Chapter\u00a0564<\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/p>\n
I\u00a0went\u00a0to\u00a0the\u00a0hospital;\u00a0I\u00a0wasn\u2019t\u00a0sure\u00a0what compelled\u00a0me to\u00a0come\u00a0here,\u00a0but\u00a0Irene\u00a0spoke\u00a0to\u00a0her\u00a0father\u00a0last\u00a0night,\u00a0and\u00a0she\u00a0told\u00a0me\u00a0that\u00a0he\u00a0had\u00a0to\u00a0go\u00a0to\u00a0the\u00a0hospital\u00a0because\u00a0something\u00a0happened\u00a0with\u00a0Rachel,\u00a0and\u00a0that\u2019s\u00a0what\u00a0caused\u00a0him\u00a0to\u00a0miss\u00a0the\u00a0graduation\u00a0ceremony.<\/p>\n
I\u00a0barely\u00a0managed\u00a0to\u00a0finish\u00a0my\u00a0speech\u00a0once\u00a0that\u00a0breaking\u00a0news\u00a0story\u00a0got\u00a0sent\u00a0to\u00a0everyone\u2019s\u00a0phones.\u00a0My\u00a0voice\u00a0had\u00a0come\u00a0out\u00a0hollow,\u00a0and\u00a0I\u00a0could\u00a0hear\u00a0the\u00a0rapid\u00a0beating\u00a0of\u00a0my\u00a0heart;\u00a0there\u00a0was\u00a0no\u00a0doubt\u00a0that\u00a0everyone\u00a0else\u00a0could\u00a0hear\u00a0it\u00a0too.\u00a0I\u00a0saw\u00a0the\u00a0sympathetic\u00a0looks\u00a0of\u00a0Nan\u00a0as\u00a0she\u00a0watched\u00a0me\u00a0struggle\u00a0to\u00a0speak.<\/p>\n
I\u00a0apologized\u00a0and\u00a0stepped\u00a0away\u00a0from\u00a0the\u00a0podium,\u00a0ignoring\u00a0the\u00a0scattered\u00a0claps\u00a0as\u00a0I\u00a0took\u00a0my\u00a0seat.\u00a0My\u00a0hands\u00a0were\u00a0trembling\u00a0violently,\u00a0and\u00a0I\u00a0couldn\u2019t\u00a0even\u00a0look\u00a0up\u00a0to\u00a0meet\u00a0the\u00a0wary\u00a0gazes\u00a0of\u00a0my\u00a0parents,\u00a0who\u00a0I\u00a0knew\u00a0without\u00a0a\u00a0doubt\u00a0were\u00a0watching\u00a0me\u00a0from\u00a0across\u00a0the\u00a0room.\u00a0I\u00a0saw\u00a0my\u00a0mother\u00a0on\u00a0her\u00a0phone\u00a0at\u00a0one\u00a0point\u00a0as\u00a0well,\u00a0so\u00a0I\u00a0knew\u00a0she\u00a0had\u00a0seen\u00a0the\u00a0news\u00a0story\u00a0and\u00a0shared\u00a0it\u00a0with\u00a0my\u00a0father.<\/p>\n
There\u00a0were\u00a0a\u00a0couple\u00a0more\u00a0speeches\u00a0from\u00a0some\u00a0of\u00a0the\u00a0college\u00a0faculty,\u00a0and\u00a0then the\u00a0Dean\u00a0returned\u00a0to\u00a0the\u00a0podium for\u00a0her\u00a0final\u00a0speech\u00a0before\u00a0she\u00a0announced\u00a0the\u00a0graduates\u00a0by\u00a0name.\u00a0As\u00a0she\u00a0spoke\u00a0each\u00a0name,\u00a0graduates\u00a0stood\u00a0and\u00a0walked\u00a0up\u00a0to\u00a0the\u00a0stage,\u00a0grabbed\u00a0their\u00a0degrees,\u00a0and\u00a0shook\u00a0the\u00a0Dean\u2019s\u00a0hand\u00a0before\u00a0posing\u00a0for\u00a0a\u00a0picture.<\/p>\n
\u201cNan\u00a0Bigsby,\u201d\u00a0the\u00a0Dean\u00a0announced.<\/p>\n
