Chapter\u00a0714,\u00a0<\/p>\n
Judy\u2019s\u00a0POV\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cWhere\u00a0are\u00a0we\u00a0going?\u201d\u00a0I\u00a0asked\u00a0as\u00a0Gavin\u00a0put\u00a0his\u00a0land\u00a0on\u00a0the\u00a0small\u00a0of\u00a0my\u00a0back\u00a0and\u00a0guided\u00a0me\u00a0through\u00a0the\u00a0crowd.<\/p>\n
His\u00a0face\u00a0was\u00a0serious,\u00a0and\u00a0I\u00a0felt\u00a0the\u00a0tension\u00a0rising\u00a0within\u00a0him;\u00a0yet,\u00a0felt\u00a0a\u00a0twinge\u00a0of\u00a0determination\u00a0as\u00a0well.\u00a0Whatever\u00a0he\u00a0was\u00a0planning,\u00a0I\u00a0knew\u00a0it\u00a0was\u00a0coming\u00a0together\u00a0right\u00a0now.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u00a0are\u00a0going\u00a0to\u00a0pay\u00a0for\u00a0what\u00a0we\u00a0bid\u00a0for,\u201d\u00a0he\u00a0told\u00a0me,\u00a0keeping\u00a0histone\u00a0low.<\/p>\n
I\u00a0decided\u00a0to\u00a0just\u00a0trust\u00a0him\u00a0and\u00a0keep\u00a0my\u00a0mouth\u00a0shut;\u00a0I\u00a0knew\u00a0he\u00a0would\u00a0never\u00a0allow\u00a0Levi\u00a0to\u00a0do\u00a0that\u00a0with\u00a0the\u00a0Moon\u00a0Gem.\u00a0That\u00a0was\u00a0the\u00a0whole\u00a0point\u00a0of\u00a0us\u00a0being\u00a0here\u00a0in\u00a0the\u00a0first\u00a0place;\u00a0if\u00a0he<\/p>\n
he\u00a0was\u00a0confident\u00a0that\u00a0he\u00a0could\u00a0get\u00a0it\u00a0back,\u00a0then\u00a0I\u00a0had\u00a0to\u00a0believe\u00a0him.<\/p>\n
I\u00a0swallowed\u00a0down\u00a0the\u00a0words\u00a0I\u00a0wanted\u00a0to\u00a0say\u00a0and\u00a0followed\u00a0him\u00a0into\u00a0back\u00a0room\u00a0where\u00a0Edward\u00a0waited.\u00a0He\u00a0was\u00a0standing\u00a0behind\u00a0a\u00a0counter\u00a0with\u00a0a\u00a0few\u00a0items\u00a0on\u00a0it,\u00a0including\u00a0the\u00a0necklace\u00a0that\u00a0Gavin\u00a0won.<\/p>\n
Edward\u00a0looked\u00a0up\u00a0from\u00a0the\u00a0papers\u00a0he<\/p>\n
e\u00a0Wa<\/p>\n
reading\u00a0and\u00a0gave\u00a0Edward\u00a0a\u00a0polite\u00a0smile\u00a0with\u00a0a\u00a0quick\u00a0bow\u00a0to\u00a0his\u00a0head.\u00a0\u201cAlpha,\u00a0I\u00a0have\u00a0the\u00a0invoices\u00a0ready\u00a0for\u00a0you,\u201d\u00a0he\u00a0told\u00a0him.\u00a0\u201cAre\u00a0you\u00a0ready<\/p>\n
\u201cYes,\u201d\u00a0Gavin\u00a0replied.<\/p>\n
Not\u00a0long\u00a0before,\u00a0Levi\u00a0and\u00a0Lila\u00a0were\u00a0joining\u00a0us\u00a0as\u00a0well.\u00a0Lila\u00a0looked\u00a0smug\u00a0as\u00a0ever\u00a0as\u00a0she\u00a0clung\u00a0to\u00a0Levi\u2019s\u00a0side.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m\u00a0ready\u00a0to\u00a0pay\u00a0for\u00a0my\u00a0bids\u00a0now,\u201d\u00a0Levi\u00a0announced,\u00a0holding\u00a0up\u00a0a\u00a0black\u00a0Amex.<\/p>\n
\u201cYes,\u00a0Alpha,\u201d\u00a0Edward\u00a0said\u00a0as\u00a0he\u00a0readied\u00a0both\u00a0invoices\u00a0for\u00a0payment<\/p>\n
