Vanitas No Carte Novels & Stories

Her gasp was loud enough to make me turn around immediately. “What is it?” I asked, confused as she stepped closer. Vera’s eyes were fixed on the cartons being offloaded from the motor. Her brows furrowed hard as she spoke. “Juliet... isn’t the carton supposed to have that little design we included?” I blinked, my heart skipping as I turned to look properly. The carton... I stepped closer, narrowing my eyes. Vera was right. “It’s supposed to have that tiny rose print,” Vera continued, her voice sharper now. “With the 'Bestfriend Sparks’ words... remember?”

I eye it suspiciously before opening it. Violet, I am the type of person to hide things. I am quiet and I am not the kind to show emotions. I hope you find this room to your liking and decorate it to your hearts content. I hope we can at least be cordial with one another as I have not feelings for you at this time. Your truly, Anthony

I sighed, having seen enough and closed all tabs, removing everything from the search history too. I turned everything in the café off as I exited and made my way down the empty street to the subway yet again. A car came speeding down the road and I squinted because the lights were blinding me. It took me a second but I soon realized I knew that van. It looked a lot like the ones that Vittore kept in his estate and the fact that it had no number plate confirmed my suspicions.

"They informed me that Mr. Carter had just passed away, and you are being invited for the burial, which is being held tomorrow." Vanessa's eyes widened, her breath catching in her throat as the unexpected news hit her. She felt her heart skip a beat, her hand instinctively flying to her chest as if to steady the rapid thudding within. For a moment, she was utterly still, her mind racing to comprehend what she had just heard. Her lips parted slightly, but no words came out, only a soft gasp. The world around her seemed to fade as the realization sank in, leaving her frozen in a mix of shock and disbelief. Vanessa turned to look at Lily sharply. "Mr. Carter is Dead?" She asked, her face holdin

The process didn’t matter; once their objective was achieved, the designer bags promised by Isabella would be theirs. With that thought in mind, Sandra smith and her friends put on an even more vigorous performance. Hidden in the shadows, Isabella Blackwood wore a smug expression. Soon, she planned to capture a complete video of Vivian Carter being scolded by the crowd and send it to her mom to cheer her up. Ever since Vivian Carter had smashed the priceless pair of blue-and-white porcelain vases worth $15 million, Margaret Blackwood had seemed to lose her spirit, becoming increasingly gloomy.

“You think tonight was your victory.” Her lips curled into a dark smile. “But this is only the beginning.” She picked up her phone and dialed a number. A rough voice answered. “Yes?” Vanessa’s voice turned cold. “I have a job for you.” There was a pause. “What kind of job?” Vanessa’s smile widened. “Someone needs to disappear.” Silence filled the line. Then the man asked quietly, “Who?” Vanessa’s eyes darkened. “Sylvie Hart.” And far below the mansion… In the quiet garden… Two glowing eyes were still watching the house. Waiting.

A few minutes later, Vanessa returns and hands her a sleek red suit top. "Here. I think it should fit," she offers, stepping back to give her privacy. But just before Vanessa can leave, Jennie suddenly grabs her wrist, holding on tightly. Vanessa looks at her in confusion. "What's wrong?" she asks softly. But Jennie doesn't answer. Her eyes are fixed-haunted-on Vanessa's arm. Vanessa follows her gaze... and realizes Jennie is staring at her tattoo. It's small and simple: the initials "V.N.", with a tiny dot at the end. Her mind flashes back to the day she got it-soon after she and Nisan started dating.

"But the system shows the account was deactivated forty-eight hours ago. And the card you provided for the remaining balance on this gown has been declined. Twice." Arabella turned slowly. Vanessa stood by a mannequin, clutching a shimmering, emerald silk dress to her chest like a shield. She looked frantic. Her makeup was slightly heavy, as if she were trying to hide the dark circles under her eyes, and her knuckles were white against the fabric. "Try it again!" Vanessa hissed, her eyes darting around the empty store to see if anyone was watching. "It’s a technical glitch. My father is Richard Hart. He... he's just moving funds between trusts."

Kira Quezada faked her own death to escape a family legacy that wanted to sell her off like a signature on a contract. Three years later, disguised as a cleaner, she's finally safe, until her new boss looks at her twice and realizes exactly who she is. Luciano Rodriguez doesn't expose her. He makes her an offer instead: marry him, save his dying grandmother's peace of mind, and help him bait the uncle circling his empire like a wolf. It's supposed to be a contract. Nothing more. But the man she was promised to as a girl and the man hunting Luciano's throne are the same person, and he's not done with either of them. As old secrets surface and new ones are made in the dark, Kira has to decide

"But I like this." Vance offered a slow, knowing smile that crinkled the corners of his eyes behind his lenses. "The false hope?" "That's just a part, you know," Vanessa answered, a faint, dangerous curve touching her lips. "I have a bigger plan." Vance paused, holding his pen mid-air as he looked at her with genuine, professional curiosity. "A bigger plan? Beyond total legal neutralization and financial liquidation?"