Novels by Destiny Williams

The chandeliers of the mansion were bright and starlike, splashing golden light upon varnished floors, Bunches of flowers scented the atmosphere as one heard the sound of reverberating laughter and music across the halls and jingling sounds that waiters made around the crowds with flutes of fine champagnes and hors d'oeuvres on their trays."Is everything ready for the toast?" Rafael demanded from one of the serving people. Authority was in his voice while his eyes played around the room."Yes, sir. Champagne is ready and so are the musicians," he said with a slight bow and scurried away.Rafael turned his eyes on Bernice, standing near the middle of the room in her glittering emerald gown. She covers it quite well, yet he manages to see right through it, to the scared smile below. Rafael moved to her, threaded an arm reassuringly around the nape of her lower back."You look lovely tonight," he whispered softly, clear into her ear."Thanks," she whispered, looking into the hall. "I ju

Sheets of rain lashed outside a small café across Liam's apartment complex as Alexander sat nursing coffee that was already cold, which he had not touched. His gaze turned out the door expecting Liam to walk in. Hoping he got his text. The anchoring weight on this day further depressed his body. The sound of defeat played out in his head until the door finally swung open, and Liam came in with drips coming off his umbrella."Alexander," he said, shock mingling with the sudden sobering of his tone. "Never thought I'd be coming in here to find you of all people waiting. What's up?"Alexander motioned to the empty chair opposite him. "Sit down. I need someone to talk to, and you're the perfect person at the moment.”Liam raised one eyebrow but did as instructed, tugging his coat off and hooking it over the back of the chair. "This does sound serious. Let me take a guess, it's about Bernice."Alexander exhaled with a heavy sigh, and the strain in his voice betrayed him. "It is always ab

"Two daddies?" Luca echoed, his voice full of wonder. "Does that mean we get two birthday parties too?"In the naivety of the question, a small, bitter laugh was dragged from Bernice. "Oh, sweetheart…", she started, but her words caught in her throat as tension pulled thick in the air.Rafael hunched down beside him, his features soft but strained. "It means you'll always have more people who love you. But I'm your father, Luca. You and Mia…you're my everything.”Luca looked up at him and furrowed his little brow as the meaning of Rafael's words digested. "But Uncle Alex takes care of us. Is he not our daddy too?"Mia stared at them, clutching her stuffed animal tightly. "Uncle Alex is fun…is he still our daddy?"Alexander had been leaning quietly against the wall until now; he stepped forward, his face composed, an edge laced in his voice. "I'll always be here for you, just like I always have been. But…," he paused, his eyes flicking to Bernice before he finished, "…your real father

The shrill ringtone of Rafael’s phone broke through the tense silence. Bernice flinched, startled from her thoughts as Rafael answered. His expression, initially sharp, softened slightly as he listened.“She’s awake?” His voice carried a mix of relief and urgency. “We’re on our way.”Bernice’s heart leaped at his words. “Mia?”Rafael nodded, snapping his phone shut. “The hospital called. She’s asking for you.”Without waiting for another word, Rafael pulled Bernice to his car, started the engine and pressed the gas pedal, speeding toward the hospital. Alexander’s car followed close behind, his headlights glaring in the rearview mirror like unspoken accusations.“I’ll need to explain things to her and Luca” Bernice murmured, her voice trembling as she twisted her hands in her lap."You will get the chance," Rafael replied tightly, his eyes fixed on the road. "But it is no longer just about you. It's time the kids knew the truth."Bernice's chest tightened; she wanted to argue but knew

"Gate 27B. Last call for flight 489 to São Paulo," the calm, automated voice echoed over the airport intercom.Detective Marcus was concealed behind a pillar, his striking eyes scouring the busy terminal. So excited, he could hardly contain his accelerating heartbeat. He then glanced at his watch-just at this time, Olivia's got to pop up. Every single lead, each and every crumb-into which he had looked-intimidated him before it all boiled down into this. Marcus reached for his radio."All units, Gate 27B. This one's not going to make it," ordered Marcus.Across the terminal, Olivia sashayed confidently through the crowd, arm linked with a man whose face bore a cruel smirk—Sebastian Reyes, the man who had framed Bernice three years ago. They looked relaxed, like a couple off on a romantic getaway. Olivia's sunglasses shielded her eyes, but her smile was bold, too bold. She believed she had won.“They really thought they could stop us?" Sebastian whispered, his hand tightly squeezing

"Run the footage again," Rafael ordered sharply, voice as keen as a razor. Fingers clasping the edge of his desk, white-knuckled. His assistant Gabriel blinked and then replayed the security footage on Rafael's big office screen.Rafael's eyes narrowed as the figure coming into view was one he could never mistake: his nephew, Ethan. Wearing a sharp suit, Ethan navigated the restricted areas within the company with confidence. It wasn't just access to the right places that remained an outstanding thing but what he was doing with it."There," Rafael pointed. "Pause it.Gabriel froze the footage; Ethan slipped a small USB drive into the server room. "We thought it was a cyber-attack," Rafael whispered, his quiet tone boiling with anger beneath. "It was him all along."Gabriel nodded grimly. "It matches perfectly with the timeline of events. Every major breach happened after he had entered the server room.Rafael leaned back, running a hand over his face. His heart pounded with a mixture

