Novels by LIAM MUSE

Amid the lively chatter and clinking glasses, frustration remained etched across Ralph's face, making it impossible for him to enjoy a single moment of it. He stormed over to Jeffrey, Fiona’s husband, without hesitation.“This isn’t over,” Ralph muttered through gritted teeth, glancing toward the stage where the bride and groom were trying to salvage the day. ''That manager—Mr. Kevin Smith, right? I’ll make sure he regrets it today.''Jeffrey, holding a glass of whiskey, raised an eyebrow with disinterest. ''You really think it’s worth it? The wedding’s back on track. Just let it go, okay?''“Let it go?” Ralph scoffed, his gaze determined. ''I’ve been humiliated, in public. Do you know what it feels like to have people thinking the head of Manta Oil got played by some lowly hotel clerk?'' His hand balled into a fist. “I’ll bury that man’s career.”The next moment, Jocelyn Astor, who had been standing nearby, joined the conversation, her face tight with anger. ''Jeffrey, I still can’t

Clara, the event coordinator, hurried over to Adrian Astor, the head of the Astor family, and leaned in close. ''The hall was booked by another client. You need to wrap things up immediately.'' The news hit them like a bombshell. Guests glanced at one another in confusion, murmuring complaints under their breath. “This is insane,” someone whispered. Chairs scraped across the floor as guests reluctantly gathered their belongings, muttering curses. A glamorous celebration now on the brink of collapse. Ralph and Adrian charged toward Clara, anger etched across their faces. “Who gave that order?!” Adrian barked, his glare sharp enough to cut a glass. Ralph threw his hands in the air in frustration, ''Mmm. What the heck is going on? We need answers—now!'' Clara raised her palms, trying to keep calm under their heated stares. ''I’m just following instructions. The hotel manager gave the order.'' Adrian scoffed. ''We paid a fortune for this wedding! How can he just shut us dow

Charles then said to Gilbert, ''I’ll make sure you get the official contract documents soon. Once you sign them, the project will be locked in, and everything will be set in motion.''Impressed, Gilbert gave a firm nod. ''No problem, Mr. Chase.”Charles glanced up from the table, his tone shifting slightly. “By the way, did you hear that Brandy and Ralph are throwing their wedding party in the next three weeks?”Gilbert’s brows furrowed in surprise as he shook his head. “No, I didn’t hear about that.”“Okay, fine,” Charles said, gulping before continuing, ''I’d like to invite you to the party. Will you come?''Caught off guard, Gilbert’s eyes widened, ''Uh… oh, okay. I’ll attend. But where’s the wedding going to be?''Charles exhaled softly, rubbing his chin in thought. “The venue hasn’t been locked down yet, but I’m guessing they’ll probably rent a hall in one of the most expensive hotels in New York.”He quickly sat back, mulling over Charles’s words. A hotel, huh? The thought stirr

Eventually, Mr. Hoffman requested Logan’s account details and proceeded with a $30 million bank transfer. Logan’s eyes flickered with a strange mix of excitement and greed as he quickly confirmed the payment had gone through.“Alright, I’ll have one of my staff fetch Gilbert,” Logan said, reaching for his phone to make the call.But before he could dial, Mr. Hoffman raised his hand, stopping him mid-action. ''No need. I’ll find Gilbert myself, okay?''Logan hesitated, confused by the insistence, but he didn't argue. He had gotten what he wanted—a hefty sum of money that more than made up for the deal. Without another word, Mr. Hoffman turned and walked out of his office.After he left, his expression, glum, clearly showed he wasn’t satisfied with how things had gone. Paying Logan $30 million for Gilbert's release left a bitter taste in his mouth. He knew Logan didn’t deserve a cent for his crooked actions. Now Logan would feel like he had come out on top, profiting from something he s

Vivienne's eyes widened in shock, and she inadvertently knocked a decorative object off the desk, a thud echoing through the silence. Logan’s jaw dropped. ''Sorry… come again? I don’t think I understand what you’re saying,'' he stuttered, disbelief in his voice.He could have bet his life, his fortune, and every achievement that Gilbert would never escape the mess he was in. The idea that someone like Mr. Hoffman would swoop in to buy Gilbert’s contract was unimaginable. Yet here it was, unfolding before him like an illusion.Scrambling for words, Logan tried to poison Mr. Hoffman’s view of Gilbert. ''You really don’t want to do that. Gilbert isn’t worth the trouble. He’s just a glorified cleaner, and you have no idea what you’re getting into.''Panic crept in. Logan had always felt safe knowing Gilbert couldn’t break free from the ten-year contract unless he paid the $5 million demanded. But now, with Mr. Hoffman standing there, Logan’s fear spiked. He knew Mr. Hoffman could easily

The moment Charles Chase walked away, Gilbert’s phone buzzed in his pocket. He quickly pulled it out, seeing Mr. Hoffman’s name on the screen. Without a second thought, he answered.“Commander, are we good to go?” Mr. Hoffman’s voice came through, calm but firm.Gilbert glanced around, ensuring no one was close enough to overhear. ''Yes. Everything's in place. Head to Logan’s office like we planned.''''On my way. I’ll be there soon,” Mr. Hoffman confirmed.“Let me know when you arrive.” Gilbert ended the call swiftly, his mind already shifting to the next move. Today was the day things would start falling into place.Just as Gilbert pocketed his phone, the door swung open, and Logan burst in, Vivienne trailing closely behind him. Surprise and apprehension flooded his senses at their unexpected arrival. Had they overheard his conversation? He quickly masked his worry, determined to keep any hint of his plans hidden.After slamming the door shut, Logan’s fierce gaze locked onto Gilbert

