Novels by Jace Draven

The security man swallowed hard. Out of nowhere, cold sweat broke out across his temples, sliding down the sides of his face.He was the one who had carried the box inside, completely unaware of what it contained. Now that it had turned out to be something so horrifying, he knew he was standing on dangerous ground—especially with Jeff watching him so intently.“We—I checked the CCTV just like you instructed,” he stuttered, his voice trembling.“And?” Jeff pressed, one eyebrow arching sharply.The guard gulped again before forcing himself to continue. “While reviewing the footage, we discovered that all the cameras in the mansion suddenly went blank for exactly two minutes. When they came back online… the package was already there.” He hesitated, then lowered his head. “We checked thoroughly. There was no record of anyone entering or leaving the premises.”He swallowed once more before adding in a strained voice, “Whoever brought the package in is likely… a ghost.”Jeff and Derek excha

At the Hilton mansion, Derek sat in the living room, engaged in a low conversation with the family’s emissary, Jeff. The air was heavy with anticipation.“Have you heard from the private investigator?” Derek asked, his voice calm but edged with impatience. “He promised to give us some information today.”“Yes,” Jeff replied quickly. “I spoke with him about ten minutes ago. He said he’s uncovered something significant and is already on his way here to explain what he’s found. He should arrive any moment now.”“That’s good,” Mr. Hilton said with a tired sigh as he leaned back into the cushions of the luxurious couch. For the first time in weeks, a flicker of relief crossed his face.It’s been a month since Mr. Scofield’s mysterious death. And he took to the grave with him answers to the questions Derek desperately seek answers. Two questions refused to leave his mind.“Who is the Supreme One?”“Who exactly are the members of the Shadow Dawning?”Without answers, Mr. Hilton remained rest

“Apologize on our knees?” Clara was stunned, a small but stubborn frown appearing on her face. She shook her head defiantly. “We can apologize to Professor Gerald, but not to this pauper… no way!”The Vice Chancellor’s expression darkened instantly, his patience snapping. “You should have thought about the consequences before falsely accusing him,” he thundered. “Now do exactly as I instructed, or I will take strict disciplinary action against you immediately.”Clara hesitated, her lips trembling slightly. But before she could react, her supporters had already stepped forward and dropped to their knees in front of Professor Gerald.“We are sorry, sir,” James said, bowing his head deeply as he spoke on behalf of the group. “We shouldn’t have listened to Clara or allowed ourselves to be used to ruin your good name. Please forgive us.”Standing alone, abandoned by the very students who once echoed her accusations, Clara felt her confidence drain away completely. The boldness she had clun

Darren swallowed hard. The only thing holding him back from becoming visibly tense was his clear conscience. He knew he was innocent of all the accusations Clara and her supporters were throwing at him. However, hearing the Vice Chancellor declare that he would be expelled if found guilty still sent an uncontrollable shiver crawling slowly down his spine.While his thoughts lingered uneasily, the VC’s voice rang out again, sharp and commanding.“Bring out Darren’s three scripts!”With a respectful nod, Professor Gerald stepped forward. He carefully pulled out three scripts from the stack of papers he was holding and placed them neatly on the conference table directly in front of the Vice Chancellor.The VC lifted his head and gestured for three other professors to come and sit beside him.Soon, three senior professors joined the VC at the table. The men appeared older and more seasoned than even the Vice Chancellor himself. These were professors who had spent over forty years in acade

With an obedient nod, the administrative officer turned and left the hall, headed towards Professor Gerald’s office. Before he walked out of the door, he cast a skeptical look between Clara and Darren. Once he was gone, Clara disrespectfully approached his seat and without permission sat on it. She crossed her leg and relaxed her back comfortably like she was in her father’s living room. Tossing a strand of hair behind her ear, she said in a casual tone, her voice filled with contemptuous disrespect. “Professor Gerald is a very corrupt lecturer. Men like him doesn’t deserve to be teaching in this prestigious university. Getting him fired is good riddance!”Everyone looked at her with bewilderment. Her audacity scared them. The board members frowned but didn’t say anything.After a few minutes, the Vice Chancellor shot her a warning glare and said in a raspy tone, “What you are accusing Professor Gerald and Darren of better be true. If not…” he stopped and bit his lower lip.Shift

At that moment, Clara and her supporters had arrived at the administrative unit, headed towards the small hall.Meanwhile, inside, Mr. Frank rose from his seat and walked towards Darren. His face was no longer blank as usual, he flashed Darren a smug smile as he placed a gentle hand on his shoulder. Turning to face his colleagues, Mr. Frank announced in a firm tone, “Allow me to present to you the best performing student of the year. Ladies and gentlemen meet Darren Wayne!”Darren’s eyes lit with surprise. Both relief and excitement crashing into him at the same time. All this while, he thought he had maybe committed an offense and he was summoned here to be punished, but it was the complete opposite.Following Mr. Frank's announcement, the room exploded in applause —everyone in the small hall clapped proudly. “Congratulations Darren. For someone who has taught you every semester since first year and knows your background; how you run errands before coming for lectures. I must say