Novels by aayobamialabi

The morning after their intimate night together, Sylvester lay awake, staring at the wooden ceiling of their cabin, listening to the rhythmic breathing of the woman beside him. Emily’s arm was draped over his chest, her body warm against his side, and for the first time in a long while, he felt…grounded.It had been three years. Three years of distance, of pain, of feeling like a broken man. And yet, last night had shattered that invisible wall between them. Sylvester, all his life, had never known what he was. He never thought about an identity, or doing something for someone or any real purpose.He had two motivations.His hungry belly, and the need for things to be done.As long as there was a need, his desire to help filled that need. Now, it was more. His life felt like more than just another reason to do something, because there was Emily in it.He turned his head slightly, looking at Emily. Her dark lashes rested against her cheeks, and her lips were slightly parted in sle

Emily waited for Sylvester to make his choice, but there was a smile on her face.She knew that when it came to things like these – matters of enjoyment, Sylvester sucked.He was all hard work and discipline.Ultimately, she expected him to leave the choice to her, and when he did, she took it personal, making sure to consider all available options as she scrolled. "Aha," she muttered to herself, clicking on a luxury resort tucked away in the mountains. She then turned the tablet to him. "What do you think? Good scenery, five-star service, and…oh, look! They have an all-you-can-eat buffet.” “Oh, nice? And you think this would get me the ‘relaxation’ you think I need?”“It’s going to be for two days at most, so I doubt you’ll be anywhere as rested as I really want you to be, but hey,” she shrugged innocently. “Baby steps.”Sylvester nodded in agreement.“But since it’s so short, I’m going to ask something of you,” Emily straightened her face.“Anything for you, love,”“No phone call

The drive home bugged Emily with all kinds of possibilities.Everything that she and Gladys talked about were life changing, and in all her years of building a business, laboring tirelessly, both physically and mentally, she had never had this kind of insight.She almost felt like she didn’t deserve it.However, this was life.A door to opportunities had just been open to her, and she was going to dive through it like it was an Olympic sport, and there was the medal for going through it the fastest.As soon as she got home, she had a plethora of information to share with her husband.“Oh, honey!!” she called in a sing song voice.Sylvester, who was sitting on the couch looking like a child that lost his pet rabbit, immediately tried to cover up his disdain and plastered a smile on his face.But Emily was a smart woman, and she caught up to his act before he could get away with it.“Is something wrong?” she asked, her face pinching into a frown.“No, no, darling. Back from Gladys alrea

“So this is what being a top business consultant gets you.” Emily let out a sigh.The estate she had just driven through was impressive, and the house she had just parked in front of, dwarfed anything she had ever hoped to own, even with her impressive financial portfolio.It was so big, it seemed unfair for a singular individual to have financed it.The modern architecture stood out, giving the house a boring, but intimidating presence and the architect involved definitely drew ideas from dystopian brutalism.She could do nothing but gasp.She had expected something impressive, but not this. Gladys Hopper’s reputation had always been formidable, but seeing the physical evidence of her success made it all the more real.Emily hesitated for a moment, drumming her fingers against the wheel. She had spent years avoiding cutthroat business strategies, but now, she was walking straight into the lair of a woman who had built an empire advising the world’s most ruthless CEOs. She was going

Sylvester stepped out of the taxi and slammed the door shut a little harder than necessary."Next time, get your damn change ready before you get in," the driver grumbled before speeding off, leaving Sylvester standing there with his fists clenched.“Ridiculous,” he muttered, suppressing the anger that was building up inside of him. The man had the audacity to raise his voice over a fare dispute, acting as if Sylvester couldn’t pay. If he weren’t trying to live a civilized life, that man would be missing a few teeth right now.He exhaled, rolling his shoulders. “I need a car.” Relying on taxis was starting to irritate him, and it wasn’t as if he couldn’t afford one. He could quite literally buy half of the city if he wanted to. The only thing stopping him was his morality and the need for humility.Brushing the thought aside, he turned toward the towering glass building ahead. Emily’s company…the empire she had built with her own hands.As soon as he stepped inside, the receptionist

Sylvester hated being idle.The moment he opened his eyes that morning, he could feel the boredom seep into his bones. The air in the house was still, the silence stretching longer than it should. Emily had already left for work, leaving him alone with his thoughts…a dangerous thing for a man who thrived on action.But since his defeating the human traffickers, the city had been relatively clam. There seemed to be nothing to do, besides the regular, everyday cases that the city police could definitely take care of.He sat up in bed, stretching his arms before running a hand through his hair. Weak. That was the only way to describe how he felt. It wasn’t exhaustion, not exactly, but a dull, lingering vulnerability that crept into his bones whenever he cultivated.His body was failing him.He had been pushing himself too hard. He knew it. The signs had been there for weeks. Sluggish movements, slower reaction times, a heaviness in his limbs after every session. And yet, the idea of