Chapter\u00a0559<\/p>\n
Then\u00a0afterwards,\u00a0I\u00a0plan\u00a0to\u00a0take\u00a0her\u00a0to\u00a0dinner.<\/p>\n
The\u00a0door\u00a0to\u00a0my\u00a0office\u00a0opened,\u00a0and my\u00a0head\u00a0Gamma,\u00a0Derek,\u00a0walked\u00a0in.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou better\u00a0have\u00a0good\u00a0news,\u201d\u00a0I\u00a0said,\u00a0my\u00a0eyes\u00a0narrowed.<\/p>\n
\u201cMy\u00a0cousin\u00a0from\u00a0the\u00a0Redcliff\u00a0pack\u00a0is\u00a0on\u00a0his\u00a0way.\u00a0He\u2019ll\u00a0be\u00a0here\u00a0by\u00a0tomorrow\u00a0night\u00a0at\u00a0the\u00a0latest,\u201d\u00a0Derek\u00a0announced.<\/p>\n
I\u00a0nodded,\u00a0though\u00a0I\u2019m\u00a0not\u00a0happy\u00a0it\u2019ll\u00a0take\u00a0him\u00a0a\u00a0day\u00a0to\u00a0arrive,\u00a0but\u00a0as\u00a0long\u00a0as\u00a0he\u00a0gets\u00a0here,\u00a0that\u2019s\u00a0all\u00a0I\u00a0can\u00a0hope\u00a0for.<\/p>\n
Derek\u2019s\u00a0cousin,\u00a0Monty,\u00a0is\u00a0a\u00a0known\u00a0cyber\u00a0hacker\u00a0and\u00a0a\u00a0technology\u00a0genius.\u00a0If\u00a0anyone\u00a0could\u00a0recover\u00a0erased\u00a0security\u00a0footage,\u00a0it\u00a0was\u00a0him.<\/p>\n
The\u00a0rest\u00a0of\u00a0the\u00a0evening\u00a0went\u00a0by\u00a0torturously\u00a0slowly.\u00a0I\u00a0hated\u00a0pretending\u00a0to\u00a0be\u00a0there\u00a0for\u00a0Rachel,\u00a0tending\u00a0to\u00a0her\u00a0needs,\u00a0making\u00a0sure\u00a0she\u00a0remained\u00a0happy\u00a0and\u00a0oblivious.\u00a0As\u00a0far\u00a0as\u00a0she\u00a0knew,\u00a0we\u00a0were\u00a0expecting\u00a0a\u00a0baby,\u00a0I\u00a0had\u00a0accepted\u00a0the\u00a0fact\u00a0that\u00a0I\u00a0had\u00a0gotten\u00a0her\u00a0pregnant\u00a0during\u00a0that\u00a0night\u00a0together,\u00a0and\u00a0I\u00a0was\u00a0almost\u00a0thrilled\u00a0to be\u00a0a\u00a0father\u00a0again.\u00a0However,\u00a0little\u00a0did\u00a0she\u00a0know,\u00a0I\u00a0had\u00a0my\u00a0own\u00a0plans\u00a0at\u00a0play.\u00a01<\/p>\n
I\u00a0didn\u2019t\u00a0buy\u00a0the\u00a0fact\u00a0that\u00a0I\u00a0had\u00a0sex\u00a0with\u00a0her,\u00a0let\u00a0alone\u00a0got\u00a0her\u00a0pregnant.\u00a0I\u00a0knew\u00a0she\u00a0was\u00a0up\u00a0to\u00a0something,\u00a0but\u00a0I\u00a0couldn\u2019t\u00a0figure\u00a0out\u00a0what\u00a0it\u00a0was.\u00a0That\u00a0evening,\u00a0Matt\u00a0sat\u00a0in\u00a0his room,\u00a0his\u00a0head\u00a0down.\u00a0He\u2019s\u00a0been\u00a0fairly\u00a0avoidant\u00a0lately,\u00a0and\u00a0though\u00a0I\u2019ve\u00a0also\u00a0been\u00a0busy,\u00a0I\u00a0wasn\u2019t\u00a0too\u00a0busy\u00a0to\u00a0not\u00a0notice\u00a0his\u00a0mood\u00a0change.<\/p>\n
\u201cCan\u00a0we\u00a0talk?\u201d\u00a0I\u00a0asked,\u00a0leaning\u00a0against\u00a0his\u00a0doorframe.<\/p>\n
Matt\u00a0looked\u00a0up\u00a0from\u00a0his\u00a0pillow\u00a0and\u00a0nodded,\u00a0making\u00a0room\u00a0for\u00a0me\u00a0on\u00a0his\u00a0bed.<\/p>\n
I\u00a0stepped\u00a0into his\u00a0room,\u00a0making\u00a0sure\u00a0to\u00a0shut\u00a0the\u00a0door\u00a0behind\u00a0me\u00a0before\u00a0sitting\u00a0on\u00a0the\u00a0edge\u00a0of\u00a0his\u00a0bed.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u00a0just\u00a0wanted\u00a0to\u00a0check\u00a0in and\u00a0make\u00a0sure\u00a0you\u00a0were\u00a0okay,\u201d\u00a0I\u00a0told\u00a0him.\u00a0\u201cWe\u00a0hadn\u2019t\u00a0really\u00a0talked\u00a0in\u00a0a\u00a0while.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYou\u2019ve\u00a0been\u00a0too\u00a0busy\u00a0with\u00a0Rachel,\u201d\u00a0Matthew\u00a0said,\u00a0and\u00a0I\u00a0could\u00a0almost\u00a0hear\u00a0the\u00a0bitterness\u00a0in\u00a0her\u00a0voice.<\/p>\n
