Judy\u2019s\u00a0POV<\/p>\n
I\u00a0stared\u00a0at\u00a0Gavin in\u00a0shock;\u00a0he\u00a0wasn\u2019t\u00a0smiling\u00a0or\u00a0laughing\u2026\u00a0he\u00a0wasn\u2019t\u00a0joking.\u00a0The\u00a0baby\u00a0in\u00a0Irene\u2019s\u00a0arms\u00a0belonged to Ethan.\u00a0But\u00a0it\u00a0definitely wasn\u2019t\u00a0Irene\u2019s\u00a0baby.\u00a0I\u00a0turned\u00a0to\u00a0her\u00a0as\u00a0her eyes\u00a0found\u00a0mine,\u00a0and\u00a0I\u00a0could\u00a0see\u00a0the\u00a0conflict\u00a0in\u00a0her own eyes.\u00a0She had\u00a0been\u00a0crying\u00a0before\u00a0we\u00a0arrived;\u00a0I\u00a0could\u00a0tell\u00a0before\u00a0there\u00a0were\u00a0still\u00a0traces\u00a0of\u00a0her\u00a0dried\u00a0tears\u00a0on her\u00a0cheeks\u00a0and\u00a0her\u00a0eyes\u00a0were\u00a0a\u00a0bit<\/p>\n
bloodshot.<\/p>\n
\u201cHow did\u00a0you\u00a0end\u00a0up\u00a0with\u00a0Ethan\u2019s\u00a0baby?\u201d\u00a0I\u00a0found\u00a0myself\u00a0asking.\u00a0\u201cWhen\u00a0did\u00a0he\u00a0even\u00a0have\u00a0a\u00a0baby?\u00a0Why\u00a0am\u00a0I\u00a0just\u00a0learning\u00a0about<\/p>\n
this\u00a0now??\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cHer\u00a0name\u00a0was\u00a0Stella\u2026\u201d\u00a0Irene\u00a0murmured.\u00a0\u201cI\u00a0found\u00a0out\u00a0he\u2019s\u00a0been\u00a0seeing\u00a0her\u00a0behind\u00a0my\u00a0back,\u00a0along\u00a0with\u00a0some\u00a0others.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cAnd\u00a0was\u00a0pregnant?\u201d\u00a0I\u00a0asked,\u00a0raising\u00a0my\u00a0brows.<\/p>\n
\u201cYes,\u201d\u00a0Irene\u00a0whispered.\u00a0\u201cI\u00a0caught\u00a0her\u00a0outside\u00a0of\u00a0Ethan\u2019s\u00a0house.\u00a0She\u00a0was\u00a0already\u00a0pregnant\u00a0when I\u00a0met\u00a0her\u00a0a\u00a0couple\u00a0of\u00a0months\u00a0ago.<\/p>\n
I\u2026\u00a0uh\u2026\u00a0might\u00a0have\u00a0given her\u00a0money to\u00a0leave and\u00a0never\u00a0return.\u2018<\/p>\n
\u201cHow\u00a0much\u00a0money\u00a0did\u00a0you\u00a0give her?\u201d Gavin\u00a0asked,\u00a0his\u00a0irritation\u00a0clear\u00a0on\u00a0his face\u00a0and\u00a0in\u00a0his\u00a0voice.<\/p>\n
Irene\u2019s\u00a0face\u00a0flushed\u00a0red\u00a0as\u00a0she\u00a0nibbled\u00a0her\u00a0lower\u00a0lip.<\/p>\n
\u201cAlmost\u00a0a\u00a0million\u2026\u201d\u00a0she\u00a0admitted,\u00a0making\u00a0me\u00a0gasp.\u00a0\u201cI\u00a0wanted\u00a0to\u00a0give her\u00a0enough\u00a0to\u00a0start\u00a0a\u00a0new life.\u00a0But\u00a0apparently,\u00a0she\u00a0didn\u2019t<\/p>\n
leave\u00a0right\u00a0away,\u00a0and\u00a0Ethan found\u00a0out\u00a0about\u00a0her\u00a0pregnancy.\u00a0He\u00a0threatened\u00a0her\u2026\u00a0he\u00a0wanted\u00a0her\u00a0to\u00a0abort\u00a0the\u00a0baby\u00a0and\u00a0told\u00a0her\u00a0that<\/p>\n
