Novels by doctorleaf01

A cold shock flashed through Damian's eyes, his face pale and his breath catching in his throat. For a second, he looked completely cornered, but his mind scrambled frantically to cook up a lie. He quickly forced a look of desperate, heartbroken panic onto his face, rushing forward to grab Elena’s shaking shoulders."Elena, no! Don't listen to that, you have to believe me!" Damian pleaded, squeezing her arms with urgent force. "I had to say that! Red Viper's thugs were threatening to kidnap you and take you as collateral for the debt! If I showed them how much I truly loved you, they would have dragged you away to force my hand! I only called you those horrible things to make them think you meant nothing to me so they wouldn't lay a finger on you!"Beatrice rushed over, nodding eagerly as she grabbed Elena's arm. "Of course! Listen to him, Elena! Damian was protecting you from those ruthless gangsters! How could you doubt him over an old phone call?!"Elena stared into Damian's wide,

Down in the dim living room of the rented apartment, the air was thick with smoke and panic. Damian paced across the worn floorboards, his fingers trembling as he checked the glowing screen of his phone. Only eight hours remained before the loan shark Red Viper came to collect his two million dollars, and there was nowhere left to run.A fresh text message popped up with a photo of their front door, followed by three chilling words: See you soon. Damian’s knees went weak, cold sweat soaking straight through his wrinkled undershirt. He slammed his fist against the kitchen counter, his bloodshot eyes darting toward the two women sitting across the room."We have to go to Mount Pinnacle right now," Damian rasped, his voice wild and frantic. "Norman bought that twenty-million-dollar mountain villa with cash, which means he has millions hidden away up there. He's just an uneducated laborer who followed Elena like a faithful dog for three whole years."Beatrice nodded quickly, her greedy ey

The morning sun filtered through the blinds of the apartment, casting long, pale stripes across the unmade bed. Elena stirred beneath the silk sheets, automatically reaching her hand out toward the nightstand, expecting the warm aroma of fresh tea and buttered toast to drift in. For three years, Norman had woken up at dawn every single morning, walking on tiptoes so he would not disturb her rest.He would always set a cup of hot tea by her pillow, along with sweet fruit cut into neat, bite-sized pieces. If the autumn morning was chilly, he would sit on the edge of the mattress and gently rub her cold hands between his warm palms until her skin grew pink again. But this morning, the room was dead silent, freezing, and hollow like an empty tomb.Elena dragged herself out of bed, shivering as her bare feet touched the icy tiles of the hallway. The kitchen counter was clean and bare, without a single pot of water boiling or a warm plate waiting for her. The silence pressed against her che

The glass towers of Zenith Plaza gleamed under the morning sun, reflecting the busy streets of Southport’s financial heart. Norman stepped out of his truck, holding a leather folder packed with his verified bank receipts. High above the city sat Mount Pinnacle Villa No. 1, an isolated fortress built into solid granite that he was determined to own before the day was out.He walked through the revolving doors into the grand marble lobby, where the air was cool and smelled of polished stone. Before he could reach the reception desk, a sharp, familiar laugh echoed across the tiled floor. Standing near the central lounge was Elena, dressed in a brand-new designer dress, flanked by Damian and Beatrice.Damian adjusted the cuffs of his expensive suit, holding a sleek black portfolio under his arm. He was loudly telling Beatrice about his upcoming interview for the regional directorship of Horizon’s parent group, boasting that the six-figure salary would put him in rooms Norman could never d

Elena froze in shock, staring at Norman as if he had grown a second head. Then, she threw her head back and burst into mocking laughter, the sound ringing through the apartment like cheap tin."Divorce?" Elena scoffed, crossing her arms over her chest with pure contempt. "Norman, are you really throwing a childish temper tantrum because Damian asked for a small favor? Do you honestly think an uneducated orphan like you could ever find a woman like me again?"Beatrice stepped forward, clapping her wrinkled hands together with an ugly sneer. "Let the beggar pout, Elena! He thinks he’s a king just because his dead father left him some old dirt! Without our family's social connections, he won't last three days before he starves in the street!"Damian smoothed the lapels of his expensive Italian suit, a smug, superior grin spreading across his face. He walked up and patted Norman’s shoulder with fake pity, looking down on him like dirt. "Norman, brother, don't let your little ego ruin your

Norman bolted upright, gasping for air as if he had just broken through the surface of freezing water. His hands flew to his throat and ribs, bracing for torn flesh, but his fingers met only smooth, unbroken skin. He tumbled off the sofa onto the polished floorboards, staring at his palms in disbelieving silence.He pulled up his pant leg with shaking fingers, finding clean skin without a single tooth mark or rusted wound. The air in the apartment smelled of fresh roasted coffee and crisp autumn wind, completely free from the stench of rot. On the glass table, his phone screen lit up with the date: October 24, 2026, exactly 9:00 AM.Seven days remained before the severe flu mutated into the nightmare that drowned the entire world in blood. The realization struck his chest like a physical blow, leaving him trembling on the floor in absolute shock. He was not dying in the street; the heavens had truly dragged him back to the start.With trembling fingers, Norman grabbed the phone and im