Chapter\u00a0510\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cAlpha,\u00a0did\u00a0you\u00a0hear\u00a0me?\u201d\u00a0Taylor\u00a0asked.\u00a0\u201cShe\u2019s\u00a0here\u2026she\u2019s\u00a0back.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u2018It\u2019s\u00a0not\u00a0possible,\u201d\u00a0I\u00a0said\u00a0more\u00a0to\u00a0myself\u00a0than\u00a0him.<\/p>\n
What\u00a0he\u00a0had\u00a0just\u00a0said\u00a0couldn\u2019t have\u00a0been\u00a0possible.\u00a0Rachel couldn\u2019t\u00a0be\u00a0at\u00a0my\u00a0villa\u00a0right\u00a0now\u00a0because\u00a0Rachel\u00a0was\u00a0fucking\u00a0dead.<\/p>\n
It\u00a0was\u00a0a\u00a0cruel\u00a0and\u00a0unusual\u00a0joke\u00a0that\u00a0was\u00a0being\u00a0played.<\/p>\n
Rachel\u00a0was\u00a0Cassandra\u2019s nurse\u00a0a\u00a0long\u00a0time\u00a0ago,\u00a0and\u00a0one\u00a0evening,\u00a0while\u00a0she\u00a0was\u00a0driving,\u00a0she\u00a0got\u00a0T\u2013boned.\u00a0There\u00a0were\u00a0no\u00a0survivors<\/p>\n
in\u00a0that\u00a0accident\u2026\u00a0I\u00a0had\u00a0no one\u00a0ot\u00a0blame;\u00a0no\u00a0one\u00a0to\u00a0incriminate\u2026<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u00a0didn\u2019t\u00a0think\u00a0so\u00a0either,\u00a0but\u00a0she\u2019s\u00a0here\u2026\u00a0living\u00a0and\u00a0breathing,\u201d\u00a0Taylor\u00a0confirmed,\u00a0sounding\u00a0just\u00a0as\u00a0confused\u00a0as\u00a0I\u00a0felt.<\/p>\n
Without\u00a0many\u00a0words,\u00a0I\u00a0dismissed myself\u00a0from\u00a0my date\u00a0with\u00a0Judy.\u00a0I\u00a0felt\u00a0guilty leaving\u00a0her,\u00a0but\u00a0this was too\u00a0important.\u00a0I\u00a0needed\u00a0to<\/p>\n
see\u00a0for\u00a0myself\u00a0if\u00a0Rachel\u00a0was\u00a0truly\u00a0alive\u00a0and well.\u00a0I\u00a0barely\u00a0remember\u00a0getting\u00a0home.<\/p>\n
As\u00a0I\u00a0ran\u00a0through\u00a0the\u00a0front\u00a0doors\u00a0of the\u00a0villa and\u00a0my\u00a0nose\u00a0picked\u00a0up\u00a0the\u00a0scent\u00a0of\u00a0a\u00a0woman\u00a0in\u00a0the\u00a0parlor,\u00a0my\u00a0heart\u00a0started\u00a0to\u00a0race.\u00a0I<\/p>\n
walked\u00a0into\u00a0the\u00a0parlor\u00a0and\u00a0froze\u00a0when\u00a0I\u00a0saw\u00a0the\u00a0familiar figure\u00a0sitting\u00a0on\u00a0the\u00a0couch,\u00a0her\u00a0legs\u00a0crossed\u00a0over\u00a0one\u00a0another\u00a0and\u00a0her<\/p>\n
hands\u00a0neatly\u00a0placed\u00a0on\u00a0her\u00a0lap.<\/p>\n
She\u00a0looked\u00a0nervous\u00a0as\u00a0her eyes\u00a0scanned\u00a0the\u00a0room,\u00a0searching\u00a0for\u00a0any changes since\u00a0he\u00a0last\u00a0time\u00a0she\u00a0was\u00a0here.<\/p>\n
It\u00a0was\u00a0true\u2026\u00a0she\u00a0was\u00a0alive.<\/p>\n
\u201cRachel?\u201d\u00a0I\u00a0asked,\u00a0stepping\u00a0further\u00a0into the\u00a0room\u00a0and\u00a0drawing\u00a0her attention\u00a0to\u00a0me.<\/p>\n
Her\u00a0eyes\u00a0shifted\u00a0to\u00a0me,\u00a0and my breathing\u00a0hitched\u00a0as\u00a0I\u00a0looked\u00a0into\u00a0the\u00a0familiar\u00a0emerald,\u00a0blue,\u00a0and\u00a0grey\u00a0eyes.\u00a0Her\u00a0dark\u00a0curls\u00a0tucked<\/p>\n