\u201cYou\u00a0may\u00a0go\u00a0first,\u201d\u00a0Gavin\u00a0said,\u00a0his\u00a0tone\u00a0cool\u00a0and\u00a0collected.\u00a0I\u00a0looked\u00a0up\u00a0at\u00a0him,\u00a0wondering\u00a0what\u00a0it\u00a0was\u00a0he\u00a0was\u00a0doing,\u00a0but\u00a0I kept\u00a0my\u00a0tongue\u00a0between\u00a0my\u00a0teeth,\u00a0not\u00a0wanting\u00a0to interrupt\u00a0what\u00a0was\u00a0happening.<\/p>\n
Levi\u00a0smirked\u00a0at\u00a0Gavin\u00a0and\u00a0stepped\u00a0forward.<\/p>\n
\u203b<\/p>\n
\u201cDon\u2019t\u00a0mind\u00a0if\u00a0I\u00a0do\u2026\u00a0oh,\u00a0and\u00a0if\u00a0anything\u00a0happens\u00a0with\u00a0your\u00a0payments,\u00a0I\u2019ll\u00a0make\u00a0sure\u00a0to\u00a0pay\u00a0for\u00a0yours\u00a0as\u00a0well,\u201d\u00a0Levi\u00a0said,\u00a0his\u00a0smirk\u00a0only\u00a0growing\u00a0across\u00a0his\u00a0face.<\/p>\n
Gavin\u00a0didn\u2019t\u00a0make\u00a0any\u00a0remarks\u00a0in\u00a0return;\u00a0his\u00a0eyes\u00a0darkened\u00a0slightly,\u00a0but\u00a0that\u00a0was\u00a0about\u00a0it.<\/p>\n
Edward\u00a0looked\u00a0uncomfortable\u00a0in\u00a0the\u00a0middle\u00a0of\u00a0this\u00a0situation,\u00a0and\u00a0honestly\u00a0couldn\u2019t\u00a0blame\u00a0him.\u00a0I\u00a0was\u00a0uncomfortable,\u00a0too;\u00a0I\u00a0don\u2019t\u00a0think\u00a0either\u00a0of\u00a0us\u00a0knew\u00a0what was\u00a0going\u00a0on.\u00a0Obviously,\u00a0Edward\u00a0knew\u00a0that\u00a0there\u00a0was\u00a0some\u00a0kind\u00a0of\u00a0ulterior\u00a0motive,\u00a0considering\u00a0Gavin\u00a0asked\u00a0him\u00a0to\u00a0delay\u00a0the\u00a0payment\u00a0process\u00a0until\u00a0the\u00a0end\u00a0of\u00a0the\u00a0banquet.\u00a0But\u00a0I\u00a0doubted\u00a0he\u00a0knew\u00a0the\u00a0exact\u00a0reason\u00a0as\u00a0to\u00a0why.\u00a0I\u00a0didn\u2019t\u00a0understand\u00a0it\u00a0either,\u00a0but\u00a0I\u00a0trusted\u00a0Gavin,\u00a0and\u00a0I\u00a0knew\u00a0he\u00a0had\u00a0a\u00a0good\u00a0reason.<\/p>\n
Edward\u00a0typed\u00a0something\u00a0on\u00a0the\u00a0small\u00a0device\u00a0he\u00a0was\u00a0carrying,\u00a0which\u00a0I\u00a0assumed\u00a0processed\u00a0the\u00a0payments.<\/p>\n
He\u00a0took\u00a0Levi\u2019s\u00a0black\u00a0card\u00a0and\u00a0stuck\u00a0it\u00a0in\u00a0the\u00a0machine.\u00a0For\u00a0a\u00a0moment,\u00a0I\u00a0felt\u00a0Gavin\u2019s\u00a0tension;\u00a0he\u00a0was\u00a0nervous\u00a0and\u00a0hiding\u00a0it\u00a0well.\u00a0I\u00a0looked\u00a0up\u00a0at\u00a0him\u00a0and\u00a0saw\u00a0that\u00a0his\u00a0expression\u00a0was\u00a0indifferent,\u00a0despite\u00a0the\u00a0fact\u00a0that\u00a0his\u00a0Adam\u2019s\u00a0apple\u00a0bobbed\u00a0from\u00a0his\u00a0swallow.<\/p>\n
After\u00a0a\u00a0second,\u00a0Edward\u2019s\u00a0expression\u00a0shifted,\u00a0and\u00a0he\u00a0was\u00a0confused.\u00a0He\u00a0removed\u00a0the\u00a0card,\u00a0glanced\u00a0at\u00a0it,\u00a0and\u00a0then\u00a0tried\u00a0the\u00a0payment\u00a0again.<\/p>\n
