Novels by Quin Ari

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

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. "

Chapter 166The highway stretched before Adam, the sun had not yet risen. The map was folded on the passenger seat. He had memorized the route before leaving. The first turn was sixty miles east. Then north at the old junction. Then up into the hills, past the river, through the pass.He drove with both hands on the wheel. His eyes were fixed on the road. His mind was fixed on the destination.The power hummed beneath his skin, low and steady. It had been restless all night, pushing, pulling, urging him forward. He did not fight it. He let it guide him.His phone buzzed. He glanced at the screen. Kai.“Where are you?”Adam did not answer. He set the phone down and kept driving.Meanwhile, Agatha's car ate up the highway. She drove fast, her hands steady, her eyes scanning the dark. The address was in her phone, the route displayed on the screen. She had memorized it before leaving. The turn was thirty miles east. Then north. Then into the hills.Her phone buzzed. She glanced at the s

Nova walked to the front door and pulled it open. The night air rushed in, cold and damp. He stepped outside without looking back.Adam followed.They crossed the yard down to the edge of the garden, he stopped. He knelt, brushed his hands over the soil, and began to dig.Adam stood beside him, watching. His father's hands were steady, strong. The soil was hard, but Nova did not slow. He dug deeper, wider, until his fingers hit something solid.He pulled out a metal box. The lock was old, the hinges stiff. Nova pressed his thumb against the latch, and it snapped open.Inside, wrapped in cloth, lay a single piece of paper. Nova held it out to Adam. "Your grandfather said to give this to you. He said one day you would need it."Adam took the paper. It was old, the edges soft, the creases deep. He unfolded it carefully, as if it might crumble in his hands.A map.Lines drawn in faded ink. Mountains, rivers, a path marked with small crosses. "I don't understand," Adam said.Nova stood

Chapter 163Olivia walked through her front door, kicked off her heels, and let out a long breath. The apartment was quiet and dark. She flicked the switch, and the living room glowed to life.She poured herself a glass of wine, sank into the couch, and stared at the ceiling. A smile spread across her face. She had won.Agatha was out, the board was hers. The company was safe.She laughed. "I did it," she said. "I actually did it."Her phone buzzed, a message from Adam. “Congratulations dear, you earned it.”She smiled, typed back, and set the phone on the sill.A floorboard creaked behind her, Olivia turned around.Agatha stood in the doorway, her coat still on."How did you get in?"Agatha stepped into the room. Her heels clicked on the floor. "You should really change your locks."Olivia's hand grabbed the edge of the couch. Her heart pounded. "Get out."Agatha stopped a few feet away. Her eyes swept the room, the wine glass, the phone on the sill, the woman pressed against the

Chapter 163 Agatha leaned back in her chair, her fingers tapping lightly on the table. The warehouse was cold, Elijah watched her. "I need your resources," Agatha said. "Not your men or your weapons. Your networks." Elijah tilted his head. "What for?" "I found something.” She paused and glanced around at his men. Elijah understood immediately and he signaled for his men to give them their privacy. The men nodded, as soon as they left, Agatha leaned forward. “I found something spicy about Adam Cole." Elijah leaned forward, his hands flat on the table. "Spicy enough to use against him?" Agatha smiled. "Yes. And the best part? We won't be the ones to harm him." Elijah's eyebrows rose. His eyes narrowed. "How?" Agatha gestured for him to come forward. When he did, her voice dropping to a whisper. She spoke close to his ear, her lips barely moving. Elijah's eyes widened, his mouth fell open. He stared at her, his face pale, then flushed, then pale again. “Are y

Chapter 161 The rooftop of Vatican Pharmaceutical was cold, the city lights spread below like scattered diamonds. Olivia stood by the edge, a glass of champagne in her hand, her face tilted toward the sky. Adam stood beside her, his hands in his pockets, his eyes on the horizon. "We did it," Olivia said. Her voice was quiet, almost surprised. "We actually did it." Adam nodded. "You did it." Olivia turned to look at him. "I couldn't have done it without you." "You could have. It just would have taken longer." She laughed, a real laugh, not the polite one she wore to board meetings. She set her glass down on the ledge and hugged him. Adam stood still for a moment, then hugged her back. "Thank you," she whispered. Adam pulled back, looked at her face. Her eyes were wet. "Don't thank me yet. We still have to clean up the mess she left behind." Olivia picked up her glass, took a long sip, and stared out at the city. “When are we starting?” She asked. Adam d

Chapter 160 Adam walked out of the building. The mob pressed against the gates. “We want justice!” “We want justice!” “Poor man life matters a lot!” Banners waved and stones flew. Glass shattered somewhere to his left. He did not flinch. He walked to the gate, pulled it open, and stepped outside. The crowd surged forward. Then stopped. They recognized his face. "Mr. Cole!" a woman shouted. "Where is she? Where are the owners of this company?" Adam raised his hand. The crowd fell silent. "This company had nothing to do with her crimes. The board voted her out this morning. She no longer holds power here." Murmurs rippled through the crowd. A man stepped forward, his face hard, his hands stained with dirt. "Then who pays us? Who gives us back what she stole?" Adam met his eyes. "She will." The crowd stirred, voices rose. Adam raised his hand again. "I give you my words, I will make sure every single one of you gets your rights. Give me one week. One week, an

