+25\u00a0BONUS<\/p>\n
As\u00a0we\u00a0pulled\u00a0up\u00a0to\u00a0the\u00a0mansion,\u00a0I\u00a0frowned\u00a0when\u00a0I\u00a0saw\u00a0an\u00a0unfamiliar\u00a0car\u00a0parked\u00a0out\u00a0front.<\/p>\n
\u201cWere\u00a0you\u00a0expecting\u00a0someone?\u201d\u00a0Irene\u00a0asked,\u00a0also\u00a0noticing\u00a0the\u00a0car.<\/p>\n
\u201cNo,\u00a0I\u00a0don\u2019t\u00a0think\u00a0so,\u201d\u00a0I\u00a0murmur\u00a0as\u00a0I\u00a0take\u00a0off\u00a0my\u00a0seatbelt\u00a0and\u00a0slide\u00a0out\u00a0of\u00a0the\u00a0car.<\/p>\n
We\u00a0walked\u00a0to\u00a0the\u00a0front\u00a0door\u00a0and\u00a0pushed\u00a0it\u00a0open;\u00a0I\u00a0immediately\u00a0heard\u00a0voices\u00a0coming\u00a0from\u00a0the\u00a0living\u00a0room\u00a0and\u00a0something\u00a0that\u00a0sounded\u00a0like\u00a0laughter.\u00a0I\u2019furrowed\u00a0my\u00a0brows\u00a0and\u00a0glanced\u00a0behind\u00a0me\u00a0at\u00a0Irene,\u00a0who\u00a0looked\u00a0equally\u00a0confused.<\/p>\n
We\u00a0made our\u00a0way\u00a0through\u00a0the\u00a0front\u00a0foyer\u00a0and\u00a0towards\u00a0the\u00a0living\u00a0room.\u00a0Once\u00a0we\u00a0were\u00a0through\u00a0the\u00a0door,\u00a0I\u00a0completely\u00a0froze.<\/p>\n
I\u00a0wasn\u2019t\u00a0expecting\u00a0to\u00a0see\u00a0the\u00a0people\u00a0sitting\u00a0on\u00a0the\u00a0couch,\u00a0and\u00a0apparently\u00a0neither\u00a0did\u00a0Irene\u00a0because\u00a0she\u00a0sucked\u00a0in\u00a0a\u00a0sharp\u00a0breath.<\/p>\n
\u201cTabby?\u201d\u00a0I\u00a0asked,\u00a0my\u00a0tone\u00a0filled\u00a0with\u00a0disbelief.\u00a0To\u00a0her\u00a0side,\u00a0I\u00a0saw\u00a0that\u00a0both\u00a0Chuck\u00a0and\u00a0Sherry\u00a0were\u00a0also\u00a0seated\u00a0on\u00a0the\u00a0couch.<\/p>\n
My\u00a0jaw\u00a0was\u00a0practically\u00a0on\u00a0the\u00a0ground.<\/p>\n
Sammy\u00a0sat\u00a0curled\u00a0up\u00a0on\u00a0one\u00a0of\u00a0the\u00a0love\u00a0seats,\u00a0a\u00a0smile\u00a0lighting\u00a0up\u00a0her\u00a0face\u00a0as\u00a0she\u00a0talked\u00a0their\u00a0ears\u00a0off\u00a0about\u00a0her\u00a0experiences\u00a0here\u00a0since\u00a0she\u00a0arrived.<\/p>\n
Chuck\u00a0and\u00a0Sherry\u00a0were\u00a0only\u00a0half\u00a0listening.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat\u00a0are\u00a0you\u00a0doing\u00a0here?\u201d\u00a0I\u00a0asked\u00a0as\u00a0Tabby\u00a0walked\u00a0towards\u00a0me\u00a0and\u00a0draped\u00a0me\u00a0in\u00a0a\u00a0tight\u00a0hug.<\/p>\n
I\u00a0hugged\u00a0her back\u00a0without\u00a0hesitation.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u00a0wanted\u00a0to\u00a0come\u00a0visit\u00a0you,\u201d\u00a0she\u00a0told\u00a0me.\u00a0\u201cI\u00a0told\u00a0you,\u00a0Chuck,\u00a0Sherry,\u00a0and\u00a0I\u00a0are\u00a0from\u00a0the\u00a0same\u00a0pack,\u00a0right?\u00a0We\u00a0weren\u2019t\u00a0very\u00a0close\u00a0growing\u00a0up,\u00a0but\u00a0since\u00a0the\u00a0competition,\u00a0we\u00a0got\u00a0closer,\u00a0and\u00a0we\u00a0decided\u00a0we\u00a0missed\u00a0you\u00a0and\u00a0wanted\u00a0to\u00a0see\u00a0what\u00a0the\u00a0Silver\u00a0Crescent\u00a0pack\u00a0was\u00a0all\u00a0about.