Third\u00a0Person\u00a0POV<\/p>\n
Irene\u00a0was\u00a0lost\u00a0in\u00a0thought,\u00a0lying\u00a0in\u00a0the\u00a0parlor,\u00a0doom\u2013scrolling\u00a0through\u00a0her\u00a0phone.\u00a0She\u00a0frowned\u00a0when\u00a0she\u00a0came\u00a0across\u00a0a\u00a0recent\u00a0article\u00a0that featured\u00a0her\u00a0father\u00a0and\u00a0Judy\u00a0out\u00a0on\u00a0what seemed\u00a0like\u00a0a\u00a0date.\u00a0Irene\u00a0wasn\u2019t\u00a0stupid,\u00a0she\u00a0knew\u00a0that\u00a0there\u00a0was\u00a0something\u00a0going\u00a0on\u00a0between\u00a0the\u00a0two\u00a0of\u00a0them.\u00a0She\u00a0wasn\u2019t\u00a0sure\u00a0how\u00a0she\u00a0felt\u00a0about\u00a0it;\u00a0Judy\u00a0was her\u00a0age,\u00a0and\u00a0her\u00a0father\u00a0was\u2026\u00a0well\u2026\u00a0her\u00a0father\u00a0was\u00a0old.\u00a0At\u00a0least\u00a0to\u00a0her,\u00a0he\u00a0was\u00a0old.<\/p>\n
Plus,\u00a0that\u00a0was\u00a0her\u00a0father.<\/p>\n
But\u00a0at\u00a0the\u00a0same\u00a0time,\u00a0Judy\u00a0seemed\u00a0to\u00a0make\u00a0him\u00a0happy.\u00a0She\u00a0had\u00a0never\u00a0seen\u00a0Gavin\u00a0Landry\u00a0crack\u00a0a\u00a0smile\u00a0before,\u00a0but\u00a0Judy\u00a0somehow\u00a0brought\u00a0out\u00a0his\u00a0playful\u00a0and\u00a0attentive\u00a0side.\u00a0Now,\u00a0he\u00a0pays\u00a0attention\u00a0to\u00a0his\u00a0family\u00a0and\u00a0constantly grins\u00a0from\u00a0ear\u00a0to\u00a0ear.\u00a0It\u00a0was\u00a0a\u00a0strange\u00a0sight\u00a0for\u00a0sure,\u00a0and\u00a0Irene\u00a0could get\u00a0used\u00a0to\u00a0it.<\/p>\n
It\u00a0was\u00a0unsettling\u00a0to\u00a0think\u00a0that\u00a0people\u00a0were\u00a0actually\u00a0following\u00a0her\u00a0father\u00a0and Judy\u00a0and\u00a0taking these\u00a0pictures.\u00a0They\u00a0were\u00a0pictures\u00a0that\u00a0weren\u2019t\u00a0known,\u00a0which made\u00a0things\u00a0worse.\u00a0It\u00a0gave<\/p>\n
stalker\u00a0vibes.<\/p>\n
On\u00a0top\u00a0of\u00a0that,\u00a0Irene\u00a0also\u00a0worried about\u00a0Matt.\u00a0She\u00a0hadn\u2019t\u00a0spoken\u00a0to\u00a0her father,\u00a0even\u00a0after\u00a0knowing he\u00a0was\u00a0home\u00a0last\u00a0night\u00a0with\u00a0Judy.\u00a0He\u00a0was\u00a0too\u00a0afraid of what\u00a0her\u00a0father\u00a0would\u00a0say\u00a0to her\u00a0if\u00a0he\u00a0did say\u00a0to\u00a0her,\u00a0and\u00a0he\u00a0didn\u2019t\u00a0want\u00a0to trigger\u00a0Matt\u2019s\u00a0wolf\u00a0again.<\/p>\n
Her\u00a0little\u00a0brother\u00a0hated\u00a0her,\u00a0and\u00a0she\u00a0had no\u00a0one\u00a0but\u00a0herself to\u00a0blame.<\/p>\n
She\u00a0pressed\u00a0her\u00a0knees\u00a0to her chest\u00a0and\u00a0continued\u00a0to scroll\u00a0through\u00a0her\u00a0phone,\u00a0desperate\u00a0to<\/p>\n
distract herself.<\/p>\n
She\u00a0barely\u00a0even\u00a0heard the knock on\u00a0the\u00a0front\u00a0door\u00a0around\u00a0the\u00a0corner\u00a0from\u00a0the\u00a0parlor,\u00a0or\u00a0Alex approaching\u00a0the\u00a0parlor\u00a0doors.\u00a0She didn\u2019t look up\u00a0until\u00a0she heard\u00a0something\u00a0that\u00a0wasn\u2019t\u00a0usually\u00a0heard\u00a0in\u00a0the\u00a0villa\u2026\u00a0Something\u00a0she\u00a0never\u00a0thought\u00a0she\u00a0would\u00a0ever\u00a0hear\u00a0in\u00a0the\u00a0Villa.<\/p>\n