1<\/p>\n
I\u00a0frowned.<\/p>\n
\u201cBut\u00a0I\u2019m\u00a0never\u00a0too\u00a0busy\u00a0for\u00a0you,\u00a0Matthew,\u201d\u00a0I\u00a0told\u00a0him.\u00a0\u201cIs\u00a0my\u00a0spending\u00a0time with\u00a0Rachel\u00a0bothering\u00a0you?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u00a0just\u00a0doesn\u2019t\u00a0make\u00a0sense,\u201d\u00a0Matthew\u00a0said,\u00a0sitting\u00a0up\u00a0in\u00a0bed\u00a0and\u00a0folding\u00a0his\u00a0arms\u00a0across\u00a0his\u00a0chest.\u00a0\u201cWhy\u00a0are\u00a0you\u00a0hanging\u00a0out\u00a0with\u00a0her,\u00a0Dad?\u00a0Why\u00a0is\u00a0she\u00a0here?\u201d<\/p>\n
I\u00a0wasn\u2019t\u00a0sure\u00a0what\u00a0to\u00a0tell\u00a0my\u00a08\u2013year\u2013old\u00a0kid.\u00a0I\u00a0sighed,\u00a0running\u00a0my\u00a0fingers\u00a0through\u00a0my\u00a0hair.<\/p>\n
\u2018It\u2019s\u00a0complicated,\u00a0Matthew\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cDo\u00a0you\u00a0still care\u00a0about\u00a0Judy?\u201d<\/p>\n
His\u00a0question\u00a0came\u00a0as\u00a0a\u00a0surprise\u00a0to\u00a0me.<\/p>\n
\u201cOf\u00a0course\u00a0I\u00a0care\u00a0about\u00a0her.\u00a0She\u2019s\u00a0your\u00a0tutor\u00a0and-\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThat\u2019s\u00a0not\u00a0what\u00a0I\u00a0meant,\u201d\u00a0Matt\u00a0snapped.\u00a0\u201cI\u00a0miss\u00a0Irene because\u00a0I\u00a0get\u00a0to\u00a0talk\u00a0to\u00a0her\u00a0about\u00a0this\u00a0stuff\u00a0all\u00a0the\u00a0time.\u00a0When\u00a0are\u00a0you\u00a0going\u00a0to\u00a0let\u00a0her\u00a0come\u00a0home?\u00a0I\u2019m\u00a0not\u00a0mad\u00a0at\u00a0her\u00a0anymore.\u00a0My\u00a0wolf\u00a0doesn\u2019t\u00a0want\u00a0to\u00a0kill\u00a0her,\u00a0and\u00a0if\u00a0he\u00a0does,\u00a0I\u2019m\u00a0strong\u00a0enough\u00a0to\u00a0keep\u00a0him\u00a0under\u00a0control.\u201d<\/p>\n
My\u00a0head\u00a0was\u00a0spinning.<\/p>\n
\u201cJust\u00a0calm\u00a0down\u00a0for\u00a0a\u00a0second\u00a0and\u00a0talk\u00a0to\u00a0me,\u201d\u00a0I\u00a0told\u00a0him,\u00a0trying\u00a0to\u00a0keep\u00a0my\u00a0tone calm.\u00a0\u201cWhat\u2019s\u00a0going\u00a0on\u00a0in\u00a0your\u00a0head?\u201d<\/p>\n
He\u00a0sighed,\u00a0looking\u00a0frustrated.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u00a0don\u2019t\u00a0like\u00a0Rachel\u2026\u00a0I\u00a0thought\u00a0you\u00a0and\u00a0Judy\u00a0were\u00a0going\u00a0to\u00a0be\u00a0together.\u00a0Both\u00a0Irene\u00a0and\u00a0I\u00a0thought\u00a0you\u00a0liked\u00a0her.\u201d<\/p>\n
I\u00a0was\u00a0stunned\u00a0by\u00a0his\u00a0words;\u00a0there\u00a0was\u00a0a\u00a0lot\u00a0to\u00a0dissect,\u00a0but\u00a0for\u00a0right\u00a0now,\u00a0I\u00a0needed\u00a0to\u00a0choose\u00a0only one\u00a0element\u00a0to\u00a0focus\u00a0on.<\/p>\n
What\u00a0do\u00a0you\u00a0mean\u00a0you\u00a0don\u2019t\u00a0like\u00a0Rachel?\u00a0Had\u00a0she\u00a0said\u00a0or\u00a0done\u00a0something\u00a0to\u00a0displease\u00a0you?\u201d<\/p>\n