behind\u00a0one\u00a0of\u00a0her\u00a0ears\u00a0as\u00a0she gave\u00a0me\u00a0an\u00a0awkward\u00a0smile\u00a0before\u00a0standing\u00a0to\u00a0her\u00a0feet.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s\u00a0been\u00a0a\u00a0long\u00a0time,\u201d\u00a0she\u00a0said,\u00a0as\u00a0if\u00a0she\u00a0weren\u2019t\u00a0a\u00a0walking\u00a0ghost\u00a0standing\u00a0right\u00a0in\u00a0front\u00a0of\u00a0me.<\/p>\n
\u201cHow\u00a0is\u00a0this\u00a0possible?\u201d\u00a0I\u00a0asked,\u00a0my\u00a0words\u00a0coming\u00a0out\u00a0in\u00a0a\u00a0breath.\u00a0I\u00a0was\u00a0confused\u00a0as\u00a0to\u00a0how\u00a0she\u00a0was\u00a0standing\u00a0right\u00a0in\u00a0front\u00a0of\u00a0me.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou\u2026\u00a0you\u00a0were\u00a0dead\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u00a0know\u00a0you\u00a0have\u00a0a\u00a0lot\u00a0of\u00a0questions,\u201d\u00a0she\u00a0said\u00a0softly.\u00a0\u201cAnd\u00a0I\u00a0want\u00a0to\u00a0be\u00a0honest\u00a0with\u00a0you.\u00a0Do\u00a0you\u00a0think\u00a0we\u00a0can\u00a0talk\u00a0for\u00a0a\u00a0bit?\u201d<\/p>\n
I\u00a0was\u00a0dumbfounded\u00a0as\u00a0I\u00a0stared\u00a0at\u00a0the\u00a0woman\u00a0I\u00a0once\u00a0loved\u00a0after\u00a0my\u00a0wife\u00a0died.\u00a0She\u00a0was\u00a0the\u00a0only\u00a0other\u00a0woman that\u00a0I\u00a0loved\u00a0after<\/p>\n
Melissa\u2019s\u00a0death.\u00a0The\u00a0only\u00a0one\u00a0I\u00a0even\u00a0considered\u00a0marrying.\u00a0I\u00a0was\u00a0gutted\u00a0when\u00a0she\u00a0passed\u00a0away\u2026\u00a0or\u00a0at\u00a0least\u00a0when\u00a0I\u00a0thought\u00a0she\u00a0passed\u00a0away.<\/p>\n
I\u00a0found\u00a0myself\u00a0numbly nodding\u00a0as\u00a0I\u00a0lowered\u00a0myself\u00a0onto\u00a0the\u00a0couch.\u00a0She\u00a0sat\u00a0beside\u00a0me,\u00a0her\u00a0eyes\u00a0never\u00a0leaving\u00a0mine.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s\u00a0really\u00a0good\u00a0to\u00a0see\u00a0you\u00a0again,\u00a0Gavin,\u201d\u00a0she\u00a0said\u00a0as\u00a0tears\u00a0filled\u00a0her\u00a0eyes.\u00a0\u201cYou\u00a0have\u00a0no\u00a0idea\u00a0how\u00a0badly\u00a0I\u00a0missed\u00a0you\u00a0and\u00a0how\u00a0it\u00a0killed\u00a0me\u00a0not\u00a0to\u00a0see\u00a0you.\u201d<\/p>\n
I\u00a0wasn\u2019t\u00a0sure\u00a0what\u00a0to\u00a0say,\u00a0but\u00a0when\u00a0she\u00a0wrapped\u00a0her\u00a0arms\u00a0around\u00a0me\u00a0and\u00a0hugged\u00a0me,\u00a0it\u00a0brought\u00a0my\u00a0mind\u00a0back\u00a0to\u00a0all\u00a0those\u00a0times<\/p>\n
1\/3<\/p>\n
Chapter\u00a0510<\/p>\n
+15\u00a0Bonus<\/p>\n
I\u2019ve\u00a0held\u00a0her\u00a0before.\u00a0All\u00a0those\u00a0times\u00a0she\u2019s\u00a0felt\u00a0so\u00a0perfect in\u00a0my embrace.\u00a0Though\u00a0she\u00a0was\u00a0tall,\u00a0she\u00a0still\u00a0fit\u00a0small\u00a0against\u00a0me,\u00a0and<\/p>\n
her\u00a0scent\u00a0was\u00a0the\u00a0same.<\/p>\n
She\u00a0pulled\u00a0back\u00a0slightly\u00a0to\u00a0look\u00a0at\u00a0me,\u00a0a\u00a0small smile\u00a0playing on\u00a0her\u00a0lips.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u00a0feels\u00a0like\u00a0nothing\u2019s\u00a0changed\u00a0between\u00a0us,\u201d\u00a0she\u00a0murmured,\u00a0her\u00a0hands\u00a0running\u00a0through my\u00a0hair.<\/p>\n
