Novel-novel oleh Authoress Ize

Elara's POV.I stood in front of the mirror, studying my reflection with cold calculation. Tonight, I would become the devoted wife again, the woman who could make his heart race and his thoughts scatter. I needed him drawn to me completely, irrevocably. And I intended to make sure of it.I chose a deep burgundy dress that clung to my curves like a second skin, the neckline plunging just enough to hint without revealing. I curled my hair so it cascaded over one shoulder, applied red lipstick with careful precision, and added a touch of perfume to my wrists and neck.The woman staring back at me was no longer the one who had worn gray for a decade. She was dangerous, beautiful, composed, and ready.By seven, I was descending the staircase, my heels clicking against the marble with each deliberate step. Adrian stood at the bottom, one hand gripping the banister, his eyes fixed on me with an intensity that made my stomach tighten.He looked at me like a man watching a storm approach,

Elara's POV.I stood at the bedroom door, my hand hovering over the handle, contemplating whether to leave a message for Adrian.But I stopped myself. Why should I act like a good wife? Why should I explain myself to a man who never explained himself to me? He didn't ask permission when he met Sophia. He didn't inform me when he made plans. So why should I?I pulled my hand back and walked out of the house without a backward glance.****Victor's Academy of Music stood in the heart of the city, a grand building of glass and steel gleaming beneath the afternoon sun. I paused at the entrance, my breath catching as memories rushed back.Years of practice. Endless hours of discipline. The weight of trophies in my hands. The sound of applause echoing through crowded halls.This was my world before Adrian.This was who I was before I became Mrs. Sterling.A bitter ache settled in my chest. Ten years of sacrifices, compromises, and abandoned dreams for a marriage that had given me far less t

Adrian’s POV.I sat at the dining table for a long time after she left.The eggs had gone cold and the toast had turned dry, but neither held my attention as much as the empty chair where she had sat and the painful twist in my chest.A pain I wasn't supposed to feel. I didn't love Elara. I was just trying to be a better person. That's all.I was just trying to be decent until I found the truth about my past. Yet why did this hurt? Why did her pulling away feel like she was taking something vital with her?I groaned, running my hands through my hair. This was supposed to soften her. The breakfast, the smile, the careful way I had arranged the fruit. But it didn't.She had looked at me like I was a stranger wearing her husband's face.I cleared the dishes. The sink filled with water. I washed each plate slowly, methodically, trying to empty my mind.When I finally walked into the bedroom, she was lying on the bed, flipping through a book. Her legs were tucked beneath her. Her hair fell

Elara's POV.I adjust my hoodie, pulling the cap lower over my face. Then I slide into the booth behind them, my back to their table, close enough to hear.Come on. Say something useful.But the more I strain my ears, the more I hear nothing but whispers. Soft. Intimate. The kind of whispers that belong in bedrooms, not restaurants.Sophia leans in, her hand brushing his arm as her fingers trail slowly up his sleeve, and she laughs—a low, breathy sound that makes my teeth clench.Who whispers in a public place? Who does that? It's like she's trying to be mysterious. Or annoying. Probably both.A waiter passes. A tray wobbles. Hot coffee sloshes over the rim and splashes across my table and my lap."Holy shit!"The words explode out of me before I can stop them. Heads turn. The entire restaurant freezes.Sophia looks over, confused. And Adrian... Adrian's head whips toward the sound. His eyes scan the figure in the hoodie. Something flickers across his face. Recognition? No. Impossibl

Elara’s POV.The gala is held in the Sterling Hotel's grand ballroom. Crystal chandeliers. Champagne flowing. The city's elite gathered in their finest, here to see and be seen.I stand at the edge of the room, the emerald dress hugging my body, my hair swept back, my hands steady.Adrian approaches. He offers his arm. I take it.He leads me through the crowd, stopping to greet his business partners, accepting their praise, their envy, their respect. I stand beside him, silent, the dutiful wife."Adrian." A man in a gray suit claps his shoulder. "I hear your wife is playing tonight. How delightful."Adrian's smile is tight. "My wife will play a little piece. Nothing special."In my past life, they would have sunk into my chest, heavy with shame.Now, I smile sweetly and innocently."Nothing special," I echo.Adrian glances at me. Something flickers in his eyes. A question, maybe or the first stirring of unease.He does not know what is coming.The piano sits at the center of the stag

Elara’s POV.The brunch is held in the grand dining room. Crystal chandeliers, a table long enough to seat twenty, though only eight sit at it.I walk in on Adrian's arm. I feel Agatha's eyes on me before I see her.She sits at the head of the table. Diamond rings weighing down her fingers, her gaze travels from my face to my dress and back again.I smile, sweetly. The smile I practiced in the mirror before I walked out of my room.Adrian pulls out my chair. A small gesture. One he never made in my first life. I sit, and he takes the seat beside me. His eyes flick to me once, then away.Agatha begins."Elara," she says, her voice honey over steel. "I see you've chosen something... bold for your first family appearance."In my past life, I shrank. I smoothed my skirt. I mumbled something about not meaning to draw attention.I meet her eyes. "I wanted to look my best for the family. First impressions matter, don't they?"Her smile tightens. "They do. Which is why I'm surprised Adrian

