Novels by Quin Ari

Marcus dropped the gun on Grey's chest, covering his face with his hands before standing up and pulling his hair back. He walked away, got into his car, and drove off, lost in thought.As he arrived home, he rested his head on the steering wheel, wondering how he would face his parents. He was still reeling from the revelation that his parents, whom he had believed were dead, were actually alive.With a sigh, he stepped out of the car and locked it, noticing the eerie silence. As he entered the house, he flipped on the light switch, and suddenly, everyone screamed "Surprise!"Marcus flinched, taken aback by the sudden noise and the sea of faces before him. He was surrounded by loved ones, all holding flowers and balloons, their faces beaming with joy."What's going on?" Marcus asked, genuinely surprised, and they all smiled.Sandra stepped forward, beaming. "Since your parents are alive, I thought of doing a little celebration to mark the happy news," she explained, and everyone nodde

"I should be the one saying that," Grey sneered, laughing evilly. Marcus stared at him, his eyes blazing with fury, as he moved forward."You dare think of hurting my parents?" Marcus growled.Grey shrugged. "That's the rule of the street: kill to survive."Marcus shook his head in disgust. "Not your own blood, Grey. He was your elder brother, and you dared to do this to him?"Grey smirked. "Spare me the crap, Marcus. You would have done the same if you were in my shoes. It's survival. The rule is to survive. Your father thought he could have all the good things in life and make me his puppet? Never. I took control of my own destiny."Marcus scoffed. "Take control of your destiny? You call this control? Locking up your own family, manipulating and using them for your own gain?"Grey didn't answer, he just shrugged his shoulders, his expression unrepentant."You know one of the things I hate?" Marcus asked, his eyes blazing with anger as he stared at Grey."What?" Grey asked, a hint of

The next day, after breakfast, Marcus set out to Grey's house, parking his car at a distance. He put on his hoodie and stepped out, glancing around cautiously before walking towards the gate. To his surprise, it swung open with ease, suggesting Grey had forgotten to lock it. Marcus entered, still looking over his shoulder, and pushed open the creaky front door.As he stepped inside, his eyes scanned the empty rooms, his gaze darting everywhere. The house seemed abandoned, with no signs of life or warmth. Marcus let out a sigh, confusion etched on his face. Why did Grey's house look like no one lived there?He began to climb the stairs, trying to be careful not to make a sound, his senses heightened as he ventured deeper into the house.Marcus stood in the middle of the house, his eyes scanning the area, trying to locate the source of the mysterious noise he had heard earlier. He finally found the room, but it was locked. He searched for something to open the door, but found nothing

Sandra groaned, trying to sit up, and Marcus rushed to her side, helping her into a comfortable position. She gave him a weak smile that didn't quite reach her eyes. Leaning back against the pillow, she whispered, "Thank you."Marcus nodded, adjusting the pillow for her. The silence between them was awkward, until Marcus cleared his throat, forcing Sandra to look at him. "I want to ask a personal question," he said, his eyes locked on hers.Sandra nodded weakly, "Go on."Marcus held her hands, his voice filled with emotion. "Have you ever thought of marriage?" he asked, his eyes searching for answers.Sandra smiled weakly, but this time, it reached her eyes. "Does it matter?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.Marcus nodded, urging her to answer. "Please, answer me. Have you ever thought of marriage?" he asked again, his voice filled with longing.Sandra chuckled, a hint of amusement in her eyes. "Why are you so interested? When did you begin to care?" she asked, her voice

"What?!" Marcus exclaimed, stunned, and Katherine nodded, swallowing hard. "The report came in when you left to find her," she said, her voice trembling. "It showed that she's carrying a child." Marcus gasped, cursing under his breath as he rubbed his hair in disbelief. "No, no, no," he muttered, shaking his head. He couldn't believe this was happening to him. He didn't need a DNA test to know the child was his. Overwhelmed, Marcus collapsed to the floor, covering his face with his hands. He felt angry at himself, frustrated that he couldn't protect his own child. "I couldn't be there for my own child... what kind of father am I?" he mumbled, slapping himself in despair. Katherine rushed to his side, trying to calm him down. "Stop, Marcus, please," she begged, but he shook her off. "No, I have failed," he repeated, slapping himself harder. "I have failed as a father. What kind of father am I?" he asked, his voice cracking with emotion. Katherine paused, taken aback by his word

