Chapter\u00a0744\u00a0<\/p>\n
That\u2019s\u00a0when\u00a0she\u00a0realized\u00a0the\u00a0stone\u00a0wasn\u2019t\u00a0the\u00a0same\u00a0as\u00a0it\u00a0used\u00a0to\u00a0be.\u00a0It\u00a0lost\u00a0the\u00a0magic\u00a0that\u00a0was\u00a0clear\u00a0as\u00a0day\u00a0inside\u00a0of\u00a0it.\u00a0It\u00a0lost\u00a0its\u00a0aura\u2026\u00a0it\u00a0wasn\u2019t\u00a0the\u00a0same\u00a0stone.<\/p>\n
My\u00a0hands\u00a0curled\u00a0into\u00a0fists.<\/p>\n
\u201cGavin?\u201d\u00a0A\u00a0mindlink\u00a0came\u00a0through,\u00a0and\u00a0I\u00a0recognized\u00a0Taylor\u2019s\u00a0voice.\u00a0\u201cSorry\u00a0to\u00a0bother\u00a0you\u00a0so\u00a0late.\u00a0But\u00a0something\u00a0arrived\u00a0for\u00a0you.\u00a0Are\u00a0you\u00a0available\u00a0to\u00a0meet\u00a0me\u00a0in\u00a0the\u00a0foyer\u00a0of\u00a0your\u00a0villa?\u00a0I\u00a0just\u00a0arrived.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYeah,\u00a0I\u2019ll\u00a0be\u00a0there\u00a0in\u00a0a\u00a0second,\u201d\u00a0I\u00a0replied\u00a0as\u00a0I\u00a0continued\u00a0to\u00a0look\u00a0through\u00a0the\u00a0papers.\u00a0There\u00a0were\u00a0articles\u2026\u00a0so\u00a0many\u00a0articles\u2026\u00a0about\u00a0the\u00a0Blackwell\u00a0family.<\/p>\n
Why\u00a0would\u00a0my\u00a0father\u00a0be\u00a0keeping these?\u00a0It\u00a0was\u00a0almost\u00a0like\u00a0he\u2019s\u00a0been\u00a0keeping\u00a0tabs\u00a0on\u00a0them\u00a0for\u00a0decades,\u00a0but\u00a0I\u00a0didn\u2019t\u00a0understand\u00a0why\u00a0he\u00a0would\u00a0care\u00a0about\u00a0them\u00a0so\u00a0much.\u00a0I\u00a0knew\u00a0I\u00a0couldn\u2019t\u00a0sit\u00a0here\u00a0all\u00a0night\u00a0and<\/p>\n
just\u00a0stare at\u00a0these.\u00a0I\u00a0could\u00a0ask\u00a0a\u00a0million\u00a0questions,\u00a0but\u00a0probably\u00a0not\u00a0get\u00a0any\u00a0answers.<\/p>\n
I\u00a0stood,\u00a0shuffling\u00a0the\u00a0papers\u00a0and placing\u00a0them\u00a0on\u00a0the\u00a0desk\u00a0before\u00a0I\u00a0took\u00a0a\u00a0deep\u00a0breath\u00a0and\u00a0left\u00a0the\u00a0office.\u00a0My\u00a0heart\u00a0was\u00a0a\u00a0racing\u00a0mess,\u00a0and\u00a0my head\u00a0was\u00a0clouded\u00a0with\u00a0thoughts.<\/p>\n
What\u00a0the\u00a0fuck\u00a0was\u00a0my\u00a0father\u00a0thinking?\u00a0Stealing from\u00a0the\u00a0Blackwell\u00a0family\u00a0and\u00a0putting\u00a0our\u00a0family\u00a0in\u00a0jeopardy\u00a0like\u00a0that?<\/p>\n
More\u00a0importantly\u2026\u00a0did\u00a0my\u00a0mother\u00a0know\u00a0about\u00a0this?<\/p>\n
She\u00a0couldn\u2019t\u00a0have,\u00a0could she?<\/p>\n
