Novels by Arthea Edelweis

The ride back was silent. Not because they had nothing to say, but because words felt unnecessary.Elena sat beside Oliver in the car, her fingers resting lightly on her lap. She wasn’t shaking, wasn’t afraid anymore—but the weight of the night still pressed against her.Oliver drove with one hand on the wheel, his other resting on the console between them. His presence alone made her feel safe.After a while, Elena exhaled. “You’re too calm.”Oliver glanced at her, smirking. “Would you rather I panic?”She huffed. “I was kidnapped, Oliver.”“I noticed.”“Held hostage.”“I was there.”“Almost had my throat slit.”Oliver’s jaw tightened just slightly. “And I handled it.”Elena turned to him, studying his profile. His sharp jawline, his unwavering expression.“You always do,” she murmured.Oliver didn’t reply, but his fingers—resting between them—twitched.Elena hesitated, then slowly reached out, linking her pinky with his.Oliver’s hand stiffened for a brief moment.Then, he turned hi

"Mr. Roberts, we have a problem."Amelia’s voice was sharp over the phone. Oliver had just finished a business meeting when she called, and from the tension in her tone, he knew it wasn’t a minor issue.Oliver exhaled. "Speak."There was a brief pause before she dropped the bombshell."Elena’s been taken."Oliver stopped walking. His fingers tightened slightly around the phone. “Who?”Amelia hesitated. “A man named Vincent Moreau. French arms dealer. One of the last allies Harrington had left.”Oliver’s jaw clenched, but his voice remained calm. “His demands?”“He wants you to transfer fifty percent of Hoshier’s European assets to his name by midnight.”A mistake.Vincent Moreau had no idea who he was dealing with.Oliver inhaled slowly. “Where is she?”“We traced the call to a warehouse in the East District. It’s heavily guarded.”Oliver didn’t hesitate. “Send me the location.”“Sir, I can mobilize our team—”“No.” Oliver’s voice was sharp. “This is personal.”Amelia hesitated but ob

“You lost the moment you thought you could use her against me, Calloway.”Oliver’s voice was quiet, almost casual, yet every syllable carried the weight of an undeniable truth.Raymond struggled against Oliver’s grip, but it was useless. His body trembled—not from the physical pain, but from the realization sinking into his bones. He had never stood a chance.Oliver loosened his hold just enough for Raymond to breathe, but his next words made the man’s blood run cold.“Tell me, Calloway… how do you want this to end?”Raymond swallowed, his mind racing. He had no moves left. No allies. No escape.His last shred of arrogance faltered, replaced by raw desperation. “I—I was just following Harrington’s lead. He’s the one who—”Oliver let out a quiet exhale, cutting him off with a simple, measured sentence.“Harrington is already handled.”Raymond’s eyes widened. “What?”A soft buzzing noise filled the room. Oliver reached into his pocket, pulled out his phone, and tilted the screen toward

Raymond’s hands trembled as he scrolled through the endless flood of news reports, each one spelling his doom in bold, damning headlines. His phone buzzed non-stop—calls from investors, board members, and desperate executives, all demanding answers he didn’t have.His breath came in short, sharp gasps. This wasn’t just an attack. This was an execution.His gaze snapped to Elliot Mercer, who remained seated, completely unfazed. The smirk on Elliot’s face sent a wave of rage coursing through Raymond’s veins.“You think this is funny?” Raymond’s voice was hoarse, barely above a growl. “You think I’m just going to sit here and let Oliver destroy me?”Elliot exhaled, setting his drink down with a quiet clink. He leaned back, crossing his legs leisurely. “Oh, you misunderstand, Calloway. It’s not about letting him destroy you. It’s about the fact that you can’t stop him.”Raymond slammed a fist against the bar. The few patrons around them turned to glance, sensing the tension but knowing be

Raymond sat frozen in his chair, his hands clenched into fists as the weight of his downfall pressed down on him like a mountain. His empire, his power—everything he had built over the years had crumbled in mere minutes.His phone buzzed again, and with shaky fingers, he picked it up. A flood of messages from his board members, investors, and executives filled the screen. They were panicking. Some demanded explanations, others threatened to withdraw their support. His assistant sent a message—Mr. Calloway, we need immediate damage control. The media is asking questions.Raymond’s vision blurred as rage bubbled inside him. All because of one man.Oliver Roberts.The name now echoed in his head like a curse.Raymond had underestimated him, just like everyone else had. He had seen Oliver as nothing more than a quiet, unremarkable businessman, someone who got lucky in the corporate world. But now, he understood the truth.Oliver was far from ordinary.Raymond sucked in a sharp breath and f

Raymond’s breath caught in his throat. His palms were damp, his fingers gripping the edge of his desk. Oliver Roberts was here. In his office.He barely had time to compose himself before the door swung open.Oliver walked in with the ease of a man who owned the building, despite the fact that it belonged to Raymond. He was calm, his dark eyes scanning the office without the slightest hint of urgency. He wasn’t here to negotiate. He was here to watch Raymond crumble.Raymond straightened in his chair, masking his nerves with arrogance. “Mr. Roberts,” he greeted coolly, though his voice wavered just enough to betray his unease.Oliver said nothing at first. He merely stepped closer, his gaze locking onto Raymond’s with the weight of something far more dangerous than anger—certainty.“You’ve been quite busy,” Oliver finally said, his tone casual.Raymond forced a smirk. “I like to stay informed about my competitors.”Oliver chuckled, the sound low and unimpressed. “Competitor?” He tilte