Amayah seized the opportunity to escape, dashing outside as Marcus was distracted. She spotted Owen and rushed towards him, relief washing over her. "Baby, let's get out of here! Marcus is crazy!" she begged, tugging on Owen's arm.But Owen didn't budge. Instead, he pulled her close, his hands gripping her waist tightly. "How did you think I ended up here?" he asked, his voice low and menacing.Amayah swallowed hard, confusion etched on her face. "I don't get it," she stammered.Owen let out an evil laugh. "You're truly dumb," he sneered, his eyes glinting with malice.Amayah's eyes widened as the pieces clicked into place. "Wait, you... you tracked me here?" she asked, disbelief etched on her face.Owen nodded, a mischievous grin spreading across his face. Amayah tried to step back, but he caught her, holding her tight. She was trapped, and Owen's grip only tightened as he reveled in his sinister triumph."I didn't just track you here," Owen sneered, his eyes glinting with malice. "

The cigarette burned slow between Adam’s fingers, the smoke curling lazy.Tracy sat perfectly still beside Luca’s mun, head bowed, wrists bound tight behind her back. She hadn’t said a single word since they tied her. Adam watched her through the haze of smoke. Her breathing was steady now, almost too steady. Like she had already accepted whatever came next.Luca’s mum voice cracked first.“Please… Adam. She’s pregnant. You can’t do this to her. Let her go. I’ll stay. I’ll tell you everything I know, just…”Tracy wanted to scream, that she should keep quiet. Not like she really cared about her, so why was she faking it. But Tracy couldn't.“Shut up,” Adam said quietly. Luca mum’s mouth snapped closed, fresh tears spilling down her cheeks.He took another drag, eyes never leaving Tracy.“You knew,” he said after a long silence. It wasn’t a question.Tracy lifted her head slowly. Her eyes were red, but dry. “I didn’t know he was going to escape.”Adam tilted his head. “But you knew h

The President froze, his cane halfway raised like a pathetic weapon. His eyes darted from Ethan’s calm, predatory smile to Thomas, then back again. “You,” the President hissed, his voice low and venomous. “You treacherous son of a bitch.”Ethan stepped fully into the dim light filtering through a cracked skylight. He looked relaxed, almost amused, hands loose at his sides. No visible weapon, but Thomas knew better. Men like Ethan didn’t need to show their teeth until they were ready to bite.“Careful with the insults, sir,” Ethan said smoothly. “We’re all friends here. Or at least… business associates.”Thomas kept his position near the door, every muscle coiled. His split lip throbbed in time with his pulse. He could feel the weight of the burner phone still in his pocket, a useless lifeline now. Anna’s words echoed in his head: “Stay alive.”The President’s knuckles whitened around the cane. “Where is Victoria?”Ethan chuckled softly, the sound echoing off the concrete. “Safe,

The door slammed behind Ethan. The echo bounced off the concrete walls, then faded into silence. Thomas stood in the middle of the interrogation room, Anna's hand still in his. His lip was swollen, split, leaking blood down his chin. He didn't wipe it away.Anna pulled her hand free. She walked to the metal table and leaned against it, her arms crossed over her chest."You shouldn't have done that," she said.Thomas turned to face her. "Done what?""Asked for me to come with you." Her voice was flat, empty. "Ethan doesn't give gifts. He gives obligations. You just signed both our death warrants."Thomas stepped closer. "I wasn't going to leave you here."Anna laughed. It was a bitter, broken sound. "You don't even know me. You never did. The woman you love doesn't exist.""Then show me who does," Thomas said.Anna's jaw tightened. She looked away."You have three hours," she said, changing the subject. "The President expects you at midnight. We need a plan."Thomas watched her for a l

Anna's fist connected with Thomas's jaw. The crack echoed off the walls. Thomas's head snapped to the side, pain exploding through his freshly healed bone. He tasted blood again.She pulled back and punched him again. Harder. His chair tipped, and he crashed to the floor, his cheek scraping against the rough concrete."That's for making me become who I am not."She stood over him, her chest heaving. Her perfect makeup was still intact, her hair still brushed. But her eyes were wild, furious.Thomas lay on the floor, looking up at her. Blood dripped from his split lip."You don't get to be angry," he said, his voice slurred. "You're the liar. You're the fake. You're the one who wore someone else's face."Anna knelt down. She grabbed his hair and yanked his head up."You think I wanted this?" she hissed. "You think I wanted to hold your hand and whisper sweet lies? You think I wanted to watch you fall in love with this face?"Thomas's eyes widened."I was alone for two years," Anna cont

