Judy\u2019s\u00a0POV<\/p>\n
\u201cWoah,\u00a0you\u00a0live\u00a0here?!\u201d\u00a0Lucy\u00a0asked,\u00a0her\u00a0mouth\u00a0dropping\u00a0to\u00a0the ground\u00a0as\u00a0she\u00a0stared\u00a0up\u00a0at\u00a0the\u00a0mansion.<\/p>\n
\u201cNot\u00a0at\u00a0the\u00a0moment,\u00a0but\u00a0I\u00a0used\u00a0to,\u201d\u00a0I\u00a0told\u00a0her.\u00a0\u201cNan\u2019s\u00a0been\u00a0staying\u00a0here\u00a0with\u00a0her\u00a0mate.\u00a0I\u2019ve\u00a0been\u00a0here\u00a0for\u00a0so\u00a0long\u00a0that\u00a0this\u00a0place<\/p>\n
kind\u00a0of\u00a0feels\u00a0like\u00a0home.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYou\u00a0never\u00a0told\u00a0me\u00a0that\u00a0you\u00a0lived\u00a0in\u00a0a\u00a0fucking\u00a0mansion,\u201d\u00a0Lucy\u00a0said,\u00a0folding\u00a0her\u00a0arms\u00a0across\u00a0her\u00a0chest.\u00a0\u201cHow\u00a0could\u00a0this\u00a0never\u00a0come\u00a0up\u00a0in\u00a0conversation?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u00a0told\u00a0you,\u00a0when\u00a0I\u00a0arrived\u00a0at\u00a0the\u00a0Redcliff\u00a0pack,\u00a0I\u00a0didn\u2019t\u00a0want\u00a0to\u00a0think\u00a0about\u00a0my\u00a0old\u00a0life,\u201d\u00a0I\u00a0told\u00a0her.<\/p>\n
\u201cBut\u00a0still,\u201d\u00a0she\u00a0said,\u00a0shaking\u00a0her\u00a0head.\u00a0\u201cI\u2019ve\u00a0opened\u00a0up\u00a0to\u00a0you,\u00a0it\u2019s\u00a0kind\u00a0of sad\u00a0that\u00a0you\u00a0felt\u00a0you\u00a0couldn\u2019t\u00a0open\u00a0up\u00a0to\u00a0me.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s\u00a0not\u00a0that\u00a0I\u00a0didn\u2019t\u00a0think\u00a0I\u00a0could\u00a0open\u00a0up\u00a0to\u00a0you,\u00a0Lucy,\u201d\u00a0I\u00a0assured\u00a0her.\u00a0\u201cIt\u00a0was\u00a0just\u00a0too\u00a0painful\u00a0to\u00a0talk\u00a0about.\u201d<\/p>\n
She\u00a0nibbled\u00a0on\u00a0her\u00a0lower\u00a0lip.\u00a0We\u00a0sat\u00a0in\u00a0the\u00a0front\u00a0parlor,\u00a0Nan\u00a0curled\u00a0up\u00a0on\u00a0the\u00a0armchair,\u00a0and\u00a0Lucy\u00a0sat\u00a0beside\u00a0me\u00a0on\u00a0the\u00a0couch.\u00a0She\u00a0was\u00a0tugging\u00a0at\u00a0her\u00a0fingers,\u00a0staring\u00a0down\u00a0at\u00a0her\u00a0lap\u00a0with\u00a0a\u00a0sheepish\u00a0expression\u00a0on\u00a0her\u00a0face.\u00a0I\u00a0know\u00a0I\u00a0hurt\u00a0her\u00a0when\u00a0I\u00a0lied\u00a0to\u00a0her,\u00a0but\u00a0I\u00a0was\u00a0hurting\u00a0too.\u00a0The\u00a0entire\u00a0time\u00a0I\u00a0was\u00a0in\u00a0the\u00a0Redcliff\u00a0pack,\u00a0I was\u00a0in\u00a0pain.\u00a0My\u00a0heart\u00a0constantly\u00a0felt\u00a0like\u00a0it\u00a0had\u00a0exploded\u00a0when\u00a0I\u00a0thought\u00a0Gavin\u00a0and\u00a0Rachel\u00a0were\u00a0together\u00a0and\u00a0expecting\u00a0a\u00a0baby.\u00a0I\u00a0thought\u00a0my\u00a0world\u00a0had\u00a0crumbled,\u00a0and\u00a0I\u00a0was\u00a0trying\u00a0so\u00a0hard\u00a0to\u00a0pretend\u00a0that\u00a0it\u00a0wasn\u2019t.\u00a01<\/p>\n
