Novels by JacqueAuthor

The BennetsFinally, the water stopped. Silence filled the room. Mrs Bennett waited until Ryan opened the door and stepped into the room. A towel was wrapped around his waist, another draped over his head as he rubbed at his wet hair. He narrowed his eyes at her once he noticed her in the room..“What are you doing here?” he demanded, his voice low and tense. “I told you to leave.”“I just want to know you’re okay,” his mother replied, her gaze locked on his face.It was obvious something had happened. He had two black eyes and a split lip. Bruises darkened the skin on his chest and neck, and the tightness in his jaw betrayed pain he didn’t want to admit. She couldn’t help herself. Slowly, instinctively, she stepped closer. Her hand rose, about to touch his face.“What happened to you?” she whispered.“Stop it, now!” Ryan snapped, catching her hand in midair. His blackened eyes held a storm she hadn’t seen in years.“Can I please get dressed before we do this?” he added, his voice har

The Bennets“Just spit it out,” Mrs. Bennetts snapped.“Well, I was angry at him, and I had changed the password and the locks to the house. I was trying to make things hard for him, but when he came looking for me like that..... Oh God....”“Shut up!” Mrs. Bennett interrupted, raising her head sharply. Ariana flinched at the sudden interruption. Mrs. Bennett took a deep breath and softened her tone. “I’m sorry, I’m sorry for snapping at you. Okay. So, the maid… did anybody else besides the maid see him?”“No, it’s just the maid,” Ariana admitted.“Where is she?” Mrs. Bennett asked.“Um… well, I don’t know. She went, opened the door, and then she just disappeared. By the time I wondered where she had gone, Ryan was already inside the house, so... I don’t know.”“Call her,” Mrs. Bennett commanded.“Okay,” Ariana agreed, crumbling from the seat as she reached for her phone, determined to call the maid.Mrs. Bennett watched closely as Ariana made the call. When she was done, she report

The BennetsMrs. Bennett drove like a woman possessed, her hands gripping the wheel so tightly they ached. Every red light felt like an insult, every slow car in front of her felt like a personal attack. She kept dialing Ariana’s number over and over again, each time hearing that hollow, endless ringing until it went to voicemail.When she finally pulled into Ariana’s driveway, she barely put the car in park before she was out and rushing up to the front door. She knocked hard, then again, then pounded with her fist."Ariana!" she called, her voice sharp with panic.The door opened slowly. Ariana stood there, pale and looking shaken, as if she hadn’t slept."Where is he?" Mrs. Bennett demanded, pushing past her into the house before Ariana could even answer."In the guest room," Ariana said softly, her voice trembling. "But...."Mrs. Bennett was already down the hall, her heels clicking against the floor until she reached the closed door. She didn’t knock. She threw it open.Her breat

The BennetsMrs. Bennett’s heart stopped for a beat. Then it started pounding so hard she could hear it in her ears."On his knees?" she repeated, her voice low, almost a whisper."Yes," Lydia said with a shrug, as if this was the most normal thing in the world. "He loves her, Mom. And he’s finally doing what he should have done a long time ago. Shouldn't you be happy?"Mrs. Bennett’s hand gripped the back of the nearest chair, knuckles turning white. She wanted to scream, to shake Lydia, to tell her she had no idea what she was talking about."You think this is good news?" Mrs. Bennett said, her voice trembling with anger. "You think Ryan, running around on his knees, begging Ariana, is what he needs to be doing right now....when his company is under fire, when Monique is back in the picture, when everything we have worked for is hanging by a thread?""Yes," Lydia said simply, standing her ground. "Because Ariana is his wife. She is the mother of his child. If he loses her, then none

