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 povThree Months LaterWe went to a park. Sophia had already spotted the swings before we even reached the playground."Mummy, hurry up!"I laughed as she took off ahead of me.Around us, a few parents watched their children from nearby benches while others pushed strollers along the walking path. The park wasn't crowded, but it was alive and peaceful.For once, nobody was following us.No security alarms. No reporters. No fear.Just an ordinary afternoon with my daughter. For so long, my life has been chaotic.But now, I spent most mornings answering emails, meeting clients, and arguing with Sophia about random things.That felt like peace.Sophia reached the swings first and immediately turned around."Mummy!""I'm coming."She grinned triumphantly. "You lost.""I wasn't racing you.""That's because you knew I'd win."I rolled my eyes. The confidence in this child should honestly be studied.I helped her onto the swing before stepping back."Ready?""Push me high!""Not too

Leo's povThe church was empty. The flowers used for decoration were still there.The candles still burned softly near the altar.The guests were gone. Even the priest had disappeared.But I was still standing at the altar alone. Exactly where she left me.I stared at the church doors.The same doors Kiara had walked through less than an hour ago.The same doors I had imagined us walking through together as husband and wife.The same doors she passed through while leaving me at the altar to face shame.My chest felt broken and empty.Like something had finally been ripped out of me.I can't even blame her. I brought this upon myself. Every action has consequences.I looked down at the wedding ring still sitting in my palm.The ring I never got to place on her finger.A bitter laugh escaped me.Footsteps suddenly approached from behind.I turned around and it was Alex.He stopped beside me. Neither of us spoke immediately.For a long moment we simply stood there, looking at nothing in

Kiara's povThe moment the car door slammed shut behind me, I broke down, crying.Not the dignified tears I had somehow managed to hold together inside the church. This is the kind that makes breathing feels impossible.I pressed both hands against my face as tears kept flowing down my cheeks. Outside, reporters were still shouting.I could hear them through the tinted windows."Kiara!""What happened inside?""Did you leave Leo Williams at the altar?""Are you ending the relationship?"Camera flashes exploded endlessly outside. Security struggled to keep them back.But none of it sounded real anymore. Everything felt distant, like I was underwater.The wedding dress, the veil, the makeup and even the flowers, all of it suddenly felt too heavy on me.I felt sick.The driver quietly closed the privacy divider without saying a word. Giving me space and dignity to fall apart.And I was really falling apart.Because the worst part wasn't leaving Leo.The worst part was that I still loved

Kiara’s povThe entire church went completely silent.Like the entire room stopped breathing at once.Leo stared at me across the altar, still holding my hand loosely.Confusion slowly replaced the softness in his face.“Kiara…”My chest hurt so badly I thought I might actually collapse right there.Tears blurred my vision completely now.I could hear my heartbeat pounding hard inside my ears. Could feel hundreds of eyes watching us. Waiting.But none of that compared to the look on Leo’s face. Because he genuinely didn’t understand what was happening yet.“I can’t do this,” I whispered again, weaker this time.Leo blinked slowly. “Baby…”His grip tightened slightly around my hand.“You can’t do what exactly?”The way he said it. Soft,careful. Already panicking underneath. My throat tightened painfully.“This,” I whispered brokenly.His brows pulled together instantly.The church remained frozen around us.Somebody in the audience gasped quietly. Someone else whispered: “Oh my God…”A

Kiara’s povThe music echoed softly through the church as the doors slowly opened in front of me.And suddenly, every single person stood.My breath caught instantly.Candles flickered across the massive room. White roses lined the aisle beautifully beneath the golden lights hanging from above. Everything looked too beautiful. Too perfect.Sophia walked carefully ahead of me in her flower-girl dress, tiny hands holding the basket while she sprinkled white petals across the aisle.The entire congregation melted watching her.I could hear soft laughter. Sniffles. Whispers.But I barely focused on any of it. Because my eyes found Leo immediately, standing at the altar beside Alex. Waiting for me.My chest tightened painfully.He looked breathtaking in black. But it wasn’t even the suit. It was his face.The way he looked at me like nothing else inside the church existed. Like after everything… I was still the center of his entire world.Emotion burned hard inside my throat.And suddenly

Kiara’s pov“Stop moving.”“I’m trying.”“No you’re not.”“I literally am.”The makeup artist sighed dramatically while fixing something near my eyeliner again.Around me, the bridal suite buzzed with movement.Sophia sat cross-legged on the floor recording everything on her phone like a tiny documentary filmmaker.“Mummy keeps blinking aggressively,” she narrated seriously.“I can hear you.”“That’s okay. Transparency matters.”I stared at my daughter in disbelief.“How are you eight years old and already exhausting?”“Natural talent.”The room burst into laughter. Including me.But it faded quickly. Because every few seconds reality came rushing back again.I was getting married today. Like actually married to Leo today.The thought still felt unreal no matter how many times I repeated it inside my head.The makeup artist finally stepped back.“Done.”Everybody immediately turned toward me.“Oh my God,” one of the stylists whispered.Sophia gasped dramatically loud enough for the en