Thomas's world collapsed. The words hit him like a physical blow, worse than any punch Ethan had thrown. Anna. His Anna. The woman who held his hand in the dark motel room. The woman who promised to stand with him until the end.She had been his enemy all along."No," Thomas croaked, his broken jaw making the word almost unintelligible. But Ethan understood."Yes," Ethan said, slipping the empty vial back into his pocket. "Every conversation you had, I heard. Every plan you made, I knew. Every hope you had of avenging your brother..." He paused, letting the silence stretch. "Those were mine to give or take away."Thomas pressed his forehead against the cold concrete floor. "Anna," he whispered, her name a broken prayer.As if summoned, footsteps echoed in the corridor. Anna appeared, walking toward the cell. Her face was dry, composed. She wore clean clothes, not the rumpled nurse's uniform from the hospital. Her hair was brushed, her makeup fresh.She looked like a different woma

And then a man stepped out of the shadows.Marcus.He moved past Vance without a glance, his eyes fixed on Ethan. He grabbed Ethan's arm and pulled him into the corner, away from prying ears.Ethan didn't resist, he recognized the grip. "Sir," Marcus said, his voice low and urgent. "We have a problem."Ethan pulled his arm free. He straightened his jacket, his eyes cold but curious."Speak."Marcus glanced back at Vance, who stood trembling by the crates. Then he leaned closer."The President's spy network is bigger than we thought. Vance isn't the only one. There are others. Inside your security team. Inside your legal department. I've been tracking them for months."Ethan's expression didn't change. But his eyes narrowed."Why didn't you tell me?" Ethan asked.Marcus met his eyes. "Because you were distracted. Victoria was dying. You weren't thinking clearly. If I had told you about Thomas, you would have gone after him personally. You would have left her side. And the President w

The cigarette burned slow between Adam’s fingers, the smoke curling lazy.Tracy sat perfectly still beside Luca’s mun, head bowed, wrists bound tight behind her back. She hadn’t said a single word since they tied her. Adam watched her through the haze of smoke. Her breathing was steady now, almost too steady. Like she had already accepted whatever came next.Luca’s mum voice cracked first.“Please… Adam. She’s pregnant. You can’t do this to her. Let her go. I’ll stay. I’ll tell you everything I know, just…”Tracy wanted to scream, that she should keep quiet. Not like she really cared about her, so why was she faking it. But Tracy couldn't.“Shut up,” Adam said quietly. Luca mum’s mouth snapped closed, fresh tears spilling down her cheeks.He took another drag, eyes never leaving Tracy.“You knew,” he said after a long silence. It wasn’t a question.Tracy lifted her head slowly. Her eyes were red, but dry. “I didn’t know he was going to escape.”Adam tilted his head. “But you knew h

Adam stood in the kitchen, Tracy's phone still in his hand, the caller refused to say anything. After a while, the call ended. Then he looked at Tracy, kneeling on the floor.He tossed the phone onto the counter. It slid across the marble, stopped at the edge."Get up," he said.Tracy looked at him, confused. "What?""I said you're staying with me."She looked at Clara, at Zara, at Jaxson. No one moved to help her. No one spoke.Adam pulled her toward the door. "Now."His phone buzzed as he walked to the car. Kai."I can't track the number."Adam let out a hiss as he opened the passenger door, helped Tracy inside, closed it. He walked around to the driver's side, climbed in, started the engine."Keep trying.""Already on it."Adam pulled away from the curb, drove toward the highway. Tracy sat beside him, her hands in her lap, her eyes on the road. She did not speak. She did not ask where they were going.His phone buzzed again. Clinton Alessandro."Mr. Cole. I heard about Luca. I'm