The BennetsThat day, Mr. and Mrs. Bennet tried everything to find Ryan, but nothing came of it. He wasn’t picking up his calls. He hadn’t gone to the office since the meeting at the police station. And he hadn’t been at home either.They called every one of his friends, but nobody had seen him. In the end, Mrs. Bennet even hired someone to look for him, but still, no definite answers came. As night fell, worry settled deep into her bones. They went to bed, but sleep never came.Hours later, Mrs. Bennet gave up on lying in bed. She slipped quietly into the kitchen and poured herself a glass of water, her hands trembling slightly as she took a sip.Her husband followed, leaning against the doorway.“Not getting any sleep?” Mr. Bennet asked.“I can’t.” She set the glass on the counter with a quiet clink. Her face was pale, her eyes heavy, swollen from the stress. “I keep thinking about Ryan. Something doesn’t feel right. Something feels off.”“Stop getting all worked up for nothing,” M

The BennetsMrs. Bennett was still staring at Monique, her hands itching to do something she knew she shouldn’t. She wanted to reach over, grab, and strangle Monique until the girl lost all her strength. She was furious, a storm barely contained.“Come on, let’s go,” Mr. Bennett said sharply, trying to herd Mrs Bennett into the car. He knew she couldn’t act on her impulses, no matter how much she wanted to.Mrs Bennett got into the car quietly, and the moment Mr. Bennett followed, she exploded. “I don’t get what happened to that girl! Like....did she get an attitude transplant? Where’s the Monique who used to listen to me, who actually wanted Ryan with her? She’s gone rogue, completely! And now I have to figure out how to pull her back!”Mr. Bennett nodded along, his expression tight with unease. “I don’t get it either. How could she refuse to let us take her where she wanted to go?""That audacity… Did you see how arrogant she’s become? She doesn’t even listen to me anymore. I’ve lo

ASHERThe food was perfect. The pasta was tender, the sauce savory. Ariella had clearly put thought and care into the food, and I could see why Leon was ecstatic.Once the plates were cleared, Ariella brought over the ice cream. Leon’s little hands clapped together in delight. “Ice cream!” he squealed, digging in immediately with a little spoon, not caring about neatness at all.I smiled as I served myself, stealing glances at Ariella. She seemed more at ease now, letting herself enjoy the moment, laughing quietly at Leon’s messiness. I reached across the table and took Ariella’s hand gently. She looked up, eyes meeting mine, and I could see everything, the past, the pain, the secrets, but also the promise of what we could have now.I didn’t want to ruin the moment by bringing up the past. We were having such a great time, and I didn’t want to disrupt it. So I asked the question I probably should have asked earlier.“Where is Maria? I thought she decided to stay back with you?” I sai

ASHERThe flight felt both endless and too short. I spent every second of it pacing the aisle, clenching and unclenching my fists, rehearsing what I would say, and then scrapping it all over again.What could I possibly say to her?How do you tell the woman you love that you know the truth now, that you know she carried your child, that you know why she left and still demand to know why she didn’t trust you enough to stay?The jet touched down. I barely remembered getting off, barely remembered the drive. My heart was hammering against my ribs, my throat dry as I walked up the steps to the house.I didn’t knock.Not this time.The door swung open, and there she was.... Ariella.Her hair was pulled back, messy, strands falling into her face like she’d been running after Leon, and maybe she had, because a second later, my son came barreling into view, laughing, clutching a toy truck in his hand.My son. My chest felt too tight.She froze when she saw me, her breath catching audibly.“As

ASHERBut there was still one more stop I had to make. One more person to confront. I was going to see Luca, to make him pay for all the torment he had put me through, for nearly forcing me into a mistake I could never undo, for nearly taking from me the one person and the one child I could never afford to lose.I got into the car and immediately called to have my private jet prepared. I was going away for a few hours, and this couldn’t wait. Before I even realized it, I was parked in front of Luca’s house. I had driven faster than I should have, but I didn’t care. My chest still ached from everything Mrs. Costa had just told me, but I refused to let myself drown in the pain, refused to let the guilt win.No. I was happy. I should feel happy. Ecstatic, even.Ariella had been pregnant. She had been carrying my baby. My son.And though I still didn’t fully understand why she hadn’t told me why she had chosen to go through all of this alone.... I believed she must have had a damn good r

