Novels by Winifred K

Golden sunlight streamed through the stained-glass windows of the church, casting a dreamlike glow over the entire hall. Phoebe stood beneath an archway adorned with white roses, her fingers unconsciously tightening around her father Ryan's arm."Nervous?" Ryan gently patted the back of her hand.Phoebe took a deep breath, her gaze following the long red carpet all the way to the tall figure waiting at the end. Alexander stood there in a perfectly tailored black suit, a white rose matching her bouquet pinned to his lapel. His deep, unwavering gaze was locked onto her, as if in his world, there was only her.The moment the orchestra began playing the Wedding March, Phoebe felt her eyes well up with tears. She clutched her father's arm and took her first step forward, the lace hem of her gown rippling like water, the hand-embroidered pearls on her train glinting softly in the sunlight."Oh my God, look at the flower kids! They're adorable!""They look just like the groom!"Guests' whisp

Phoebe finished getting ready and followed the two children out of the room. At the same moment, Alexander's door across the hall swung open.Their eyes met.In an instant, Phoebe felt her ears grow hot, the memory of last night's intimacy flooding back. Alexander's gaze lingered on her flushed cheeks, and a subtle tension crackled in the air."Daddy!""Daddy!"The crisp, cheerful voices of the children shattered the silence.Alexander's pupils contracted slightly as he mechanically turned his head toward them. Jeremy and Amy had already thrown themselves into his arms, their little faces rubbing against his suit jacket, leaving messy wrinkles."We're calling you, silly!" Amy said, tilting her face up to him, her eyes sparkling like stars.Alexander's hands hovered awkwardly in the air. The word Daddy struck him like a bolt of lightning, leaving his chest numb with emotion. Slowly, he crouched down, his arms closing around the children, his fingertips trembling.Leaning against the wa

Alexander let out a satisfied, mischievous chuckle. He almost wanted to turn on the light just to see how adorably shy she looked right now."Baby, you're already wet down here," he murmured after a while, gently reminding her.Phoebe felt it too—the shame hit her so hard she wanted to crawl under the covers and disappear. Panicking, she tried to pull his hand away. "Y-You... get out!""Don't be shy, sweetheart. It's a normal reaction," he coaxed softly."I don't care if it's normal! You're not allowed to touch anymore," she snapped, mortified."But you want it too, don't you?"Even if she did, she would never admit it. Biting her lip, she shook her head firmly. "No. I don't."But Alexander wasn't one to let her have the last word. He decided to give her exactly what she insisted she didn't want.The moment Phoebe realized what he was doing, she gasped sharply. Did he even know how reckless he was being?"Stop. Don't do that," she whispered, but her words quickly melted into a choked

At 2:17 a.m., Alexander jolted awake for the third time.The guest room was steeped in the scent of mothballs, and the creases Phoebe had left on the bedspread that afternoon were still visible. Agitated, he yanked at his collar. His phone lit up in the darkness, only to go dark again—the "power off" alert thudding against his chest like a silent punch.Moonlight poured over the balcony like an interrogation lamp. When he stepped barefoot onto the window ledge, the night wind from the thirty-fourth floor lifted the hem of his robe. Here he was—the man who once made Wall Street tremble—now sweating nervously just to sneak into his wife's bedroom."Locked?" The doorknob didn't budge. He nearly laughed. She thought a simple lock could stop someone who could hack into the Pentagon?The curtain in the children's room wasn't drawn properly. Moonlight spilled inside, casting a silver glow over Phoebe's exposed shoulder. Alexander's Adam's apple bobbed—she was wearing that damned silk nightgo

Phoebe stepped out of the kitchen and saw only the two kids playing on the couch. There was no sign of Alexander or Ryan.Puzzled, she walked over. Before she could even ask, the kids pointed toward the study."Mom, Grandpa called Uncle in for a talk," they said."A talk?" Phoebe glanced at the tightly closed door, her heart tightening a little.With Anila helping her in the kitchen, dinner was ready in just forty minutes.When Phoebe came out again, Ryan and Alexander were already sitting together on the couch, chatting away.Phoebe looked over in surprise—they actually seemed to be getting along. Whatever Alexander had said, it had Ryan laughing happily.For the first time, the whole family sat down together for a meal. The mood was light and joyful. With the two mischievous kids adding their antics, the table was filled with laughter.After dinner, Alexander volunteered to clean up. Phoebe didn't stop him but followed along to lend a hand.The faucet gushed noisily in the kitchen.