Nan\u00a0stood,\u00a0plastered\u00a0a\u00a0smile\u00a0on\u00a0her\u00a0face,\u00a0and\u00a0walked\u00a0onto\u00a0the stage.\u00a0Chester was\u00a0the\u00a0loudest\u00a0to\u00a0cheer,\u00a0and\u00a0Nan\u00a0blushed\u00a0when\u00a0he\u00a0stood\u00a0up\u00a0and\u00a0shouted\u00a0for\u00a0her.\u00a0I\u00a0wanted\u00a0to\u00a0be\u00a0one\u00a0of\u00a0the\u00a0loudest\u00a0to\u00a0cheer\u00a0for\u00a0my\u00a0best\u00a0friend,\u00a0but\u00a0I\u00a0could\u00a0barely\u00a0even\u00a0move.<\/p>\n
I\u00a0hardly\u00a0registered\u00a0what\u00a0the\u00a0Dean\u00a0announced\u00a0my\u00a0name.\u00a0The\u00a0girl\u00a0beside\u00a0me had\u00a0to\u00a0nudge\u00a0me\u00a0when\u00a0I\u00a0made\u00a0no\u00a0effort\u00a0to\u00a0move.<\/p>\n
\u201cJudy\u00a0Montague,\u201d\u00a0the\u00a0Dean\u00a0announced.<\/p>\n
With\u00a0wobbly\u00a0legs,\u00a0I\u00a0stood\u00a0and\u00a0made\u00a0my\u00a0way\u00a0towards\u00a0the\u00a0stage.\u00a0The\u00a0walk\u00a0felt\u00a0like\u00a0an\u00a0eternity;\u00a0though\u00a0there\u00a0were\u00a0clapping\u00a0and\u00a0cheering,\u00a0my\u00a0parents\u00a0being\u00a0amongst\u00a0the\u00a0loudest,\u00a0and\u00a0Nan\u00a0and\u00a0Chester\u00a0also\u00a0chanting,\u00a0I\u00a0barely\u00a0heard\u00a0any\u00a0of\u00a0it.\u00a0To\u00a0me,\u00a0the\u00a0entire\u00a0place\u00a0was\u00a0silent,\u00a0and\u00a0the\u00a0only\u00a0sounds\u00a0of\u00a0my\u00a0beating\u00a0heart\u00a0and\u00a0breathing\u00a0could\u00a0be\u00a0heard.<\/p>\n
I\u00a0stepped\u00a0onto\u00a0the\u00a0stage,\u00a0forcing\u00a0a\u00a0smile,\u00a0though\u00a0I\u00a0knew\u00a0it\u00a0was\u00a0tired\u00a0and\u00a0worn\u00a0as\u00a0I\u00a0took\u00a0the\u00a0degree\u00a0and\u00a0shook\u00a0the\u00a0Dean\u2019s\u00a0hand.<\/p>\n
\u201cCongratulations,\u201d\u00a0she\u00a0said\u00a0just\u00a0before we\u00a0posed\u00a0for a\u00a0picture.<\/p>\n
I\u00a0couldn\u2019t\u00a0manage\u00a0a\u00a0simple\u00a0\u201cThank\u00a0you\u201d\u00a0in\u00a0response.\u00a0I\u00a0only nodded\u00a0and\u00a0made my\u00a0way\u00a0down\u00a0the\u00a0stage.\u00a0I\u00a0returned\u00a0to\u00a0my\u00a0seat\u00a0as\u00a0the\u00a0other\u00a0graduates\u00a0were\u00a0called.\u00a0The\u00a0rest\u00a0of\u00a0the\u00a0ceremony\u00a0went\u00a0by\u00a0as\u00a0a\u00a0blur.<\/p>\n
\u201cCome\u00a0on,\u201d\u00a0Nan\u00a0said,\u00a0grabbing\u00a0my\u00a0ar\u0131n\u00a0and pulling\u00a0me\u00a0to\u00a0my\u00a0feet.\u00a0I\u00a0hadn\u2019t\u00a0realized\u00a0the\u00a0ceremony\u00a0was\u00a0over\u00a0until\u00a0she\u00a0came\u00a0to\u00a0grab\u00a0me.\u00a0\u201cLet\u2019s\u00a0get\u00a0you\u00a0out\u00a0of\u00a0here.\u201d<\/p>\n