A\u00a0crying\u00a0baby.<\/p>\n
She\u00a0glanced\u00a0up from her\u00a0phone\u00a0and\u00a0frowned\u00a0when she\u00a0spotted\u00a0Alex,\u00a0the\u00a0butler,\u00a0standing\u00a0in\u00a0the\u00a0archway\u00a0of the\u00a0front\u00a0parlor,\u00a0a\u00a0car seat\u00a0in\u00a0his grasp.<\/p>\n
\u201cAlex\u2026\u201d\u00a0Irene\u00a0said,\u00a0narrowing\u00a0her\u00a0eyes.\u00a0\u201cDid\u00a0you\u00a0have\u00a0a baby\u00a0and not tell me?\u201d<\/p>\n
His\u00a0frown was\u00a0deep,\u00a0and the\u00a0annoyance\u00a0on\u00a0his\u00a0face\u00a0would\u00a0have been\u00a0laughable\u00a0if\u00a0she\u00a0weren\u2019t\u00a0so confused.<\/p>\n
\u201cFunny,\u201d\u00a0he\u00a0murmured as\u00a0he\u00a0walked\u00a0towards her.\u00a0\u201cNo,\u00a0I\u00a0did\u00a0not\u00a0have\u00a0a\u00a0baby,\u00a0Miss Irene.\u00a0This\u00a0baby\u00a0was at\u00a0our\u00a0doorstep.\u00a0Care\u00a0to\u00a0explain\u00a0why\u00a0it\u00a0was\u00a0there?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cThat\u2019s\u00a0a\u00a0pink\u00a0blanket,\u00a0so\u00a0she\u00a0is\u00a0a\u00a0girl,\u201d\u00a0Irene\u00a0said,\u00a0annoyed\u00a0by\u00a0Alex\u00a0calling\u00a0the\u00a0baby\u00a0an\u00a0\u201cit.\u201d<\/p>\n
Alex\u00a0rolled\u00a0his\u00a0eyes,\u00a0not\u00a0caring\u00a0one\u00a0bit\u00a0about\u00a0the\u00a0gender\u00a0of\u00a0this\u00a0baby.<\/p>\n
\u201cNot\u00a0the\u00a0point,\u201d\u00a0he\u00a0murmured.\u00a0\u201cWhy\u00a0is\u00a0she\u00a0here?\u201d<\/p>\n
Irene\u00a0folded\u00a0her\u00a0arms\u00a0across\u00a0her\u00a0chest.<\/p>\n
\u201cHow\u00a0would\u00a0I\u00a0know?\u201d<\/p>\n
Alex\u00a0pressed\u00a0his\u00a0lips\u00a0in\u00a0a\u00a0thin\u00a0line\u00a0and\u00a0lifted\u00a0something\u00a0out\u00a0of\u00a0the\u00a0carrier.\u00a0It\u00a0was\u00a0an\u00a0envelope.\u00a0When\u00a0he\u00a0turned\u00a0it\u00a0over\u00a0for\u00a0her\u00a0to\u00a0see\u00a0the\u00a0front\u00a0of\u00a0it,\u00a0she\u00a0sucked in a\u00a0sharp\u00a0breath.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u00a0has\u00a0your\u00a0name\u00a0on\u00a0it,\u201d\u00a0Alex\u00a0told\u00a0her,\u00a0raising\u00a0her\u00a0brows.<\/p>\n
\u201cDid\u00a0you\u00a0read\u00a0it?\u201d\u00a0Irene asked,\u00a0walking\u00a0towards\u00a0him\u00a0and\u00a0stretching\u00a0her hand\u00a0out\u00a0to\u00a0grab\u00a0the<\/p>\n
letter\u00a0from\u00a0him.<\/p>\n
\u201cOf\u00a0course\u00a0not,\u201d\u00a0he\u00a0replied.<\/p>\n
She\u00a0opened\u00a0the\u00a0letter,\u00a0her\u00a0fingers\u00a0trembling\u00a0as\u00a0she\u00a0pulled\u00a0out\u00a0the\u00a0paper.<\/p>\n
Dear Irene,<\/p>\n
I\u00a0know\u00a0you\u00a0don\u2019t want\u00a0to\u00a0hear\u00a0from\u00a0me.\u00a0I\u00a0took\u00a0your\u00a0advice\u00a0and\u00a0left\u00a0town.\u00a0Leaving\u00a0Ethan\u00a0was\u00a0the\u00a0healthiest\u00a0choice\u00a0for\u00a0me.\u00a0He\u00a0was\u00a0a\u00a0true\u00a0monster.\u00a0He\u00a0found\u00a0out\u00a0about\u00a0my\u00a0pregnancy\u00a0and\u00a0tried\u00a0to\u00a0force\u00a0me to\u00a0abort; he\u00a0threatened\u00a0both me\u00a0and\u00a0my baby.\u00a0I\u00a0had\u00a0no\u00a0choice\u00a0but\u00a0to\u00a0leave.\u00a0I\u00a0have\u00a0no\u00a0one\u00a0to protect\u00a0me;\u00a0I\u00a0have\u00a0no\u00a0family,\u00a0no\u00a0friends,\u00a0and\u00a0I\u00a0no\u00a0longer\u00a0have\u00a0a\u00a0pack.\u00a0I\u00a0am\u00a0a\u00a0rogue\u00a0wolf,\u00a0and\u00a0I\u00a0worry\u00a0that\u00a0Ethan\u00a0will\u00a0come searching for\u00a0me.\u00a0If\u00a0he finds\u00a0me,\u00a0there\u2019s\u00a0no\u00a0doubt\u00a0in\u00a0my\u00a0mind\u00a0that\u00a0he\u00a0will\u00a0kill me.<\/p>\n