\u00a0So,\u00a0here\u00a0we\u00a0are.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cHow\u00a0long\u00a0are\u00a0you\u00a0going\u00a0to\u00a0be\u00a0staying\u00a0for?\u201d\u00a0I\u00a0asked,\u00a0pulling\u00a0myself\u00a0out\u00a0of\u00a0her\u00a0arms.\u00a0\u201cIf\u00a0I\u00a0had\u00a0known,\u00a0I\u00a0would\u00a0have\u00a0been\u00a0here\u00a0to greet\u00a0you.\u00a0I\u00a0would\u00a0have\u00a0had\u00a0the\u00a0maids\u00a0make\u00a0up\u00a0the\u00a0guest\u00a0rooms.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cAlready\u00a0on\u00a0it,\u201d\u00a0Sammy\u00a0said\u00a0with\u00a0a\u00a0bright\u00a0smile.\u00a0\u201cSome\u00a0of\u00a0the\u00a0other\u00a0maids\u00a0already\u00a0got\u00a0their\u00a0rooms\u00a0prepared.\u00a0They\u00a0are all\u00a0settled\u00a0in.\u00a0They\u00a0got\u00a0here\u00a0a\u00a0couple\u00a0of\u00a0hours\u00a0ago,\u00a0so\u00a0we\u00a0had\u00a0plenty\u00a0of\u00a0time\u00a0for\u00a0all\u00a0of\u00a0that.\u201d<\/p>\n
I\u00a0was\u00a0grateful\u00a0to\u00a0her\u00a0for\u00a0that,\u00a0despite\u00a0my\u00a0dwindling\u00a0trust.<\/p>\n
Tabby\u00a0had\u00a0a\u00a0plastered\u00a0smile\u00a0on\u00a0her\u00a0face\u00a0as\u00a0she\u00a0looked\u00a0at\u00a0Sammy,\u00a0something\u00a0that\u00a0piqued\u00a0my\u00a0interest.<\/p>\n
\u201cAnd\u00a0I\u2019m\u00a0glad\u00a0that\u00a0you\u00a0did.\u00a0Thank\u00a0you,\u00a0Sammy,\u201d\u00a0Tabby\u00a0said,\u00a0her\u00a0clutch\u00a0on\u00a0my\u00a0arm\u00a0tightening.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou\u00a0remember\u00a0Irene,\u00a0don\u2019t\u00a0you?\u201d\u00a0I\u00a0asked,\u00a0motioning\u00a0for\u00a0Irene\u00a0to\u00a0step\u00a0further\u00a0into\u00a0the\u00a0room.\u00a0Her\u00a0eyes\u00a0were\u00a0darting\u00a0between\u00a0Chuck\u00a0and\u00a0Sherry\u00a0and\u00a0then\u00a0to\u00a0me,\u00a0with\u00a0a\u00a0slight\u00a0blush\u00a0on\u00a0her\u00a0cheeks.\u00a02<\/p>\n
At\u00a0the\u00a0sound\u00a0of\u00a0Irene\u2019s\u00a0name,\u00a0Chuck\u00a0tensed\u00a0and\u00a0turned\u00a0to\u00a0look\u00a0at\u00a0her;\u00a0his\u00a0eyes\u00a0lingering\u00a0for\u00a0a\u00a0beat\u00a0longer\u00a0than\u00a0necessary.\u00a0I\u00a0raised\u00a0my\u00a0brows\u00a0at\u00a0Irene,\u00a0but\u00a0she\u00a0did\u00a0what\u00a0she\u00a0could\u00a0to\u00a0avoid\u00a0my\u00a0gaze.<\/p>\n
\u201cYes,\u00a0of\u00a0course,\u201d\u00a0Tabby\u00a0said,\u00a0releasing\u00a0me\u00a0for\u00a0a\u00a0moment\u00a0to\u00a0give\u00a0Irene\u00a0a quick\u00a0hug.\u00a0\u201cLandry,\u00a0right?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYes,\u201d\u00a0Irene\u00a0said\u00a0softly,\u00a0a\u00a0bit\u00a0too\u00a0softly\u00a0for\u00a0the\u00a0Irene\u00a0I\u00a0knew<\/p>\n
Chuck\u00a0was\u00a0quick\u00a0to\u00a0stand\u00a0on\u00a0his\u00a0feet,\u00a0his\u00a0hand\u00a0going\u00a0behind\u00a0his\u00a0neck.<\/p>\n
