Chapter\u00a0532\u00a0<\/p>\n
Judy\u2019s\u00a0POV<\/p>\n
I\u00a0sat\u00a0motionless\u00a0as\u00a0I\u00a0stared\u00a0at\u00a0Gavin\u00a0and\u00a0Rachel\u00a0in\u00a0the\u00a0archway\u00a0of\u00a0the\u00a0parlor.\u00a0Matt\u00a0also\u00a0tensed\u00a0from\u00a0beside\u00a0me,\u00a0though\u00a0his\u00a0eyes\u00a0were\u00a0fixed on\u00a0his\u00a0books\u00a0in\u00a0front\u00a0of\u00a0him,\u00a0and\u00a0not\u00a0on\u00a0the\u00a0pair\u00a0of\u00a0them.\u00a0My\u00a0eyes\u00a0never\u00a0left\u00a0Gavin\u2019s,\u00a0and\u00a0his\u00a0eyes\u00a0seemed\u00a0to\u00a0be\u00a0glued\u00a0to\u00a0mine\u00a0as\u00a0well,\u00a0though\u00a0I\u00a0couldn\u2019t\u00a0decipher\u00a0the\u00a0emotion lingering\u00a0in\u00a0them.<\/p>\n
Without\u00a0taking\u00a0his\u00a0eyes\u00a0off\u00a0me,\u00a0Gavin\u00a0asked,\u00a0\u201cWhy\u00a0were\u00a0you\u00a0looking\u00a0for\u00a0me?\u201d<\/p>\n
Rachel\u00a0held\u00a0herself\u00a0closer\u00a0to\u00a0him,\u00a0clinging\u00a0to\u00a0his\u00a0arm\u00a0like\u00a0it\u00a0was\u00a0her\u00a0lifeline.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u00a0wanted to\u00a0ask\u00a0your\u00a0opinion\u00a0on\u00a0a\u00a0few\u00a0outfit\u00a0choices\u00a0for\u00a0the\u00a0charity\u00a0banquet\u00a0on\u00a0Sunday,\u201d\u00a0practically\u00a0purred.\u00a0\u201cI\u00a0want\u00a0to\u00a0dress\u00a0to<\/p>\n
impress\u00a0after\u00a0all.\u00a0It\u2019s\u00a0not\u00a0often\u00a0you\u00a0get\u00a0asked\u00a0to\u00a0be\u00a0the\u00a0date\u00a0of\u00a0Gavin\u00a0Landry\u00a0to\u00a0an\u00a0important\u00a0event\u00a0like\u00a0that.\u201d<\/p>\n
My\u00a0heart\u00a0clenched\u00a0in\u00a0my\u00a0chest\u00a0as\u00a0I\u00a0stared\u00a0at\u00a0him.\u00a0His\u00a0face\u00a0was\u00a0indifferent,\u00a0and\u00a0his\u00a0body\u00a0was\u00a0tense\u00a0as\u00a0he\u00a0listened\u00a0to\u00a0what\u00a0she\u00a0said.<\/p>\n
As\u00a0if\u00a0just\u00a0noticing\u00a0me in\u00a0the\u00a0room,\u00a0Rachel\u2019s\u00a0eyes\u00a0flickered\u00a0to\u00a0mine,\u00a0and\u00a0she\u00a0smiled.<\/p>\n
\u201cOh,\u00a0hi\u00a0Judy.\u00a0I\u00a0didn\u2019t\u00a0see\u00a0you\u00a0there,\u201d\u00a0she\u00a0said.\u00a0\u201cYou seem\u00a0hard\u00a0at\u00a0work.\u00a0Don\u2019t\u00a0let\u00a0us\u00a0disturb\u00a0you.\u201d<\/p>\n
Rachel\u00a0tugged\u00a0on\u00a0Gavin\u2019s\u00a0arm;\u00a0he\u00a0stood\u00a0firm\u00a0for\u00a0a\u00a0moment,\u00a0his\u00a0eyes\u00a0still\u00a0on\u00a0me,\u00a0and\u00a0I\u00a0wasn\u2019t\u00a0sure\u00a0why\u00a0he\u00a0was\u00a0staring\u00a0at\u00a0me\u00a0like<\/p>\n
that.\u00a0But then,\u00a0almost\u00a0reluctantly,\u00a0Gavin\u00a0turned\u00a0and\u00a0left with\u00a0her.\u00a0(3)<\/p>\n
