Novels by Allura.Shaletta

The boy’s words beside him seemed to echo in the air. For a moment, William froze. His steps halting in the middle of the crowd as a strange rush washed over him."What?" he asked again, a disbelieving smile tugging at his lips. Once more, he glanced down at the adorable little boy clinging tightly to his index finger."My Daddy!" Caelric repeated, his wide eyes blinking with earnestness."First, because you saved me from that old man earlier. Second, like you said. Our eyes are the same color! And third—""Okay... That’s enough, boy." William quickly shook his head, stifling a laugh. He bent his knees so he was level with the child, then reached out and ruffled the boy’s slightly curly hair with fond exasperation."I did save you from that old man, but I’m not your daddy," he said gently, watching the little boy blink rapidly at his words."Our eyes may look alike, but did you know about three percent of people in the world also have gray eyes?""I didn’t know that," Caelric admitte

The night after meeting Serena, William hadn’t slept. He had paced his penthouse like a caged animal. City lights burned far below, but his mind was somewhere else.Years ago, there had been a woman on her knees, begging for his forgiveness. He could still see the way her deep brown eyes spilled with unstoppable tears, and even the trembling of her body was something he could almost still feel on his skin.Selena and Serena.Alike, but not the same.The comparison was too tangled for words, yet it clung to him. His mind refused to let go of either woman."I’m losing my mind, thinking about that Serpentine girl!" William muttered under his breath. "No, this isn’t about attraction! And it’s not because I haven’t gotten over Selena!"Raking a hand through his hair again, William exhaled sharply and turned back toward the sprawling streets below. The city buzzes in a constant hum, like his mind is constantly working.Without another thought, he reached for the phone resting on the table n

"Serena, huh?"William’s heartbeat faltered the moment he heard the name. The name was close to the woman who haunted him every time it rained. Not out of longing for sweet memories, but from a hatred that burned with relentless fury."Yes, sir," his assistant confirmed. "Rumored to be Martin Serpentine’s hidden daughter. No public records, but her influence is rising fast."William fell silent again with eyes fixed on the file in front of him. He studied the numbers, the projections, and the strategy. It was a sharp document. Precise, calculated, no fluff, and no empty promises."Damn it!" he clenched his fist once more. The offer was compelling and dangerous at the same time. He knew the Serpentine family. They never crawled their way into Velmond without a reason, unless they smelled weakness or wanted something more."Set up the meeting!""You’re accepting it, sir?""I’m not accepting anything," William snapped, tossing the document aside. "I just want to see how far they’re will

"Again!"Five years later. Selena swung the blade harder. This time, she struck through the simulation drone with swift, brutal precision. Sweat dripped down her temples, but her eyes were still cold, sharp, and did not waver."She’s improved!" a voice said behind the glass.Martin stood watching her. His pride was well-hidden behind that signature cold mask, but even he couldn’t deny it. Selena was no longer the weeping girl in a bloodstained dress. She was Serena Victoria Serpentine now. In mind, body, and spirit.After training in languages, global markets, and psychological warfare, Serena had risen faster than anyone had predicted. She ran Serpentine Holdings’ three subsidiaries by twenty-seven. Although still a shadow leader, she is ruthless in boardrooms and untouchable in negotiations."Mommy!"The sound of the triplets calling for their mother filled the air. The servants quickly cleared away all the tools and equipment. Six tiny feet ran nimbly across the room, bringing a wa

"We must take her now, sir. They're back!"The world went black.Selena didn’t remember collapsing. One second she was staring at the sky, numb and broken. And the next, nothing.When her eyes opened, all she saw was a ceiling painted gold. This wasn’t heaven nor was it hell, it was familiar. She had seen this kind of luxury before, back at William’s residence. But this was something else entirely."You’re finally awake."The voice was deep. It held no warmth, only a quiet intensity that made her heartbeat quicken. Selena tried to sit up, but her body screamed in protest."Easy," the voice continued. "You’ve been unconscious for two days.""Two days? Where am I?" Selena rasped, her throat dry as ash.The man stepped into view. He's tall and elegant. His eyes were sharp like a hawk’s, with the kind of presence that silenced any room he entered."Nice to meet you," he said simply. "My name is Martin. Martin Serpentine!""Serpentine?" Selena gasped with widened eyes. "You—""Your husband

"Please take good care of them, Selena. They are the future of Velmond. No one will ever be able to erase them!"The voice was gentle, almost like a breeze brushing against her ear, but behind that softness lay a burden heavier than any request. Selena lowered her gaze, eyes fixed on her belly, which was now being gently caressed by her mother-in-law. "I'm sorry, Mom. But I don't think I can go on without William's love. Even now, he still—""Please, Selena. For their sake."Tears began to fall. Selena reached out, returning the warm, loving touch. But before she could open her mouth to speak, a loud explosion tore through the calm afternoon like lightning striking the earth without mercy."Ah!""Mom!" Selena cried out, catching her mother-in-law just before she collapsed to the ground. Her hands trembled as she noticed the blood soaking into her palms. Warm, thick, and all too real."Mom, hold on!" Instinctively, she turned toward the garden. A fleeting shadow disappeared into the