Agatha sat in her study, the curtains drawn, the lights low. A single lamp burned on her desk, casting long shadows across the walls. She stared at the photograph in her hands. Olivia. Don. Thomas, her husband. The man she had married for his name and his company. The man she had never loved.She set the photograph down, picked up her phone, dialed.The voice on the other end was low, careful. "Yes?""I need you to find something for me. A document. Thomas left it for Olivia. I don't know what it is, but she has it. Hidden somewhere."A pause. "Alright, I will get it to it.”She ended the call, set the phone down, picked up the photograph again. Thomas's face smiled at her from the frame. "You should have given me what I wanted," she whispered. "The company, the control, the power. Instead, you gave it to her. Your precious Olivia."She let out a hiss. “You thought you were smart enough!”She set the photograph down, stood, walked to the window. The city spread below her, dark and

Adam leaned back in his chair, his eyes fixed on Kai. "Nothing is stopping us," Adam said. "But I don't want to just expose her, I want to destroy her."Kai's fingers hovered over the keyboard. "What's the difference?"Adam stood, walked to the window, stared out at the dark city. "If I expose her now, she'll fight back. She'll lawyer up. She'll drag this out for years. She might even walk away."He turned, looked at Kai. "But if I wait until after she loses the company. After the board votes her down. After she has nothing left to fight with. Then I reveal who she really is. Then I destroy her."Kai nodded slowly. "You want her to lose everything first.""I want her to watch it happen. I want her to know that she lost because of me. Because of Olivia. Because of the people she tried to destroy." Adam walked back to the table, sat down. "Keep gathering evidence. Everything you can find. The village. The plant. The people who died. I want it all."Kai opened his laptop, his fingers

Don walked into the house and closed the door behind him. Agatha sat in her chair, a glass of wine in her hand, she did not turn when he entered."You're late."Don walked to the couch and sat down. "I was with Olivia."Agatha's head turned. Her eyes were sharp, cold. "And?"Don's throat was dry, his hands were shaking. He forced them still."She has nothing. No plan or allies." He paused. "She's just... waiting."Agatha set her glass down, stood, walked to him. Her heels clicked on the floor. Her shadow fell across his face."Waiting for what?"Don looked up at her."I don't know." Don's jaw tightened. "The company is doing well. Profits are up, and all thanks to her. So I think that’s what she’s holding on to."Agatha's hand shot out, grabbed his chin, forced his face up. Her nails dug into his skin."The company is doing well because of me! Because of the work I've done. The deals I've made. The people I've brought in." She released him, stepped back. "Not because of her. Never

Don's eyes widened. His mouth opened, closed, open again. The lights spun, the women danced. But Don saw none of it. He saw only Adam's face, hard and cold, the cigarette smoke curling between them."Betray my mother?"Adam dragged on his cigarette, let the smoke out slow. "That's the deal. Take it or leave it."Don's hands were shaking, his breath was fast. "You don't understand. She's not just my mother. She's….""She's what? A murderer? A kidnapper? A woman who tried to have a child taken?" Adam leaned forward, his voice low. "I know who she is, Don. I know what she's done. The only question is whether you're going to help me stop her or stand beside her when she falls."Don's face crumpled. Tears ran down his cheeks. "She'll kill me."Adam set his cigarette down, folded his hands on the table. "She'll try. But she won't succeed. Because I'll be watching. And when she makes her move, I'll be there."Don looked at him, his eyes red, his face wet. "Why? Why do you care what happ

The slap echoed in the marble foyer. Arthur stumbled, the world tilting. He caught himself against the wall, his cheek burning.Before he could speak, his father, Charles Walsh, grabbed him by the front of his shirt. He yanked him close. Spittle flew from his lips as he spoke, his voice a low, furious tremor.“You bribed a police officer?” Charles hissed. “You handed cash to a cop in a school hallway, in front of a hundred witnesses? Are you brain-dead?”“Dad, I—”“Shut up!” Charles roared, shaking him. “Do you know how that ends? It ends with you running my upcoming election! They might use this against me, you stupid boy!”He shoved Arthur away in disgust. Arthur tripped over his own feet and landed hard on the floor. He looked up, cradling his face, eyes wide with terror. He’d never seen his father like this.His father loomed over him, his expression one of pure contempt. “You are a useless son. A blunt instrument. No brains, only ego. I send you to the best schools, and you lear