The phone on Hugo’s workbench vibrated sharply against the tabletop, its sudden rattle skittering a stray box of rusty screws across the surface.Hugo wiped a smudge of black axle grease from his knuckles with a shop rag and picked up the device. He pressed the power button, expecting a call from his wife or a parts supplier.Instead, a fresh text message from the same unlisted, private number glowed on his lock screen:I know about the thirty-grand check in your wallet, Hugo. If you want to know where Garrett really got that money—and why accepting it could put you in danger—meet me at the Corner Perk Cafe on 4th Maple Street in twenty minutes. Come alone.Hugo stared at the glowing screen, his throat suddenly dry as dust.He hadn't told his wife, posted anything online, or even deposited the check into his bank account. The folded paper was still tucked safely inside his wallet.How could anyone else possibly know the exact amount?Hugo sat down heavily on a wooden stool, his pulse

The thick envelope bearing the seal of the County Board of Ethics didn't arrive with a polite phone call. Two county deputies delivered it directly to Richard's desk.Richard sat motionless behind his desk, his knuckles tightening as he stared at the bold red print across the top of the letterhead:FINAL DETERMINATION OF ADMINISTRATIVE TERMINATION.The independent review had moved with alarming speed.Victoria's evidence had given the board what it needed. While the board acknowledged that 412 Streeting Lane had valid unpaid tax liabilities, its investigation found that Richard had personally used his authority to bypass the required 30-day notice period, mark the property for emergency action, and use his office to settle a personal dispute.The conclusion was clear: official misconduct, abuse of power, and serious violations of county regulations.There would be no grace period and no quiet resignation. Effective at five o'clock that evening, Richard Ross was stripped of his positio

No major lottery winner could easily claim a substantial prize under his real name without leaving some kind of record.Theo sat behind the broad desk in his penthouse office, his phone on speaker between his hands. Evelyn stood nearby, her arms crossed tightly over her chest, watching the phone as if it held the answers to her problems."His friend claims Garrett won the lottery," Theo told the person on the other end. "Check the state lotteries and the major jackpot winners from the last three months. I want to know if Garrett won anything and how much he received."Baxter Smith, his private investigator, let out a quiet sigh."Mr. Hudson, lottery winners who collect large prizes usually have their names recorded in public records. But without knowing where he bought the ticket or when he won, I'll have to check several places," Baxter explained. "If Garrett collected a prize under his real name, I should be able to find something. Give me an hour.""Call me as soon as you have an a

The hum of the engine in Evelyn's parked car felt like a countdown clock ticking inside her head.She had pulled over two blocks from Garrett's house, her hands still trembling against the steering wheel. She couldn't get the image out of her mind: Garrett standing confidently beside a construction crew, looking clean and well-groomed as he oversaw the restoration of his childhood home.Theo's private investigator was taking too long. Her father was sitting at home, suspended from his job and facing an investigation. She couldn't afford to wait any longer.Evelyn grabbed her phone and scrolled through her old contacts.Her thumb stopped on a name near the bottom of the list: Hugo Vance.Three years earlier, while she and Garrett were still married, Garrett had listed Hugo as his emergency contact on a medical form. Hugo had been his closest friend at the shipping warehouse and one of the few people who had stayed in touch after Garrett lost his family's estate.If anyone knew what Gar

The sharp whine of a circular saw echoed down Streeting Lane, cutting through the quiet neighborhood. It was a sound that shouldn't have been there.Evelyn slowed her car as she approached the residential block, her fingers tightening around the steering wheel. On a sudden impulse, she had driven out to the east side, expecting to find the house sitting in silence as usual.She had expected to see Garrett's car in the parking lot and the lawn overgrown with weeds.Instead, three construction vans and a flatbed delivery truck lined the street in front of the house.Evelyn pulled over and stared through her windshield in disbelief.The overgrown bushes that had choked the front walkway were gone, leaving the ground clear. Scaffolding stood against the front porch, where two carpenters in high-visibility vests were replacing the rotted wooden beams with fresh timber.On the roof, two more workers were removing the old shingles and dropping the debris into a large dumpster parked in the d

The third-floor conference room of the County Administration Building was quiet, save for the low hum of the air conditioner.Richard adjusted his cuffs as he sat at the table. He had expected a routine meeting about next month's budget with County Administrator Harold Miller.Instead, sitting beside Harold was a man Richard knew all too well: Chief Inspector Lloyd Watson from the County Board of Ethics.A thick folder lay between them."Harold, what's this about?" Richard asked, keeping his tone calm and confident. "I've got a department to run. We're already preparing next month's tax schedule."Harold didn't smile. He pushed the folder toward him."We received a formal complaint this morning, Richard. It came with records showing exactly what happened to Garrett Dalton's property."Richard opened the folder and glanced at the first page. A short, dismissive laugh escaped him."Garrett Dalton," he muttered, shaking his head. "I should have known. This is nothing more than a bitter m