I\u00a0stared\u00a0at\u00a0the\u00a0open\u00a0archway\u00a0that\u00a0Gavin\u00a0once stood\u00a0in,\u00a0my\u00a0heart\u00a0feeling\u00a0almost\u00a0empty\u00a0and\u00a0my hands\u00a0trembling\u00a0uncontrollably.<\/p>\n
\u201cIs\u00a0my\u00a0dad\u00a0going\u00a0to\u00a0marry\u00a0Miss\u00a0Rachel?\u201d\u00a0Matt\u00a0suddenly\u00a0asked,\u00a0finally\u00a0lifting\u00a0his\u00a0gaze\u00a0from\u00a0the\u00a0book\u00a0to\u00a0meet\u00a0mine.<\/p>\n
I\u00a0felt my\u00a0face\u00a0pale\u00a0at\u00a0his\u00a0question,\u00a0and\u00a0I\u00a0met\u00a0his\u00a0eyes.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhy\u00a0do\u00a0you\u00a0ask?\u201d\u00a0I\u00a0asked\u00a0him,\u00a0my\u00a0voice\u00a0coming\u00a0out\u00a0strained.<\/p>\n
\u201cBecause\u00a0Rachel\u00a0told\u00a0me\u00a0she\u00a0was\u00a0going\u00a0to\u00a0be\u00a0my\u00a0new\u00a0mom,\u201d\u00a0Matt\u00a0said,\u00a0a\u00a0grimace\u00a0on\u00a0his\u00a0face.\u00a0\u201cBut\u00a0I don\u2019t want\u00a0her\u00a0to\u00a0be\u00a0my\u00a0mom\u2026\u00a0I\u00a0don\u2019t\u00a0really\u00a0like\u00a0her.\u00a0She\u2019s\u00a0different\u2026\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cDifferent\u00a0how?\u201d\u00a0I\u00a0asked,\u00a0raising\u00a0my brows.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u00a0can\u2019t\u00a0explain\u00a0it,\u201d\u00a0he\u00a0murmured.\u00a0\u201cI\u00a0just\u00a0have\u00a0a\u00a0weird\u00a0feeling\u00a0about\u00a0her.\u00a0I\u00a0really\u00a0don\u2019t\u00a0want\u00a0her\u00a0to\u00a0be\u00a0my\u00a0mom.\u201d<\/p>\n
My\u00a0chest\u00a0tightened\u00a0from\u00a0his\u00a0admittance,\u00a0and\u00a0I\u00a0found\u00a0myself\u00a0pulling\u00a0him\u00a0into\u00a0my\u00a0arms.<\/p>\n
\u201cYour\u00a0dad\u00a0will\u00a0do\u00a0what\u2019s\u00a0best\u00a0for\u00a0you\u00a0and\u00a0Irene,\u201d\u00a0I\u00a0told\u00a0him\u00a0softly.\u00a0\u201cHe\u00a0won\u2019t\u00a0make\u00a0her\u00a0into\u00a0your\u00a0mother\u00a0without\u00a0speaking\u00a0to\u00a0you<\/p>\n
about\u00a0it\u00a0first.\u00a0He\u2019s\u00a0a\u00a0fair\u00a0man.\u201d<\/p>\n
As\u00a0I\u00a0spoke\u00a0those\u00a0words,\u00a0I\u00a0knew\u00a0they\u00a0were\u00a0the\u00a0truth.\u00a0Gavin was\u00a0a\u00a0fair\u00a0man\u00a0and\u00a0would\u00a0always\u00a0include\u00a0his\u00a0children\u00a0in\u00a0his\u00a0decision-<\/p>\n
making,\u00a0especially\u00a0when\u00a0it\u00a0affected\u00a0them\u00a0to\u00a0this\u00a0extreme.<\/p>\n
\u201cSpeaking\u00a0of\u00a0Irene,\u00a0how\u00a0is\u00a0she?\u201d\u00a0Matt\u00a0asked.\u00a0\u201cI\u00a0haven\u2019t\u00a0seen\u00a0her\u00a0for\u00a0almost\u00a0a\u00a0month.\u201d<\/p>\n
