Chapter 275
And there he was.
Graham.
Sitting in the parlor like he had nowhere else in the world to be.
His broad frame was draped lazily over the couch, one arm resting
over the back, his long legs stretched out in front of him, his
expression unreadable. The picture of careless ease.
Isla came to a halt, her heart still racing, her breath shallow.
His sharp gaze flicked to hers, his brows drawing together slightly as
he took in the look on her face.
“What happened now?”
She didn’t hear his voice, but she saw the way his lips moved, the
small sigh that ghosted over his mouth. The irritation in the way his
fingers tapped once against his knee.
Her throat tightened. She pressed a hand against her ribs, as if that
could somehow steady her frantic pulse. “The helicopter…”
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She let the words form carefully on her lips, her voice soft, uncertain.
She saw the slight rise and fall of his chest as he exhaled, his gaze
never leaving her.
“It was Evie.”
The words hit her like a weight.
“She went back to New York.”
Isla blinked.
Evie was… gone?
She felt something shift inside her, something fragile and unsteady,
but she didn’t dare move, didn’t dare let herself believe it.
A breath slipped past her lips, soft and shaky. But Graham wasn’t
finished.
He leaned forward slightly, his eyes locked on hers. His lips moved
again, slow, deliberate.
“You don’t have to look like someone just murdered your pet.”
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The wry curve of his mouth–the sharp amusement–startled her.
And then, the words that made her world tilt on its axis.
“I canceled the deal.”
She stopped breathing.
The silence around her was deafening.
She stared at him, her pulse hammering so violently she thought she
might shatter.
He canceled it.
Thornfield Manor wasn’t being sold.
She wanted to ask if she had read his lips correctly, if he truly meant
it, but her voice failed her.
Graham watched her intently, his dark gaze filled with something
unreadable. And then-
“Aren’t you going to say something?”
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She barely saw the words form, too caught in the whirlwind of
emotions slamming into her at once.
Her lips parted, but no words came.
Isla couldn’t believe her eyes.
Despite everything that had happened last night–despite the
unbearable humiliation of realizing he had only stayed with her out of pity–she had been certain of one thing: Graham Lancaster would
take the first chance to leave. She had expected to wake up alone, to
find Thornfield Manor signed away, sold to some faceless buyer, just
as he had always threatened.
But he was still here.
T
Sitting there, sprawled across the couch like he had all the time in the world, his long legs stretched out, his expression unreadable.
And the sale? Canceled.
Her mind couldn’t keep up. Why? What did this mean? What had
changed?
She stared at him, searching his face for some clue, some hint of
explanation.
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His dark eyes flicked up, and instantly, a frown tugged at his lips.
“You’re looking at me like that again,” he grumbled.
“Like what?” she asked cautiously, her voice uncertain.
“Like I just murdered your pet.”
The words were exasperated, but there was something in his tone-
something teasing, almost indulgent, like he knew exactly how much
he was unsettling her and was enjoying every second of it.
Isla swallowed, her pulse uneven. He had canceled the deal-
something she had begged him to do, something she would have
given anything for. But he hadn’t taken her offer. He hadn’t used her
body in exchange for this.
So why?
Before she could gather her thoughts, Graham stood abruptly,
stretching his arms over his head before rolling his shoulders, like a
man completely at ease. Then, without warning, his fingers closed
around her wrist.
“Come on,” he said, his grip firm but not forceful. “We have
somewhere urgent to be.”
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“What?” Isla stumbled slightly as he pulled her forward, leading her
toward the door, not even sparing her a glance.
“No time for questions,” he said smoothly, his tone as arrogant as
ever.
“Graham-”
He turned then, flashing her a slow, wicked smirk. His grip tightened
around her wrist, just enough to make her stomach flutter.
“You’ll find out soon enough.”
And with that, he pulled her outside, leaving her no choice but to
follow.
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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.
