Novels by fredinardjustine

The grand lobby of the Sterling Hotel sparkled under crystal chandeliers. James Caldwell stepped inside with Elena Sterling at his side, her custom jacket neat and tidy even after everything she had been through. Marcus had insisted on this banquet to honor James, and though he’d rather be anywhere else, he’d given his word. Elena glanced at him, calm but kindly, silently showing that she appreciated everything he had done for her.“Mr. Caldwell, you’re sure about this?” Elena asked, her voice low but professional. “You don’t strike me as the banquet type.”“I’m not,” James replied, his tone softer than usual. “But your father’s a hard man to refuse.”Before Elena could respond, a loud voice interrupted. “You! You snake!” Margaret rushed toward them, her red dress matching her angry, flushed face.James paused, his face giving nothing away, as Margaret stood in front of him. “You sabotaged my Sophia!” she spat, her finger jabbing at his chest. “Told Marcus Sterling lies to ruin her c

Marcus Sterling pressed the platinum card into James's palm despite his protests. "Please, Mr. Caldwell. This is the least we can do.""I don't need your money or services," James said, attempting to hand it back."It's not charity," Elena interjected smoothly, stepping forward with her executive confidence fully restored. "Consider it a business arrangement. The Sterling VIP card grants you access to our hotels, restaurants, medical facilities, and entertainment venues worldwide.""I'm not interested in—""Mr. Caldwell," Elena interrupted, her tone shifting to something more personal. "I'd like to be your friend. Real friends accept gestures of gratitude, even when they don't need them. Please give me this chance."James studied her face, seeing the sincerity beneath her composed exterior. After a long moment, he slipped the card into his jacket. "Alright."Elena smiled—the first genuine one he'd seen from her. "Thank you."Across the city, Simon Alexander stepped out of his Maserati

James's hand was on the door control when Elena's voice, soft and hesitant, made him pause."Mr. Caldwell?"He turned slightly, not quite looking back at her, waiting.Elena adjusted the thermal blanket with precise movements, her expression controlled despite the flush in her cheeks. The memory of what had passed between them—her fevered actions during the treatment—was a tactical concern that needed addressing."What happened in here," she said clearly, meeting his eyes directly. "I trust it remains confidential. Medical privacy is important to me."Her tone was businesslike, practical. James recognized it for what it was—not embarrassment, but the calculated request of a CEO who understood the value of controlling information."Alright," he said simply.The door sealed shut behind him with a soft pneumatic hiss, leaving Elena alone to process what had just occurred with the analytical mind that had built her empire.In the corridor, Marcus Sterling paced like a caged animal, his ex

"The fire is centered here," James said, his voice clinical and detached. "In your heart meridian and lung channels. If I don't redirect it, it will burn through your nervous system within the hour."His fingers pressed more firmly, and Elena bit her lip hard enough to draw blood. The sensations were overwhelming—the cooling touch of his skin against her fevered flesh, the way the burning energy seemed to respond to his will, shifting and flowing like liquid fire through her veins."I know this is difficult," he said quietly, and for the first time since entering the chamber, his voice carried a note of compassion. "But your body is fighting itself. The energy has nowhere to go. I need to give it a path."James forced himself to maintain clinical detachment as his hands moved along the mapped pathways of Elena's energy channels. The ancient healing arts required precise contact with meridian points, and her condition left no room for modesty or hesitation.Each touch was calculated, p

Daniel Sterling stood frozen in the corridor for several heartbeats after the chamber door sealed shut. Then, like a dam bursting, sensation flooded through his body—warmth, vitality, a surge of life he hadn't felt in over a year.His father watched in amazement as color returned to Daniel's face, as his shoulders straightened and the chronic tension that had marked his features for months simply melted away."My God," Daniel breathed, his hands trembling as he examined himself. "It's real. I can actually feel..." He couldn't finish the sentence, overcome by the magnitude of what had just happened.Without another word, he turned and strode down the corridor, his steps quick and purposeful. He needed to find someone, to test whether this miracle was genuine or just cruel hope. The cleaning staff, perhaps, or one of the nurses from the night shift who'd always looked at him with interest.Marcus called after him, but Daniel was already disappearing around the corner, leaving his father

The Sterling estate sprawled across twenty acres of manicured grounds, its Georgian facade hiding the modern medical facility that had been built into its eastern wing. James followed Marcus through corridors lined with monitoring equipment and the quiet hum of advanced life support systems.They stopped before a reinforced door marked with biohazard warnings and temperature controls. The air here carried a bite of artificial winter, and James could see his breath forming small clouds as they approached."She's in there," Marcus said quietly, his hand hovering over the keypad. "The fever episodes... they're getting worse. When they spike, her body temperature reaches dangerous levels. The only thing that keeps her alive is this chamber—we keep it at minus ten degrees Celsius."Six security guards flanked the entrance, their eyes alert despite the early hour. These weren't ordinary bodyguards—James recognized the stance, the watchful stillness of former military men who'd seen real com