The sound of Arthur’s mocking claps stopped when another sound cut through the hallway.“Break it up! Move aside!”Students scrambled to clear a path. Two police officers in dark uniforms pushed their way into the circle. Their eyes swept over the scene: Jack standing, blood on his lip, Mark on his knees, Dex slumped against the lockers.The taller officer, his face stern, zeroed in on Jack. “Jack Miller?”Jack nodded slowly. “Yes.”“You’re under arrest for assault,” the officer said, his voice leaving no room for argument. He pulled a pair of cold, metal handcuffs from his belt.“What? He was defending himself!” a voice shouted from the crowd.Saint James shoved his way to the front, his face flushed with anger. Another friend, Sanito, was right behind him, eyes wide with shock. They had just arrived, drawn by the commotion.“They jumped him!” Sanito yelled, pointing at Mark and Dex. “Three on one! Ask anyone!”The officer ignored him. He took Jack’s wrist and snapped one cuff on, t

Jack gave a single, slow nod. He understood Mr. Black’s warning perfectly. Then he turned and left.Outside the Lotex building, the evening air was cool. Jack pulled his collar up against the breeze as he walked toward the bus stop. As he passed a dimly lit café window, a reflection made him pause.Inside, seated alone at a small table, was the same woman from earlier. Dark sunglasses were now pushed up on her head, revealing sharp, observant eyes.She wasn’t looking at him directly, but her gaze was fixed on his reflection in the glass. Her expression was unreadable. Not hostile, not friendly. Just… watching.Jack’s frown returned. He stopped walking and turned to look directly into the café.The woman didn’t look away. She took a slow sip from her cup, her eyes holding his for a long, deliberate moment. He shook his head, dismissing her as a strange coincidence, and continued on his way.---The next morning, the halls of Northwood University were buzzing with the usual chaos. Jac

The silence in the lobby became absolute. Every whisper died. William slowly rose from his chair. The legs scraped against the marble floor with a sharp, ugly sound. His face, which had been glowing with cruel satisfaction, went slack with disbelief. He stared at Mr. Black as if he’d spoken in another language.“What did you say?” William asked. His voice was low, dangerous.Mr. Black didn’t blink. He walked forward, until he stood beside Jack. He didn’t look at Jack. His eyes were locked on William.“I said,” Mr. Black repeated, his tone even and clear, “Jack Miller will not apologize. You will invest under the original terms, or you will leave. There is no third option.”Victor Crane’s mouth opened and closed like a fish. He looked from Mr. Black to William, panic flooding his features. “Mr. Black, please! You don’t understand! We need this investment! The board—”“The board,” Mr. Black cut in, his head turning just slightly toward Victor, “does not make this decision. I do. On b

Jack shoved his hands into his pockets and held William's gaze without blinking. That only made William hotter with anger, he could not believe a kid like this would dare insult him. He gritted his teeth.William answered a call and flipped the phone to speaker. “There’s an idiot at the downfall,” the voice said. “If that person doesn’t leave the company, I won’t invest.” Jack didn't flinch; he only scoffed. “I’m coming,” the caller finished, and the line went dead.“You don't know what you’ve done,” William snapped. “I’ll make you pay. You’ll regret this day.” Jack smiled then, calm, almost amused. He loved that William was the one losing his temper, not him. He took a slow step closer, his calm presence only feeding William’s fury. “Regret it? That’s funny,” Jack said softly, almost mockingly. “Because right now, you’re the one losing control.”William’s hands trembled slightly as he balled them into fists. “Control? You have no idea who you’re dealing with!” he shouted, his

Chapter thirteen.“Sir—” he began.“Just call me Jack,” Jack cut in, his voice sharp enough to slice through the silence.Mr. Black swallowed hard and nodded. “Jack… announcing you as the cleaner doesn’t seem like a good idea.”Jack’s lips curved into a dry, humorless smile. “Just do it.”A tense pause hung in the air. Mr. Black drew in a deep breath, eyes flicking to the stack of files on the desk as if searching for courage. “Then I’ll have to appoint Ms. Evelyn Harper,” he said finally.Jack’s head snapped up, eyes narrowing. “Why her?”“She’s supposed to be your mentor,” Mr. Black replied, his tone low but firm. “And right now, she’s the only one who can be by your side without them noticing.”Jack’s jaw tightened. For a moment, neither of them spoke. Then he muttered under his breath, “Fair enough,” though his voice carried the weight of a man who hated to admit it.“Let’s go,” Mr. Black said quietly.Jack followed him down the hall, the sound of their footsteps echoing like a