I\u00a0furrowed\u00a0my\u00a0brows\u00a0and\u00a0then\u00a0glanced\u00a0at\u00a0Levi,\u00a0who\u00a0was\u00a0also\u00a0staring\u00a0at\u00a0him\u00a0with\u00a0an\u00a0intensity\u00a0so\u00a0great\u00a0that\u00a0it\u00a0could\u00a0burn\u00a0a\u00a0hole.<\/p>\n
\u201cIs\u00a0there\u00a0a\u00a0problem?\u201d\u00a0Levi\u00a0asked.<\/p>\n
Lila\u2019s\u00a0smug\u00a0face\u00a0shifted\u00a0as\u00a0well,\u00a0and\u00a0now\u00a0she\u00a0was\u00a0looking\u00a0a\u00a0little\u00a0worried\u00a0as\u00a0she\u00a0glanced\u00a0between\u00a0Edward\u00a0and\u00a0Levi.<\/p>\n
\u201cMust\u00a0be\u00a0a\u00a0connection\u00a0issue.\u00a0Just\u00a0give\u00a0me\u00a0a\u00a0second,\u201d\u00a0he\u00a0said,\u00a0trying\u00a0the\u00a0payment\u00a0one\u00a0more\u00a0time.<\/p>\n
After\u00a0another\u00a0minute,\u00a0Edward\u2019s\u00a0face\u00a0paled.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe\u00a0machine\u00a0must\u00a0be\u00a0broken.\u00a0This\u00a0isn\u2019t\u00a0making\u00a0any\u00a0sense,\u201d\u00a0Edward\u00a0said,\u00a0a\u00a0light\u00a0and\u00a0nervous\u00a0laugh\u00a0escaping\u00a0his\u00a0lips.<\/p>\n
1\/3<\/p>\n
Chapter\u00a0714\u00a0<\/p>\n
+25\u00a0BONUS<\/p>\n
I\u00a0thought\u00a0for\u00a0a\u00a0second\u00a0that\u00a0I\u00a0heard\u00a0his\u00a0laugh\u00a0echo,\u00a0like\u00a0it\u00a0was\u00a0coming\u00a0from\u00a0somewhere\u00a0else,\u00a0but\u00a0I\u00a0quickly\u00a0brushed\u00a0the\u00a0thought\u00a0out\u00a0of\u00a0my\u00a0head.\u00a0It\u00a0was\u00a0just\u00a0my\u00a0nerves\u00a0talking;\u00a0I\u00a0was\u00a0licaring\u00a0things<\/p>\n
\u201cTry\u00a0it\u00a0again,\u201d\u00a0Levi\u00a0said\u00a0through\u00a0his\u00a0teeth,\u00a0his\u00a0face\u00a0reddening\u00a0witrage.<\/p>\n
Once\u00a0again,\u00a0it\u00a0sounded\u00a0like\u00a0an\u00a0echo.<\/p>\n
The\u00a0distant\u00a0sounds\u00a0of\u00a0the\u00a0party\u00a0were\u00a0also\u00a0silenced.\u00a0Maybe\u00a0there\u00a0was\u00a0a\u00a0doorway\u00a0that\u00a0closed,\u00a0and\u00a0the\u00a0back\u00a0room\u00a0was\u00a0just\u00a0soundproof.<\/p>\n
I\u00a0glanced\u00a0up\u00a0at\u00a0Gavin,\u00a0who\u00a0was\u00a0staring\u00a0at\u00a0Levi\u00a0now;\u00a0his\u00a0brows\u00a0raised.<\/p>\n
\u201cHow\u00a0about we\u00a0try\u00a0it\u00a0again,\u201d\u00a0Gavin\u00a0said,\u00a0nodding.\u00a0\u201cThere\u00a0must\u00a0be\u00a0some\u00a0kind\u00a0of\u00a0mistake.\u201d<\/p>\n
I\u00a0furrowed\u00a0my\u00a0brows\u00a0at\u00a0him;\u00a0did\u00a0I\u00a0hear\u00a0amusement\u00a0in\u00a0his\u00a0tone?\u00a0Did\u00a0he\u00a0do\u00a0something\u00a0to\u00a0Levi\u2019s\u00a0Amex\u00a0card\u00a0that\u2019s\u00a0making\u00a0it\u00a0not\u00a0work?<\/p>\n
Levi,\u00a0who\u00a0didn\u2019t\u00a0notice\u00a0his\u00a0change\u00a0of\u00a0tone,\u00a0nodded,\u00a0his\u00a0eyes\u00a0remaining\u00a0on\u00a0Edward.<\/p>\n