he\u00a0would\u00a0kill\u00a0them\u00a0both himself\u00a0if\u00a0she\u00a0didn\u2019t comply.\u201d<\/p>\n
My\u00a0wolf\u00a0whimpered at the\u00a0idea\u00a0of\u00a0her\u00a0mate\u00a0being\u00a0that\u00a0cruel\u00a0to\u00a0another woman,\u00a0especially\u00a0one\u00a0he\u00a0got\u00a0pregnant.\u00a0I\u00a0couldn\u2019t\u00a0take\u00a0my<\/p>\n
eyes\u00a0off\u00a0the\u00a0baby\u00a0that\u00a0Irene\u00a0was\u00a0holding;\u00a0that\u00a0was\u00a0my\u00a0mate\u2019s\u00a0baby.<\/p>\n
Why\u00a0does\u00a0she\u00a0trust you if\u00a0you\u00a0gave\u00a0her money\u00a0to\u00a0leave\u00a0and\u00a0not\u00a0return?\u201d\u00a0Gavin\u00a0asked,\u00a0his\u00a0tone\u00a0gruffer\u00a0than\u00a0usual.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u00a0don\u2019t know\u00a0why\u00a0she trusts\u00a0me\u2026\u00a0maybe\u00a0because\u00a0I\u00a0come\u00a0from the\u00a0Landry\u00a0family,\u00a0and\u00a0we\u00a0are\u00a0the\u00a0most\u00a0prestigious\u00a0family\u00a0in\u00a0the<\/p>\n
world?\u201d\u00a0She\u00a0said,\u00a0glancing\u00a0up\u00a0at\u00a0her\u00a0father.\u00a0\u201cAll\u00a0I\u00a0know\u00a0is\u00a0that\u00a0Ethan\u00a0can\u00a0never\u00a0find out\u00a0that Emalyn\u00a0is\u00a0his\u00a0daughter.\u00a0She\u2019s\u00a0only\u00a0an<\/p>\n
innocent\u00a0baby,\u00a0and\u00a0she\u00a0doesn\u2019t\u00a0deserve that monster\u00a0to\u00a0be\u00a0her\u00a0father.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u00a0can\u00a0agree on\u00a0that,\u201d\u00a0I\u00a0murmur,\u00a0folding my\u00a0arms\u00a0across\u00a0my\u00a0chest.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m\u00a0not\u00a0really\u00a0sure what\u00a0to\u00a0do,\u00a0Dad\u2026\u201d\u00a0she\u00a0whispered,\u00a0tears\u00a0filling\u00a0her<\/p>\n
eyes,<\/p>\n
Gavin pulled\u00a0out\u00a0his phone\u00a0and\u00a0swiped\u00a0along\u00a0the\u00a0screen\u00a0a\u00a0few\u00a0times.\u00a0After\u00a0a\u00a0minute,\u00a0he\u00a0put\u00a0the\u00a0phone\u00a0to\u00a0his\u00a0cheek.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u00a0need\u00a0you to\u00a0come\u00a0to\u00a0the\u00a0villa,\u201d\u00a0Gavin\u00a0said\u00a0into\u00a0the\u00a0phone.\u00a0\u201cYes,\u00a0right\u00a0now.\u201d<\/p>\n
He hung\u00a0up\u00a0the\u00a0phone\u00a0and\u00a0then\u00a0turned\u00a0to\u00a0Irene.<\/p>\n
\u201cStay\u00a0in here\u00a0with\u00a0the\u00a0baby\u00a0for\u00a0a\u00a0bit.\u00a0I\u2019ll\u00a0be\u00a0back,\u201d\u00a0he\u00a0told her.<\/p>\n
1\/3<\/p>\n
She\u00a0sniffled,\u00a0but\u00a0nodded,\u00a0holding\u00a0the\u00a0baby\u00a0tighter.<\/p>\n
