Chapter 258
As Graham and Evie made their way to leave the sunroof, Isla
couldn’t hold back any longer. Her heart hammered in her chest as
she called out, “Graham, I—”
He turned to her, his expression unreadable, his eyes giving nothing
away. He cut her off with a low, firm voice, his tone laced with quiet
impatience. “Not now, Isla. If you have something important to say,
wait until this evening. In my office. When we have some privacy.”
And with that, he turned back to Evie, offering her his arm like the
perfect gentleman. She laughed softly as she looped her hand
through his, and together they left without another glance in Isla’s
direction. Their footsteps echoed faintly as they disappeared down
the stairs, leaving Isla rooted in place, the words she had tried to say
stuck in her throat.
She remained standing there long after they were gone, her hands
clenched tightly at her sides, her nails digging into her palms. The
ache in her chest was unbearable, like a cold compress pressed
directly against her heart, numbing and yet somehow amplifying the
pain. Her mind was a storm of conflicting emotions–anger, longing,
fear, and a deep, gnawing sadness that seemed to consume her whole.
Why won’t he just listen? she thought, frustration bubbling up
1/4
Chapter 258
alongside her despair. But beneath the frustration was a more
terrifying realization–one she had tried to deny for weeks. Graham
wasn’t bluffing. The coldness in his voice, the distance in his eyes,
the way he had introduced her as his step–sister to Evie–it all
pointed to the same chilling truth. He was moving on. He was done
with her.
Isla sank into a chair by the window, staring out at the sprawling
grounds of Thornfield Manor. For the first time, the thought of losing
this place felt real. The home she had grown up in, the walls that had
held her happiest memories, and even her deepest sorrows–it might
all be gone.
Her thoughts drifted back to the way Graham used to be. The warmth in his smile when he looked at her, the gentleness in his voice when he spoke her name. And it might all be gone too and Isla needed to stop that from happening, she needed to talk to him, to make him
understand.
At around six in the evening, the sound of laughter echoed through
Thornfield Manor as Evie and Graham returned from their outing.
Their voices were bright, carefree, and their steps light as they ran up
the grand staircase like two mischievous children. Isla heard them from her room, her stomach twisting at the sound. She stayed where she was, hidden behind her closed door, until she was certain the
laughter had faded and the house had settled into silence once more.
Only then did she gather the courage to venture out.
2/4
Chapter 258
The storm clouds outside were gathering again, dark and heavy,
promising another downpour. It mirrored the weight in her chest, the
tension that had been building all day. She made her way down the
dimly lit hall toward Graham’s study, her heart pounding with each
step. She paused at the door, taking a moment to collect herself
before knocking softly.
“Come in,” came his voice, low and measured.
She pushed the door open, her breath catching as she stepped inside.
Graham wasn’t at his desk, poring over papers or staring at his computer screen as she had expected. Instead, he was lounging in an armchair by the fireplace, a glass of scotch cradled in his hand. The amber liquid caught the flicker of the flames, casting a warm glow
that seemed at odds with the cold indifference in his eyes.
He didn’t immediately speak, but for the first time since his return, he truly looked at her. His gaze, sharp and penetrating, moved over her slowly–from her eyes to her trembling hands, down the length of her body to her feet. The intensity of it felt like both a burden and a strange relief, as though a weight she had been carrying finally began
to lift.
“Want a drink?” he asked abruptly, his tone casual but clipped, almost
as if the words had left his mouth before he could stop them. Then, as if remembering something, he let out a low, sardonic laugh and shook
his head. “Oh, wait. You’re not old enough, are you?”
3/4
Chapter 258
The corner of his mouth tugged into something that might have been
a smirk, though it carried no humor. Isla flinched inwardly at his
words. There was a taunt hidden in there somewhere, though she
couldn’t quite untangle it.
Comments
Write Comments
0
SHARE
4/4
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.
