Novels by Bernice

Allesia povI should’ve known the second round of pregnancy would hit harder. I wasn’t twenty-three anymore, I wasn’t hiding from the mafia, and I certainly wasn’t ready to swell like a balloon all over again.I knew Dominic was taking his time to be a father he wasn't when I was pregnant with the twins. He was absolutely dotting, never complaining and understanding. Sometimes, I feel bad for talking to him in horrible ways, but I couldn't help it. I had to blame it on the hormones.By the third month, my belly had already begun to show. It wasn’t huge per se—just enough to make every pair of jeans feel like betrayal and every fitted top a personal insult. The moment I waddled into the kitchen wearing Dominic’s oversized hoodie, Ella gasped like she’d seen Beyoncé.“MOMMY, YOU’RE ROUND!” She screamed with wide eyes.Dominic nearly choked on his coffee.“Thank you, darling,” I said dryly, rubbing my stomach. “I was hoping someone would point that out.” I said sarcastically.Elijah peer

Dominic's POV“Kids,” I said, crouching down in front of the twins. “We’re going to have to head home early.”Ella's face dropped dramatically. “But why? Ee are not to leave until Monday.” she said sadly, her eyes dropping."I'm so sorry, but your mum is not feeling to well," I said deadpan. I hate to be the one announcing a bad news.“Is Mom okay?” Eli asked, suddenly serious.I glanced toward the closed door of the bathroom where Alessia had been locked in for nearly half an hour. The sounds of retching had stopped, thankfully, but the worry hadn’t.“Let's just say she’s not feeling great,” I said gently, brushing Ella’s hair back. “So we need to get her to the doctor. We’ll come back another time. Promise.” I said truthfully.The disappointment in their eyes faded quickly when Alessia stepped out, pale-faced but managing a smile. “Sorry, guys. Looks like the the vacation is ruined”Elijah gave her a quick hug. “Get better soon, Mom.”Ella nodded. “And maybe next time we won’t let D

Dominic’s POVMarco didn’t say much the next morning. He stood in the doorway, duffel bag slung over his shoulder, a plane ticket to New York tucked into the front pocket of his jacket. Alessia lingered beside him, arms folded across her chest, trying to hide the chaos of emotions swirling behind her calm.“You don’t have to go yet,” she said quietly.Marco gave her a faint smile. “I think I do.”He looked at me with a smirk.He looked healthier now, more focused. The circles under his eyes were still there, but they were less haunted, like he had finally let go.“We both know my presence here is too much,” he continued. “You’ve got your family now. Your peace and I won’t want to disturb that.”I respected him for that. For knowing when to step back. But I also knew how much it cost him to walk away from his sister again. He had barely gotten to know the twins. And Alessia, well, she never said it, but I knew this goodbye was breaking something in her.“You’ll visit?” she asked, her

Dominic's POVAlessia had always been insatiable. She was always looking forward to do it anywhere at all. I had to keep her sane for the sake of our children.I was yet to agree to fully go down on her, but we definitely tried to have phone whenever we can. We had already made plans to go to the UK, but we had to consider the children's education and we planning to go there during the summer.Marco, who I had expected to leave decided that he was going to stay for more days to reconnect and reunite with his sister. I couldn't blame the poor guy. He had been underground for years when he could just come out and see his sister. He had also been making remarkable progress with the twins. They are always in his hair, everywhere, and always making fun of his hair. I think he enjoys being an uncle that much.We have had so many challenges, but right now, I just want peace and quietness. And for the first time in my selfish life, I wanted to settle into it. Not just for Alessia. But for me