One\u00a0of\u00a0the\u00a0maids\u00a0walked\u00a0in\u00a0and\u00a0gave\u00a0us\u00a0a\u00a0platter\u00a0of snacks\u00a0and\u00a0some\u00a0wine.\u00a0I\u00a0told\u00a0her\u00a0I\u00a0wasn\u2019t\u00a0feeling\u00a0well\u00a0and\u00a0asked\u00a0for\u00a0water\u00a0instead.\u00a0She\u00a0got\u00a0me\u00a0a\u00a0bottle\u00a0of\u00a0water\u00a0from\u00a0the\u00a0kitchen,\u00a0and\u00a0I\u00a0ignored\u00a0the\u00a0curious\u00a0looks\u00a0from\u00a0Nan\u00a0and\u00a0Lucy.\u00a0<\/p>\n
After\u00a0thanking\u00a0her,\u00a0she\u00a0retreated.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou\u00a0even\u00a0have\u00a0a\u00a0maid,\u201d\u00a0she\u00a0said,\u00a0her\u00a0eyes\u00a0wide.<\/p>\n
The\u00a0Redcliff\u00a0pack\u00a0was\u00a0small,\u00a0and\u00a0though\u00a0their\u00a0packhouse\u00a0was\u00a0large,\u00a0they\u00a0didn\u2019t\u00a0have\u00a0hired\u00a0staff\u00a0like that.\u00a0It\u00a0was\u00a0hard\u00a0for\u00a0them\u00a0to\u00a0have\u00a0a\u00a0steady\u00a0stream\u00a0of\u00a0income\u00a0for\u00a0stuff\u00a0like\u00a0that.\u00a0That was\u00a0part\u00a0of\u00a0what\u00a0I\u00a0liked\u00a0about\u00a0that\u00a0pack;\u00a0they\u00a0worked\u00a0hard\u00a0for\u00a0what\u00a0they\u00a0had.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis\u00a0is\u00a0Landry\u2019s\u00a0property.\u00a0Of\u00a0course,\u00a0there\u00a0are\u00a0maids\u00a0here,\u201d\u00a0Nan\u00a0said,\u00a0taking\u00a0a\u00a0nacho\u00a0off\u00a0the\u00a0platter\u00a0and\u00a0stuffing\u00a0it\u00a0into\u00a0her\u00a0mouth.\u00a0\u201cNot\u00a0as\u00a0good\u00a0as\u00a0Chester\u2019s,\u00a0but\u00a0they\u00a0are\u00a0tasty,\u201d\u00a0she\u00a0said,\u00a0taking\u00a0another\u00a0nacho.<\/p>\n
The\u00a0door\u00a0to\u00a0the\u00a0parlor\u00a0opened,\u00a0and\u00a0Irene\u00a0walked\u00a0in.\u00a0She\u00a0smiled\u00a0when\u00a0she\u00a0saw\u00a0me\u00a0and\u00a0then\u00a0gave\u00a0Nan\u00a0and\u00a0slight\u00a0wave.<\/p>\n
\u201cSorry,\u00a0I\u2019m\u00a0late,\u201d\u00a0she\u00a0said,\u00a0putting\u00a0her\u00a0purse\u00a0on\u00a0one\u00a0of\u00a0the\u00a0side\u00a0tables\u00a0before\u00a0taking\u00a0a\u00a0seat\u00a0beside\u00a0Lucy.\u00a0\u201cDid\u00a0good?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cNo,\u00a0we\u00a0just\u00a0finished\u00a0giving\u00a0Lucy\u00a0the\u00a0grand\u00a0tour,\u201d\u00a0I\u00a0told\u00a0her.\u00a0\u201cYou\u00a0didn\u2019t\u00a0miss\u00a0anything.\u201d<\/p>\n
I\u00a0noticed\u00a0Lucy\u00a0was\u00a0gawking\u00a0at\u00a0Irene.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou\u2019re\u00a0Irene\u00a0Landry\u2026\u201d\u00a0Lucy\u00a0breathed.\u00a0Then\u00a0she\u00a0looked\u00a0at\u00a0me,\u00a0her\u00a0eyes\u00a0wide.\u00a0\u201cYou\u2019re\u00a0friends\u00a0with\u00a0Irene\u00a0Landry?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWell,\u00a0yeah,\u201d\u00a0I\u00a0said,\u00a0raising\u00a0my\u00a0brows.\u00a0\u201cShe\u2019s\u00a0Gavin\u2019s\u00a0daughter.\u201d<\/p>\n