+25\u00a0BONUS<\/p>\n
Chapter\u00a0467<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s\u00a0good\u00a0to\u00a0see\u00a0you\u00a0again,\u00a0Irene,\u201d\u00a0he\u00a0said,\u00a0giving\u00a0her\u00a0a\u00a0small\u00a0smile.<\/p>\n
Her\u00a0cheeks\u00a0blushed\u00a0even\u00a0more,\u00a0and\u00a0she\u00a0nibbled\u00a0her\u00a0lower\u00a0lip,\u00a0nodding\u00a0slightly\u00a0at\u00a0him.<\/p>\n
\u201cCan\u00a0I\u00a0talk\u00a0to\u00a0you\u00a0for\u00a0a\u00a0minute?\u201d\u00a0Tabby\u00a0whispered\u00a0by\u00a0my\u00a0side.\u00a0\u201cPrivately?\u201d<\/p>\n
I\u00a0nodded,\u00a0wondering\u00a0what\u00a0had\u00a0been\u00a0clearly\u00a0bothering\u00a0her.<\/p>\n
She\u00a0pulled\u00a0me\u00a0alongside\u00a0her\u00a0until\u00a0we\u00a0were\u00a0in\u00a0the\u00a0next\u00a0room\u00a0Once\u00a0alone,\u00a0Tabby\u00a0let\u00a0out\u00a0a\u00a0breath\u00a0and\u00a0looked\u00a0almost\u00a0relieved.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u00a0lied;\u00a0we\u00a0didn\u2019t\u00a0come\u00a0here\u00a0to\u00a0just\u00a0visit\u00a0you.\u00a0We\u00a0came\u00a0here\u00a0to\u00a0warn\u00a0you,\u201d\u00a0she\u00a0said,\u00a0turning\u00a0to\u00a0face\u00a0me.<\/p>\n
\u201cNot\u00a0sure\u00a0if\u00a0I\u00a0should\u00a0be\u00a0hurt\u00a0or\u00a0not,\u201d\u00a0I\u00a0admitted,\u00a0my\u00a0brows\u00a0raising.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u00a0didn\u2019t\u00a0mean\u00a0it\u00a0like\u00a0that;\u00a0of\u00a0course,\u00a0we\u00a0wanted\u00a0to\u00a0see\u00a0you.\u00a0Well,\u00a0at\u00a0least\u00a0I\u00a0did.\u00a0I\u00a0missed\u00a0you\u00a0terribly,\u201d\u00a0she\u00a0told\u00a0me,\u00a0hugging\u00a0me\u00a0tightly.\u00a0\u201cChuck\u00a0just\u00a0mainly\u00a0wanted\u00a0to\u00a0see\u00a0Irene,\u00a0and\u00a0Sherry\u00a0was\u00a0making\u00a0sure\u00a0we\u00a0stayed\u00a0on\u00a0task.\u00a0But\u00a0it\u2019s\u00a0important\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cOkay,\u00a0so,\u00a0what\u2019s\u00a0going\u00a0on?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s\u00a0about\u00a0Sammy\u2026\u00a0she\u2019s\u00a0been\u00a0lying\u00a0to\u00a0everyone,\u00a0and\u00a0we\u00a0are\u00a0still\u00a0trying\u00a0to\u00a0figure\u00a0out\u00a0what\u00a0her\u00a0game\u00a0plan\u00a0is\u2026\u00a0but\u00a0she\u2019s\u00a0been\u00a0in\u00a0contact\u00a0with\u00a0all\u00a0of\u00a0Alpha\u00a0Landry\u2019s\u00a0enemies\u2026\u00a0like\u00a0tight\u00a0contact.\u201d<\/p>\n
My\u00a0heart\u00a0dropped\u00a0into\u00a0my\u00a0stomach;\u00a0I\u00a0knew\u00a0she\u00a0was\u00a0up\u00a0to\u00a0something.<\/p>\n
