Novels by Chris Hilz

Eleanor rose slowly from the sofa, one hand smoothing the front of her tailored silk blouse.The weariness that had shadowed her features dissolved into quiet anticipation as she turned toward Doctor Irene with a small, luminous smile."My son is home," she muttered.The double doors to the sitting room swung open.Kyle stepped inside, Dora just half a step behind him. His gaze quickly found his mother.For a heartbeat, the world narrowed to just the two of them.Eleanor's lips parted slightly, her posture straightening as two years of carefully guarded longing surfaced in her expression."Mother," Kyle breathed, the word catching his throat."Son," Eleanor gasped just as the both of them simultaneously moved.They crossed the room with swift, urgent steps. Kyle's arms opened immediately and Eleanor stepped into them without hesitation.The embrace was fierce and tender at the same time–Kyle's tall frame folding slightly to hold his mother. She pressed close, hands gripping the back o

Kyle stepped out of the elevator just behind Dora, his posture better than it had been in years. The weight of the morning's confrontation still lingered in his chest, but he refused to let it show."I do hope you learn pretty fast today," Dora muttered as she led him down a wide corridor. "There's a real lot to catch up on."Kyle chuckled. "You've really got no idea.""About what?" she asked as she pushed open a set of double doors made of frost glass."Never mind," Kyle replied in a near whisper."Welcome to the nerve center of Transcorp Enterprise," Dora said, gesturing inside with a graceful sweep of her hand. Kyle walked in slowly, eyes scanning the spacious room. The scent of faint citrus polish hung in the air. A massive mahogany desk dominated one side, its surface quite clear except for a sleek monitor and a framed photograph. He walked over and picked the photograph up. It was of him and his younger sister as children, laughing in the garden behind the family estate.His t

For a few seconds, nobody spoke.Vivian remained frozen beside the open passenger door as she stared at the woman seated inside the vehicle. The shock she felt was so overwhelming that it felt as though somebody emptied her mind entirely.No, not Dora Sinclair. Not the woman that made other elites in Florida straighten their backs just as the mention of her name.She had just called the acting CEO of Transcorp a shameless homewrecker.Her stomach dropped. She knew she had to say something...anything."Miss Sinclair..." she began weakly. Her confidence had vanished so completely she barely recognized her own voice."I think there's been a misunderstanding," she managed to add.Dora regarded her quietly, only to smile afterward."A misunderstanding?" Dora repeated.Vivian nodded immediately. "Yes. I–""Can I ask you a question?" Dora cut in smoothly.Vivian stopped speaking immediately. In a weird way, she was grateful for the interruption."Is it a crime for a man to ask for a divor

Vivian stood motionless beside her desk, staring at the closed doors as though Kyle might suddenly walk back through them.But he didn't, and the realization settled heavily into her chest. He was really gone.Her fingers tightened unconsciously around the edge of the desk."He wasn't just a nobody," she muttered to James' hearing. "He was my husband for three unbroken years."Panic crept into her heart.James stepped closer to her. "Vivian..."She barely heard him. Her mind only kept replaying the look in Kyle's eyes before he walked away. It was cold and final. She had never seen him look at her that way before.Not once in three years.Even when she snapped at him unfairly, he usually smiled helplessly and let it go. So why had today been different?Vivian slowly lowered herself into her chair."I went too far with him," she said quietly.James' eyes flickered. "What?"Vivian rubbed her forehead tiredly. "Kyle..." she swallowed slightly. "For him to react this way...maybe I pushed

The office remained dead silent.Vivian stood frozen behind her desk, the divorce papers trembling faintly in her hands. Her eyes stayed fixed on the papers for several long seconds before she finally looked back up at Kyle.Disbelief was written all over her face, then panic slowly began creeping in beneath it."Kyle..." she said again, this time shakier. "Why are you asking me for a divorce?"Kyle looked at her calmly. He felt lighter than he had in years now that the words had finally been spoken aloud."No reason complicated enough to explain," he replied evenly. "I just don't love you anymore."The words hit hard, and Vivian's breathing visibly stalled. Even James straightened slightly from where he stood.For a brief second, genuine hurt flashed across her face before anger quickly rushed over it."You don't love me anymore?" she repeated incredulously. "Why? Just because I asked you to apologize?"Kyle gave the faintest nod. "Yeah. That should be enough reason."Vivian stared

Kyle heaved a sigh as Dora's car came to a halt before Vivian Group. The towering glass building reflected the pale afternoon sunlight. Dora handed the documents to him."Don't lose a tooth," she said with a small smile.Kyle chuckled. "I won't. But I pray someone else doesn't."He opened the door and stepped out. Then he walked toward the building's entrance with one hand tucked into his coat pocket.The guards at the entrance immediately stepped forward to stop him. "Yes, who do you–""Wait a minute," one of the guards cut in. He squinted his eyes as he scrutinized Kyle. "I know him. He is the husband of our CEO."Kyle recognized the guard as the one that almost prevented him from getting in the other night."What?" one of the other guards said."That cannot be," another retorted.The guard who recognized Kyle stepped forward and bowed slightly. "You're free to go in, sir."Kyle nodded and walked past them.Inside the elevator, his reflection stared back at him once again from the