I\u00a0finally\u00a0gave\u00a0birth\u00a0a\u00a0couple\u00a0of\u00a0weeks\u00a0ago,\u00a0and I\u00a0worry\u00a0for my\u00a0baby\u2019s\u00a0safety.\u00a0I\u00a0worry that\u00a0Ethan\u00a0will\u00a0find\u00a0out\u00a0about\u00a0her\u00a0and\u00a0do\u00a0what\u00a0he\u00a0can\u00a0to\u00a0get\u00a0rid\u00a0of\u00a0her.\u00a0I\u00a0can\u2019t\u00a0give\u00a0her a\u00a0good\u00a0life.\u00a0I\u2019m not\u00a0fit\u00a0to\u00a0be a\u00a0mother,\u00a0and\u00a0I\u00a0can\u2019t\u00a0protect\u00a0her.<\/p>\n
But you\u00a0come\u00a0from\u00a0a\u00a0good\u00a0family,\u00a0and\u00a0you\u00a0are\u00a0kind\u2026\u00a0I\u00a0knew\u00a0it\u00a0the moment\u00a0we\u00a0spoke\u00a0in\u00a0that\u00a0coffee shop.\u00a0You can\u00a0protect\u00a0her\u00a0better\u00a0than\u00a0I\u00a0ever\u00a0could.\u00a0So,\u00a0I\u00a0ask\u00a0that\u00a0you give my little girl\u00a0a\u00a0good\u00a0life,\u00a0and maybe\u00a0one\u00a0day\u00a0I\u2019ll\u00a0be\u00a0able\u00a0to\u00a0be\u00a0in\u00a0her\u00a0life\u00a0again.\u00a01<\/p>\n
Her\u00a0name\u00a0is\u00a0Emalyn.<\/p>\n
Stella.<\/p>\n
Irene\u00a0stared\u00a0at\u00a0the\u00a0letter,\u00a0dumbfounded,\u00a0her\u00a0hands\u00a0trembling\u00a0as\u00a0she continued\u00a0to\u00a0read\u00a0the\u00a0letter\u00a0over\u00a0and\u00a0over\u00a0again.<\/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 478 Third\u00a0Person\u00a0POV Irene\u00a0was\u00a0lost\u00a0in\u00a0thought,\u00a0lying\u00a0in\u00a0the\u00a0parlor,\u00a0doom\u2013scrolling\u00a0through\u00a0her\u00a0phone.\u00a0She\u00a0frowned\u00a0when\u00a0she\u00a0came\u00a0across\u00a0a\u00a0recent\u00a0article\u00a0that featured\u00a0her\u00a0father\u00a0and\u00a0Judy\u00a0out\u00a0on\u00a0what seemed\u00a0like\u00a0a\u00a0date.\u00a0Irene\u00a0wasn\u2019t\u00a0stupid,\u00a0she\u00a0knew\u00a0that\u00a0there\u00a0was\u00a0something\u00a0going\u00a0on\u00a0between\u00a0the\u00a0two\u00a0of\u00a0them.\u00a0She\u00a0wasn\u2019t\u00a0sure\u00a0how\u00a0she\u00a0felt\u00a0about\u00a0it;\u00a0Judy\u00a0was her\u00a0age,\u00a0and\u00a0her\u00a0father\u00a0was\u2026\u00a0well\u2026\u00a0her\u00a0father\u00a0was\u00a0old.\u00a0At\u00a0least\u00a0to\u00a0her,\u00a0he\u00a0was\u00a0old. Plus,\u00a0that\u00a0was\u00a0her\u00a0father. […]<\/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-21546","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\/21546","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=21546"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/21546\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=21546"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=21546"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=21546"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}