Winds Carry Lost Promises by Asa Holt Vale 18 Summary
In Chapter 18 of “Winds Carry Lost Promises,” Marina grapples with the emotional fallout of her recent experiences, including an arranged marriage and a failed romance. Frustrated with Daron’s constant reminders of her past mistakes, she confronts him, expressing her feelings of humiliation and defeat. Despite her attempts to assert herself, the tension between them is palpable, and she ultimately decides to walk away, feeling drained and defeated.
As she waits for the elevator, Marina reflects on her past relationship with Daron, feeling small and overwhelmed by her failures. Her encounter with him leaves her feeling emotionally exhausted, and when she runs into Garret, she is too consumed by her thoughts to engage. Meanwhile, Daron, who has been silently observing her, is also affected by their interaction, feeling a mix of annoyance and unresolved feelings.
After their brief encounter, Garret enters Daron’s apartment, sensing the tension and trying to lighten the mood with casual conversation. However, Daron’s demeanor suggests that he is still preoccupied with thoughts of Marina. Garret’s attempts to discuss their mutual friend Bette and her fashion advice are met with indifference from Daron, highlighting the emotional weight of the earlier confrontation.
Marina, back at her own place, continues to wrestle with her feelings and the looming deadline for the Ross Group share buyout. She reaches out to Kara for assistance but is also reminded of her pride and the mistakes that have led her to this point. When Garret calls her on behalf of Daron, she is initially reluctant but eventually sees this as an opportunity to address the share buyout. The chapter ends with a sense of unresolved tension, as both Marina and Daron navigate their complicated emotions and the potential for future interactions.
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**Winds Carry Lost Promises by Asa Holt Vale**
**Chapter 18**
Marina took a deep breath, her frustration bubbling just beneath the surface. “I just went through an emotionless arranged marriage and a romance that fell apart. It’s not as if I committed a heinous crime, Mr. Zamoral! Why do you insist on reminding me of my mistakes and constantly hounding me?”
Her voice, though slightly strained, carried a strength that belied her inner turmoil. It was evident that Daron’s deliberate obstacles were pushing her limits, and a hint of sass crept into her tone, a defiant edge that she hoped would cut through the tension.
Daron stood on the balcony, silent and contemplative, as he casually flicked the crumpled cigarette butt into the trash can.
The atmosphere thickened with an uncomfortable silence, stretching between them like an invisible barrier.
Marina hesitated, the weight of the moment settling in. She realized that Daron was not someone she could unleash her frustrations upon without consequence. Taking a moment to gather herself, she managed to suppress her feelings. “I’m sorry. I’ve overstepped my bounds. I’ll be on my way now.”
With a swift turn, she began to walk away, a flicker of wistfulness crossing her features as she stole one last glance at him.
Daron, in that moment, resembled the hero from one of those male power fantasy novels—abandoned, only to return and deliver a stinging rebuke to his oblivious ex-fiancée.
Marina had never fathomed that a relationship lasting seven years could unravel into such a humiliating catastrophe. Always competitive, she felt small and unable to hold her head high in front of Daron.
While she waited for the elevator, a series of heavy sighs escaped her lips, each one carrying away a fragment of her energy. She felt utterly drained, as if the very essence of her spirit had been siphoned away.
As the elevator doors slid open, Garret stepped out, a casual wave in his direction. But Marina, consumed by her thoughts, shuffled past him with her head bowed and eyes averted. She pressed the button for her floor and stood there, staring blankly at the wall as if it were a confessional, contemplating her myriad of failures.
The doors closed with a soft hiss, leaving Garret’s hand suspended in mid-air, perplexed. He scratched his head in confusion before making his way into Daron’s apartment.
Daron, cigarette still smoldering between his fingers, looked up at the sound of the door.
Garret immediately sensed the shift in Daron’s demeanor; his expression dimmed at the sight of him, as though Garret’s presence had cast a shadow over the room.
“Daron,” he began, picking up on the underlying tension, “even if Ms. Finley didn’t come back, you don’t have to give me that look, do you?”
Daron shot him a blank stare, then exhaled a cloud of smoke that swirled around him, momentarily obscuring his face.
Garret sauntered over, his usual laid-back demeanor in place, eager for some gossip. “So, Daron, what was Ms. Finley here for? Don’t tell me she’s reconsidering and wants to tie the knot with you now?”
Daron shot him a withering glare. “Which part of her did you think looked regretful?”
She might regret her choice to be with Lavern, but breaking off their engagement? No, she had no second thoughts about that.
Garret pressed on, “I ran into her by the elevator; she seemed completely downcast, like her heart had been shattered. Isn’t that a sign she tried to make amends only to be met with rejection?”
Daron scoffed internally. ‘Crushed? Hardly. When she came at me with full force, she was anything but defeated.’
He tapped his cigarette lightly, shaking off the ash. “You sound like you’ve got firsthand experience, another love story gone awry?”
He lingered on the word “another,” and Garret’s expression fell. With a theatrical groan, he desperately sought to change the subject.
“Bette texted me earlier,” Garret said, shifting the focus. “She’s heading to Sicester tomorrow and made me promise to bug you about wearing that coat she got you for the meetup.”
Daron grunted, his annoyance palpable though he didn’t outright reject the suggestion.
Bette Blanchard, who had been born just minutes before Daron, had taken it upon herself to curate his wardrobe since their childhood. Once she stepped into the fashion world, her complaints about his endless collection of identical black suits escalated, and she began to overhaul his closet entirely.
In fact, over seventy percent of Daron’s clothing was a result of her intervention.
Garret felt a rush of relief at the thought that someone could finally rein Daron in, as if he’d glimpsed a flicker of hope at the end of a long tunnel.
