Alexa loved him when he was untouchable. Hulio wanted her when it was too late. Now, she’s the woman he never saw coming. Alexa Hills was always the overlooked one, the awkward girl with plain looks and a heart too tender for a world obsessed with appearances. She was rejected by all. But behind her timid eyes burned the legacy of a dynasty, and the will of a queen in waiting. Hulio Ripples, one of the heirs to Ripples Investment Firm, was every woman’s dream, charming, arrogant, and hopelessly smitten with Alexa’s glamorous older sister, Ashley. To him, Alexa was a nobody. To him she was a reject. Until his world crashed, quite literally, and she was the only one who stayed. When tragedy strikes, Alexa gives up everything to care for the man she’s always loved. For a moment, it seems like her devotion will be enough. But when Hulio recovers, he returns to the woman who once broke him—leaving Alexa shattered and pregnant with his child. Now, she’s back. Not the shy girl he once ignored, but a stunning force of power and poise—CEO of Hills Fusion and a woman with nothing left to lose. With the help of his brother, Helia, she rises from heartbreak to empire, crushing Hulio’s pride and reclaiming her throne. But in a tangled web of love, betrayal, and revenge… can a heart once broken ever trust again. A provocative tale of passion, pain, and power, Ripples and Hills is a revenge romance that will leave every reader spell bound and lost in a world of entanglement and revenge and unrequited love.
View MoreElviira.
Wisteria Vine, Northern Finland
December 23rd, 1981.
It’s extremely dark outside.
The winter air is brutally cold, the kind that bites straight through lace and silk. My thin dress offers no protection, only shame. The frozen trail crunches beneath my feet as I run, thudding, trembling, seeking solace in the jaws of death. Jaws of death that I know I should run away from. But I don't want to run away from it. I'm running towards it.
Yes, I’m running toward death. Because if I don’t, my life ends in another way. A slow, bitter death... inside that house. That house I once grew up has become a thorn on my flesh. A bane to my once peaceful existence.
My name is Elviira Laine. I’m the only daughter of Niko and Sini Laine, heirs to the once-glorious Wisteria Vine.
And today, I was married.
To Richmond Hills, a wealthy Scottish businessman, twenty-two years older than me. He is forty. I am eighteen.
To the world, it was a fairytale union. Wealth. Power. Status. Applause rang the moment we were declared man and wife. But none of them heard the silent scream in my chest. None of them saw the despair settle into my soul.
I don’t love him.
I can’t. No matter what they say, I will never love him.
Because my heart already belongs to someone else, a man whose love was stolen from me the moment my father signed a business deal inked in betrayal.
The day my father met Richmond, he saw not a man—but an opportunity. A way to restore his lost empire through a partnership in steel. And the price of entry? Me.
Who trades their daughter like livestock in the 20th century?
He didn’t ask if I was willing. He didn’t care. All he saw was profit. Richmond promised to treat me as family, not just as a business asset—and for that kindness, I was gifted like a trinket, offered up for marriage.
“You will marry Richmond Hills, Elviira!” My father’s booming words still ring in my ears as I run. “It is important that as my only child, you restore us to our former glory!”
“But father!” I objected and his eyes and voice silenced me.
“Enough, Elviira! You’re marrying Richmond!”
Cold tears me back to the present as I continue to run.
Since then, every glance from Richmond turns my stomach. Every touch is a silent invasion. The kiss we shared at the altar was nothing, void of spark, void of soul.
I was numb.
Now I stand at the edge of the cliff. Below, the rapids rage—a torrent of freezing water crashing against jagged rocks. Wind whips my hair and lashes my cheeks. The sound is deafening, like the roar of fate itself.
One step.
That’s all it takes.
One step, and I’ll be free. No more expectations. No more deals. No more Richmond. No more heartbreak. Loss of the one I truly love. The one I truly desire.
But just as I lean forward, I see something. In the chaos of the water, I see... us.
Me. Him. Together. Kissing. Holding children. Building something bigger than this pain. I see a future I never imagined, wealth, yes, but more than that. A legacy.
A dynasty.
I stumble back, breathless. My tears are hot now, not cold. That life… could it be real?
Can I return to Richmond? Could I ever embrace him? Could I become that woman?
Or is the water still the kinder option?
I stare into the rapid below, frozen between two fates.
Then, I slip.