Chester\u00a0was\u00a0with\u00a0her,\u00a0and\u00a0my\u00a0parents\u00a0were\u00a0approaching,\u00a0a\u00a0worried\u00a0look\u00a0in\u00a0their eyes.\u00a0I\u00a0nodded\u00a0and\u00a0stood\u00a0to\u00a0my\u00a0feet.\u00a0We\u00a0walked\u00a0outside,\u00a0and\u00a0the\u00a0cool\u00a0night\u00a0air\u00a0practically\u00a0attacked\u00a0my\u00a0lungs,\u00a0making\u00a0it\u00a0difficult\u00a0to\u00a0breathe.\u00a0I\u00a0felt\u00a0myself\u00a0growing\u00a0dizzy,\u00a0and\u00a0what\u00a0I\u00a0wanted\u00a0to\u00a0do\u00a0at\u00a0that\u00a0moment\u00a0was\u00a0lie\u00a0down\u00a0and\u00a0maybe\u00a0have\u00a0a\u00a0cry.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u00a0can\u2019t\u00a0believe\u00a0you\u00a0did\u00a0this\u00a0to\u00a0her,\u00a0Dad,\u201d\u00a0I\u00a0heard\u00a0someone\u00a0saying\u00a0from\u00a0nearby.\u00a0\u201cYou\u00a0didn\u2019t\u00a0even\u00a0bother\u00a0calling.\u00a0You\u00a0just\u00a0stood\u00a0her\u00a0up!\u00a0You\u00a0stood\u00a0me\u00a0up!\u201d<\/p>\n
I\u00a0looked\u00a0up\u00a0to\u00a0see\u00a0Irene\u00a0standing\u00a0by\u00a0her\u00a0car,\u00a0tears\u00a0streaming\u00a0down\u00a0her\u00a0face\u00a0as\u00a0she\u00a0clutched\u00a0her\u00a0phone.\u00a0My\u00a0heart\u00a0was\u00a0thudding\u00a0even\u00a0harder\u00a0against\u00a0my\u00a0chest.<\/p>\n
\u201cAnd\u00a0for\u00a0what?\u00a0Because\u00a0kachel\u00a0is\u00a0in\u00a0the\u00a0hospital\u00a0for\u00a0a\u00a0child\u00a0that probably\u00a0isn\u2019t\u00a0even\u00a0yours?\u00a0I\u00a0thought\u00a0you were\u00a0smarter\u00a0than\u00a0that\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n
My\u00a0heart\u00a0shattered;\u00a0that\u2019s\u00a0why\u00a0he\u00a0missed\u00a0the\u00a0graduation.\u00a0Because\u00a0he\u00a0was\u00a0still\u00a0in\u00a0the\u00a0hospital\u00a0with\u00a0Rachel.\u00a0The\u00a0news\u00a0article\u00a0did\u00a0show\u00a0a\u00a0video\u00a0of\u00a0Gavin\u00a0rushing\u00a0Rachel\u00a0to\u00a0the\u00a0hospital\u00a0yesterday,\u00a0but\u00a0I\u00a0didn\u2019t\u00a0think\u00a0he\u2019d actually\u00a0stay\u00a0there\u00a0all\u00a0night\u00a0with\u00a0her and\u00a0miss\u00a0the\u00a0graduation\u00a0ceremony.\u00a0Then\u00a0again,\u00a0I\u00a0wasn\u2019t\u00a0sure\u00a0what\u00a0I\u00a0was\u00a0expecting.\u00a0It\u2019s\u00a0not\u00a0like\u00a0he\u2019s\u00a0been\u00a0talking\u00a0to\u00a0me\u00a0these\u00a0last\u00a0couple\u00a0of\u00a0weeks.\u00a0I\u00a0have\u00a0no\u00a0idea\u00a0what\u2019s\u00a0been\u00a0going\u00a0on\u00a0in\u00a0his\u00a0mind.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou\u00a0have\u00a0so\u00a0much\u00a0to\u00a0make\u00a0up\u00a0for,\u201d\u00a0Irene\u00a0said\u00a0before\u00a0she\u00a0hung\u00a0up\u00a0the\u00a0phone.<\/p>\n
She\u00a0noticed\u00a0me\u00a0watching\u00a0her\u00a0as\u00a0she\u00a0shoved\u00a0her\u00a0phone\u00a0into\u00a0her\u00a0purse.\u00a0Tears were\u00a0still\u00a0filling\u00a0her\u00a0eyes,\u00a0and\u00a0I\u00a0could\u00a0see\u00a0the\u00a0hurt\u00a0behind\u00a0them.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m\u00a0so\u00a0sorry,\u201d\u00a0she\u00a0whispered\u00a0before\u00a0she\u00a0got\u00a0into\u00a0her\u00a0car\u00a0and\u00a0drove\u00a0off.<\/p>\n
