Novels by Velvet

Nobody spoke for several seconds. The room remained unusually quiet after Amelia introduced herself. Her words still lingered in the air, making everyone wonder what kind of relationship she and Dominic had shared in the past.Ava, however, remained composed.She withdrew her hand after their handshake and smiled politely.“It’s nice to meet you too.”Amelia studied her for a brief moment before nodding.“I’ve heard a lot about you.”“Hopefully nothing bad,” Ava replied with a small smile.Amelia let out a soft laugh.“Quite the opposite.” The simple exchange surprised everyone in the room.Vanessa had expected sparks to fly the moment Amelia mentioned being close to Dominic. Instead, the two women were speaking to each other with remarkable courtesy.Even Diana couldn’t hide her surprise. She quietly glanced at Vanessa, whose expression had already begun to darken.This wasn’t the reaction she had hoped for.Grandpa Hale looked from one woman to the other before laughing heartily.“T

The sound of the Ferrari’s engine faded into silence. The woman standing outside adjusted the strap of her handbag before removing the black sunglasses resting on the bridge of her nose.The movement was slow and effortless. As soon as her face became visible, Vanessa’s eyes widened.Her heartbeat quickened. She stared through the glass doors as though she had seen a ghost.“Amelia…” The name slipped from her lips before she even realized she had spoken.The room immediately fell quiet. Everyone turned toward Vanessa.Diana frowned.“What did you just say?” Vanessa didn’t answer.She continued staring at the woman outside. Following Vanessa’s line of sight, everyone looked toward the entrance.The woman had already begun walking up the marble steps leading into the mansion.She looked exactly the same as Vanessa remembered. Almost impossible to ignore.The servants opened the doors before she reached them.She thanked them with a gentle smile and stepped inside the mansion as though s

The birthday celebration continued long into the evening before the first group of guests finally began leaving.Luxury cars lined the driveway as chauffeurs waited patiently outside the Hale mansion. Business partners, family friends, and important guests walked toward the entrance one after another, stopping to shake Grandpa Hale’s hand before leaving.“Thank you for coming,” Grandpa Hale said warmly to an elderly businessman who had traveled from another city. “I’m glad you could make time for an old man.”The businessman laughed.“If this old man keeps looking this energetic at eighty, I’ll need to ask for your secret.”Grandpa Hale laughed just as loudly.“I’ll tell you after I turn ninety.”The joke earned another round of laughter before the man climbed into his car.Margaret stood beside Grandpa Hale throughout the farewell, greeting everyone with a polite smile. Nathan also helped escort some of the older guests to their vehicles, while Sophie thanked those who congratulated

Dora could barely contain her excitement as she led Lina through the front garden.“You have to keep a straight face,” she whispered and Lina laughed.“You’re asking the wrong person.”“I’m serious.”“I’ll try.”The two girls entered the mansion together. Most of the staff members were too busy preparing for the birthday celebration to pay much attention to them.Fresh flowers decorated every corner of the house.The smell of expensive perfume drifted through the hallways as makeup artists, stylists and assistants hurried from one room to another.Lina looked around in amazement.“I’ve only seen houses like this in movies.” Dora smiled proudly.“You’ll get used to it.”“I don’t think so.” A housekeeper noticed them and smiled politely.“Good afternoon, Miss Dora.”“Good afternoon.”“Is this your guest?”“Yes.” The housekeeper nodded.“I’ll let Madam Ava know you’ve arrived.”Dora quickly shook her head.“No.” The woman looked confused.“I want to surprise her.” Understanding immediate

Dominic stood quietly outside the bedroom. The maid stepped aside after opening the door, leaving the two of them facing each other in silence.Ava had expected almost anyone except him.The argument from two days ago still lingered between them. It hadn’t disappeared simply because time had passed.Ava was the first to recover.“Come in.” Dominic gave a slight nod before stepping inside.The maid quietly closed the door behind him, leaving them alone.The room suddenly felt much smaller.Ava stood near the dressing mirror while Dominic remained a few steps away. His eyes briefly swept over her before settling on her face.“You wanted to see me?” Dominic slipped one hand into his pocket.“I did.”Another silence followed.Neither of them seemed to know where to begin.Finally, Dominic exhaled softly.“I shouldn’t have hit Ethan.” Ava blinked.She had expected many things. An admission like that had never crossed her mind.She looked at him carefully, almost wondering if she had heard

Silence settled over the banquet hall after Grandpa Hale finished speaking. The smile on his face never faded as he looked around the room. Every guest seemed frozen in place, unsure whether they had heard him correctly.After a few seconds, he chuckled.“Why is everyone looking at me like I’ve done something terrible?” he asked. “I’m only getting married.”A few awkward laughs followed, but they quickly disappeared.The Hale family still looked stunned.Dominic’s mother sat perfectly still, her fingers tightening around the stem of her wine glass. The other women seated nearby exchanged confused glances, but none of them dared to say anything while so many important guests were watching.Grandpa Hale turned to Margaret and smiled warmly before taking her hand.“I suppose I should introduce everyone properly.”Margaret stepped forward gracefully. She wore a navy blue evening gown that suited her calm and elegant appearance. Although she had become the center of attention, she showed n