Hulio. My eyes see no one but Ashley tonight. My goal is to get her away from men like my brother and Richo Kendo. She’s across the ballroom beside Helia, wide-eyed, staring directly at me. My legs cross to her before I can stop them. I’m going to make her mine tonight. When Mum and I arrived minutes ago, I caught Ashley mid-argument with Helia. They didn’t see me. I stood in the crowd, watching them, rage bubbling under my skin, even though I couldn’t hear a word they argued about. Familiar faces swarmed around Mum and me, business partners blabbering about profit margins and trade offers. All I could think about was her. I was scrambling for the perfect opportunity to propose. I needed it to be public, undeniable by the world. Something she couldn’t walk away from. She looked too beautiful tonight in that sea-green dress. Elegant. Expensive in those emeralds on her neck and ears. Then Elviira took the stage. That was it. The moment I’d been waiting for. The universe handing me
Alexa (Prudence) Pier stands there, simply staring. And I do the same. He isn’t alone. Beside him are my cousins, Eveliina and Jon. Jace, Eveliina’s husband, is with them too. Their laughter cuts short, their steps falter the moment they lay eyes on me and Pier, caught in a silent exchange. Then I see Aunt Anniika and Uncle Brian glide quietly into the ballroom. Oblivious to the current scene. Just like that, the whole family is here. “Do you know her, Pier?” Eveliina asks, her gaze swinging between the two of us. My throat tightens. I silently pray he doesn’t say my real name. Not before Grandma does. Pier doesn’t look away from me as he answers, voice steady. “Yes, Eve. This is my girlfriend. The one I’ve been telling you both about.” I blink, stunned by the confession. “Well, lookie here…” Jace steps forward with a grin, extending a hand. “The mystery woman who brought my friend to his knees.” He’s warm. Enthusiastic. The exact opposite of Eveliina’s frigid reception. Jon
Helia. The last time Alexa was in this ballroom, she was humiliated. Fleeing from the stares, covered in chocolate and wine, after crashing into the refreshment table. She ran into me then. Shaking. Embarrassed. Trying to disappear. That was two years ago. Tonight, she walks tall. Regal. Different face, yes, but the same soul. Maybe even stronger. And more beautiful than ever. She’s a vision in blue, a stunner who steals the breath of every man in the room. But I only see her. We close the distance between us. “You clean up nice, yourself.” Her voice is playful, flirtatious. It sparks something in me. I match her tone with a smirk. “Don’t I always?” I grin. “At least I didn’t show up naked like I sleep.” Her cheeks flush instantly. I laugh softly, relishing her discomfort, because God, she looks like an angel in that blue. That bob. Those sapphire earrings. I want to buy her the world. “You look really stunning, Alexa,” I whisper. Our breaths mingle as we stand toe to toe. T
Scarlet. This beautiful girl, dressed in the prettiest blue, rushes into my arms and holds me tight. The force of it completely knocks the breath from my lungs. I'm stunned. But somehow, I hold her. Somehow, I press my cheek to her warm head. She smells like chocolate and flowers. She smells like my baby. Alexa. She feels like her. “Mum… Do you know her?” That voice. Ashley. My eldest. Her question startles me, snapping the moment in half. The girl in my arms pulls back. I look into her eyes, watery, striking blue. The exact same shade as Richmond’s. As Ashley’s. As Alexa’s. But there’s a scar running down her cheek. Jagged. Angry. It must have hurt like hell. “What happened to you?” I ask gently, reaching up to touch the scar. She leans into my palm, eyes fluttering shut. “She… She had an accident,” a woman behind her says quickly, her voice tight. The spell breaks. I pull my hand back and glance toward the speaker. “Scarlett,” Elviira interjects, measured and composed. “Th
Elviira Hills. Saturday. 18th July. Next day. Night. It’s a few minutes to the guests arriving. All morning, the house has been bustling with activity. Caterers, decorators, and the rest of the team. Despite the pain still lingering in my arm and body, I’m excited for tonight. Because tonight, we announce Alexa’s survival to the world. And hopefully, begin to fight for her name to be cleared. I don’t know what Helia has planned, but he says I should stay calm and watch. My assistant, Muriel, one of Helia’s trusted employees, is just about to fix a pair of diamond earrings to my ensemble when a knock sounds at the door. She’s done nearly everything for me since my discharge. Courtesy of Helia, of course. How many employees does that boy even have? He’s become more than a friend to me. I can almost call him family after everything he’s done for me and mine. “Come in,” I call when the knock comes again. The door opens, and Scarlett steps inside. Carefully. Measured steps, nothing
Alexa (Prudence) New York. Friday, 17th July. Night. There’s a thunderstorm tonight. It mirrors the bleakness inside me. I’ve felt unsettled since morning, like the sky sensed my mood. No one expected the rain. The forecasts promised clear skies. But here we are. Just like how I expected a calm life, only to find chaos at every turn. I was fine in Corte. I didn’t see these people. Didn’t feel this artificial life suffocating me. I saw real people, with real problems, and real hearts. But now I’m back among the polished smiles and filtered voices. And I don’t know if I can survive another night of it. Earlier today, Eveliina came to visit Grandma at the hospital, just before she was discharged. The moment I saw her, my heart leapt. I almost ran into her arms. But one glance at Martha and me and after Grandma introduced us everything changed. Eveliina's expression turned cold, detached. She barely acknowledged me. As if this version of me, Prudence, didn’t even exist. As if I w
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