Novels by Latifah Erni

Naomi hid a small knife that she had intended to use to cut her restraints. It was a folding knife, less than four inches long, barely noticeable when held in her palm. After hours in captivity, she had devised several strategies. This tiny knife was her last card, carefully concealed within the folds of her clothing.Outside, a few people were talking. Their voices were deliberately lowered, making it impossible to make out their conversation. Then came the sound of a lock being undone, followed by the creak of a turning doorknob. The door pushed open from the outside. Three people stepped into the dimly lit room where Naomi was held.The room itself was shrouded in mystery. The stone walls were old, with peeling paint. A small window was covered by heavy drapes, blocking out all light. The air smelled of dampness and dust, as if the place had been abandoned for years.Naomi’s sharp gaze landed on the man standing directly before her. He wore a dark coat, and his long blonde hair cas

For a moment, Greyson frowned. He had caught a glimpse of worry in Mrs. Reed’s expression.He raised his voice slightly, trying to remain polite. "Mrs. Reed, I am Naomi’s brother. We’re very worried. Could you let me in?"He knocked on the door repeatedly.No response. No movement either.Greyson repeated his actions once more."Ma’am, if there’s a problem, you can talk to me. We can help each other."This time, the door creaked open slightly, revealing the weary and anxious face of the middle-aged woman. Her eyes scrutinized Greyson from head to toe, as if trying to read his thoughts. Traces of dried tears were still visible on her wrinkled cheeks."Come in," Mrs. Reed finally said, her voice hoarse.The simple living room was filled with an air of unease. Family photos adorned the walls, showcasing moments of happiness from the Reed family’s past. A few houseplants near the window looked wilted, as if mirroring the distress of the home’s occupants. Mrs. Reed sat in a chair facing Gr

Greyson grabbed his phone from the desk and quickly dialed Ivy’s number.The ringing repeated several times before Ivy’s firm voice answered from the other end."Grey? You finally called me," Ivy sounded exhausted."What happened to Naomi?" Greyson asked immediately, regretting that he had ignored all their calls.A heavy sigh came from the other end. "Naomi went to her parents’ house as planned, but after that..." Ivy paused. "She never came back, Grey. No calls, no messages, and her phone has been off.""What have you found out so far?" he asked in a calm voice."My people have been investigating," Ivy replied. "Naomi’s parents are clean. They’re just as confused as we are.""Any other leads?" Greyson asked again, walking toward the window.He gazed at the cityscape below."We’re looking into the man her parents introduced her to," Ivy continued, her tone laced with displeasure. "That man is on a business trip out of town. I’ve had someone follow him, but so far, nothing suspicious.

"His name is Matt Vegan," Jacob announced enthusiastically to everyone. "You must have heard of him. He's a famous actor."A brief silence followed. The faces on the phone screen exchanged confused looks."Never heard of him," Silvia was the first to reply, followed by nods from Ivy and Samantha.Jacob groaned loudly, furrowing his brows in disappointment. Matt was incredibly famous. Half the women in the country adored him. He stared at the screen in disbelief. But these women—either too busy or simply uninterested in entertainment news—claimed not to know him."Sorry, his name has never appeared in any financial reports I read," Silvia replied dryly."I don't like reading gossip magazines," Ivy added, crossing her arms defensively. "Besides, I have more important things to do than watch people act.""Same here. I have a lot of patients to take care of," Samantha chimed in."So, how do you know this Matt guy?" Ivy asked, her tone sharp and investigative. Her eyes narrowed suspiciousl

Silvia’s face appeared on the screen first. Her usually neat hair was slightly messy, a clear sign that she was busy with work.“What is it, Naomi? I’m in the middle of something,” she said with a hint of annoyance before her eyes landed on Greyson behind Naomi. “Oh, Grey?”Greyson offered a small smile toward the screen. “Hello, Silvia.” Then, he tried to move out of the camera’s view, but Jacob deliberately pushed him back into the frame.“Silvia, do you remember our childhood promise with Grey?” Naomi asked without preamble.Silvia’s eyes suddenly sparkled, her professional demeanor crumbling in an instant. “Which one? Oh, you mean that promise?” She chuckled.“Exactly,” Naomi nodded in satisfaction. “Grey here thinks we’ve all forgotten about it.”“Forgotten?” Silvia raised an eyebrow. “How could I possibly forget? I even kept the agreement he signed with a red crayon.”“You kept it?!” Greyson couldn’t hide his shock.“Of course, Grey. It’s a legal document.” Silvia grinned mischi

The room fell silent. Even Jacob stopped chewing his food.As far as he knew, all four of Greyson’s sisters’ biological parents had passed away."Your biological parents?" Greyson asked. "I thought they were dead?"Naomi nodded. "They were just an ordinary couple living in another city. I’ve met them a few times.""How... how are they?" Greyson asked carefully, realizing how sensitive this topic was for Naomi."They’re good," Naomi replied with a small smile. "They’re kind people. But...""But?""After meeting them a few times, they introduced me to a strange man," Naomi continued with a hint of annoyance in her tone. "And they suggested that I marry him."Jacob nearly choked on his drink. "Just like that? After only meeting a few times?""Yep," Naomi laughed dryly. "It seems like they’re eager to see me ‘happy’ according to their definition."Greyson nodded slowly, unsure how to respond. He wasn’t someone who was good at comforting others or giving advice."That reminds me," Naomi su