Gavin\u00a0turned\u00a0to\u00a0me,\u00a0his\u00a0expression\u00a0softening\u00a0as\u00a0he\u00a0placed\u00a0his hands on\u00a0my\u00a0shoulders,\u00a0his\u00a0thumbs\u00a0lazily\u00a0tracing\u00a0the\u00a0nape\u00a0of\u00a0my<\/p>\n
neck\u00a0as\u00a0he\u00a0held\u00a0me\u00a0in\u00a0place.<\/p>\n
\u201cStay with\u00a0her\u00a0while\u00a0I\u00a0make\u00a0arrangements,\u201d\u00a0he said\u00a0in\u00a0a\u00a0low\u00a0tone,\u00a0for\u00a0my\u00a0ears\u00a0alone.<\/p>\n
He\u00a0didn\u2019t\u00a0have\u00a0to\u00a0tell\u00a0me\u00a0twice;\u00a0I\u00a0nodded\u00a0without\u00a0hesitation.<\/p>\n
Irene let cut\u00a0a\u00a0sob\u00a0as\u00a0soon\u00a0as\u00a0her\u00a0father was\u00a0gone.<\/p>\n
I\u00a0went\u00a0to her\u00a0and\u00a0sat\u00a0beside\u00a0her\u00a0on\u00a0the\u00a0couch.\u00a0The\u00a0little baby\u00a0girl\u00a0was\u00a0so\u00a0adorable that\u00a0it\u00a0tugged\u00a0at\u00a0my\u00a0heart.\u00a0I\u00a0couldn\u2019t\u00a0believe<\/p>\n
Ethan\u00a0had\u00a0a\u00a0baby\u00a0with\u00a0another woman.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u00a0doesn\u2019t\u00a0feel\u00a0real,\u201d\u00a0she\u00a0whispered,\u00a0breaking through\u00a0the\u00a0silence\u00a0that\u00a0consumed\u00a0us.\u00a0\u201cI\u00a0mean\u2026\u00a0this\u00a0is\u00a0Ethan\u2019s\u00a0baby.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cHe\u00a0can\u2019t know about\u00a0her,\u201d\u00a0I whispered.\u00a0\u201cI\u00a0don\u2019t trust\u00a0him\u00a0enough\u00a0to\u00a0know\u00a0about\u00a0her.\u00a0You\u00a0know\u00a0what\u00a0he\u2019s\u00a0capable\u00a0of\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u00a0know,\u201d\u00a0Irene\u00a0said,\u00a0silencing\u00a0my\u00a0flow\u00a0of\u00a0words.\u00a0\u201cHe\u00a0will never\u00a0know\u00a0that\u00a0this\u00a0is\u00a0his\u00a0daughter.\u00a0I\u00a0will\u00a0fight\u00a0to\u00a0protect\u00a0her\u00a0if<\/p>\n
needed.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYour dad\u00a0will know\u00a0what\u00a0to\u00a0do,\u201d\u00a0I\u00a0said,\u00a0leaning\u00a0back\u00a0on\u00a0the\u00a0couch,\u00a0letting\u00a0out\u00a0a\u00a0sigh.\u00a0\u201cAnd\u00a0you\u00a0aren\u2019t\u00a0alone\u00a0in\u00a0this.\u00a0I\u2019m\u00a0here\u00a0too.<\/p>\n
I\u2019ll\u00a0help\u00a0you\u00a0however\u00a0I\u00a0can.\u2018<\/p>\n
\u201c}<\/p>\n
\u201cDo\u00a0you\u00a0think\u00a0you\u00a0can\u00a0hold\u00a0the\u00a0baby\u00a0for\u00a0a\u00a0second?\u201d\u00a0Irene\u00a0asked, tears\u00a0filling\u00a0her\u00a0eyes.\u00a0\u201cI\u00a0need\u00a0some\u00a0air\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n
