Novels by Lustre Okengwu

Archer didn’t think he would ever see someone surprise him but he had to fight right now to pick his jaw off the floor.“Your father?” He mused and turned to Madison, “I thought you didn’t have parents,”“You sound surprised, boy. Looks like you have seen a ghost,” Royal teased him.Madison looked at the both of them suspiciously, “I don’t know him but my mother showed me a picture of him before she left me. I can’t ever forget his face,” her eyes narrowed, “do you know each other?”“Something like that,” Archer said as he rubbed his temple.He didn’t think in his wildest dreams that Royal would look for him too soon much less on his engagement. He gritted his teeth at that.“Perfect, now that you didn’t seek to get my blessings, what are we going to do about that?” Royal asked.Madison’s hand slipped away from Archer’s as she advanced on her father with that fury in her eyes, “blessings? You want him to ask for your blessings when you have never been a father to me? What crack are yo

Dear readers, I want to express my heartfelt gratitude to each and every one of you who has taken the time to read my book. Your support means the world to me, and I am thrilled that you have joined me on this journey. To my family, friends, and loved ones, thank you for your unwavering encouragement and patience. Your belief in me has been a constant source of inspiration, and I am forever grateful. To my editor, and Ae, thank you for your expertise and guidance. Your dedication to bringing this story to life has been invaluable. And to the characters and stories that have taken up residence in my mind, thank you for choosing me as your vessel. I am honored to have been able to share your tales with the world. Thank you again for reading, and I look forward to sharing more stories with you in the future but we are not done with this for now. I am about to start season two of Archer’s journey and I would like to prepare all of you ahead of it. There would be more aggressive

It wasn’t surprising to hear the words come out of his mouth. He knew he wanted to marry her a long time ago but now that he said it, he was so sure. The tightening in his chests disappeared and his arch nemesis became the least of his problems as he processed the best way to make Madison agree to marry him. Archer remembered standing up and walking away, leaving Damien sitting there. He remembered entering the car and driving back to his hotel. The rest was so blur and before he knew it, he was back in his house. Under the shower to gather his thoughts, he had Royal after him and now, he wanted to make Madison fully his. Despite their ups and downs, he had never stopped loving her. She was meant for him and he wouldn’t have it any other way. Archer dried himself off and dressed in his most casual clothes, he decided the best person to help him look for a ring was Lydia. She had taste and being close to Madison must be a plus. He took out his phone and called her, she pick

Damien hummed in response, “I see. I have heard of him but we haven’t crossed paths,” “Yeah, he is always careful not to be seen all the time. He is like a ghost.” “It looks like your old buddy is looking for you, I don’t know why though.” Kei said. Archer shook his head, “I know why, I stole from him years ago.” “You did what?” Damien almost yelled. Archer shrugged, “it’s not much but to him it’s a sign of disrespect. I had to survive and the best way to do it was with a little help,” “What happened to you?” Kei asked, “I was under the impression that you magically blew into a rich heir overnight,” “I wish that was true,” Archer scoffed, “I did things I wasn’t proud of but I don’t regret anything. I was a child with no parents and no money, I had no problems stealing even if it meant I don’t starve to death.” “We are not judging you, Archer. I didn’t get to where I am right now without a little sin or two. I am just curious as to why you didn’t stay with him,” Damien

Nine year old Archer walked along the streets, hungry and tired. His eyes were drooping close like he might drop down on the dirty floor. For days, he had walked this alleyway. Searching for something to eat, anything at all. The only money he had was left for emergency in case he fell sick which he wasn’t far from right now. He stopped beside a dumpster and leaned his head against it, just five minutes and he would be alright. His eyes closed but not before he begged for a savior, the saying be careful what you wish for was right in that sense. A boot kicked him after an hour and his eyes flew open, there in front of him were three men with snarls on their faces. It didn’t register at first till Archer sat up quickly, bumping his head against the dumpster and wincing. The men looked at me before they burst into laughter, “look what we found, did a cat get lost?” “No, I just wanted to sleep,” Archer had said. They frowned before one reached out and slapped him, the force o

Archer and Damien gaped at the Korean heir like he was out of his mind. Kei just continued to sip his tea like he didn’t just drop a bomb on them.“I am sorry, what?” Archer asked just to be sure.“I said, he was acting on my orders. You don’t think there would be an imposter running around without my knowledge, that would be a bad look on me,”“So, you sent him to me?” Archer questioned.Damien was still looking between them, “Kei, what is this?”“I couldn’t help myself. I was curious to know about the friend you sang praises for, and since I had to test him, that’s why I sent him?”Archer chuckled, “this is crazy. This is fucking crazy, I cannot believe you are testing me. What do you have to test me for? If you were tired of hearing about me from Damien , then you should have asked him to stop talking about me.”Kei shook his head, “way before that, I have always heard about you. I knew we would do business together but I needed to be sure that I could trust you and finding a way t