1\/2<\/p>\n
Chapter\u00a0532<\/p>\n
+30\u00a0Bonus\u00a0<\/p>\n
Matt\u2019s\u00a0wolf\u00a0had\u00a0finally\u00a0calmed\u00a0down\u00a0at\u00a0the\u00a0mention\u00a0of\u00a0Irene,\u00a0but\u00a0Gavin\u00a0still\u00a0thought\u00a0it\u00a0would\u00a0be\u00a0best\u00a0if\u00a0they\u00a0stayed\u00a0separate\u00a0for\u00a0right\u00a0now.<\/p>\n
During\u00a0our\u00a0training\u00a0sessions,\u00a0I\u00a0had\u00a0also\u00a0been\u00a0training\u00a0with\u00a0Matt\u2019s\u00a0wolf.\u00a0Matt\u00a0mentioned\u00a0that\u00a0Gavin\u00a0had\u00a0also\u00a0been\u00a0training\u00a0with\u00a0him,\u00a0so\u00a0things\u00a0were\u00a0definitely\u00a0better\u00a0for\u00a0him,\u00a0considering\u00a0he\u2019s\u00a0the\u00a0youngest\u00a0person\u00a0in\u00a0history\u00a0to\u00a0shift.<\/p>\n
\u201cShe\u2019s\u00a0doing\u00a0good,\u201d\u00a0I\u00a0tell\u00a0him.\u00a0\u201cShe\u00a0misses\u00a0you.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cDo\u00a0you\u00a0think\u00a0she\u2019ll\u00a0ever\u00a0be\u00a0allowed\u00a0home\u00a0again?\u201d\u00a0He\u00a0asked.\u00a0\u201cThe\u00a0more\u00a0I\u00a0think\u00a0about\u00a0it,\u00a0the\u00a0more\u00a0I\u00a0don\u2019t\u00a0think\u00a0she\u2019s\u00a0a\u00a0bad\u00a0person.\u00a0What\u00a0she\u00a0did\u00a0was\u00a0pretty\u00a0bad\u2026\u00a0but\u00a0I think\u00a0in\u00a0her\u00a0head\u00a0it\u00a0was\u00a0justified.\u00a0I\u00a0don\u2019t\u00a0think\u00a0she\u00a0really\u00a0meant\u00a0to\u00a0hurt\u00a0me.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThat\u2019s\u00a0really\u00a0big\u00a0of\u00a0you,\u00a0Matthew.\u00a0I\u2019m\u00a0so\u00a0proud\u00a0of\u00a0you\u00a0for\u00a0coming\u00a0up\u00a0with\u00a0that\u00a0conclusion\u00a0on\u00a0your\u00a0own,\u201d\u00a0I\u00a0told\u00a0him,\u00a0giving\u00a0him\u00a0a<\/p>\n
gentle\u00a0squeeze.\u00a0\u201cI\u00a0think\u00a0a\u00a0little\u00a0bit\u00a0more\u00a0space\u00a0will do\u00a0you\u00a0both\u00a0some\u00a0good\u00a0for\u00a0right\u00a0now.\u00a0Plus,\u00a0your\u00a0father\u00a0is\u00a0actively\u00a0trying\u00a0to find<\/p>\n
a\u00a0couple\u00a0to\u00a0adopt\u00a0Emalyn,\u00a0and\u00a0until\u00a0then,\u00a0Irene\u00a0has\u00a0a\u00a0responsibility.\u00a0It\u2019s\u00a0better\u00a0if\u00a0she\u00a0stays\u00a0there\u00a0for\u00a0right\u00a0now.\u201d<\/p>\n
He\u00a0nodded\u00a0like\u00a0he\u00a0understood,\u00a0though\u00a0he\u00a0still\u00a0looked\u00a0a\u00a0bit\u00a0conflicted.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u00a0wish\u00a0you\u00a0could\u00a0just\u00a0marry\u00a0my\u00a0dad,\u201d\u00a0he\u00a0finally\u00a0said,\u00a0his\u00a0voice\u00a0almost\u00a0vulnerable.\u00a0\u201cYou\u2019d\u00a0be\u00a0a\u00a0much\u00a0better\u00a0mom\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n