I\u00a0nodded\u00a0and took\u00a0the\u00a0small baby\u00a0from\u00a0her,\u00a0placing\u00a0her\u00a0in my\u00a0arms.\u00a0I\u00a0watched\u00a0as\u00a0Irene\u00a0left\u00a0the\u00a0parlor,\u00a0leaving\u00a0me\u00a0alone.\u00a0I\u00a0stared\u00a0down at\u00a0the baby who\u00a0had\u00a0Ethan\u2019s\u00a0nose and\u00a0ears;\u00a0her\u00a0little\u00a0lips\u00a0parted\u00a0slightly\u00a0as\u00a0she\u00a0took steady\u00a0breaths.\u00a0Her\u00a0eyes\u00a0were\u00a0closed\u00a0as\u00a0she\u00a0slept.\u00a0She\u00a0was\u00a0a\u00a0beautiful\u00a0little\u00a0baby,\u00a0and my\u00a0heart\u00a0swelled\u00a0at\u00a0the\u00a0sight\u00a0of\u00a0her.\u00a0It was\u00a0a\u00a0strange\u00a0feeling\u00a0I\u00a0had,\u00a0and\u00a0my\u00a0wolf\u00a0felt a\u00a0surge\u00a0of\u00a0protectiveness.\u00a0This\u00a0was\u00a0our fated\u00a0mate\u2019s baby\u2026\u00a0she\u00a0wasn\u2019t\u00a0our\u00a0baby\u2026\u00a0and\u00a0yet\u00a0my wolf\u00a0felt\u00a0the\u00a0need\u00a0to\u00a0protect\u00a0her.<\/p>\n
A\u00a0small\u00a0whine\u00a0came\u00a0from\u00a0the\u00a0baby,\u00a0and\u00a0my\u00a0heart\u00a0lurched.<\/p>\n
\u201cShh,\u00a0it\u2019s\u00a0okay,\u201d\u00a0I\u00a0said,\u00a0bouncing\u00a0the\u00a0baby\u00a0gently\u00a0in my\u00a0arms.\u00a0I\u00a0spotted\u00a0the\u00a0open\u00a0backpack\u00a0beside\u00a0the\u00a0couch and\u00a0saw\u00a0some\u00a0much-\u00a0needed\u00a0supplies.\u00a0They\u00a0were\u00a0untouched,\u00a0so\u00a0I\u00a0assumed\u00a0she\u00a0hadn\u2019t\u00a0been\u00a0fed yet.<\/p>\n
Balancing\u00a0the\u00a0baby\u00a0on\u00a0my\u00a0lap,\u00a0I\u00a0made\u00a0her\u00a0a\u00a0bottle\u00a0of\u00a0formula.\u00a0She\u00a0wrapped\u00a0her\u00a0lips\u00a0around\u00a0the\u00a0bottle and\u00a0began\u00a0to suck\u00a0down\u00a0the\u00a0formula\u00a0hungrily.\u00a0A\u00a0small\u00a0smile\u00a0tugged\u00a0at\u00a0the\u00a0corner\u00a0of\u00a0my\u00a0lips\u00a0as\u00a0I\u00a0fed\u00a0the\u00a0baby.<\/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 480 Judy\u2019s\u00a0POV I\u00a0stared\u00a0at\u00a0Gavin in\u00a0shock;\u00a0he\u00a0wasn\u2019t\u00a0smiling\u00a0or\u00a0laughing\u2026\u00a0he\u00a0wasn\u2019t\u00a0joking.\u00a0The\u00a0baby\u00a0in\u00a0Irene\u2019s\u00a0arms\u00a0belonged to Ethan.\u00a0But\u00a0it\u00a0definitely wasn\u2019t\u00a0Irene\u2019s\u00a0baby.\u00a0I\u00a0turned\u00a0to\u00a0her\u00a0as\u00a0her […]<\/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-21548","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\/21548","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=21548"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/21548\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=21548"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=21548"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=21548"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}