Dominic’s POVI never knew this was how freedom smelt like. Victor had always been a part of my life, without me even knowing. I finally knew what I was finally free.There are certain kinds of silence that speak louder than words. The kind that comes after battle. After you’ve seen the ugliest parts of yourself reflected in someone else’s eyes and still, they stay.That was the kind of silence in the room when Marco stepped through the threshold and met the twins for the first time.He didn’t say anything at first. Neither did they. Alessia stood just a little to the side, like she couldn’t breathe. Like the air that was shared between them was too fragile to touch.Elijah, bold and curious as always, tilted his head. “Are you mama’s brother?”Marco knelt slowly, not tearing his gaze away. “I am.” His voice cracked. “I didn’t think I’d get to see you. Either of you.” He said, holding their both cheeks.The girl, Ella, frowned cutely. “Are you gonna go again?”“No,” he said, shaking h

Alessia’s POVI never imagined the day would come when I’d willingly walk into Victor’s mansion again. That house had once been a symbol of everything that broke me, its walls echoing with betrayal. Now, I wasn’t just back. I was back with fire in my veins and justice clenched tightly in my fists.Marco had finally had enough.It happened the night Sophia’s people came for him. They didn’t know he’d survived worse. But they also didn’t know that I was very much capable of fighting back. When he got away—bruised but breathing—he knew what came next wasn’t fear. It was war.“They won’t stop, not until we stop them first,” Marco had said, standing over a table scattered with files, photos, bank slips. His voice was cold, determined.We didn’t need more motivation. Dom and I had been circling justice for weeks, dancing around truth and consequences. But the attack on Marco felt personal. It reminded us that survival wasn't enough. We had to win.“We’re not just exposing Victor,” Dominic s

Lucy's POV “What day is the audition?” My fingers hovered over the send button and I let out my breath just as I pressed it. It clicked and the delivered word appeared on my screen. I sighed, and stared at the sky. Maybe it wasn't a bad idea after all. I was off to make magic. I sipped the last bit of my coffee and dropped some cash on the table, holding it with my cup then strode down to the car parked a few meters away. The bodyguard followed behind me and opened the car’s door before I got in. By the time I arrived at the mansion, everywhere was dark and peaceful. I evaded meeting anyone and got to my room. I had done this on purpose, making sure to stop at every convenient place to either get ice cream or watch people moving around to delay time before making up my mind to go home. I got to my room and closed the door. At least I had peace for a while. All I had to do was wait till Shane returned and somehow that felt like a total bad idea because I knew they would be waitin

Lucy’s povThe fact that we had to sit and eat breakfast like a perfect family was something I would never understand about the Wilsons.It had been Paul’s idea, according to him, having breakfast as a family was a symbol of unity, but we were anything but united and he knew that.Nobody hid their hatred for each other, but Meredith knew how to hide hers with thinly veiled insults and offensive humors.I was the first to arrive at the table and just as I made to sit, Meredith walked in. She looked like she had just got out of bed. She wasn’t dressed as usual.“Lucy, darling,” she drawled, a serene smile plastered to her face, “how was your night?”I knew that it was a trap, answering her would lead to many more insults and well, not answering her would lead to chaos.I plastered a fake smile on my face. “It was okay.”“Mmm, why wouldn’t it? I bet Shane got you a Diamond bracelet.”I smiled and decided that her question was not worth a response. “Did you know, the company shares fell

Shane’s POVI groaned and let out a deep sigh as my eyes fluttered open. I was sprawled across my bed, my ribs aching, a dull throb behind my eyes. Lucy was asleep beside me, her face buried in the pillow. I stared at the ceiling, replaying fragments of my memories of last night…the fight, the wounded men, the whiskey haze and of course, the revelation that Dwayne was my biological brother. I turned, careful not to wake Lucy as I slid out of the bed. The house was still, mercifully so. I needed air.Dwayne couldn’t have known about this too. If he did, he wouldn’t sit still and let me have all I had in the company. As I ran, I thought about our relationship. Dwayne was an asshole, we had never gotten along well and now, I was sure that it was all Meredith’s plan.When I finally arrived at the estate, I met Lucy already at the breakfast table, her hands wrapped around a mug. She looked up when I entered.“Morning,” I said quietly.“Morning,” she mirrored, offering the mug. “Strong?