Ethan knelt in the truck bed, one knee pressed into Thomas's spine, his gun pressed against the back of the man's head. Blood from his bicep wound dripped onto Thomas's shirt.Thomas laughed. "You're going to kill me here?" Thomas asked. "On the side of the road? Like a dog?"Ethan pressed the barrel harder. "Tempting."Victoria glanced in the rearview mirror. Her face was pale, streaked with dirt and blood that wasn't hers. Her hands gripped the wheel tight."Ethan," she said. "We need him alive."Ethan didn't answer. His jaw was locked. His eyes were black pits.Anna sat in the back seat, curled against the door. Her wrists were raw from the cuffs. Her swollen eye had closed completely. She stared at Thomas through the rear window, her eyes wide with something between hatred and grief.Ethan grabbed Thomas's hair and slammed his face against the truck bed. Cartilage crunched. Blood sprayed."Ethan!" Victoria shouted."Drive," Ethan said. His voice was flat. Dead.The highway stre

Ethan slowly exited the truck, hands raised, Victoria stayed low in the passenger seat, her own weapon trained on Thomas through the gap in the door.“Thomas, listen to me,” Ethan said, voice steady despite the adrenaline flooding his veins. “Jack made his choices. He crossed lines that couldn’t be uncrossed. I didn’t want him dead, but he left me no option.”“Liar!” Thomas roared. “You testified against him! You set him up! He was following orders, your orders, until they became inconvenient!”Anna winced as Thomas tightened his grip on her hair. “Ethan… don’t. He’s gone.”“Shut your mouth!” Thomas backhanded her across the face with the gun. She crumpled to her knees.That was the spark.Ethan moved.He dropped low and rolled right as Thomas fired. The bullet whizzed past his ear. Victoria opened up from the truck, forcing Thomas to duck behind the SUV. Ethan used the moment to sprint toward a stack of logs twenty feet away, using the timber as cover.Gunfire erupted in a chaotic

Victoria finally moved. She staggered toward him, her face a mask of crimson splatter, eyes wide with shock. “Ethan… what the hell just happened?”He didn’t answer. Couldn’t. His mind raced through every interaction with Thomas. He tried to crack his brain to see if there's anything he could use against Thomas.One thing he knew for sure was that Thomas would definitely push Anna to the extent that she might reveal secrets.A low groan cut through the silence. One of the downed mercenaries was still alive, crawling toward a dropped rifle. Ethan’s instincts kicked in. He crossed the distance in three strides, boot slamming down on the man’s wrist with a sickening crack.“What’s your cars plate number?” Ethan snarled, pressing the barrel of his own recovered pistol against the man’s temple.The merc spat blood and laughed wetly. “Bold of you to think, that I will help you,”he said, letting out an evil laughter.Ethan’s trigger finger twitched. The shot was muffled against flesh. The

The shot cracked through the night air. Ethan paused, his heart stopped. He waited for Victoria to fall. For her body to crumple to the gravel. For his world to end.But Victoria didn't fall.Instead, the man holding her jerked backward. His gun clattered to the ground. A dark hole bloomed in the center of his forehead. Blood sprayed across Victoria's face. She blinked, frozen, as his grip loosened and he slid to the ground.Ethan's head snapped toward the direction of the shot.Thomas stood at the edge of the loading dock. A smoking gun in his hand. His face was different. His eyes were different. The fear, the desperation, the confusion all of it was gone. In its place was something cold. Something hungry.He stepped down from the dock, his boots crunching on the gravel. He walked slowly, deliberate, savoring each step."Thomas?" Anna's voice was small, confused. Blood dripped from her split lip. Her swollen eye could barely open.Thomas ignored her. His eyes were locked on Ethan

Ethan stepped out and saw three black SUVs sat in the gravel lot, their headlights cutting white beams through the darkness. Men in tactical gear fanned out in a semicircle, rifles raised.In the center of the lot, Anna was on her knees. Her hands were cuffed behind her back. A thin line of blood ran from her nose down her chin. Her left eye was swelling shut. One of the men held her by the hair, yanking her head back.Ethan stopped at the edge of the loading dock. His hands were loose at his sides. His face was calm.Thomas pushed up behind him, his breath catching when he saw Anna."Let her go," Ethan said, his voice calm yet dangerous.The man holding Anna burst into laughter. He was large, bald, with a scar cutting across his cheek. He yanked Anna's hair tighter. She gasped but didn't cry out."Give us the President," the man said. "And maybe we let the bitch live."Ethan didn't move. "You're on my property. In my city. You have ten seconds to release her and leave before I los

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,