Following Bette’s instructions, he ventured into Daron’s walk-in closet to assemble an outfit for the next day.
He rummaged through every section but couldn’t find the elusive black wool coat. Then suddenly, a thought struck him, and he called out to Daron, “I think your wool coat is over at Ms. Finley’s place.”
Daron’s brows furrowed at the mention of Bette’s flair for the dramatic, which often led to her spilling secrets to their parents and their grandfather, Harris Zamora. The mere thought gave him an instant headache.
The last time he had angered her, she had ratted him out to their mother, which had resulted in a month-long marathon of blind dates.
“Go get it back from her,” Daron instructed, his tone brooking no argument.
After leaving Daron’s expansive apartment, Marina drove back to Alyssa’s charming little villa, the weight of her earlier encounter lingering heavily on her mind.
During the drive, she dialed Kara, requesting her to dig up fresh leads on potential buyers for the Ross Group shares.
Holding onto 51% of the shares meant that selling them all at once would be far from straightforward. Not every company could match the Zamora Group’s influence or financial capacity.
The idea of splitting the shares for sale? That would spread like wildfire, and Lavern would be on it in no time.
With a tight deadline looming, Marina knew the Zamora Group was her best option. Yet, Daron’s attitude remained an enigma, perplexing and infuriating all at once.
She had only ten days left. In just ten days, she would have to return to Vrufield.
Before hanging up, Kara assured her she would brainstorm some ideas.
Once back in the courtyard, Marina collapsed onto the lounge chair, utterly exhausted, chastising herself for allowing her pride to sabotage the deal and send her scurrying home.
At that moment, Garret’s call illuminated her phone.
She glanced at the screen, saw the unfamiliar number, and swiftly rejected the call.
Moments later, it buzzed again; she dismissed it once more.
For the past six months, she had enjoyed a drama-free existence at home, with hardly anyone reaching out. It was undoubtedly some sales pitch or another.
But the caller was persistent, dialing several more times.
12:29 PM, Fri, Dec 12.
Irritated, she finally picked up, pressed the phone to her ear, and snapped, “If you have something to say, just say it.”
There was a beat of silence on the other end, and then Daron passed the phone directly to Garret.
Flustered, Garret muttered, “Ms. Finley still not answering?”
Daron shot him a look and thrust the phone into his hands. “I told you to say it.”
Garret glanced down, realized the call was active, and quickly raised it to his ear. “Ms. Finley, hi, this is…”
Marina had caught the exchange between Garret and Daron, and her expression hardened as she responded in a flat, robotic tone, “Hello.”
Garret cut to the chase, offering to swing by himself to collect the coat.
She thought back to how they had come to her aid at the hospital that day; how could she make them come all the way over? She quickly offered to deliver it herself.
Perhaps this would provide her another opportunity to discuss the Ross Group share buyout with Daron. This time, she would set aside her pride and push through.
“Thanks for the trouble, Ms. Finley,” Garret said gratefully.
She replied politely, “No, I should be the one thanking you…”
But before she could finish her sentence, the call abruptly ended. Marina stared at the blank screen for a few moments, confusion washing over her.
Meanwhile, Garret looked at Daron, perplexed. Daron had snatched the phone back and hung up, his face impassive as he casually opened his gaming app and remarked, “You took forever with that.”
Conclusion
As Marina sat in the courtyard, grappling with the remnants of her earlier confrontation with Daron, she felt the weight of her choices pressing down on her. The emotional turbulence of the past few months had stripped away her bravado, leaving her vulnerable and questioning her own decisions. Yet, amidst the chaos, a flicker of determination ignited within her. She recognized that while her past was marred with mistakes and regrets, the future still held the promise of redemption. By choosing to confront Daron again, she was not just seeking to mend fences but also reclaiming her agency in a world that had often felt beyond her control. This moment of clarity, however small, was a step towards healing the fractures in her heart.
On the other side of the spectrum, Daron remained an enigma, his feelings tangled in a web of pride and unspoken words. The encounter with Marina had stirred something within him, yet he chose to guard his emotions behind a facade of indifference. As he returned to his gaming app, he felt the echo of their conversation linger, a haunting reminder of the connection they once shared. In his heart, there was a conflict between the desire to push her away and the yearning to understand the depth of her pain. Garret’s presence served as a distraction from his internal struggle, but the unresolved tension between him and Marina hinted at a larger reckoning on the horizon. Both characters stood at a crossroads, their paths intertwined yet diverging, each holding onto the hope that perhaps, in the winds of change, lost promises could be found again.
What to Expect in Next Chapter?
**What to Expect in the Next Chapter?**
In the upcoming chapter of “Winds Carry Lost Promises,” readers can anticipate an electrifying confrontation as Marina prepares to deliver Daron’s coat. The air is thick with unresolved tension, and as she steps into his world once more, the stakes are higher than ever. Will she find the courage to address the lingering issues between them, or will her pride once again hold her back? Marina’s internal struggle is palpable, and her determination to reclaim her agency in this tangled web of emotions will undoubtedly lead to a pivotal moment that could change everything.
As Daron grapples with his own feelings, the dynamic between him and Marina promises to shift dramatically. With Garret caught in the middle, the interplay of friendship, loyalty, and romantic tension will add layers to the unfolding drama. Will Daron continue to maintain his stoic facade, or will he finally allow himself to confront the raw emotions simmering just below the surface? Readers should brace themselves for unexpected revelations and heartfelt exchanges that could either bridge the chasm between them or deepen the divide. The next chapter is set to be a whirlwind of emotions, where every word and glance could tip the scales in either direction.
Sara Lili is a daring romance writer who turns icy landscapes into scenes of fiery passion. She loves crafting hot love stories while embracing the chill of Iceland’s breathtaking cold.