\u201cLet\u2019s\u00a0get\u00a0you\u00a0home,\u201d\u00a0my\u00a0mother\u00a0had\u00a0said,\u00a0wrapping\u00a0an\u00a0arm\u00a0around my\u00a0shoulders.\u00a0\u201cWe\u00a0can\u00a0celebrate\u00a0tomorrow.\u00a0You\u00a0look\u00a0exhausted.\u201d<\/p>\n
I\u00a0nodded,\u00a0barely\u00a0registering\u00a0her\u00a0words.<\/p>\n
Now,\u00a0it\u2019s\u00a0the\u00a0next\u00a0morning,\u00a0and\u00a0I\u2019m\u00a0standing\u00a0in\u00a0the\u00a0waiting\u00a0room\u00a0of\u00a0the\u00a0hospital.\u00a0Gavin\u2019s\u00a0scent\u00a0was\u00a0faint,\u00a0which\u00a0meant\u00a0it\u00a0had\u00a0been\u00a0a few\u00a0hours\u00a0since\u00a0he\u00a0had\u00a0been\u00a0here.\u00a0But\u00a0I\u00a0knew\u00a0Rachel\u00a0was\u00a0still\u00a0here.\u00a0I\u00a0needed\u00a0to\u00a0speak\u00a0with\u00a0her\u00a0and\u00a0find\u00a0out\u00a0the\u00a0truth.\u00a0I\u00a0needed\u00a0to\u00a0know\u00a0if\u00a0the\u00a0rumors\u00a0were\u00a0true and\u00a0if\u00a0Gavin\u00a0truly\u00a0was\u00a0the\u00a0father\u00a0of\u00a0her\u00a0baby.\u00a0<\/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 564 Chapter\u00a0564 \u00a0 I\u00a0went\u00a0to\u00a0the\u00a0hospital;\u00a0I\u00a0wasn\u2019t\u00a0sure\u00a0what compelled\u00a0me to\u00a0come\u00a0here,\u00a0but\u00a0Irene\u00a0spoke\u00a0to\u00a0her\u00a0father\u00a0last\u00a0night,\u00a0and\u00a0she\u00a0told\u00a0me\u00a0that\u00a0he\u00a0had\u00a0to\u00a0go\u00a0to\u00a0the\u00a0hospital\u00a0because\u00a0something\u00a0happened\u00a0with\u00a0Rachel,\u00a0and\u00a0that\u2019s\u00a0what\u00a0caused\u00a0him\u00a0to\u00a0miss\u00a0the\u00a0graduation\u00a0ceremony. I\u00a0barely\u00a0managed\u00a0to\u00a0finish\u00a0my\u00a0speech\u00a0once\u00a0that\u00a0breaking\u00a0news\u00a0story\u00a0got\u00a0sent\u00a0to\u00a0everyone\u2019s\u00a0phones.\u00a0My\u00a0voice\u00a0had\u00a0come\u00a0out\u00a0hollow,\u00a0and\u00a0I\u00a0could\u00a0hear\u00a0the\u00a0rapid\u00a0beating\u00a0of\u00a0my\u00a0heart;\u00a0there\u00a0was\u00a0no\u00a0doubt\u00a0that\u00a0everyone\u00a0else\u00a0could\u00a0hear\u00a0it\u00a0too.\u00a0I\u00a0saw\u00a0the\u00a0sympathetic\u00a0looks\u00a0of\u00a0Nan\u00a0as\u00a0she\u00a0watched\u00a0me\u00a0struggle\u00a0to\u00a0speak. […]<\/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-21632","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\/21632","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=21632"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/21632\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=21632"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=21632"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=21632"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}