The grand decorations adorned the ballroom with an air of regal elegance as if it were a fairy tale brought to life. The theme of the night was none other than royalty, and every corner of the ballroom was beautifully adorned with twinkling lights, cascading flowers, and royal insignia.Transporting everyone into a world of fantasy and dreams.All eyes were drawn to Marco and Lily as they stepped into the hall. They looked good and on the theme. They made for a truly captivating sight as if they had stepped out of a storybook. The music played, Marco's eyes locked with Lily's, and he couldn't resist the opportunity to seize the moment. With a playful glint in his eye, he adopted a charming British accent, saying, "May I have the honor of this dance, my lady?" Lily giggled."Why, of course, kind sir," Lily replied, mimicking the accent, her laughter like sweet music to his ears. She placed her delicate hand in his outstretched arm, and together, they gracefully made their way to

"When I tell you that you are crazy, believe me," Lily mumbled.She rested her head against the headrest and covered her eyes with a sleeping mask.Marco grunted and did the same, it was going to be a long flight.Marco and Lily's flight touched down at the bustling airport, and they both let out a sigh of relief. Stepping off the plane, Marco felt the warm breeze of London enveloping them, and excitement filled his nostrils.Lily, with a slight yawn, turned to Marco and said, "You know, after this long flight, we should go rest a little before we go to the big house."Marco, however, seemed hesitant. "I understand that you need rest, Lily, but I need to take care of it now. If we get it done quickly, we can then relax and have a great time leading up to the prom back home."Lily smiled understandingly, knowing how important it was for him to come here. "Alright, I get it. Let's do what we need to do first, and then we can enjoy ourselves without any worries."They collected their

"What the hell is going on here?" The voice bellowed startling Marco from sleep, he gazed with sleepy eyes into the eyes of Anthony.Marco looked around him and discovered that Lily was still sleeping with the sheet covered but it would take a fool not to guess what they had done.He sighed, not making a move."I believe I asked a question," Anthony said."You know we live together, were you expecting something else?" Marco asked.He got up gently, thankful he had slept with his boxers.He put on his shorts and headed downstairs, well aware that Anthony was following behind."Marco," the man questioned.Marco went to the fridge and took out a bottle of water."I am talking to you, boy."Marco leveled him with a bored look, "What do you want?"Anthony stepped towards him in a threatening manner."I told you how I felt about sleeping with my daughter.""Was this before or after you shot my dad?" Marco asked. Anthony stood there, his eyes locked onto Marco, his mouth hung wide open in

Marco said nothing.He just stared at Lily wide-eyed."You what?" he asked.Lily shrugged, "I thought we could sit down and talk about us when this is all over but the issue with my father is hanging over my head."Marco took a step closer, "Lily,""No, hear me out."Marco kept mute and just listened, Lily took a deep breath."I love my father, I do but what he did is unforgivable. I am not going to lie that I will be sad if you kill him but I understand.""So you will hate me?"Lily shook her head, "I will be sad but like I said, I understand."Marco nodded.Lily stretched out her hand again, this time Marco took it and they went home. "Stay here, Marco," Lily said, her voice trembling slightly. "I need to grab something from upstairs."Marco nodded, trying to hide his anxiety. He trusted Lily's decision, but this situation was unlike anything he had ever experienced. He had no idea what to do.As she disappeared up the stairs, he was left alone with his thoughts and the haunting s

Marco sat alone at the dimly lit bar, his fingers wrapped tightly around a glass of amber liquid. The scent of alcohol filled his nose and calmed him, the chatter and laughter of the other patrons. But Marco was lost in his world of turmoil, his heart pounding in his chest like a drum.The bar was his refuge now, a place where he could drown his sorrows and numb the pain that was gnawing at him. The whiskey burned his throat, but he welcomed the sensation, hoping it would distract him from the storm raging inside. His thoughts were a chaotic whirlwind of anger, fear, and desperation, threatening to consume him completely. Tonight, everything reached a boiling point, and Marco felt like he was losing control.He glanced around the bar, observing the carefree smiles on the faces of others. Envy gnawed at him. Why couldn't he be like them? Why couldn't he let go of his anger and simply enjoy the moment? But the darkness within him refused to let go, gripping his heart like a vice.

A bang woke Marco up from sleep.All the shopping yesterday had worn him out. It was worth it.Seeing the smile on Lily's face made him happy.He rubbed his eyes all weary from sleep, and looked around to wonder what jolted him awake.Marco could have sworn he heard a bang.He stood up and padded to the door thinking Lily was knocking, when he opened the door, there was no one there.He took the stairs to check the front door, switching on the lights at the same time.He turned on the porch lights and frowned when he noticed an envelope lying on the floor."What the hell?" he muttered to himself.He looked around before he picked it up. He slammed the door shut.Lily came out of her room, rubbing her eyes."what's going on?" she asked."Fuck if I know," he muttered to himself.Lily came down the stairs and looked at the envelope."What's in it?""Lily, I just picked it up. Haven't gotten a chance to see it yet."Lily ripped the envelope open and let out a sigh, "It's a flash drive.""

