Novels by overwhelmingintensity24

The bathroom door clicked softly behind her. Rita leaned against the cool tile wall, her palms pressed against the porcelain sink, splashing water over her face again and again. Each cold splash was supposed to wake her, reset her as always, but it only sharpened the ache inside her chest. She knew every detail about Jeffery—the things no one else could ever imagine—the sacrifices, the dangers, the burden he bore silently. Yet knowing didn't make this any easier for her.She stared into her own eyes in the mirror. The reflection was fragmented by streaks of crystal clear water, tears she hadn't stopped, mascara staining the edges of her irises. Her hands trembled slightly. The sound of the running tap filled the empty bathroom, masking the storm that raged in her mind.I can't believe it. I can't believe that my father would do such a thing—giving them the power to vote me out of the board. Everything I struggled to build... it would return to me. And I thought all this while that he'

The walls of the Stirling Enterprise had never felt more suffocating.Rita had always thought the skyscraper's glass shimmered with pride, history, and responsibility—a legacy left in her hands like a fragile crown. But today, each pane reflected something darker: anxiety, suspicion, and the thin, almost invisible line holding her world together.As she stepped into the executive lobby, the atmosphere shifted instantly. Her presence used to command respect. Today, it triggered tension. Conversations died mid-sentence. Suits shuffled away. Eyes tracked her—not with admiration, but with fear. A rumor this loud did not whisper or suspect; it screamed and accused.Her heels clicked sharply across marble that suddenly felt too loud.Screens around the lobby displayed breaking news banners in harsh reds:"New Leaked Footage Raises Questions About Jeffery Flamel.""Stirling Enterprise aunder Scrutiny.""Board Calls Emergency Meeting Amid Scandal."Rita felt the words cut through her like bla

The phone rang once. Twice. Then the line clicked."Rita?" the voice was sharp, calm, almost distant, but beneath it, she could hear the undercurrent of exhaustion—the weight of a man who carried more than anyone should."Jeffery..." she whispered, the tension in her throat cracking her voice. "I... I saw the news—about Ronan Blake—""Rita!" his voice snapped suddenly like a whip, cutting through the static of her panic. "Why the hell are you calling me? Didn't I tell you? Stay out of this! Don't reach out! It's not safe at all! You could—""I had to know," she interrupted, tears threatening to spill. "I needed to hear it from you. I couldn't just... sit there and do nothing—"His sigh was long, a mix of frustration, fear, and helplessness. "Do you even understand what you're putting yourself through? Or what you're doing to me by calling? I told you, Rita... this isn't safe. Not for you. Not for anyone. You reach out, and suddenly, you're in the line of fire."She flinched at the raw

Rita sat frozen at her desk, the screen glowing with images she could barely comprehend. The alley, slick with rain, cordoned off by police tape, shattered asphalt reflecting neon light—every detail was seared deeply into her mind. Ronan Blake. Suspected Armed robber. Murdered. J recognizable.Her fingers trembled, hovering over the phone. She wanted to call Jeffery, needed to hear his voice, to confirm that the man loved could never do something so monstrous. To be honest, Jeffery had killed but it had never been brutal like last night's. And it was always because Rita's life had been endangered.But... what if she was wrong? What if he had actually done it? The thought made her stomach twist into knots, bile rising like fire.She pressed her palms to her face, trying to steady her racing heart. Jeffery had warned her countless times: keep your life normal, maintain appearances. Pretend the world doesn't see you as linked to him. That advice had always been theoretical—now it was pai

The office felt suddenly smaller, the air heavier, as the officers stepped closer to Rita's desk. Their presence carried the weight of accusation, the kind that didn't need words to make a heart pound. One of them cleared his throat, his tone careful but unyielding."Miss Stirling, we need to speak about an incident last night," he began, voice low but cutting through the quiet hum of the office. "That's the main reason we actually came here."Rita's eyebrows creased. What were they talking about? What happened last night?"A man was found dead in an alley in the East District," the officer continued. "There were blood spatters, marks everywhere. Whoever did this left the victim... unrecognizable."This doesn't have to do with Jeffery, right? Rita's hands tightened on the edge of her desk. Her voice trembled, disbelief creeping in. "Unrecognizable? What... what are you actually saying?"The second officer leaned in, his gaze sharp, unwavering. "You know Jeffery Flamel, correct?""Yes,

Rita Stirling woke to the pale light of dawn filtering through the curtains of her penthouse, the city below still stirring in its usual rhythm. She lay for a long moment, staring at the ceiling, letting her mind wander to Jeffery. The thought of him still hiding in an unknown place, carrying the weight of suspicion for murders he hadn't committed—one perpetrated by Aadam Prescott—made her chest tighten. She had to appear normal, calmly, unshaken—her every move a shield against the scrutiny that now surrounded.Jeffery had told her this the last moment they had met. He didn't want her being arrested as well. It would really tarnish the name of the Stirling family and affect the company—something which neither of them wanted. So she had agreed to do just as he had said, till everything had been solved. And that included not reaching out to him no matter what.Her morning routine was precise, almost mechanical. Every gesture—sliding into her blazer, adjusting her cuffs, the careful appl