He\u00a0was\u00a0quiet\u00a0for\u00a0a\u00a0long\u00a0while,\u00a0nibbling\u00a0on\u00a0his\u00a0lower\u00a0lip,\u00a0a\u00a0nervous\u00a0look\u00a0in\u00a0his\u00a0eyes.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cMatthew,\u00a0tell\u00a0me\u00a0what\u00a0happened,\u201d\u00a0I\u00a0urged,\u00a0my temper\u00a0rising.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u00a0just\u00a0get\u00a0a\u00a0bad\u00a0vibe\u00a0from\u00a0her,\u201d\u00a0he\u00a0muttered.\u00a0\u201cI\u00a0think\u00a0she\u2019s\u00a0hiding\u00a0something.\u00a0My\u00a0wolf\u00a0doesn\u2019t\u00a0trust\u00a0her\u2026 more\u00a0than\u00a0he\u00a0doesn\u2019t\u00a0trust\u00a0Irene.\u00a0I\u2019m\u00a0able\u00a0to\u00a0keep\u00a0him\u00a0under\u00a0control,\u00a0though.\u00a0But\u00a0I\u00a0haven\u2019t\u00a0been\u00a0staying\u00a0around\u00a0her\u00a0because\u00a0I\u00a0worry\u00a0that\u00a0I\u00a0might\u00a0lose\u00a0control\u00a0one\u00a0of\u00a0these\u00a0days.\u00a0Something\u00a0is\u00a0off\u00a0about\u00a0her,\u00a0Dad.\u201d<\/p>\n
Chapter\u00a0658<\/p>\n
+25\u00a0Bonus<\/p>\n
I\u00a0couldn\u2019t\u00a0deny\u00a0that\u00a0I\u00a0felt\u00a0the\u00a0same\u00a0way.\u00a0I\u00a0nodded,\u00a0though\u00a0I\u00a0didn\u2019t\u00a0want\u00a0to\u00a0confirm\u00a0his\u00a0suspicions.\u00a0I\u00a0didn\u2019t\u00a0want\u00a0to\u00a0worry\u00a0about\u00a0him.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u00a0promise,\u00a0I\u2019m\u00a0not\u00a0going\u00a0to\u00a0let\u00a0her\u00a0hurt\u00a0you\u00a0or\u00a0anyone.\u00a0I\u00a0need\u00a0you\u00a0to\u00a0trust\u00a0me,\u201d\u00a0I\u00a0told\u00a0him,\u00a0putting\u00a0my\u00a0hand\u00a0on\u00a0his\u00a0shoulder.\u00a0\u201cCan\u00a0you\u00a0do\u00a0that?\u201d<\/p>\n
He\u00a0nodded\u00a0without\u00a0much\u00a0hesitation.<\/p>\n
\u201cOf\u00a0course\u00a0I\u00a0can,\u201d\u00a0he\u00a0replied.\u00a0\u201cThere\u2019s\u00a0something\u00a0else,\u00a0too,\u00a0though\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n
I\u00a0raised\u00a0my\u00a0brows.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat\u00a0is\u00a0it?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWhenever\u00a0I\u00a0do\u00a0talk\u00a0to\u00a0her\u2026\u00a0or\u00a0rather\u00a0whenever\u00a0she\u00a0talks\u00a0to\u00a0me\u2026\u00a0she\u00a0tries\u00a0to\u00a0convince\u00a0me\u00a0to\u00a0see\u00a0my\u00a0mother\u2026\u201d\u00a09<\/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 559 Chapter\u00a0559 Then\u00a0afterwards,\u00a0I\u00a0plan\u00a0to\u00a0take\u00a0her\u00a0to\u00a0dinner. The\u00a0door\u00a0to\u00a0my\u00a0office\u00a0opened,\u00a0and my\u00a0head\u00a0Gamma,\u00a0Derek,\u00a0walked\u00a0in. \u201cYou better\u00a0have\u00a0good\u00a0news,\u201d\u00a0I\u00a0said,\u00a0my\u00a0eyes\u00a0narrowed. […]<\/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-21627","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\/21627","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=21627"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/21627\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=21627"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=21627"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=21627"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}