\u201cHow\u00a0do\u00a0you\u00a0know\u00a0this?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u00a0thought\u00a0she\u00a0was\u00a0strange\u00a0when\u00a0we\u00a0hung\u00a0out\u00a0with\u00a0her\u2026\u00a0always\u00a0with\u00a0the\u00a0secret\u00a0phone\u00a0calls.\u00a0Disappearing\u00a0randomly.\u00a0After\u00a0the\u00a0competition,\u00a0I\u00a0had\u00a0a\u00a0bit\u00a0of\u00a0time\u00a0to\u00a0look\u00a0into\u00a0it.\u00a0I\u00a0requested\u00a0Sherry\u2019s\u00a0help\u00a0as\u00a0well,\u00a0and\u00a0we\u00a0dug\u00a0deep.\u00a0Most\u00a0of\u00a0Sammy\u2019s\u00a0home\u00a0life\u00a0has\u00a0been\u00a0wiped\u00a0out.\u00a0Like\u00a0someone\u00a0is\u00a0trying to\u00a0keep\u00a0her\u00a0life\u00a0a\u00a0secret\u00a0or\u00a0something<\/p>\n
.but\u00a0that\u2019s\u00a0not\u00a0the\u00a0weirdest\u00a0thing.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u00a0gets\u00a0weirder?\u201d\u00a0I\u00a0asked,\u00a0my\u00a0brows\u00a0furrowed.<\/p>\n
She\u00a0nodded.<\/p>\n
After\u00a0a\u00a0beat\u00a0of silence,\u00a0she\u00a0says,\u00a0\u201cThat\u00a0boyfriend\u00a0she\u00a0kept\u00a0talking\u00a0about\u2026\u00a0I\u00a0found\u00a0out\u00a0he\u00a0doesn\u2019t\u00a0exist!\u201d\u00a0t<\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/p>\n
Sara 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\u2019s breathtaking cold.<\/p>\n
We Built a Kingdom From Ashes That Still Remembered Love by Aila Frost 467 +25\u00a0BONUS As\u00a0we\u00a0pulled\u00a0up\u00a0to\u00a0the\u00a0mansion,\u00a0I\u00a0frowned\u00a0when\u00a0I\u00a0saw\u00a0an\u00a0unfamiliar\u00a0car\u00a0parked\u00a0out\u00a0front. \u201cWere\u00a0you\u00a0expecting\u00a0someone?\u201d\u00a0Irene\u00a0asked,\u00a0also\u00a0noticing\u00a0the\u00a0car. \u201cNo,\u00a0I\u00a0don\u2019t\u00a0think\u00a0so,\u201d\u00a0I\u00a0murmur\u00a0as\u00a0I\u00a0take\u00a0off\u00a0my\u00a0seatbelt\u00a0and\u00a0slide\u00a0out\u00a0of\u00a0the\u00a0car. We\u00a0walked\u00a0to\u00a0the\u00a0front\u00a0door\u00a0and\u00a0pushed\u00a0it\u00a0open;\u00a0I\u00a0immediately\u00a0heard\u00a0voices\u00a0coming\u00a0from\u00a0the\u00a0living\u00a0room\u00a0and\u00a0something\u00a0that\u00a0sounded\u00a0like\u00a0laughter.\u00a0I\u2019furrowed\u00a0my\u00a0brows\u00a0and\u00a0glanced\u00a0behind\u00a0me\u00a0at\u00a0Irene,\u00a0who\u00a0looked\u00a0equally\u00a0confused. We\u00a0made […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"default","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","ast-disable-related-posts":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"default","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"footnotes":""},"categories":[38],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-21535","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-shadow-slave-by-author-novelnozi-com"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/21535","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=21535"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/21535\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=21535"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=21535"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=21535"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}