Novels by Leratolaka

A sharp ring of the doorbell sliced through the heavy silence.When Ace flung it open, a young waiter stood frozen on the threshold. He wore a crisp black suit and a stark white shirt, but his uniform couldn't mask the way his hands trembled. His face was pale with sheer terror."H-here is your ice, sir," he stammered, staring fixedly at the floor, desperate to avoid Ace’s piercing gaze."Thanks," Ace clipped out. He snatched the ice bucket and swung the door shut, cutting the boy off mid-breath.Inside the kitchen, Bella sat perched on the counter. She looked painfully small. A dark, ugly purple bruise ringed her delicate neck—a vivid mark of regret for the choices that had brought her to this place.Ace approached her, his hard expression softening just a fraction. "Here, put this on it. It’ll help bring the swelling down." He gently offered the improvised ice pack to her.Bella looked up, offering him a fragile, fractured smile that didn’t quite reach her eyes. Her fingers shook as

Bella lay flat on her back, her eyes tracking the ceiling fan as it spun in a dizzying, rhythmic blur. This hotel—this gilded cage in the heart of Dubai—felt less like a luxury suite and more like a circle of hell. Clad only in a plush white robe that felt like lead against her skin, she let out a jagged sigh and drifted toward the private balcony.Outside, the sky had begun to weep.A soft, grey rain began to fall, misting against her face as she stepped onto the terrace. Below, in the courtyard, a phalanx of men in charcoal suits stood like statues. They were giants—six- and seven-foot titans shielded by black umbrellas—huddled in a hushed, urgent conferencThe cool dampness soaked through her robe, but Bella didn't flinch. The rain felt honest; it was the only thing in this city that didn't feel like a lie.Below, one of the sentries caught a flash of white movement above and nudged the man at the center of the circle. "Is that your wife on the balcony?"Riven turned with agonizing

"I… I don't know, man. I don't even know where to begin," Kane stammered, the words catching in a throat tight with suppressed rage. His eyes burned, brimming with tears he desperately tried to blink back.Trevor watched him, his expression a mask of confusion and growing concern. He had never seen his friend like this—caught in a chaotic storm of fury and grief. "I don’t follow. What are you trying to say?" Trevor pressed, curiosity finally overriding his hesitation."I don’t know yet," Kane hissed through grounded teeth, his fists clenching so hard the veins corded along his forearms. "But whoever did this… I’ll make sure they burn to ashes.""Stop speaking in riddles and get to the point!" Trevor snapped, his patience finally snapping.Kane’s voice dropped to a lethal, jagged whisper. "I think her father is abusing her.""Abused?" Trevor recoiled, trying to process the weight of the accusation. "How do you know that? Who told you?""I went to check on her because she was acting str

Lilly collapsed into Kane’s chest, clinging to him as if he were the only solid thing in a crumbling world. Her tears didn’t just fall; they bled into the fabric of his shirt, warm and relentless. She wrapped her arms around his broad waist, her heart splintering into a thousand jagged shards. Her nails dug into his skin, a desperate, unconscious grip, but Kane didn’t flinch. He welcomed the sting, offering his own body as a lightning rod for her agony.He cradled the back of her head, his fingers weaving gently through her hair to anchor her. For a heartbeat, the world fell away. In the circle of his arms, Lilly found a terrifying sanctuary a place where the jagged edges of her trauma felt momentarily smoothed. But the instinct to survive was louder than the need to heal. Panic, sharp and cold, flared in her chest at the weight of her own vulnerability.She wrenched herself away, her breath coming in ragged hitches, her eyes a raw, bloodshot map of grief."Please... just leave," she

The air in the fitting room was thick with the scent of new fabric and expensive perfume, but for Lily, it felt claustrophobic. Through the thin door, she could hear Samantha and Martha’s muffled giggles of delight. They were enamoured with their reflections, celebrating how the silk hugged their curves and traced the "butterfly" taper of their waists.Trevor’s voice drifted through the wood, warm and encouraging. "I see you finally found a piece to your liking, Lily. Why not give it a whirl?""Yeah... I guess," Lily murmured. Her voice was a ghost of its usual self, flat and dismissive to mask the tremor in her hands."The rooms are clear. Take your time," Trevor offered, his footsteps receding as he led the others toward the checkout. "While she gets settled, let’s get you two squared away at the register."Alone at last, Lily turned to the four-way mirror. It was a cruel piece of glass, capturing every angle of her body, leaving nowhere to hide. She peeled away her clothes with ago

“Hi?” Kane’s greeting was barely a breath, hesitant yet hopeful.“Hey,” Lilly murmured. She tried to slip past him, but Kane’s fingers brushed her skin, his hand closing gently around hers to anchor her in place. Her heart hammered against her ribs like a trapped bird. She swallowed hard, her throat tight with a dryness that tasted like silver and nerves.“Did I do something?” Kane’s voice dropped to a low, melodic vibration, heavy with genuine concern.Lilly kept her gaze fixed on the floor, shaking her head minutely. Kane didn’t let go; instead, he leaned in, his shadow enveloping her. His expression was a map of worry, his brow furrowed as he searched for a glimpse of her eyes. “Is something wrong? Did I get you into trouble?” He spoke with a slow, agonizing patience that made her skin prickle.“Why would you even care?” Lilly finally snapped. She tried to lace her voice with ice, but the coldness shattered under the weight of the tremor in her breath.The words struck Kane like a