I\u00a0wanted\u00a0to\u00a0agree\u00a0with\u00a0her\u00a0and\u00a0to\u00a0fall back\u00a0into\u00a0my\u00a0old\u00a0habits,\u00a0but\u00a0she\u00a0was\u00a0wrong.\u00a0So\u00a0much\u00a0had\u00a0changed\u00a0between\u00a0us\u00a0and\u00a0I\u00a0couldn\u2019t\u00a0even\u00a0begin\u00a0to\u00a0tell\u00a0her\u00a0because\u00a0I\u00a0was\u00a0just\u00a0so\u00a0confused\u00a0on\u00a0the\u00a0fact\u00a0that\u00a0she\u00a0was\u00a0right\u00a0in\u00a0front\u00a0of\u00a0me,\u00a0alive\u00a0and well\u2026\u00a0looking<\/p>\n
incredible\u00a0and\u00a0unharmed.<\/p>\n
\u201cHow\u00a0are\u00a0you\u00a0here,\u00a0Rachel?\u201d\u00a0I\u00a0asked\u00a0her,\u00a0my voice\u00a0was coming\u00a0out\u00a0softer than\u00a0intended.<\/p>\n
She\u00a0swallowed\u00a0as\u00a0she\u00a0glanced\u00a0at\u00a0her\u00a0hands,\u00a0and\u00a0then\u00a0she\u00a0glanced\u00a0back\u00a0up\u00a0at\u00a0me,\u00a0nibbling on\u00a0the\u00a0corner\u00a0of her\u00a0lip.<\/p>\n
\u201cBecause I\u2019ve\u00a0been\u00a0lying\u00a0to\u00a0you\u00a0for\u00a0years,\u201d\u00a0she\u00a0admitted.\u00a0\u201cI\u00a0never\u00a0died in\u00a0that\u00a0crash\u00a0and\u00a0I\u2019m\u00a0not\u00a0who you\u00a0thought\u00a0I\u00a0was\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u00a0don\u2019t\u00a0understand,\u201d\u00a0I\u00a0said,\u00a0shaking my\u00a0head.\u00a0\u201cTell\u00a0me\u00a0the\u00a0truth\u00a0now\u2026\u00a0who\u00a0are\u00a0you?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u00a0was\u00a0never\u00a0a\u00a0nurse\u2026\u00a0though\u00a0I\u00a0was\u00a0trained\u00a0in\u00a0that\u00a0field.\u00a0I\u00a0was\u00a0an undercover\u00a0agent.\u00a0I\u00a0was\u00a0sent\u00a0to\u00a0Silver\u00a0Crescent\u00a0as\u00a0a\u00a0spy,\u201d\u00a0she<\/p>\n
told\u00a0me.\u00a0My\u00a0brows\u00a0furrowed\u00a0as\u00a0I\u00a0stared\u00a0at\u00a0her.\u00a01<\/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 510 Chapter\u00a0510\u00a0 \u201cAlpha,\u00a0did\u00a0you\u00a0hear\u00a0me?\u201d\u00a0Taylor\u00a0asked.\u00a0\u201cShe\u2019s\u00a0here\u2026she\u2019s\u00a0back.\u201d \u2018It\u2019s\u00a0not\u00a0possible,\u201d\u00a0I\u00a0said\u00a0more\u00a0to\u00a0myself\u00a0than\u00a0him. What\u00a0he\u00a0had\u00a0just\u00a0said\u00a0couldn\u2019t have\u00a0been\u00a0possible.\u00a0Rachel couldn\u2019t\u00a0be\u00a0at\u00a0my\u00a0villa\u00a0right\u00a0now\u00a0because\u00a0Rachel\u00a0was\u00a0fucking\u00a0dead. […]<\/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-21578","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\/21578","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=21578"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/21578\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=21578"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=21578"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=21578"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}