I\u00a0pressed\u00a0my\u00a0lips\u00a0together, trying\u00a0hard\u00a0not\u00a0to\u00a0cry.\u00a0I\u00a0wanted\u00a0to\u00a0tell\u00a0him,\u00a0\u201cMe\u00a0too,\u201d\u00a0but\u00a0the words\u00a0died\u00a0on\u00a0my\u00a0lips.\u00a0Instead,\u00a0I\u00a0gave<\/p>\n
him\u00a0another\u00a0squeeze\u00a0and\u00a0then\u00a0a\u00a0pat\u00a0on the\u00a0back.<\/p>\n
\u201cLet\u2019s\u00a0get\u00a0back\u00a0to\u00a0work,\u201d\u00a0I\u00a0tell\u00a0him.<\/p>\n
He\u00a0reluctantly\u00a0agreed.<\/p>\n
We\u00a0spent\u00a0the\u00a0next\u00a0few\u00a0hours\u00a0studying\u00a0and\u00a0then\u00a0going\u00a0over\u00a0combat\u00a0and\u00a0defense\u00a0techniques.\u00a0I\u00a0hadn\u2019t\u00a0seen\u00a0or\u00a0heard\u00a0from\u00a0Gavin\u00a0the\u00a0rest\u00a0of\u00a0the\u00a0time,\u00a0but\u00a0just\u00a0as\u00a0I\u00a0approached\u00a0Beta Taylor\u2019s\u00a0waiting\u00a0car,\u00a0a\u00a0hand\u00a0stopped\u00a0the\u00a0car\u00a0door\u00a0from\u00a0opening.\u00a0I\u00a0quickly\u00a0turned\u00a0to<\/p>\n
see\u00a0Gavin\u00a0standing\u00a0only\u00a0inches from me,\u00a0his\u00a0gaze\u00a0penetrating\u00a0through\u00a0me.<\/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 532 Chapter\u00a0532\u00a0 Judy\u2019s\u00a0POV I\u00a0sat\u00a0motionless\u00a0as\u00a0I\u00a0stared\u00a0at\u00a0Gavin\u00a0and\u00a0Rachel\u00a0in\u00a0the\u00a0archway\u00a0of\u00a0the\u00a0parlor.\u00a0Matt\u00a0also\u00a0tensed\u00a0from\u00a0beside\u00a0me,\u00a0though\u00a0his\u00a0eyes\u00a0were\u00a0fixed on\u00a0his\u00a0books\u00a0in\u00a0front\u00a0of\u00a0him,\u00a0and\u00a0not\u00a0on\u00a0the\u00a0pair\u00a0of\u00a0them.\u00a0My\u00a0eyes\u00a0never\u00a0left\u00a0Gavin\u2019s,\u00a0and\u00a0his\u00a0eyes\u00a0seemed\u00a0to\u00a0be\u00a0glued\u00a0to\u00a0mine\u00a0as\u00a0well,\u00a0though\u00a0I\u00a0couldn\u2019t\u00a0decipher\u00a0the\u00a0emotion lingering\u00a0in\u00a0them. Without\u00a0taking\u00a0his\u00a0eyes\u00a0off\u00a0me,\u00a0Gavin\u00a0asked,\u00a0\u201cWhy\u00a0were\u00a0you\u00a0looking\u00a0for\u00a0me?\u201d […]<\/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-21600","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\/21600","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=21600"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/21600\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=21600"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=21600"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=21600"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}