Kiara’s POV I still couldn’t believe myself.Out of everything I could have said in that hospital room, I agreed to let Leo stay with me.I let out a quiet sigh. What exactly was I thinking?And more importantly, what was I going to tell Alex?That thought alone made my chest tighten.Alex wasn’t just anyone. He had been there for me through everything. And now, I was bringing Leo back into my space? Into my life?“This is going to be messy,” I muttered under my breath.The door opened, cutting into my thoughts.The doctor walked in, flipping through a file.“Mrs. Williams,” he called.I stepped forward automatically. “Yes, doctor?”He handed me a small bag of medications.“Make sure he takes these as prescribed. No stress, no overexertion, and he needs proper rest.”“Okay, doctor. Thank you.”“And you can meet the cashier on your way out. He’s fit to be discharged.”“Alright.”I nodded politely.But before I could turn away, I felt Leo’s gaze on me.The moment the doctor left, I tur

Kiara’s POV “I know it’s very hard right now, but please wake up.”My voice came out softer than I expected.Almost like a whisper.I sat beside him, my fingers gently moving through his hair, slowly. Like I was afraid he would disappear if I touched him too hard.The sound of the machines beep echoed through the quiet room. I leaned closer, studying his face and that was when it hit me.Even like this, he still looked cute.His lips slightly parted. His lashes resting against his skin. His expression calm in a way I had never seen before.My breath caught slightly.“What is wrong with me?” I muttered under my breath.I should be thinking about what happened to him. To his company.But instead, I was here staring at his lips.My fingers trailed down from his hair to his nose, and down to his lips.I paused. My heart thumped once. Then louder.“They’re still soft…” I whispered without thinking.Gosh! I shouldn’t be doing this. I shouldn’t even be here.This man hurt me. Broke me. Ch

Leo’s POVI just stood still, watching and thinking of the next step to take.“Sir—sir, are you okay?”I turned slightly, it was one of the officers. While the other was inside my office, scanning the room like they could still find the robbers.“I’m fine,” I said.“Are you hurt?”“No.”My gaze shifted past them to the floor, where the staff who had been hit earlier was being carried out, his head wrapped in cloth, a faint stain of red seeping through.Though he was alive, he was barely conscious.My jaw tightened. They moved quickly. I turned back to the system.The damage wasn’t just on the surface. It was deep.“Sir.”I turned slightly. “Talk.”My IT head stepped forward, laptop in hand, his face pale. “This is bad.”“How bad?”He swallowed.“They didn’t just breach the system… they rewrote parts of it.”I slowly turned to face him.“What does that mean?”“It means whatever they installed… it’s not just a virus,” he said carefully. “It’s embedded. It’s attacking internal files, bac

Kiara’s POVI was halfway through reviewing a contract when my office door burst open.“Ma’am!”I looked up immediately, my brows tightening.My assistant stood there, slightly out of breath, phone clutched in her hand.“Have you seen the news?”I frowned. “What news?”She walked quickly toward me and placed the phone on my desk, turning the screen so I could see.“Look.”I glanced at it, looked properly and froze.Videos of crowds running.Security men and sirens. A bold headline sat at the top.“Armed Robbery Hits Williams & Co Group Headquarters — Massive Loss Reported.”My fingers slowly stilled on the desk.“What is this?” I asked, my voice calm, but lower.“They’re saying robbers attacked the company this morning,” she said quickly. “There were rumors of gunshots, ma’am. Staff were injured, and they’re reporting that their systems were hacked too.”I leaned back slightly, eyes still fixed on the screen. Saw someone, I guess it's one of his staff, that was being carried out, sucke

Leo’s POV The day started like any other. It was so normal.I sat behind my desk, flipping through a financial report, half-listening to my assistant as she ran through the day’s schedule. The meetings, the calls, etc.Everything was moving smoothly.“Mr. Leo?” my assistant called softly.I looked up. “Yeah?”“You have a call scheduled in fifteen minutes with the Valencia partners. They’re asking for reassurance after the last…”A sharp sound cut her off. We both froze.Another one followed. It was the sound of a gunshot.For a split second, my brain refused to process it.Then we heard people screaming loud and terrified.“What the—” my assistant gasped, her voice already shaking.“Get down!” I snapped instantly, already moving. More gunshots was heard, closer this time.A heard a sound of a glass shattered somewhere down the corridor. A loud crash followed. People were running and shouting.“Open the door—!”“Help—!”“Everybody down!”Chaos everywhere.I grabbed my assistant’s arm