anything<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u00a0used\u00a0to\u00a0talk\u00a0about\u00a0her\u00a0clothing\u00a0brand\u00a0all\u00a0the\u00a0time.\u00a0I\u00a0wish\u00a0I\u00a0could\u00a0own\u00a0a\u00a0few\u00a0pieces,\u00a0but\u00a0they\u00a0were\u00a0so\u00a0expensive.\u00a0We\u00a0literally\u00a0sat\u00a0together\u00a0and\u00a0cooed\u00a0about\u00a0her\u00a0photos\u00a0in\u00a0different\u00a0fashion\u00a0magazines,\u00a0and\u00a0you\u00a0didn\u2019t\u00a0bother\u00a0to\u00a0tell\u00a0me\u00a0you\u00a0actually knew\u00a0her??\u201d<\/p>\n
I\u00a0nibbled\u00a0on\u00a0my\u00a0lower\u00a0lip,\u00a0knowing\u00a0that\u00a0she\u00a0was\u00a0right.\u00a0I\u00a0didn\u2019t\u00a0bother\u00a0telling\u00a0her\u00a0any\u00a0truth\u00a0about\u00a0myself.\u00a0I\u00a0hated\u00a0lying\u00a0to\u00a0her,\u00a0but\u00a0at\u00a0the\u00a0time,\u00a0it\u00a0felt\u00a0necessary.\u00a0I\u00a0knew\u00a0a\u00a0simple\u00a0\u201cI\u2019m\u00a0sorry\u201d\u00a0wasn\u2019t\u00a0going\u00a0to\u00a0suffice.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou\u2019re\u00a0a\u00a0fan?\u201d\u00a0Irene\u00a0said,\u00a0pleased.<\/p>\n
\u201cA\u00a0huge fan,\u201d\u00a0Lucy\u00a0admitted,\u00a0a\u00a0blush\u00a0creeping\u00a0along\u00a0her\u00a0cheeks.<\/p>\n
Irene\u2019s\u00a0smile\u00a0grew;\u00a0she\u00a0liked\u00a0it\u00a0when\u00a0people\u00a0from\u00a0outside\u00a0the\u00a0territory\u00a0recognized\u00a0her.<\/p>\n
\u201cWell,\u00a0I\u00a0haven\u2019t\u00a0created\u00a0anything\u00a0new\u00a0recently.\u00a0But\u00a0I\u00a0do\u00a0have\u00a0a\u00a0ton\u00a0of\u00a0clothes\u00a0from\u00a0last\u00a0year\u00a0that\u00a0I\u00a0haven\u2019t\u00a0worn\u00a0yet.\u00a0We\u00a0look\u00a0to\u00a0be\u00a0about\u00a0the\u00a0same\u00a0size.\u00a0They\u00a0are\u00a0upstairs;\u00a0want\u00a0to\u00a0try\u00a0them\u00a0on?\u201d<\/p>\n
Lucy\u2019s\u00a0eyes\u00a0lit\u00a0up\u00a0like\u00a0a\u00a0Christmas\u00a0tree.<\/p>\n
\u201cReally?\u00a0I\u00a0mean,\u00a0I\u00a0don\u2019t\u00a0want\u00a0to\u00a0impose\u00a0or\u00a0anything\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cNonsense;\u00a0it\u2019s\u00a0literally\u00a0just\u00a0sitting\u00a0there\u00a0untouched,\u201d\u00a0Irene\u00a0said,\u00a0waving\u00a0off\u00a0her\u00a0concern.<\/p>\n
With\u00a0that\u00a0being\u00a0said,\u00a0we\u00a0went\u00a0upstairs and\u00a0tried\u00a0on\u00a0Irene\u2019s\u00a0clothes.\u00a0The\u00a0rest\u00a0of\u00a0the\u00a0night\u00a0was\u00a0filled\u00a0with\u00a0laughter,\u00a0gossip,\u00a0and\u00a0friendship.<\/p>\n
