Novels by Jera J.

Violetta stepped out of her car and hurried toward the flashing police lights.She could barely sit still at the mansion after Damien left so she made a few calls to find out where he could be. The sharp scent of smoke still hung in the air when she arrived.Firefighters moved around the charred wreckage while officers kept the dispersing crowd behind the barricades.Her eyes quickly found Damien.He stood motionless a few feet away from the burnt vehicle, his face drained of all color.For the first time since she'd known him, he looked… lost."Damien”, she called out but he didn't turn.She slowed as she reached his side."I'm here."His gaze remained fixed on the twisted metal before him."They found Shirley's phone”, his voice was flat."And Cindy's teddy bear."Violetta's heart skipped a beat."I'm so sorry."Neither of them spoke again.A police officer approached, removing his cap as he stopped before them."Mr. Schrett?"Damien finally looked up."I'm Detective Mason. I unders

"Shirley?"Damien called out but it was empty. He frowned.She always slept in Cindy's nursery whenever they argued.Without another thought, he walked across the hallway and pushed open the nursery door."Cindy?"But it was silent.The bed was neatly made.The night lamp still glowed faintly beside the little bed, but there was no sign of either of them.His brows knitted together."They must be downstairs."He descended the staircase two steps at a time.The living room was empty and so was the kitchen."Daisy."The maid hurried out from the pantry."Yes, sir?""Where's Madam?"Daisy looked puzzled."I thought she was upstairs.""And Cindy?""I haven't seen her since last night."Damien's expression hardened."What do you mean you haven't seen her?""I... I assumed ma’am had taken her to the nursery after dinner."He looked around the house once more."Shirley!"His voice echoed through the mansion.But there was no answer.He checked the study, the guest room and the backyard.But

The living room was silent after Damien disappeared upstairs.Shirley remained seated on the sofa with the document resting on her lap.She felt too numb to move.The signature line on the document blurred before her eyes.Three years…three years of trying.Three years of convincing herself that if she loved him enough, everything would somehow return to the way it used to be.She remembered the boy who had waited outside her college after lectures.The man who had stolen kisses whenever her father wasn't looking.The man who had promised that class differences meant nothing.Somewhere along the line...That man had disappeared.Or perhaps he had never existed at all.A slow breath escaped her lips.She reached for the pen lying on the coffee table.Her hand hovered over the papers for only a moment before she signed.Shirley Schrett.The ink had barely dried when she pushed the papers back into the envelope.‘So this is how it ends,’ she whispered.She had no strength to fight and th

The following morning, Damien arrived at Schrett Holdings earlier than usual.He left Violetta's house at dawn and went home only to change into new clothes for work.He went into his bedroom and noticed Cindy was sleeping beside Shirley so he placed a little kiss on her forehead before leaving, trying not to disturb either of them. But unbeknownst to him, Shirley saw him. She just refused to speak.In the office, the city was only beginning to wake yet the building was alive with assistants moving from one office to another. He shut his office door and sank into his chair. His desk was covered with contracts waiting for his signature, but his attention remained fixed on something else.The divorce.He picked up his phone and dialed a number on the speed dial.The call connected after the second ring."Mr. Lewis speaking." "I need you to prepare the documents."There was a brief pause."For a business acquisition?""No."Damien leaned back in his chair."A divorce.""I understand.

She stared at him."... What do you mean by ‘yet’?"They both stood still in the absence of words. Damien placed his briefcase on the armchair before letting out a slow breath."I never said I was divorcing you.""But you were discussing divorce papers with another woman.""You shouldn't have looked at my phone.""So that's your answer?"He looked away."You invaded my privacy.”A bitter laugh escaped her lips."Privacy?"She took a step toward him."You've been having an affair for two years. You brought your mistress into this house. You kissed her in your office where anyone could have walked in. And you're talking about privacy?"Damien pinched the bridge of his nose."I don't want to argue.""But I do”, her voice rose."I deserve to at least know what's going on.”Yet again, silence settled between them.She looked at him trying to see if he would soften up.She had loved him for years. She had walked away from her dream to be a global jeweller because she believed loving him wo

The next day after Violetta came for dinner, the house was unusually quiet. Cindy was awake and her tiny giggles echoed through the living room as Daisy chased her around with a clean towel after breakfast.It was Shirley who had gone quiet.She simply drifted around the house in silence. She folded laundry and watered the flowers by the front porch.She later helped Cindy put together another crooked castle from wooden blocks.She did everything she was supposed to do…nothing more and nothing less.Damien noticed everything but he simply chose not to mention it.He buttoned the cuffs of his shirt as he descended the staircase.His briefcase rested beside the front door, ready for another day at Schrett Holdings."You have a meeting with the board today," Shirley said without looking at him."I know.""There'll be traffic on the expressway so take the other route.""I know that too”, he replied and that was the extent of their conversation.He picked up his briefcase and walked towa