ASHER I felt something inside me snap. It was sudden, like a cord pulled too tight. I was breathing heavily on that sofa, staring, unable to move my eyes away from Mrs. Costa as she spoke. “Ariella was pregnant?” I asked, my voice sounding strange even to me. My chest felt tight, my mind racing. Emotions clawed at my control, but I knew I had to steady myself. I had to hold it together. “Yes,” she said, her tone bitter, almost resigned. “She was pregnant. Trying to get herself annihilated. Nobody would want to marry a pregnant woman with another man's child. She would have been done. That’s why we had to move the wedding forward.” I froze. "The wedding… There was no wedding. I was supposed to marry her." “No,” she continued, her voice sharp. “Your father knew the moment you found out that Ariella had been with someone else, that he was going to marry her. He knew you would drop her like hot liquid. But Ariella… she was stubborn.” Her eyes narrowed, and I felt the weight of her

ASHERMrs. Costa knew the truth about Ariella and my father.... She has to.“What do you mean?” she asked on a swallow. “I want to know what happened.... Six years ago,” She took a death breath. "Ariella is gone. She died. And when she died, she made sure to pull my husband with her. That girl was nothing but… trouble.” Her words came out bitter, clipped.“She began her trouble with you when she decided she could be married to the next Don. And then she got so lucky that someone even stronger wanted her. And what did she do? She went and messed it all up, caught herself in death, and then pulled my husband with her. And now I’m left all alone in this world with nobody. Without my husband here, just existing, waiting for the day I die.”I swallowed. I had always felt it; Ariella and her mom didn’t get along. It wasn’t a secret. Ariella used to complain about her mother, but I didn’t expect her mother to say this about her.“Well, what happened was an accident,” I said. “An accident.”

ASHERI just sat there, staring into nothing, my heart aching so badly it felt like it had hands squeezing it from the inside. My stomach hurt too. I hadn’t eaten since last night, and the whiskey I’d been drinking since morning was burning its way through me like acid.And then it hit me.Ariella’s dad had died a few months after her supposed death, but her mother was still alive. And I had been a frequent guest in that house, a familiar face at their table. Ariella’s mother had always been warm toward me.....at first.The thought stabbed me so sharply I had to sit forward, elbows on my knees, gripping my head..... She knows.Ariella’s mother knows something about this agreement. She has to.My mind pulled me back, unwilling but relentless, to the early days with Ariella. Her mother had loved me. She had adored me. She would bend over backwards just to make me comfortable when I visited. But then, suddenly, something changed.After my father went to meet Ariella’s parents to talk abo

Mina I was in the delivery room about to bring my baby into this world, and who knew it hurt like hell? Mmh! I was very lucky and very grateful to have my husband here with me. He kept holding my hand, telling me sweet things, and encouraging me when the doctors told me to push. He pushed with me, breathed with me. It was kind of crazy. I don't know, maybe after I was done here I would think about this moment and laugh about it. It was a moment in my life when I really needed him, and I was so, so happy and so grateful to have him here beside me. The two doctors that Mr. Emerson insisted on having here were top in their fields. He didn’t care, he had to fly one in as long as I got everything and I was in great hands. The doctors were great, they were encouraging. I just wanted this moment to be over and for my baby to come into this world so I could hear their cry. We were still in the dark; we didn’t know if we were having a girl or a boy. I was just waiting for that moment wh

EmmersonThe next morning, I decided to handle things myself. I know Mina’s already been through enough trauma with her family, so I don’t want to involve her in this. She’s still asleep, and I slip out quietly to deal with Eric.I find him at the hotel, slumped over, still asleep. I nudge him with the toe of my shoe, the force making him stir. Slowly, his eyes flicker open, and the haze of sleep and alcohol makes him groggy. He rises, blinking and groaning, his hand clutching his head."Wake up, Eric," I tell him as I open the curtains, letting the bright light flood the room. He immediately shields his eyes, groaning louder."My head... hurts," he mutters, his voice thick with a hangover. He grabs the bottle of water on the bedside table and gulps down a large portion in one go."Last night," he laments, "I didn't like how your men dragged me out of that nightclub.""You call that a nightclub? It was a strip

