Novel & Cerita Latecomer Book

Clara sat on the edge of her bed that evening, her red silk gown glowing under the soft light of her lamp. Her phone rested on the glass table beside her, and she kept checking the time every few seconds. It was almost 7:00 p.m.—the exact time she had told the gardener to meet her. She smirked. “Old fool,” she muttered. “Let’s see how loyal you are after tonight.” Her phone buzzed suddenly. It was the gardener.

She followed Zarek, but I stood there in shame for a long time. – Two years have passed since that humiliating day. I was 19 now, but I was convinced that the memory would haunt me for the rest of my life. Not long after that incident, Alexis joined Zarek’s long list of ex-girlfriends. She must have been left heartbroken, because my embarrassing secret never spread through the pack. Thank god. But ever since that day, Zarek never showed me any kindness. Both his actions and his words toward me were cruel until the moment he left for university. On top of that, he didn’t contact me during the entire two years he was gone.

"Where do you live? I'll send you home." "No other patients for the day?" He pointed at his watch in resignation, emphasizing, "It's already six. My shift's over." Anthony walked me home, and it felt surreal to me. He watched as I dumbly walked into my home. Just when I was about to close the door, he put his hand against it. He arched an eyebrow and joked, "Not going to invite me inside? We have a lot to catch up on." "Oh, yeah, right." I snapped out of it and invited him inside.

I blacklisted his number, and my phone immediately went silent. After this, he stopped for a few days. Soon, I managed to find a buyer for the house given the attractive price I put it up at. After I signed the contract and returned to the hotel, I saw Leonard along the corridor. He approached me and kneeled before me, tears streaming down his cheeks. "Honey, give me one more chance. I'm on my knees…" His knees thudded on the floor and his cries echoed down the hallway. Some curious guests poked their heads out of their rooms to see what was going on.

Half a month had passed since I last saw him, so I already missed him dearly. However, as soon as I arrived at the airport, I ran into Quinton and Zachary. They both had sullen expressions, but their faces lit up immediately when they saw me. "Mom! I knew you would come! Are those tarts for me? Thank you for these!" Zachary eagerly snatched the box from my hand. Quinton said coldly, "I told you the deadline was before three o'clock. Do you know what time it is right now? You should learn a thing or two from Lynn when it comes to timeliness!"

The night grew later, dissolving all the city's noise into a piercing silence. The digital clock on top of the penthouse bedroom nightstand showed exactly two o'clock in the morning. Ravelle still could not close her eyes. Every time she tried to rest her head, the image of Erlan's lips intertwining and the man's respectful touch kept spinning in her mind, triggering a heartbeat that would not end. *Tok... Tok... Tok...*

After sacrificing eight years for the man she loved, Dr. Ariana is rewarded with betrayal. A chance encounter with Lucian Moretti, the city's most feared mafia king, changes everything. One reckless night binds their fates, but deadly enemies and a painful misunderstanding tear them apart. When destiny reunites them, one question remains: Was I too late?

Epilogue - Niall Luther's POV I loved Shayla Jennings. Unfortunately, I realized that fact far too late. On the day that I did the deed with her, a friend had drugged me. In truth, I simply had to resist the effects of the aphrodisiac for a single night, and everything would have been fine. However, when she brushed by me, I could not stop my hand from reaching out to grab her. Although everything that happened after that point was a blur, I knew very clearly that I had betrayed Chelsea.

At times, I gazed at the wall clock as it tickled, indicating that time was moving forward without waiting for anyone, including those struggling to survive. With eyes that were getting old, I scrutinized the doctor's prescription sheet. It was as if I was reading a list of words from neologisms, given the lengthy and complex names of the drugs involved. All of them had their own timing and rules with side effects. I exhaled slowly to grasp the new rhythm of life that was creeping in all directions.

After bringing my parents home and getting them settled, I finally got a call from Grayson Miller. He opened with an accusation, his voice sharp. "We got to the restaurant. Why is the private room empty? Your parents don't give a damn about our wedding, do they? I can't believe they'd show up late!" I paused for a second, then answered quietly, "Grayson, my parents waited with me for three hours. You never showed. It's not that we're not taking this seriously—it's that you and your family never took my parents seriously."