I grabbed my phone and immediately dialed Greg. He picked up after two rings. “I was wondering how long it’d take you to call.” I didn’t waste time. “Did you hear the news?” Greg chuckled. “I knew the news before the news knew.” I froze. “Damn, don’t tell me you were behind this.” There was a pau

Chapter 139: OliviaMIA A Month Later.Time didn’t erase the grief I felt, but it softened the pain a little. A few months had passed since my dad’s death and Smith Cole’s sentencing, and while the pain still lingered, life had started moving forward. Uncle Greg had stepped up as the CEO of Evans Group, and surprisingly, he was doing a damn good job. It wasn’t just about running the company; it was about maintaining what dad had built. With Marvin by his side, helping in ways none of us had expected, the company was thriving again. His kids, Derrick and Amanda, had finally settled into life in New York. Amanda was adjusting well to her new school, making friends and embracing the city. Derrick became quieter but sharp as ever, and had taken a liking to Marvin. Watching my brother interact with them, laughing and being… normal, gave me hope. Ava moved out of the city after Dad's funeral, she said this city reminded her of him and if she needed to move on, she had to leave.Aunt

Chapter 138: CampingETHANThe drive to the cemetery was silent. Mia stared out the window, her fingers playing with the hem of her sweater. I knew she was deep in thought, maybe even trying to find the right words to say when we got there. I reached over, placing my hand over hers. "You don't have to say anything if you don't want to." She exhaled, nodding slightly but didn't look at me. When we arrived, she hesitated before stepping out of the car. The cemetery was quiet, the only sound being the rustling of leaves in the wind. I followed behind her, giving her space as she walked up to her father’s grave. She kneeled, tracing the name on the tombstone with her fingers. "Hi, Dad," she whispered. "It's been a while." I stayed back, leaning against the car, letting her have her moment. She wiped her eyes. "We won, you know. We got him. Smith Cole is going to rot in prison for the rest of his miserable life. Uncle Greg made sure of it." She let out a shaky breath. "But it d

Chapter 137: Together, We're strongerMIA"Mia, are you okay?" I heard as I woke up with a gasp, cold water dripping down my face. My heart pounded as my vision adjusted, and I saw Sophie kneeling beside me, her face filled with concern. I blinked rapidly, struggling to make sense of what had just happened. The last thing I remembered was seeing Ethan.Ethan, who was supposed to be dead, was standing in that courtroom. My chest tightened. Was I hallucinating? Was I losing my mind? “Thank goodness you're awake, you scared us Mia.” Aunt Cecilia exclaimed.I ignored her, “Wasn't that Ethan? I need to be sure, let's go back to the courtroom.”I struggled to get up and headed back into the courtroom, aunt Cecilia and Sophie behind me. Then I heard the judge’s voice. “In light of the overwhelming evidence presented to this court, Smith Cole is hereby sentenced to life imprisonment without the possibility of parole.” My head snapped toward the judge’s bench. The courtroom was dead s

Chapter 136: Plea dealAUTHOR POVThe world around Smith Cole was crumbling. Politicians who once shook his hand in private meetings were now scrambling to erase any connection to him. Some fled the country entirely, disappearing into private jets with hastily packed bags, their families already on their way to safe havens overseas. George Ramsey, one of Smith’s closest allies, wiped the sweat off his brow as he rushed through a VIP airport terminal. “Where’s the damn pilot?” he snapped at his assistant, his hands trembling as he checked his watch. “He’s preparing the jet, sir. But…” “No buts! We need to be out of here in ten minutes!” The assistant hesitated. “Sir, the feds are looking into your accounts. If you leave now, it’ll…” “Shut up and do as you’re told!” George Ramsey barked before marching toward the boarding gate. Across the city, others were making similar escapes. Some tried bribing their way out of investigations, while others resigned from their governme

Chapter 135: Walk freeMARVIN EVANSMia wasn’t the same anymore. Since Dad’s funeral, she had withdrawn into herself, barely speaking, barely eating. I saw it in her eyes, the emptiness. She would sit for hours, staring at nothing, lost in a world none of us could reach. Sophie visited often, trying to get her to eat, to talk, to function. Sometimes, Mia responded with a weak smile or a nod, but most times, she just existed in silence. Greg’s kids were around too, trying to lighten the mood, but it was like talking to a ghost. I knew what she was feeling. I felt it too. Dad was gone, Murdered in cold blood and the bastard who did it was still out there. That changed the day Greg walked in. I was sitting in the living room, flipping through TV channels, not really watching, when Greg strode in with a determined look on his face. “I found him,” he announced. I turned off the TV. Sophie looked up from where she sat beside Mia. Even Mia’s blank expression shifted slightly.