Shane’s pov;I let out a deep sigh. Both were important, but I had to choose one and so I did.“I’ll be back, Lucy,” I said, giving her a small smile.“Oh, of course Lucy, I’ll send you the money for the monelle bag, it costs nothing,” I heard Meredith say and Xandra snicker.I clenched my fist tightly. She’s got guts speaking that way. I can’t wait to uncover her secrets.The drive to the clinic was a blur, I didn’t remember how I got there, but as soon as the building came into view, I let out a sigh and killed the engine.I sat in the car for a while, one hand clenched around the steering wheel, the other wrapped tightly around the edge of the leather seat. The morning sun spilled across the windshield, too bright, too clean. I could’ve gone to see her first, my mum. The one I’ve spent years looking for, but I didn’t, not yet. It wasn’t as important as this. I needed to know this first.I needed the truth in black and white. No feelings. No confusion. Just data.That’s why I go

Shane’s pov;I didn’t hear much else after the doctor said it. Dwayne was my biological brother? It sounded like one huge joke, only thing was that it wasn't funny.Brother….Dwayne Wilson….I stared at the file the doctor had placed on the side table like it was about to explode. Lucy was still seated beside me, her face pale and her lips parted slightly like she couldn’t figure out how to breathe.The doctor cleared his throat. “Anyway, your vitals are okay. I’ll let the nurses know, so you can be discharged.”He gave a polite nod, clearly unaware that he’d just dropped a bomb, and walked out.The moment the door clicked shut, I turned to Lucy.“We say nothing about this to anyone,” I said quickly.She blinked. “Shane…”“No. Not yet.” I placed my hand on hers and let out a breath. “I need to think. I need to… sort this out before jumping to conclusions.”“You think it’s true?” she asked softly. “About Dwayne?”I shook my head, staring at the wall, searching for an answer that wasn’

Lucy’s pov;The hospital’s automatic doors slid open with a sterile whoosh, blasting me with cold, antiseptic air. I rushed towards the receptionist desk.“Uhm…I just got a call from a doctor Danielle, that my husband…Shane Wilson was admitted here.”She glanced through the computer and then smiled at me. “Yes ma’am. Just go to the third floor, Room 318.”I didn’t remember walking to the elevator, or pressing the button, or even stepping out onto the third floor. Everything was a blur as I moved.My fingers curled around my phone, my heart slamming hard against my chest like it was about to explodeI found his room easily. The door was half-open, soft beeping coming from inside. I hesitated, my hand resting on the frame for a moment. The last time I saw Shane, he was stone-faced and cold, yelling at me about something I couldn’t remember. It was stupid, really. And now, he was in a hospital bed, hooked up to wires and machines, looking… fragile.I stepped inside.He looked up immed

Adam’s POVI sat in the study room, tired from checking the business file and reached for the television's remote.I pressed a button and the television came on. I was watching the news and I returned to reading the documents.The second I heard the name Clayridge on the news ticker, I stopped breathing.I stood frozen, my eyes locked on the television screen like it held the keys to the next war.A riot. At Clayridge.I didn’t need to wait for confirmation.My gut knew before my brain did.Richard was gone."Confirmed reports that Mafia suspect Richard Mitch, elder brother to the notorious underworld figure Adam Mitch, escaped the facility early this morning along with six other inmates..."Notorious? Oh damn it.I never went above my own lane and I was making the news because of Richard.The voice of the news anchor turned to static in my ears. I saw the headline. I saw the flames. The chaos. The confusion on the guards’ faces. It all looked staged. Because it was.I’d know Richard’

Elizabeth’s POVThe first time I pressed the panic button in the elevator, I wasn’t panicking. I was just curious how long it would take for them to get to me.I counted slowly and when it got to none seconds, I got my answer.Eight men came charging into the hallway, guns drawn. One of them even barked my name like I was under attack.But I wasn’t.I just needed proof. Proof that this place had stopped being a house a long time ago.Now, it was a cage. Pretty curtains didn’t hide the bars. I wasn't locked up. I was free but I was sick and tired of staying put in this house.I didn’t bother apologizing. I just walked past the guards and headed toward the basement. Their footsteps followed, but I didn’t look back. I kept walking, down the staircase, past the secured corridor with fingerprint locks, straight to the cell where Corinth was held.She sat on the floor like a dead person with her head leaned back against the wall.Somehow I felt pity for her, but I was still mad she had trie