\u201cYes,\u00a0try\u00a0it\u00a0again!\u201d\u00a0Levi\u00a0ordered,\u00a0his\u00a0voice\u00a0booming.<\/p>\n
Now\u00a0I\u00a0was\u00a0certain\u00a0I\u00a0heard an\u00a0echo.<\/p>\n
Was\u00a0it\u00a0the\u00a0room?<\/p>\n
flooked\u00a0around;\u00a0it\u00a0was\u00a0a fairly\u00a0small\u00a0space,\u00a0but\u00a0I\u00a0guess\u00a0it\u00a0could\u00a0echo<\/p>\n
Looking\u00a0at\u00a0Gavin\u00a0again,\u00a0I\u00a0saw\u00a0his\u00a0attention\u00a0was\u00a0shifted\u00a0in\u00a0a\u00a0different\u00a0direction.\u00a0I\u00a0frowned\u00a0and\u00a0followed\u00a0his\u00a0gaze,\u00a0my\u00a0eyes\u00a0growing\u00a0large\u00a0when\u00a0I\u00a0saw\u00a0Taylor\u00a0around\u00a0the\u00a0corner\u00a0with\u00a0his\u00a0phone\u00a0pointed\u00a0at\u00a0Levi.<\/p>\n
2\/3<\/p>\n
Ruby is a master of holiday romance and slow-burn love stories that warm the heart like a crackling fire. Her novels weave festive magic with lingering glances and tender moments, drawing readers into cozy worlds where love unfolds one snowflake at a time. Off the page, she\u2019s baking cookies and dreaming under twinkling lights.<\/p>\n
We Built a Kingdom From Ashes That Still Remembered Love by Aila Frost 714 Chapter\u00a0714,\u00a0 Judy\u2019s\u00a0POV\u00a0 \u201cWhere\u00a0are\u00a0we\u00a0going?\u201d\u00a0I\u00a0asked\u00a0as\u00a0Gavin\u00a0put\u00a0his\u00a0land\u00a0on\u00a0the\u00a0small\u00a0of\u00a0my\u00a0back\u00a0and\u00a0guided\u00a0me\u00a0through\u00a0the\u00a0crowd. His\u00a0face\u00a0was\u00a0serious,\u00a0and\u00a0I\u00a0felt\u00a0the\u00a0tension\u00a0rising\u00a0within\u00a0him;\u00a0yet,\u00a0felt\u00a0a\u00a0twinge\u00a0of\u00a0determination\u00a0as\u00a0well.\u00a0Whatever\u00a0he\u00a0was\u00a0planning,\u00a0I\u00a0knew\u00a0it\u00a0was\u00a0coming\u00a0together\u00a0right\u00a0now. \u201cWe\u00a0are\u00a0going\u00a0to\u00a0pay\u00a0for\u00a0what\u00a0we\u00a0bid\u00a0for,\u201d\u00a0he\u00a0told\u00a0me,\u00a0keeping\u00a0histone\u00a0low. I\u00a0decided\u00a0to\u00a0just\u00a0trust\u00a0him\u00a0and\u00a0keep\u00a0my\u00a0mouth\u00a0shut;\u00a0I\u00a0knew\u00a0he\u00a0would\u00a0never\u00a0allow\u00a0Levi\u00a0to\u00a0do\u00a0that\u00a0with\u00a0the\u00a0Moon\u00a0Gem.\u00a0That\u00a0was\u00a0the\u00a0whole\u00a0point\u00a0of\u00a0us\u00a0being\u00a0here\u00a0in\u00a0the\u00a0first\u00a0place;\u00a0if\u00a0he […]<\/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-21783","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\/21783","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=21783"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/21783\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=21783"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=21783"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=21783"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}