EmmersonOh yeah?” Mina’s voice is a little high-pitched.And then Rita says something that makes my blood cold.“Of course,” she replies, her voice dripping with arrogance. “I mean if I could take Eric from you so easily before… When you weren’t this heavily pregnant, and we weren’t even living in the same house. Just think how simple it would be to take his father from you now.”Her voice is low and suggestive. Mina scoffs, maybe out of shock, but Rita doesn’t stop.“I mean, look at you,” she continues, mockingly. “You’re pregnant. You can’t even walk properly without someone holding you. You have to be carried just to get around.” She chuckles,“And me?” she adds. “I’m just getting started. The exercises I’ll do, the maintenance I’ll keep up… You know I won't be breastfeeding, right? This baby is feeding from the bottle. Nothing is messing up this....hot body.”In my mind, I can already picture her motioning to her bo

Emmerson By nightfall, the police have already paid us a visit. It’s all over the news. Madeline had a little accident on the highway. Her car hit the side of a bridge and went down under. She suffocated. But I know the truth. Let her feel what it’s like to lose air. Anyway, the point is—she’s dead. The police came because, after her attack on Mina, there was already a record of her actions. They were just here to deliver the report. To tell us that she was gone. That also settled the issue with Rose. Mina had never been convinced that Rose was behind it, and now that Madeline was out of the picture, it was clear she had been wrongfully accused. Mina was shocked with the news, I never thought she would actually be upset after everything. Even though there’s still sadness in her eyes, I can see the difference. She’s no

EmmersonAfter I had taken Mina home, I gave her a bath, making sure she was okay and taken Care of. She was reluctant to eat at first, but I insisted. “You need nutrition,” I reminded her. “I know you don't want to but do it for the baby. You’re pregnant, you're doing it for our baby.”She sighed, but eventually gave in, taking small sips of the warm soup I had prepared. I watched her closely, ensuring she had everything she needed. Then, I sat her down and gently caressed her hair.I kept talking as I did it—about everything and nothing at the same time. Just filling the silence, making sure she felt covered and safe. My voice was low and comforting. I caressed her head, feeling the softness of her scalp, letting her know she wasn’t alone.And then, she fell asleep.Once I was sure she was deep in rest, I finally allowed myself to feel it all—the anger, the frustration, the overwhelming sense of failure.How could I h

As Emerson's voice continued on the phone, offering words of comfort, trying to calm me, I felt my tears flow faster. I couldn't hear him clearly anymore over the noise in my head, the panic, the certainty that I was going to die. I just listened to him, letting his voice be a thread tying me to something.Then, the banging stopped.I hadn't even realized it.Instead, a knock. A soft, reassuring knock."Mina, Mina, come on, open the door," Emerson's voice came through the phone, clearer now.I still didn’t understand what was happening. My mind was so clouded by fear, but hearing his voice… it soothed me in ways I couldn’t explain. I was barely aware of his words, just the sound of him calling my name, telling me it was okay."Emerson, is that you?" I asked, my voice barely a whisper."Yes, it's me. Open the door, Mina."The reality of it hit me. I had been trapped in a nightmare, my heart frozen with terror, bu

DELILAHMother watched me for a moment, and then, with a cruel calmness, she said, “The only place you’re going is upstairs to your room. You’re going to take a deep sleep and pretend that today never happened.”Her voice dropped lower, her grip tightening.“But it’s going to serve as a reminder next time you need reminding.”I swallowed hard, the ache in my throat matching the ache everywhere else.“I don’t want any more traumas,” I whispered, more to myself than to her.“Then remember,” she hissed. “You are still under the Blackwater’s protection. And I won’t let you make more of a mess of this family or its name.”Her hand finally dropped from my arm.“So upstairs,” she ordered, her voice leaving no room for argument. “Right this minute.”I started crying then. Not the quiet, hidden kind of crying I’d been doing for months, no. This time, I didn’t hide. I didn’t even try to act strong in front of her anymore.For the first time, I let it all go.I let myself feel everything, the pa