The taxi dropped Damien outside of the Ling estate. He stepped out of the car with his medical bag slung over one shoulder as he approached the butler waiting at the entrance.It’s been three days and he was right on time for his check up. They entered the mansion, and he was surprised that the once lifeless mansion was now had staff bustling about.It looked like the madam’s health worked with the energy in this house. “Mr. Cross,” the butler greeted him with a respectful bow. “Thank you for coming.” “How is Madam Ling doing?” Damien asked as they walked through the halls. “She’s improved remarkably,” the butler said with a smile. “She’s even been sitting up in bed and speaking more frequently. She specifically asked to speak with you after your check-up today.” Damien nodded, pleased to hear the news. “That’s good progress. Let’s see how she’s doing.” The butler led him to the madam’s room, where she was propped up against mountain of pillows. Her complexion still looked a litt

It was past midnight when Damien quietly slipped through the front door of the house. He stopped short when he saw Evelyn sitting on the couch, her legs tucked under her and a book in her lap. Their gazes met and she smiled. “You’re late,” she said gently, setting the book aside as she stood. “I know,” Damien replied. He dropped his bag near the door and rubbed the back of his neck. “Sorry about that.” “Are you tired?” She asked with concern written all over her face. “Completely,” he admitted with a faint smile. “It’s been a long day.” He left the rest of the details. Evelyn hesitated, biting her lip. There was so much she wanted to say, but the fatigue etched across his face made her pause. “You should get some rest.” He nodded. “Thanks for waiting up, Evelyn. Goodnight.” With that, he climbed the stairs to his room, his body swaying under the fatigue. Evelyn stood at the base of the stairs, watching him disappear into his room. She had been waiting for hours, re

Damien on the other hand, there was no emergency in the hospital. He was on his way to meet a special client so he took a taxi to the airport where the person was waiting with a private plane.He adjusted his cufflinks as the private plane touched down smoothly on a secluded airstrip. The Ling family had gone to great lengths to arrange this meeting, and though Damien wasn’t one to indulge in frivolities, their request had piqued his interest. He stepped out of the plane and was greeted by an impeccably dressed butler, who bowed deeply."Mr. Cross," the butler said, "Thank you for coming on such short notice. The car is ready to take us to the Ling mansion."Damien nodded, "please, lead the way."The butler occasionally glanced nervously at Damien, as though gauging whether the man beside him could deliver the miracle he hoped for. When they arrived, Damien stepped out of the car and was momentarily taken aback. The mansion was breathtaking."Impressive," Damien murmured, more to him

Evelyn Sterling adjusted her silverware, her polished calm masking the irritation she felt inside. Across from her sat her three friends, Amelia, Vivian and Victoria each impeccably dressed and accompanied by their equally ostentatious husbands. Tonight’s dinner was meant to be a casual gathering, but Evelyn knew better. These dinners always devolved into competitions of who had the wealthiest, most accomplished husband. Tonight, however, the stakes felt higher; because this was the first time she’d be introducing Damien to her friends.Something she has been avoiding since she walked in there with him. Damien sat beside her, calm as always, his hands loosely folded on the table. His quiet confidence only made Evelyn more aware of the condescending glances being cast in his direction. “So, Evelyn,” Amelia began, her voice lilting with faux curiosity. “We’ve all been dying to know about your husband. You never even told us you got married, I can see why you hid it from us, so what d

The drive to her grandfather’s estate was taking so long. Evelyn sat stiffly in the back seat, her fingers gripping the hem of her dress as she occasionally glanced at Damien. He was calm as ever, leaning back in his seat, his eyes focused on the rolling scenery outside. “Why did you agree to come?” she finally asked, it was ridiculous since she was the one who invited him but she didn’t think he would agree to it. He smirked faintly, not shifting his gaze from where he was staring at, “Why wouldn’t I? Your grandfather seems like an interesting man and I want to meet him. She pursed her lips, unsure if she should be grateful or annoyed by his casual demeanor. Most people quaked at the thought of meeting Richard Sterling, but Damien seemed utterly unfazed which bothered her for some reason. When they arrived at the sprawling estate, the butler greeted them and ushered them into the grand sitting room. Richard Sterling sat in his usual armchair by the fireplace, a cup of tea re

Damien smiled when he registered the shock on Evelyn’s face when his question got to her ears. He thought nothing could shake her. Her eyes widened and she turned her back to him, probably to recollect her thoughts. He wanted to laugh. “Let’s get one thing clear,” Evelyn said, spinning to face him, her voice firm. “You are not to touch me until I decide I’ve fallen for you. Is that understood?” Damien tilted his head, his lips quirking up in a faint smile. “Crystal clear,” he said, his tone calm. His nonchalant attitude seemed to irk her more. Evelyn crossed her arms, glaring at him. “I mean it, Damien. No casual touches, no overstepping boundaries. You’ll respect my space.” “I said I understand,” Damien replied, leaning forward with his hands in his pocket, “Honestly, I have no problem waiting. It’s your call, wife.” Her lips tightened, her brow furrowing as though his agreement had taken the wind out of her sails. For reasons Evelyn couldn’t quite explain, his easy acc