"Reyna—""You think you can take him from me? After everything I’ve done? I won’t let you, bitch!"Reyna kept getting closer, forcing Arthur—who had only just realized her presence—to instinctively shield Athena behind him. His eyes widened, just as shocked as Athena. He never imagined that someone he had always treated like a sister would do something so dangerous to the woman he loved."You’re not a killer, Reyna. Put the gun down!" he said, trying to bring her back to her senses, even though he was still torn between belief and disbelief."I won’t let her take you away from me again!" Reyna just gave a faint smile before her gaze turned sharp again. "I can’t lose you! Not after everything I’ve done for you!""Reyna—""Stay out of this!" she screamed. Her face was twisted in hatred and desperation. "You kept ignoring me while I kept falling more in love with you, Arthur! And now she’s pregnant, you’re just going to go back to her like nothing ever happened?!""Reyna, please..." Arth

"Wh–what?"Athena froze. Reyna’s words rang through the hallway like a bullet to the chest. Her breath caught. Her legs trembled. Her heart? Of course, shattered.Athena stared at Arthur, hoping—no, praying—that he’d deny it. That he’d scream it was a lie. But all she saw was confusion. Horror and silence."You... you really did this?" she whispered, barely able to form the words. "How could you—""I didn’t know what happened, dear. I swear! I don’t remember anything. She just..." Arthur stepped forward, reaching for her, but she pulled away.Athena’s tears, the ones she had tried so desperately to hold back, finally poured down her cheeks in torrents. Her body trembled with grief. Reyna, witnessing her pain, sneered with cruelty. Folding her arms across her chest, she stepped closer, her gaze sharp and arrogant."Believe it or not, but your perfect Arthur and I are closer than you think!""Reyna, stop it!""What? I’m just telling her the truth," she replied without a hint of guilt. "

"Hey!"Feeling the gentle caress on his strong jawline, Arthur tried to open his eyes. Still overwhelmed by sleepiness, he reached for the slender waist of the woman who seemed to be resting against his chest—only for his eyes to suddenly narrow sharply as he realized who was actually with him."What the hell is this?!"His heart stopped in an instant. Arthur woke with a pounding head and a mouth dry as ash. He blinked blearily, only to see Reyna lying beside him beneath the sheets, smiling like a cat that had just devoured the canary."You were amazing last night," she said casually, brushing her fingers through her hair. "I didn’t think you had it in you. I like it!"Shaking his head, Arthur then changed his position. With no clothes clinging to his body and the body of the woman beside him, he had expected it. But he quickly tried to deny it. "I don't understand. What are you talking about? How did you get here? And where are we now?!""You don’t remember?" Reyna asked with a tilt

Hearing those words, Arthur shook his head as if denying a truth too painful to accept. He took a step forward, reaching out to grab the wrist of the woman standing before him, but Athena had already stepped back, her eyes silently pleading with him—don’t."We’re over, Arthur. I’m sorry I never got to say goodbye back then. I just… I couldn’t bear to see you hurting and—""And falling apart!" Arthur cut her off sharply, running a hand over his face, overwhelmed. "Goodbye or not, I still felt it! Every inch of it! Don’t you see that?""I’m sorry. I just…""Why?" His voice cracked, raw with pain, as she struggled to find her words. "Why him? Why choose him over me? Hasn’t he done enough? Hasn’t he already broken you, made your life hell, and—""Enough! Please!"Arthur shook his head again, this time more desperately. His eyes locked onto the woman in front of him, her body trembling as she sobbed—just like him, if not even more heartbreakingly.How did it come to this? What made her giv

Throughout the ride, Arthur couldn’t shake his assistant’s words from his mind. Every part of them rang true. No matter how much time passed, Leon, Crystal, and Caroline would never let him or Athena live their lives in peace. They would never be satisfied, not even now when he and the woman he loved were already suffering under the weight of their cruelty.If they truly had joined forces to weave this trap around him, especially with Reyna relentlessly working to tear him away from Athena, he genuinely didn’t know what else he could do. If Athena were still by his side, none of this would feel so overwhelming. He wouldn’t be lost like this, drifting without direction, weak and broken, like a man abandoned for days in a barren, merciless desert."Sir... it seems your persistence has finally paid off."His assistant’s voice pulled him back from the chaos in his mind. Arthur snapped his gaze forward, eyes narrowing slightly at the sight of a woman stepping out of a taxi. Her face was h

"Mr. James! Did you just meet with Mrs. Athena inside? Has she returned? What’s your response to the rumors claiming that Mrs. Athena intentionally dropped her charges against Mr. Leon to reunite with her ex-husband?""Yes, Mr. James! As the person closest to her these past few months, surely you have something to say. Is the news true? Please, Mr. James, we've been struggling to reach her!""Yes, is your visit today connected to all this? Are you planning to cut ties and cancel your company's collaborations with hers out of disappointment? Rumor has it you only pursued the partnership to get close to her. Do you now feel betrayed, Mr. James? Played for a fool?"The flood of questions rained down without pause, each word sharpened by the blinding flash of camera lights. Stepping out of the Athena family’s corporate building, Arthur James hadn't anticipated the swarm of reporters that awaited him, hungry for a headline.Who had tipped them off? And how had the rumors spiraled so viciou