DELILAHI curled into myself, trying to protect my face and my head. My breath came fast, shallow, each one hurting more than the first.“Stop it!” I screamed. “Please stop.... Please stop.”But the words didn’t matter. They weren't listening. They didn’t want to listen.... They kept hitting me.I heard Elena laughing, a sharp, ugly sound that made my stomach twist.“You deserve this. You deserve this,” she kept shouting as she rained blows down on me.Tears ran down my cheeks, hot and bitter, but I refused to cry out loud. Not for them. Not while they were doing this to me. I wouldn’t give them the satisfaction.As I lay there still, they kept hitting me and hitting me. And then… I just stopped struggling.I let them.... I just let them keep hitting me.Then, somewhere through the ringing in my ears, I heard a phone call. Elena froze, then muttered something under her breath. Then she left the room.My mom stopped hitting me, too. I didn’t know what she was doing because I hadn’t got

DELILAH“No!” The word ripped out of me before I could stop it. It came out louder, harsher, more defiant than I’d intended.... but I didn’t care.Both of them froze.Elena’s brows shot up, her mouth twisting into a smug little smirk like she’d just been handed front-row tickets to my destruction. Mom, on the other hand, went deadly still, her tear-streaked face going rigid.“What did you just say to me?” Her voice was low, quiet... too quiet.“I said no,” I repeated, forcing my voice to stay steady even though my chest felt like it might cave in. “I’m not quitting. I can’t. I....”“You can and you will!” Mom shouted, cutting me off so sharply it made me flinch. She pushed Elena away and stood, her hands balled into fists. “You will march back there tomorrow and tell them you quit. You will stop embarrassing this family. Do you understand me?”“I’m not embarrassing this family!” I yelled back, the words spilling out before I could stop them.Mom’s eyes widened like I’d just slapped h

DELILAH “Well,” Elena began, clearing her throat dramatically. “Like I told you, Mom,” she said in that annoyingly childish voice she always used with our parents, the one that grated on my nerves every time. “I heard people talking,” she continued, putting a hand to her chest like she was the victim here. “They said Dad has left the house, that he’s no longer taking care of you, and that we were broke, that we were beggars now. That we didn’t have any money.....” My mother’s eyes immediately narrowed on me. “Anyway,” Elena went on, “you know me, Mom. I wouldn’t let anyone talk about our family like that, not behind our backs, not to my face. So I confronted them.” She paused for dramatic effect, enjoying every second of this. “And that’s when they told me your dear daughter.... me, has a sister who’s been playing cheap little waitress in some slum diner on the other side of the city.” My mom’s head whipped back toward me like a viper. “Did you hear that?” she snapped. “That’

DELILAH“Mom,” I began, my voice trembling, but she cut me off.“Do not call me that. Do not call me your mother. I’m not your mother,” she snapped, her eyes sharp and unforgiving. “If I were, you wouldn’t be doing all these things....trying to destroy my life, to destroy my marriage, to destroy the family name." She shook her head then."Do you know how important the Blackwater name is? And you’re trying to put a stain on it.”Her voice rose, fury and disbelief twisting together. “For generations, the Blackwater name has been noble, tied to noble professions. But you.....you’re failing. You’re not doing well in class. You have no artistic talent in your body. You’re never going to amount to anything. You’re nothing but a burden to the Blackwater name. And we already made a mistake, taking you on as a Blackwater. We’ve been giving you everything so you wouldn’t tarnish the Blackwater name. And what do you do?”She paused, as if expecting me to answer. I stayed silent.“You decided to

DELILAHMy mom blamed me.She blamed me for the fact that Dad left.She blamed me for the fact that Dad was with another woman.And I still don’t understand how I had anything to do with that. I had never even been to their office. I didn’t know anything about their job or their drama, but somehow it was my fault.Apparently, her forcing me to lie, to say someone had raped me, was what finally dragged Dad back to the house. And when they realized there was no case, that I had lied…I became the last strThe nail in the coffin.The reason Dad left for good.So now, I was officially the most hated person in the house.I couldn’t do anything right.I couldn’t say anything right.Sometimes, Mom would wait up for me until ten, sometimes until eleven, just so she could start screaming the second I walked in the door.She would let loose on me, tell me what kind of disappointment I was, what kind of leech I was, what kind of monster I was.A Homewrecker..... She loved that one.She had a na