Lucy’s POVThe moment I got home, Susan was already waiting for me by the entrance door. She was practically glued to her phone but noticed when I arrived. “Miss, I know what I’m doing,” she said, mimicking my voice in that exaggerated tone she always used right before delivering bad news. “Do you know what this is?” She asked, showing me her phone screen. “You’re trending all over the place.”I rolled my eyes, kicking off my heels by the door. I already knew. I’d felt my phone buzzing nonstop the entire ride home, and I hadn’t had the strength to look.“I’ll find a way to sort it out,” I said, trying to squeeze past her into the house. “I’ve had enough for one day. Can you at least let me in before you start crucifying me?”She stepped aside, though not without a dramatic sigh. “I had a plan for tonight. Wine, your favorite takeout, maybe a movie to celebrate surviving another showcase. I did not plan for my best friend to become a trending scandal by 9 p.m.”“Neither did I,” I mutt

Richard’s POVI held the steering wheel so tight my knuckles turned pale. My jaw was locked, and I could feel the tension climbing up into my temples. Beside me, Clara sat with her arms crossed, staring out the window like she was the one who’d been wronged tonight.“You have nothing to say?” I finally asked, my voice low and controlled.“About what?” She didn’t even turn to look at me.“About what?” I repeated, my voice rising in disbelief. “You hired someone to dig into Lucy’s past. You showed up uninvited to a private dinner. You embarrassed both of us in front of half the city and it’s already all over the internet.”“Private.” She let out a short, bitter laugh. “You mean quiet enough that no one would see you falling over your old college fling.”“It was a business dinner, Clara.”“Please.” She turned to face me now, her eyes blazing. “Richard, I saw the way you looked at her.”“However I look at her is none of your business!” I snapped.“None of my business?” Her voice was fille

Lucy’s POV“So, Lucy, you’ve decided to ruin my relationship, right?” Clara continued, her voice rising, deliberately loud enough for every table around us to hear.People were already recording. Phones angled toward us from every direction.“Young lady, stop embarrassing yourself. You’re attracting people’s attention here,” I said, keeping my voice low, hoping she’d have enough sense left to lower hers too.“And that’s exactly what I want,” she snapped, “since you refused to leave my fiancé alone.”“Clara, can you stop this madness!” Richard shouted, slamming his hand against the table hard enough to rattle the glasses.“Oh, you see what you’ve caused, Lucy.” Her eyes were wild now, tears gathering at the edges but never quite falling. “You jezebel. Turning my man against me.”I couldn’t say a word. My throat had closed around every sharp response I wanted to throw back at her. All I could do was scan the room, searching for a way to disappear from an atmosphere that had gone thick w

Lucy’s POV“Okay, fine,” I said.“What!” Susan shouted behind me.Richard’s face lit up. “Thank you, Lucy—”“It’s Miss Castle,” I interrupted.“Okay. Miss Castle.” A faint smile tugged at his mouth. “I’ll pick you up by 7pm.”“No need, I’ll drive myself. Just send the venue and I’ll be there.”“Alright, cool,” he said.“Excuse me.” I turned to leave, only to find Susan staring at me, arms crossed, clearly holding back a storm of things she wanted to say.She looked at Richard. Then back at me.The moment I got close enough, she grabbed my hand and dragged me backstage, moving so fast I nearly stumbled trying to keep pace with her.Once we were finally out of earshot, she dropped my hand, almost forcefully. “Why did you agree to that?”“Susan, can you calm down?”“Don’t tell me to calm down. Tell me why. After everything he did to you, you’re agreeing to go out with him?”“Susan, just trust me. I know what I’m doing.”“I hope you really do.” She turned and walked off, clearly furious.

Lucy’s povRichard and Clara were arguing near the far wall, half-hidden behind a marble pillar, but not hidden enough. Clara’s hand shot up, sharp and accusing, pointing directly toward where I stood. Richard caught her wrist mid-air and pulled it down, his jaw tight, his voice too low for me to hear but clearly not gentle.Wait. Was this about me?I told myself to look away. It wasn’t my business. But my eyes betrayed me and stayed exactly where they were.Richard said something final, something that made Clara’s whole body go rigid, and then he simply turned and walked off, leaving her standing there alone. She squeezed her hands into fists so tight her knuckles went pale, her breathing visibly uneven even from across the room.Then she looked up. Straight at me.The glare she gave me could have set the whole hall on fire. It lasted only a few seconds before she spun on her heel and stormed toward the exit.“What was that all about?” Susan’s voice came from behind me.“I can’t real

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