Novels by Koko's quill

“Come on, get out!” an officer barked as the heavy cell door swung open.Desmond’s wrists ached as they grabbed him roughly, dragging him to his feet. He stumbled slightly, his back still sore from the old injuries, but the officers didn’t care. They dragged him down the stone corridor with other prisoners. Two weeks in prison had made every day a repeat of hell. Every few days, they were forced to do tedious, exhausting work like; lifting heavy blocks and buckets of water, bathing cows, weeding endless fields, running until their lungs burned, and often going without food. Those who stopped halfway were whipped.They pushed him into a wide, open yard where dozens of other prisoners were already at work. Blood streamed down some men’s arms, their lips swollen from previous beatings. Others collapsed in the middle of a task, barely conscious. Their groans mixed with the barked orders of the officers, who moved among them like predators.Desmond’s eyes fell on a frail figure being push

All eyes fell on Desmond. People gasped, staring at him with pure disgust. “Oh my gosh… is that him?” someone whispered.Another woman shook her head slowly. “Is that the groom or security staff?”A third voice scoffed quietly to her friend. “If he were my son, I would deny knowing him.”Desmond clenched his fists, his chest tightening as murmurs spread through the hall.“He looks disgusting, even in that suit,” someone said openly. “Gosh.”Desmond looked around at the faces judging him, his voice shaking. “I didn’t do anything,” he said. “She’s lying.” He pointed toward Cherry. “Yes, I wanted to talk to her, but it was about my sister. She did all of this to herself. She cut herself. She hit her head on the wall. And then she ran out and—”PAH!A sharp slap landed across Desmond’s face before he could finish. His head snapped to the side. Mrs. Vixen stood before him, her eyes blazing with rage.“Have you gone mad, young man?” she shouted. “I knew you were unstable, but this…this is be

“If you try anything funny today, you leave this place in a coffin,” Mr. Vixen said coldly to Desmond who sat stiffly on the seat with his hands clenched on his thighs. It was his wedding day, yet it felt more like the day of his execution.He stood and moved to sit in front of the mirror. He didn’t know what he was supposed to feel anymore. For the past week, they had tortured him in ways that left no visible marks but endless pain. His back still hurt. His knee throbbed. And yet they had forced him into a singlet, then a shirt, and then a suit on top of it all, even though the layers only made the pain worse.The suit wasn’t even his size. The sleeves stopped just before his wrists. There were no cufflinks, wrist watches. Not even perfume. Everything about him looked wrong. They had done it on purpose.Mr. Vixen glanced at his watch. “It’s almost time. He better be out there.”With that, he turned and walked out.Desmond was left alone in the room. Moments later, the door opened aga

The noise of the mall faded around Desmond. His grip tightened on the phone as he listened, his breathing shallow as his mind spun uncontrollably.Alive? His little sister was alive?He remembered the accident. His mother and his sister had been in a taxi, coming to meet him. Another car had collided with them at full speed. The impact had been intense. His mother had died on the spot.He remembered kneeling beside her, his hands shaking as he checked for signs of life. But there was nothing. Then he saw his sister lying a few steps away. He had rushed to her in panic. He had pressed his fingers against her neck and wrist. But there was no pulse or heartbeat. Her body was cold and unresponsive.Before he could do anything else, the police and emergency wardens had pushed him away, telling him to move aside.And now, one week later…Someone was telling him she was alive.“Wait,” Desmond said hoarsely into the phone. “Are you sure about what you’re saying?”“Yes,” the nurse replied fir

“I'll marry her!” Desmond’s voice trembled.Shambu paused. His hand hovered inches above the steaming pot, the heat burning his skin without even touching it. Damien’s whole body shook, not just from pain now, but from intense fear.“I’ll get married to her,” he repeated, voice breaking. “I swear it. Just… please.”For a moment, the room went eerily quiet.Then Victor laughed loudly. “You see?” he said, turning to the room as if addressing an audience. “Reason always works in the end.”He waved his hand lazily. “Pull him away from the water.”The man withdrew his hand, and Damien collapsed fully to the floor, gasping. His fingers curled into the floor, his back burning.Mr. Victor crouched in front of him, close enough that Damien could smell his expensive cologne. “Remember this moment,” Victor said softly. “Remember how easily your pride broke. Because marriage or not, your life belongs to us now.”Damien swallowed, tears mixing with blood as they rolled down his face. He nodded wea

“Right now, her name is in the mud. And marriage is the only way to fix things.”“What?” Desmond's jaw dropped. Marry?Cherry’s head snapped toward him, her eyes widening in horror. “What? Dad, no—” she blurted out.Victor shot her a sharp look. “Silence.”Cherry froze, her face pale, lips trembling with rage.Desmond shook his head slowly in disbelief. “Sir, you can’t be serious. Marriage isn’t something you force on people. I don’t even know your daughter—”“That is irrelevant,” Victor cut him off. “You slept with her. That is all the world needs to hear.”“I didn’t force her!” Desmond yelled desperately. “And still, this isn’t right. I don’t have money. I don’t have status. I don’t belong in your world.”Victor smiled faintly, a smile without warmth. “Exactly. Which is why you should be grateful.”Grateful?“You get to marry into the Vixen family,” Victor continued. “Your life will no longer be meaningless. And in return, my daughter’s reputation will be restored.”Cherry clenched