ADRIANThe night air hit my face as I got to the carpark. I started the engine and moved to the warehouse Marco said they were at, running past every red light.The warehouse lights were blinding when I burst through the side door. Tony lay sprawled across a makeshift stretcher, his breathing shallow, face swollen beyond recognition. Blood soaked through the bandages Jax was hastily applying to his abdomen. “Morellis…” Tony rasped when he saw me, his one good eye fluttering. “Warehouse...red doors…”His body went limp. “Put some pressure here!” Jax barked at one of our men, shoving a fresh wad of gauze against Tony's side. “We need to move him now if you want him alive.” I knelt beside the stretcher, examining Tony's boots while the medics worked. The soles were caked with thick red clay—the distinctive kind from Gabriel's private dockyard near the old shipyards. “Get him to Dr. Chen's clinic,” I ordered. “Make sure there are no hospital records and pay them in cash.” As they

ADRIANI gripped Gabe’s arm tighter as we got into the warehouse, my fingers digging into his leather jacket. “This is a bad idea. There’s another way.” Gabriel shook me off with a laugh, the lighter flickering in his hand casting shadows across his face. “Since when do you question Dad’s orders? We have to always do whatever dad says.” “Since they involve burning a building with people inside, Gabe! We're better than this.” My voice cracked. I turned as I heard the sound of a child’s laughter from somewhere inside the warehouse. Gabriel’s smile didn’t reach his eyes. “They’re just collateral, Ian.” I stepped in front of him, blocking his path to the door. “No. Let us wait until it’s empty.” For a second, I thought he’d listen. His expression wavered—just like it used to when we were kids and I’d beg him not to steal candy from old man Rossi’s shop. Then his fist connected with my jaw. I stumbled back, tasting blood. Gabriel loomed over me, his voice low. “You don’t get

AVAI didn’t even stop to think. One second, I was wiping Lena’s tears, my chest aching at how broken she looked. The next minute, my fingers were in her hair, and I was kissing her. And then, surprisingly, she kissed me back. I froze, losing my train of thoughts. This wasn’t supposed to happen. She was drunk, heartbroken, not in her right mind. I was supposed to pull away, apologize, pretend it never happened. But Lena’s hands fisted in my shirt, pulling me closer, her lips moving against mine like she’d been waiting just as long as I had. I broke the kiss first, breathless. “Lena…”She blinked up at me, her pupils blown, her cheeks flushed from alcohol and our shared kiss. “Ava?”My heart hammered so loud I was sure she could hear it. “You…you kissed me back.”A slow, tipsy smile spread across her face. “Yeah. I did.”I swallowed hard. “Don't... regret it.” Lena studied me for a long moment, her fingers tracing my jaw. “You're so pretty,” Lena mumbled, reaching up to clu

LENAThe secretary’s chair squeaked as I fidgeted, my eyes locked on the Dean’s door. When it finally swung open, Adrian stormed out—his jaw clenched and his eyes dark. I jumped up. “Professor—” He barely glanced at me before brushing past me leaving me surprised.“Miss Hart?” The Dean’s voice cut through the tension. “My office. Now.” I hesitated, staring at Adrian’s retreating figure. “I don't want to repeat myself.” He ordered.I sat stiffly in the chair across from his desk, my fingers digging into my thighs as he studied me with those cold, calculating eyes. “Miss Hart,” he began, folding his hands on the desk. “I assume you know why you're here.”I swallowed hard. “Because of those photos that have been circulating?”He nodded slowly. “Yes. These photos.” He slid a printed copy toward me. My stomach twisted. “Care to explain what's going on?” I forced myself to meet his gaze. “Those aren't real sir, they're all doctored.”“Are they?”“Yes.” My voice didn't waver. “Som

EVELYN“Get out,” I hissed. Luke unfolded himself lazily, brushing imaginary dust off his slacks. “But you know that wasn't very nice, Evelyn. Kicking me like that.”I crossed my arms. “You're lucky I didn't scream.”He stepped closer, undeterred. “But you didn't.” His fingers trailed along the edge of my desk. “Because you liked it.”I scoffed. “Don't be ridiculous.”Luke leaned in, his voice dropping to a whisper. “Let’s meet tonight? Our usual place. After work?”I turned away, pretending to straighten papers. “ I have plans.”“Cancel them.”I shot him a glare. “You don't get to order me around, you're the boytoy here, in case you've forgotten.”Luke grinned, undeterred. “I’ve not forgotten, ma'am. I'm giving you a chance to use me as you please.”“I'm not…” I cut myself off, exhaling sharply. “Fine. Fine. But if you're even a minute late, I'm leaving.”He caught my wrist as I tried to walk away, pulling me close. “I'll be waiting for you.” His lips brushed my ear. “Wear the blac

EVELYNThe elevator ride to my office was the most satisfying I'd had in months. I leaned against the wall, sipping my latte, watching the numbers climb up. Ever since the news about Adrian's scandal was plastered across every student forum, gossip site, and even a few local blogs, I had been over the moon. Doyle had delivered exactly as promised. “Finally,” I thought, smirking into my cup, “something is going right.”The doors slid open and I strode past empty desks— I guess it was too early for most of my staff—and I went straight to my office. I set my bag down, savoring the quiet victory. I'm sure Adrian was having a hard time since his precious reputation was crumbling, his pretty little fling would leave him and soon, when the dust settled, he'd be crawling back to where he belonged—with me. A knock at the door interrupted my thoughts. Emma poked her head in, her tablet clutched to her chest. “Good morning, Ms. Grant. You have two investors arriving soon—the Henderson b