Evelyn’s POV.I hummed under my breath while I stirred the sauce, hips swaying slightly to the soft jazz drifting from the speaker in the corner. The wedding was in forty-eight hours. My stomach fluttered every time I thought about it—white dress hanging in the guest room closet, flowers already being delivered to the venue, Alex’s vows tucked in an envelope on my nightstand that I wasn’t allowed to peek at yet.I was happy. So happy it almost scared me.The front door clicked open. Alex appeared in the doorway, tie already loosened, sleeves rolled to his elbows. His eyes found me immediately, and the tired lines around them softened.“God, you look good in my kitchen,” he said, voice low and warm.I laughed, setting the wooden spoon down. “I look good anywhere.”“True.” He crossed the room in three strides, hands sliding around my waist from behind. His chest pressed to my back, chin resting on my shoulder. I leaned into him, eyes closing for a second as his lips brushed the side

Lucas’s POV. The glow from the television cast long shadows across the empty living room. I slumped deeper into the leather couch, remote dangling from one hand, a half-empty bottle of bourbon balanced on my knee. The news ticker scrolled at the bottom of the screen—stocks up, some politician caught in a scandal—but I wasn’t paying attention. Not until the entertainment segment flashed on. “...breaking tonight: Billionaire Alexander Blackwell pops the question to attorney Evelyn Carter in a fairy-tale proposal. Sources say it happened at her law firm, surrounded by colleagues and candlelight. The ring? A stunner with emeralds to match her eyes. Wedding bells expected this summer.” The screen cut to a grainy paparazzi shot: Alex and Evelyn stepping out of a restaurant, her hand lifted to shield her face, that rock catching the flash. She leaned into him, laughing. He kissed her temple like she was something precious. The bottle slipped. It hit the floor with a thud, bourbon sp

Evelyn’s POV.The next morning dawned soft and hazy, the kind of winter light that filters through curtains like pale honey. I woke up wrapped in Alex, one of his arms slung possessively across my waist, the other tucked under my pillow. His breath was warm against the back of my neck, slow and even. The new ring caught the light every time I moved my hand, throwing tiny rainbows across the sheets.I stared at it for long minutes, heart so full it almost hurt.I was going to be his wife.I turned carefully in his arms so I could watch him sleep. His lashes were dark against his cheeks, the faint scar above his eyebrow more visible in the gentle light. He looked peaceful in a way I’d rarely seen—like the weight he’d carried for years had finally lifted, even if just a little. I traced the line of his jaw with my fingertip, barely touching, and smiled when he stirred, mumbling something incoherent before pulling me closer.“Morning, fiancée,” he rasped, eyes still closed, lips curvi

Evelyn’s POV.To my surprise, there was another door. I glanced at him, and he shot me a nervous smile before pushing it open and the breath left my lungs in a soft, stunned rush.Hundreds of tiny fairy lights had been strung across the ceiling like fallen stars. They twinkled softly, bathing the entire space in warm gold. Every desk had been cleared away. In their place stood long tables draped in white linen, covered with candles, dozens of them, flames dancing gently, throwing soft shadows across the room. Roses….deep red, blush pink, creamy white…spilled over every surface in loose, wild arrangements. The scent wrapped around me, sweet and heady.And then I saw the people.My entire team stood in a loose semicircle, smiling so wide their eyes crinkled. They were all here. All of them. Dressed up. Beaming. And my receptionist held my dad's photo.I blinked back the tears that threatened to fall, fanning my eyes with my hands.Alex’s fingers tightened around mine. I felt the slig

Evelyn’s POV.Sunlight filtered through the curtains, warm and golden, pulling me from a deep, contented sleep. I stretched lazily, my body still humming from last night’s intensity. Memories flooded back, Alex’s hands on my skin. A smile tugged at my lips as I reached out, expecting to find his solid warmth beside me.But the bed was empty. The sheets on his side were cool, the indent from his body barely there. My heart skipped a beat, a flicker of unease cutting through the haze of satisfaction. "Alex?" I called softly, sitting up. The room was quiet, too quiet. No sounds from the bathroom, no clatter from the kitchen downstairs.I swung my legs over the edge of the bed, my feet hitting the cool hardwood floor. A quick glance at the clock showed it was just past nine. He wasn’t an early riser, not like this. Not after a night that had left us both exhausted and blissfully spent. I pulled on his discarded shirt from the floor, it smelled like him, that mix of sandalwood and

Evelny’s POV.We lingered in that kiss, our lips moving slowly at first, then with a growing hunger that mirrored the storm of emotions swirling inside me. Alex's hands slid down my back, pulling me tighter against him. I felt him harden even more, that insistent press against my belly sending a jolt straight between my legs. My breath hitched, a soft moan escaping into his mouth. His tongue teased mine.He broke away first, his forehead resting against mine. "Evelyn," he murmured, his voice low and rough, like gravel under tires. One hand cupped my cheek, his thumb brushing my lower lip. "You have no idea what you do to me."I smiled, my fingers tracing the line of his jaw. "Show me," I whispered back, my voice breathy, challenging. I leaned in, nipping at his earlobe gently. He sucked in a sharp breath, his grip tightening on my waist. Helen cleared her throat from the doorway, her presence a gentle reminder. We pulled apart, but Alex kept his arm around me as we said our go