Later\u00a0in\u00a0the\u00a0evening,\u00a0Chester\u00a0arrived\u00a0with\u00a0Emalyn,\u00a0and\u00a0Nan\u00a0disappeared\u00a0with\u00a0her\u00a0little\u00a0family.\u00a0Lucy\u00a0and\u00a0Irene\u00a0spent\u00a0the\u00a0night\u00a0in\u00a0Irene\u2019s\u00a0bedroom;\u00a0apparently,\u00a0they\u00a0had\u00a0a\u00a0lot\u00a0more\u00a0in\u00a0common\u00a0than\u00a0they\u00a0thought,\u00a0and\u00a0they\u00a0quickly\u00a0became\u00a0incredible\u00a0friends.\u00a0I\u00a0always\u00a0knew\u00a0that\u00a0Lucy\u00a0reminded\u00a0me\u00a0a\u00a0lot\u00a0of\u00a0Irene,\u00a0and\u00a0I\u00a0think\u00a0that\u2019s\u00a0why\u00a0I\u00a0got\u00a0along\u00a0with\u00a0her\u00a0so\u00a0well.<\/p>\n
I\u00a0went\u00a0to\u00a0my\u00a0old\u00a0bedroom.\u00a0I\u00a0smiled\u00a0when\u00a0I\u00a0stepped\u00a0inside;\u00a0it\u2019s\u00a0been\u00a0a\u00a0while\u00a0since\u00a0I\u2019ve\u00a0been\u00a0in\u00a0this\u00a0room.\u00a0For\u00a0a\u00a0while,\u00a0this\u00a0room\u00a0had\u00a0become\u00a0my\u00a0comfort\u00a0zone.\u00a0Remembering\u00a0my\u00a0first\u00a0day\u00a0in\u00a0this\u00a0room,\u00a0a\u00a0smile\u00a0tipped\u00a0the\u00a0corner\u00a0of\u00a0my\u00a0lips.\u00a0I\u00a0felt\u00a0so\u00a0out\u00a0of\u00a0place\u00a0here\u00a0at\u00a0one\u00a0point,\u00a0and\u00a0I\u00a0never\u00a0imagined\u00a0this\u00a0place\u00a0would\u00a0become\u00a0a\u00a0home\u00a0to\u00a0me.\u00a0I\u00a0never\u00a0imagined\u00a0that\u00a0Gavin\u00a0would\u00a0become\u00a0my\u00a0home.<\/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 666 Judy\u2019s\u00a0POV \u201cWoah,\u00a0you\u00a0live\u00a0here?!\u201d\u00a0Lucy\u00a0asked,\u00a0her\u00a0mouth\u00a0dropping\u00a0to\u00a0the ground\u00a0as\u00a0she\u00a0stared\u00a0up\u00a0at\u00a0the\u00a0mansion. \u201cNot\u00a0at\u00a0the\u00a0moment,\u00a0but\u00a0I\u00a0used\u00a0to,\u201d\u00a0I\u00a0told\u00a0her.\u00a0\u201cNan\u2019s\u00a0been\u00a0staying\u00a0here\u00a0with\u00a0her\u00a0mate.\u00a0I\u2019ve\u00a0been\u00a0here\u00a0for\u00a0so\u00a0long\u00a0that\u00a0this\u00a0place kind\u00a0of\u00a0feels\u00a0like\u00a0home.\u201d \u201cYou\u00a0never\u00a0told\u00a0me\u00a0that\u00a0you\u00a0lived\u00a0in\u00a0a\u00a0fucking\u00a0mansion,\u201d\u00a0Lucy\u00a0said,\u00a0folding\u00a0her\u00a0arms\u00a0across\u00a0her\u00a0chest.\u00a0\u201cHow\u00a0could\u00a0this\u00a0never\u00a0come\u00a0up\u00a0in\u00a0conversation?\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-21735","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\/21735","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=21735"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/21735\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=21735"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=21735"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=21735"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}