Leo’s POVI was so deep in thought that I didn’t notice anything outside.I had left Kiara’s office hours ago, yet my mind hadn’t stopped racing. Miriam had given birth. A child that wasn’t mine.The betrayal didn’t come in waves—it sat heavy, like something lodged in my chest.It's not just the lie, but the confidence behind it. The way she carried it like I would never find out. Like I was the fool in her story.My jaw tightened.I dialed Mark’s number without thinking, my grip on the steering wheel tightening as the line rang.“Mark,” I said the moment he picked up.“Leo, man, are you okay?” His voice was so calm.I let out a dry laugh. “I… I don’t know.”Silence.“Miriam gave birth,” I continued. “The baby isn’t mine.”A pause.“That’s horrible,” Mark said slowly. “How could she do something like that?”I didn’t respond immediately.“I’m sorry, Leo,” he added. “You’ve got every right to feel betrayed.”I exhaled, rubbing my jaw. “I don’t even care who the father is anymore. I just

Lucy’s POVTwo days.That was all it took for my sleep to vanish and my sketch pad to overflow with new ideas. My fingers ached from hours of sketching, erasing, and stitching dreams into fabric. My next fashion showcase was only a few days away, and I wanted every thread, every fold, every silhouette to speak about something unique.The backstage area was alive with energy– fabrics rustling, zippers snapping, the scent of hairspray and perfume mixing with adrenaline. Susan was beside me, as always, pinning a loose strap on one of the models while barking directions at the makeup team.“Jenna, be careful with that gown!” she warned, pointing sharply. “If that sequined thread breaks, I’ll personally make you sew it back in the dark!”I couldn’t help but laugh softly, adjusting the hem of a flowing ivory dress. “Easy, Sussy. You’ll scare them before they hit the runway.”“They should be scared,” she said, tossing me a grin. “We’re representing Lucy Couture. We don’t do average here.”I

Richard’s POVShe was no longer the timid girl who was chubby, thick lens glasses and red hair. The ugly duckling as we all call her.She has transformed into a new person within these five years. Her confidence, radiant, good body and utterly in control.When I saw her standing under those golden lights tonight, accepting her award in that crimson gown that hugged every inch of her confidence, I almost forgot to breathe.I watched the girl I once shattered rise higher than I could ever imagine.I still remember the night we shared back in college like it's yesterday. But I allowed my pride to cloud me.I was supposed to defend her but rather, humiliated her in front of everyone and watched her get bullied.When she stepped off the stage, I followed her discreetly toward the exit, ignoring the few acquaintances who tried to stop me for a handshake.“I know she acted like she didn’t know me,” I muttered to myself, loosening my tie as I waited near the doors, “but I’ll make her remember

Five years laterLucy’s POVThe flash of cameras nearly blinded me as I stepped out of my black SUV.“Miss castle! Over here, please!”“Lucy castle! One smile for Vogue!”I turned slightly, offering them a small, practiced smile. Every step I took was poised and composed. The once timid, nerd girl now stood before flashing lights in a tailored crimson gown that flowed like silk fire. Which happens to be one of my designs. My name echoed in the air like music, and for the first time, I didn’t flinch.They no longer whispered ugly duckling.Now, they whispered Lucy castle… the designer of Lucy Couture.My heels clicked softly against the marble floor as I walked into the hall. The chandeliers sparkled above, and the scent of luxury filled the air — champagne and expensive perfume. Tonight was the International Fashion Excellence event, the biggest event of the year, and my brand had just been nominated for Designer of the Year.“Breathe,” susan whispered beside me, clutching her small s

Lucy's povThe sunlight cutting through the curtains was blinding. I groaned and turned over, my eyes opened slowly, the golden boy of the school was lying right next to me and it was so real to be true. In between my legs aches, reminding me of my decision last night.He opened his eyes and it widened in shock. “What the fuck!” He exclaimed. Jumped out of the bed and started putting on his clothes that were scattered all over the room.‘'Who the hell are you?” he asked, looking at me like dirt.“You..we…” I stammered. My voice trembled.“Look, you see this?” His hand moved between us. “This was a mistake. I was drunk last night and…”He was cut half way when he saw the blood stains on the bed. It now dawned on him that he deflowered me.“Like I was saying, “ he continued. “Last night never happened, and if you say a word.. just one word to anybody, I will make your life a living hell. Do you understand!” I nodded, trembling.He covered his nose with a mask and pulled a cap over his

Lucy's povEverybody was talking about the prom party that will hold tonight. I could hear the four sassy queens' conversation loud and clear. “Girls, we are going shopping after school! One announced.“Yes girl! I totally agree with you. We need to show up hot, like very hot!” The other girl said and they gave each other a high five.“We're gonna turn heads tonight and rock them boys” the other said, whining her waist in demonstration.I was just focused on the book I was reading, pretending not to hear them. “Hey ugly,” one of them called out. “Hope you are not planning to show up tonight.”I pushed back my glasses that were falling off my nose and continued reading.One of them walked to my desk, grabbed my book and dropped it to the floor. “You don't ignore beauty like us.” She said, titling her head smugly. She continued “have you gotten a prom date? Oops, I forgot. Nobody will want an ugly duckling like you to be their date.”They all laughed chorally. Just then my best fri