After landing, Phoebe and Alexander stopped by the office for a quick check-in before heading to her parents' house.As the car rolled into the familiar neighborhood, Phoebe tightened her grip on the hem of her dress for the third time. "Are you sure we shouldn't call first?"Alexander, lazily twirling a strand of her hair between his fingers, let out a low chuckle. "A surprise visit's the only way to see how they really treat you."In the backseat, the Kyoto lacquerware and Shizuoka tea sets clinked softly with each turn."My mom might actually hit you," Phoebe muttered, keeping her face stern even as her nails unconsciously scratched fine lines into the leather seat."Perfect," he leaned closer, his breath warm against the tense line of her neck, "I'll show you just how much I can take."Hidden away in the trunk was also a property transfer agreement—the land her father had always coveted, now signed over under her mother's name.Phoebe turned to stare out the window, but couldn't q

The sterile white lights of the hospital corridor cast a harsh glow as Cynthia stood at the far end, her chest tight as if a weight were pressing down on it. Lucien had vanished again—without a word of explanation, without even a glance back.She walked slowly toward the emergency unit, only to stop abruptly when she saw Marcus standing rigidly outside the ER. He had always been calm and respectful, but now, his presence sent a chill down her spine. That car with the failed brakes... was it really an accident? Or had someone tampered with it?"Cynthia." Marcus noticed her and walked toward her. "The doctor said Jessica has multiple fractures. She'll need time to recover.""And the baby?" Her voice sounded foreign to her own ears—dry, brittle.Marcus hesitated. "Still waiting on a full evaluation." He lowered his voice, eyes scanning the hallway. "The chairman will hear about this. You and Lucien... need to prepare yourselves."Cynthia looked up sharply, catching a flicker of genuine co

Cynthia gripped the car keys so tightly her knuckles turned white. Her fingers trembled as she jammed them into the ignition. The engine roared to life, and she floored the accelerator, tires shrieking against the gravel as the car shot out of the estate like a bullet.She had to stop Lucien—before he did something that couldn't be undone.The landscape blurred past in a dizzying smear of color. Cynthia's fingers danced across her phone screen again and again, dialing Lucien's number, but every call ended in the same soulless busy tone. Each beep sank her heart a little further.Just as panic began to drown her, she spotted it—the sleek, familiar car ahead.BANG.A dull thud, then Jessica's body tumbled from the vehicle, her forehead split open, blood pouring down her face. Lucien's car screeched to a halt, and he jumped out just in time to meet Cynthia's wide, horrified eyes through her windshield.There was panic in his face—real panic. And that terrified her more than anything.She

Inside the study, Marcus was quietly organizing books on the shelves when the wooden door was suddenly slammed open.Leo stormed in, seething with rage. With a swift motion, he slammed the door shut behind him and hurled a folded report straight at Marcus's face."You think you can screw me over?" he snarled, grabbing Marcus by the collar and slamming him back against the bookshelf. "I paid you, and you still didn't fix the damn report? Do you believe I won't have my father kick his little watchdog out of the house?"Marcus remained still, his expression impassive, his silence as solid as stone.Leo sneered. "Fine. That's fine." His eyes glinted with venom. "I'll go straight to Father right now—""A little scared Grandpa might get too excited about having a great-grandchild?"The cold voice emerged from the shadows, freezing Leo in place.Lucien was lounging on the sofa, one arm in a sling, the other casually tucked into his pocket. No one had noticed when he'd entered."Lucien!" Leo

Lucien led Harley by the hand toward Thomas and gave him a subtle nod. Understanding the cue, Harley obediently knelt and bowed three times, as tradition demanded. Yet he kept his distance, refusing to inch any closer.A flicker of disappointment passed through Thomas's eyes, quickly masked as he waved his hand."A Lamborghini. A private library. And ten million for his early education fund."Gasps rippled through the room. Even when his other grandchildren were born, none had received such an extravagant welcome. Only Mandy had ever been honored like this.Now, Mandy clutched her skirt so tightly her nails threatened to pierce the fabric.Stacey's eyes lit up. Her face transformed into a facade of maternal warmth as she reached out to embrace Harley. But the moment he saw her hands coming toward him, he recoiled. When she forcibly scooped him up, he burst into loud, panicked sobs.Cynthia quickly took him back into her arms, gently soothing him. Her inner voice brimmed with cold cont

The hospital corridor was bathed in a harsh, sterile light. Marcus had been waiting for some time. When Lucien tossed the paternity test results into his hands, he barely glanced at the page before his expression froze.Without a word, Lucien turned on his heel and walked away.Marcus stared after his retreating figure, shoulders taut with silent resignation. That man hadn't even looked at the results.In the waiting room, Harley threw himself at Lucien the moment he entered."Daddy! Am I really your son?"Lucien ruffled his hair. "What do you think?"Harley's eyes lit up and he spun toward Cynthia. "Mommy, Daddy said I'm really his son!"Cynthia's gaze dropped to Lucien's empty hands. "Where's the report?""Didn't read it."Lucien's voice was cool and resolute. "I've never needed a piece of paper to tell me who my son is."Cynthia's breath caught. She had braced for skepticism—six years apart, and Harley look

The air in the room felt frozen. Cynthia's fingertips had gone cold as her eyes flicked across the food scattered on the floor—typical. Thomas couldn't bear to see them have a moment's peace. First, he sent Jessica to stir the pot, and now he was "kindly"suggesting they move back into the Brown estate. What a performance—perfectly timed.Lucien's profile looked especially hard under the light, his jaw set tight. Harley clutched at Cynthia's shirt hem, her wide eyes darting anxiously between her parents.Cynthia took Harley's hand and walked around to the other side of the bed. She didn't speak right away. Instead, she reached out and gently touched the tense nape of Lucien's neck, her fingers brushing the bristly short hair."Let's go home,"she said softly. "It's too noisy here. Harley's exhausted."Lucien's head snapped up, surprise flashing in his eyes. He hadn't expected her to be so calm, let alone to suggest going back on her