Lily's POVI didn’t talk to Lance during the whole flight. I didn’t have to. He didn’t expect me to.We sat in silence, an ocean between us despite sitting only one seat apart. In one hand he swirled a whiskey glass slowly. I had nothing. Not even sleep. I hated that I was in this position.When we landed in the States, I braced for the worst. I thought I would be taken directly to some basement then given a gun, a file and told to clean up someone else’s mess. Or even killed. But instead, Lance handed me a manila folder.Inside were fake credentials. It had given me a new name so I could not be easily tracked. New background. I was officially now Samantha Carson, federal corrections officer, Clayridge Maximum Security Prison.My stomach twisted."What is this?" I asked.Lance didn’t smile. "Your clean slate. Your one final task."I really didn't want to and I complained. "This isn’t what I do."Lance picked up and did not care. "You do now."I stared at the folder again. One of the d

Lily's POVJosh propped back on the couch, half-squinting, with sweat beaded on his brow.He took his phone from his pocket and texted someone before returning his gaze to me.“I asked you a question,” he said. His voice went deeper.“No, I didn't,” I said. He looked relieved.“So, he's blackmailing you. Why?” He asked.“Because I shot my friend. Yes, I shot Elizabeth and ran,” I confessed.“Lily,” Josh called in disbelief. “So, it was you?”“I don't know if she's dead. I checked the news. There's no record of her death. It was selfish of me, but I didn't kill her. I know that,” I said.It didn't make sense to me, but I didn't want to cry in front of him.He stared at me. None of us broke eye contact. Then the knock came.Josh sat up and pointed to the door. "That's him. Let him in."I opened it quickly to find a lanky man with a box of supplies tucked under one arm. His scruffy beard and bleary eyes belied the crispness of the white gloves he donned as he entered.“I can’t believe yo

Lily's POVThe gun didn’t move. It remained pointed toward Josh’s head.My heart raced as I leapt between them, my arms outstretched. My voice cracked, but I pushed the words out. "What do you want?"The man laughed and cocked his head, as if I’d just asked the dumbest question in the world. His lips curled slowly in a cruel smile. "It’s easy. You should have guessed it."I gulped.“You did better than I hoped bringing him here,” the man said.“You sent that message?” I asked, and he smiled.Josh sat up, and the man ticked his fingers warning him not to move.“Lily, what in the hell is happening?” Josh asked.“You'll know soon enough,” the man answered.The soft click from the black SUV behind the man caught our attention.My heart began to race. Its headlights blinked. The doors released with a muffled thump. I froze, a chill wrapping around my back.The driver's door opened.No. Please, God, no. Don't let it be him.But it was him. The first thing that hit my eye was his polished sh

Lily's POVMy scream was loud and sharp as the closet door flew open. I didn’t think. I just reacted. I shot my fist out and into a man’s face with a sickening thud. The figure reeled back, groaning."Ow! Lily, what the hell!"Josh’s voice pierced through my mind and I opened my eyes. My heart sank the second I saw who I hit."Josh?" I asked.He held his nose with his left hand, and rubbed the spot. "Yeah, it’s me. You throw one hell of a punch. What was that?"I stumbled out of the closet, still shaking. "Jesus. Don't scare me like that. I thought you were him. I heard him. He called my name. I swear he was here.”Josh glanced around the room, his face turning a bit red. He moved fast, checking the windows, every corner, under the bed, behind the door.“There's no one here now,” he said.He glanced at me then, the concern carved deep into his face. “That’s it. I’m done playing defense.”He pulled out his phone and called someone. In less than an hour, a locksmith came and changed eve