Javier followed Mr. Flanders down the corridor, moving at an unhurried pace. Behind him, employees whispered frantically, trying to understand how they had just insulted a billionaire without knowing.But not everyone had heard the truth yet.As Javier stepped into the operations department, a group of young staff members near the reception desk turned to look at him. They exchanged glances, snickering.“Hey, there he is again,” one of them muttered.Another one smirked. “The guy who keeps sneaking around like he owns the place.”The receptionist, Mira, folded her arms. “Sir, can I help you?” she asked, tone dripping with annoyance.Mr. Flanders froze. “Mira—”But Javier gestured for him not to interfere.He approached the desk calmly. “I’m here for the inspection.”Mira raised an eyebrow. “Inspection? You?” She laughed. “Sir, this is a corporate office, not a community center.” She picked up her tablet. “Name?”“Javier,” he replied.“Javier what?” she pressed, clearly ready to mock h

The elevator doors slid open with a quiet chime, and Javier stepped out, hands in his coat pockets, posture relaxed as always. He moved toward the main hallway, intending to attend the inspection Cole had deliberately postponed.But before he could reach the glass doors leading to the operations wing, two security guards stepped in front of him, blocking his path.“Sir, you can’t go in,” the taller one said.Javier lifted his gaze slightly. “And why is that?”The shorter guard scoffed. “Because this area is for employees. Not visitors. Especially not… whoever you are.”People nearby slowed their steps, watching.“I have business here,” Javier replied, voice calm, tone flat.The taller guard snorted. “What business? You selling brochures? Looking for a job? Trying to fix the printer?” He crossed his arms. “This floor is restricted. Move along.”Javier didn’t move.The shorter guard whispered loudly—loud enough for everyone to hear, intentionally. “Dude, maybe he’s one of those people w

The elevator doors slid open with a soft chime, and Javier stepped into the empty hallway, hands in his pockets, posture relaxed. The meeting room behind him was still filled with stunned executives, whispering frantically, but he paid them no mind.He walked toward the lobby.Calm.Unhurried.He didn’t need their approval.He didn’t need their respect.He came here for one purpose—and being insulted was part of the process.But the executives weren’t done with him.Especially Cole.Cole burst into the hallway seconds later, face red, breathing heavily as he pointed wildly at Javier’s back.“There! That’s him! Get him OUT of this building!”Two security guards stationed near the corridor turned their heads.The first frowned. “Who? The guy in the suit?”“Yes, HIM!” Cole snapped. “Get him out! Now!”The second guard raised a brow. “We don’t throw out guests unless there’s a reason.”Cole stepped closer, jabbing a finger. “He is NOT a guest. He’s an intruder. A nobody. A parasite who sl

The evening executive session gathered inside the top-floor conference room—a polished glass space overlooking the city. The table was long, glossy, and filled with people who spoke too loudly because they wanted to sound important.Javier entered quietly.No one noticed him at first.Then Cole saw him.“What the—why is he here?” Cole exclaimed, pointing like Javier was a stray dog that wandered inside.Several executives turned.One frowned. “Is he the janitor?”Another scoffed, “No, janitors dress better.”A woman in a red blazer whispered loudly, “Henderson must be joking. This meeting is for executives. Not… whatever he is.”More laughter.Javier remained silent, hands in his pockets, eyes steady.Henderson walked in behind him, carrying a folder.Yet even that didn’t calm them.“Sir,” Cole said sharply, “I don’t think you understand—he doesn’t belong in a room like this.”Javier took a seat.Calm.Unbothered.He didn’t argue.He didn’t try to defend himself.He simply folded his

Henderson closed the boardroom door behind them, leaving Cole and the rest of the executives whispering like confused children.“Follow me,” Henderson said, voice low.Javier didn’t comment. He simply walked beside him as if the hallway wasn’t filled with people stopping mid-step just to stare.Some whispered openly.“Why is the CEO talking to him?”“Is he in trouble?”“Maybe Henderson feels sorry for him.”Someone snorted. “He looks like he needs charity, not a private meeting.”Javier ignored all of it.Henderson led him into a smaller conference room and shut the door.“Sit.”Javier took the chair without hesitation.Henderson stayed standing, arms folded, studying him with the cautious curiosity of a man who knew he’d overlooked something important.“How did you know the numbers?” Henderson asked.“I read,” Javier answered simply.Henderson frowned. “Everyone reads. Not everyone understands.”“That’s not my problem,” Javier replied.The CEO let out a dry exhale. “You’re… an intere

The lobby fell silent when Javier stepped out of the elevator, but the silence wasn’t admiration—far from it.It was the kind of silence reserved for people who didn’t belong. People who were tolerated, not respected.“Look who’s here,” one of the junior executives muttered loudly enough for everyone to hear. “The charity case.”Javier didn’t react. He simply walked forward, his expression unreadable.Behind him, murmurs grew.“Honestly, why is he still allowed in the headquarters?”“He probably slept in the storage room again.”“Can’t he at least dress like a human being?”Javier's shirt was plain, slightly wrinkled from the chaotic morning. His shoes were old—not ruined, but far from polished. He wore nothing that reflected even one percent of the empire he actually owned.And that was exactly why they underestimated him.As he reached the front desk to check the meeting schedule, the receptionist didn’t even look up.“You’re in the wrong building,” she said flatly.“No,” Javier rep