Aria's POVThe moment I opened the wardrobe, my breath caught in my throat.Two perfectly pressed outfits hung neatly side by side.One was a tailored beige skirt suit for women—sleek, elegant.The other was a dark grey three-piece men's suit that looked straight out of a luxury fashion spread.Sunlight filtered through the blinds, gilding the fabric in a soft, golden glow.Unless Kane had some twisted fantasy involving business attire—which, knowing him, wasn't entirely impossible—it could only mean one thing:We were finally getting out of the hospital."Magic—"His voice murmured against my ear, warm breath teasing my skin. I spun around so fast I nearly slammed my nose into his bare chest.He'd somehow snuck up behind me again, silent as a cat. The loose collar of his hospital gown gaped open, revealing flashes of white gauze against firm muscle."We're leaving today?"I ask

Aria's POV"In bed, huh? Busy, are we?"A chorus of laughter erupted outside the door, and I froze, every muscle going stiff.My face flushed so hot I was sure it had turned scarlet. I wanted nothing more than to curl up and vanish into the mattress.Kane's arm was still tightly wrapped around my waist, his palm warm and possessive against my bare skin. I instinctively tried to scoot under the covers, but he pulled me right back into his chest."What are you so scared of?"he murmured with a dark chuckle, his teeth grazing my shoulder.The sharp sting, mixed with a tingle of pleasure, sent a shiver through me. I gasped, digging my nails into his arm."They won't dare come in,"he added with infuriating confidence.Sure enough, a second later came the teasing voice through the door."Well, we'll just leave you two lovebirds to it. Enjoy!"Their footsteps faded down the hallway, but Kane had no intention o

Aria's POVOf course I knew Chad didn't just see me as a friend.But he never crossed the line. He was always respectful, even when I didn't make things easy.And me? I knew exactly where my boundaries were.Even if Kane and I were only bound by a contract, I'd never betray him.Not like that.But…"I'll make sure he dies."That voice still echoed in my head—cold, dangerous. I'd overheard it that night by accident, but it was burned into my memory.I clenched the sheets beneath my fingers.Should I tell Kane?The thought barely formed before I crushed it.No. With his temper, he wouldn't just confront Chad. He'd destroy him—physically, emotionally, completely.And terrifyingly enough… I believed Kane could do it without leaving a trace.I forced the turmoil down, keeping my voice calm. "Whatever his intentions are, I know what I'm doing."Kane let out a

Aria's POVI bit my lip, a dull ache rising in my chest."If you don't care," I murmured, "then why are you asking me?"Even I could hear the hurt in my voice.Kane's pupils constricted slightly. His Adam's apple bobbed as silence swallowed the room. The only sound was the steady beep of the heart monitor.I turned away from him, burying my face into the pillow, not wanting him to see the redness creeping into my eyes."Sir, you can't be up like this!" a nurse burst through the door, shattering the tension.Her footsteps halted abruptly. She must've seen Kane's deadly glare—his eyes alone could send someone retreating.She'd always been kind. I didn't want to see her caught in the middle of this mess. I pushed myself up and tried to ease the tension."Kane, please go lie down. This isn't the time for this conversation."But he didn't budge. His jaw was set like stone.Sunlight poured in behind him, ca

Aria's POVThe dimmed hospital lights still felt harsh against my tired eyes. I'd lost count of how many times I glanced at the clock—the minute hand might as well have been glued in place.Every echo of footsteps outside the door made my heart leap, only for disappointment to crash down each time it wasn't him.Each time someone walked in, I asked the same question like a broken record, "How is he? How much longer?"But no one ever gave me the answer I needed.Suddenly, a small commotion broke out by the door.Three familiar men entered. The one in front removed his sunglasses."I'm Frank,"he said, gesturing to the other two. "That's Alger and Eden. We're Kane's friends."Right. I'd seen them at the bar that night."Are you feeling any better?"Eden asked gently."Um... yeah."Their eyes lingered on me longer than necessary—like they could see right through me, past my bruises and st

Aria's POVThe car screeched to a halt in front of the hospital.I reached for the seatbelt, but Kane's low voice stopped me."Don't move."That command—quiet but absolute—froze me in place like I'd been chained to the seat.The door swung open, letting in a blast of cold air that made me shiver. Kane leaned in, his injured arm hanging uselessly at his side, while his good arm hooked firmly under my knees."I can walk…"The protest died in my throat the moment I saw the blood soaking through his shirt."Hold on to me."His breath was hot against my ear, and despite everything, I instinctively wrapped my arms around his neck.He lifted me like I weighed nothing, even though I knew carrying me was pure agony on his shoulder.I could feel the strain ripple through his muscles as he stood."You—"My voice trembled as I tightened my arms around him, trying to ease the pressure.