Novels by Edethabor

CHAPTER 47One week laterKaelen didn’t wait for applause or congratulations. The moment the final signature touched the last page of the contract, he extended his hand toward the man standing across from him. Their handshake carried the weight of weeks of negotiation, endless revisions, and sleepless nights. The man—a well-known private investor with a reputation for being almost impossible to secure—grinned broadly as they shook.“It’s official,” the investor said. “One point five billion dollars. I look forward to seeing what your company does with it.”Kaelen forced himself to smile back. “We’ll make sure you get your returns. Thank you again for trusting us.”They exchanged a few more words before Kaelen gestured for the group of representatives waiting by the door.“Please take Mr. Alverez and his team around the building,” he instructed. “Show them the labs first. They’ll want to see where their money is going.”The representatives nodded and quickly formed around the inves

CHAPTER 46 — LUCK, OR SOMETHING ELSE?"Wait." She suddenly called out. Kaelen didn’t waste time circling the matter. As soon as Ariana settled into her seat again, still visibly tense, he leaned forward and asked, “What do you really want, Ariana?”The question caught her off guard. Her fingers tightened around her cup, and for a moment she just stared at the table. “I just want a job that pays the bills,” she said quietly. “Something stable. Something that lets me breathe again.”Kaelen held her gaze, not brushing her words aside. “Are you still interested in the position you applied for?”The answer slipped out of her before she even realized she’d spoken. “Yes.”A second later, her eyes widened. She sat up straighter. “Wait—I didn’t mean— I mean, I did, but—”Kaelen had already stood up.He stepped away from the table and pulled out his phone. Ariana watched him walk to the corner of the café, her chest tightening with a mix of hope and panic. He looked too focused for this to be

Chapter 45:Kaelen felt his jaw still aching. He needed a serious reset, and the only reliable one he knew involved caffeine and mindless people-watching.He drove three blocks and spotted The Grind Stop. Cheesy name, but the full parking lot promised decent coffee. He pulled his beat-up sedan into a tight spot, shut off the engine, and sat there for a minute, running a hand through his hair."Right," he muttered. "Step one: don't think about anything. Step two: think about double-shot lattes."Inside, the place was cozy, smelling like roasted beans and cinnamon. The noise was the right kind of background hum. He walked up to the counter and ordered his usual—a ridiculous custom creation with caramel and about 800 milligrams of caffeine—from a tired-looking boss."Man, you look beat," Kaelen said.The boss, a stocky guy with a neat apron, offered a tired smile. "It's just one of those days. Got a bit of drama brewing in the corner."Kaelen glanced over his shoulder. At a dark table

CHAPTER 44 — WINTER REMEMBRANCESKaelen sat in his car, the engine quietly humming beneath him as snowflakes began to settle on the windshield. Winter had arrived, and the first snowfall of the season painted the world in white. He had driven past his old home, the house where he had once shared laughter, meals, and quiet nights with Riley and their daughter. His gaze lingered on the familiar structure, memories cascading unbidden.He remembered waking up to Riley’s sleepy smile, the soft sound of Mirella’s laughter as she built snowmen in the yard. Those winters had been full of warmth and small, perfect moments that made him believe that happiness could last forever. The scent of cinnamon from the kitchen, the low hum of the heater, the quiet conversations they shared in the evenings—all of it felt tangible again, pressing against his chest.But now, the house was just a structure to him.It was now just a symbol of what had been lost. Kaelen sighed, letting the memories linger

CHAPTER 43 — THE DEAL IN THE DARKDarren woke with a violent jerk, his breath catching as pain shot down the side of his face and into his chest. For a second he couldn’t understand where he was. His head felt too heavy, his vision too slow. Then the bitter smell of dust and rusted metal hit him, and his senses crashed back into place.He was tied to a chair.A single dying bulb hung loosely from the high ceiling, flickering weakly. The long shadows it cast across the concrete floor looked more alive than he felt. Wherever he was, it wasn’t a police station, a home, or a place meant for safety. It was the kind of place you ended up in when you’d run out of luck.His heartbeat spiked instantly.“Shit…” he whispered, struggling against the ropes. His wrists burned, and the chair didn’t even shake. Whoever tied him had done it professionally.Before he could process his next thought, a low whistle drifted from the darkness behind him.Darren froze.Footsteps followed slowly, deliberat

Chapter 42The taxi splashed through the puddles on the rain-slicked streets, each drop catching the city lights in a fleeting shimmer. Darren sat back in the worn leather seat, staring out the window as the familiar sights of downtown blurred past. He had taken this route countless times before, but tonight, the streets seemed heavier, darker, more menacing. The rain started as a drizzle, then picked up, drumming a steady rhythm on the roof of the cab.“C’mon, c’mon,” Darren muttered under his breath, watching the traffic lights change with impatient eyes. He couldn’t shake the feeling that he was walking toward trouble—but what choice did he have? Kaelen had left him humiliated, defeated in a fight that Darren had thought he was prepared for. But nothing in the world could make him accept that loss. Not quietly, not without a fight back. He needed answers, and more importantly, he needed power.The taxi screeched to a halt near an alleyway that Darren recognized immediately. He