I\u00a0walked\u00a0down\u00a0the\u00a0stairs\u00a0and\u00a0into\u00a0the\u00a0foyer,\u00a0where\u00a0Taylor\u00a0stood\u00a0with\u00a0an\u00a0envelope.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis\u00a0was\u00a0delivered\u00a0to\u00a0the\u00a0packhouse\u00a0for\u00a0you,\u201d\u00a0he\u00a0said,\u00a0handing\u00a0me\u00a0the\u00a0envelope.\u00a0\u201cIt\u00a0looked\u00a0important,\u00a0and\u00a0the seal almost\u00a0looks\u00a0familiar.\u00a0I\u00a0rushed\u00a0it\u00a0here\u00a0as\u00a0soon\u00a0as\u00a0I\u00a0could.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m\u00a0sorry\u00a0that\u00a0this\u00a0pulled\u00a0you\u00a0from\u00a0your\u00a0mate\u00a0this\u00a0evening,\u201d\u00a0I\u00a0tell\u00a0him.<\/p>\n
Taylor\u00a0and Eliza\u00a0live\u00a0busy\u00a0lives;\u00a0Eliza,\u00a0being\u00a0the\u00a0best\u00a0doctor\u00a0in\u00a0the\u00a0world,\u00a0travels\u00a0more\u00a0often\u00a0than\u00a0not.\u00a0She\u2019s\u00a0highly\u00a0requested\u00a0in\u00a0all\u00a0territories,\u00a0and\u00a0I\u2019m\u00a0not\u00a0selfish\u00a0enough\u00a0to\u00a0keep\u00a0her\u00a0to\u00a0myself.\u00a0However,\u00a0she\u00a0hasn\u2019t\u00a0needed\u00a0to\u00a0travel\u00a0for\u00a0some\u00a0time.\u00a0She\u00a0just\u00a0recently opened\u00a0her\u00a0own\u00a0clinic\u00a0inside\u00a0the\u00a0Silver\u00a0Crescent\u00a0pack,\u00a0instead\u00a0of\u00a0working\u00a0at\u00a0the\u00a0pack\u00a0hospital.\u00a0It\u2019s\u00a0better\u00a0that\u00a0way,\u00a0and\u00a0she\u00a0can\u00a0employ\u00a0whomever\u00a0she wants\u00a0without\u00a0the\u00a0fear\u00a0of\u00a0being\u00a0spied\u00a0on.\u00a0After\u00a0the\u00a0incident\u00a0of\u00a0spies\u00a0working\u00a0in\u00a0the\u00a0hospital,\u00a0she\u00a0didn\u2019t\u00a0feel\u00a0comfortable\u00a0staying\u00a0there,\u00a0not\u00a0that\u00a0I\u00a0could\u00a0blame\u00a0her.<\/p>\n
Taylor\u00a0handed\u00a0me\u00a0the\u00a0envelope,\u00a0his\u00a0eyes\u00a0never\u00a0leaving\u00a0my\u00a0face\u00a0as\u00a0I\u00a0frowned\u00a0at\u00a0the\u00a0black\u00a0wax\u00a0sealing\u00a0it\u00a0closed.<\/p>\n
I\u00a0knew\u00a0that\u00a0stamp\u2026\u00a0I\u2019ve\u00a0seen\u00a0it\u00a0before.<\/p>\n
It\u00a0was\u00a0a\u00a0Blackwell\u00a0stamp.<\/p>\n
1\/3<\/p>\n
Chapter\u00a0744<\/p>\n
+15\u00a0BONUS\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s\u00a0from\u00a0the\u00a0Blackwell\u00a0family,\u201d\u00a0I\u00a0murmured.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u00a0figured\u00a0it\u00a0was\u00a0something\u00a0important,\u201d\u00a0Taylor\u00a0replied.\u00a0\u201cWhat\u00a0do\u00a0you\u00a0suppose\u00a0they\u00a0want?\u00a0They\u2019ve\u00a0been\u00a0off\u00a0the\u00a0radar\u00a0for\u00a0years.\u201d<\/p>\n
There\u00a0was only\u00a0one\u00a0way\u00a0to\u00a0find\u00a0out.<\/p>\n
I\u00a0slit\u00a0the\u00a0seal\u00a0with\u00a0my\u00a0thumb\u00a0and\u00a0pulled\u00a0out\u00a0the\u00a0parchment\u00a0that\u00a0it\u00a0held.<\/p>\n
The\u00a0handwriting\u00a0was\u00a0neat\u00a0and\u00a0familiar\u00a0as\u00a0I\u00a0read\u00a0the\u00a0words\u00a0on\u00a0the\u00a0paper.<\/p>\n
Chairman\u00a0Landry,<\/p>\n
It\u2019s\u00a0time\u00a0we\u00a0talked.\u00a0Dinner.\u00a0The\u00a0Blackwell\u00a0Manor.\u00a0Please\u00a0accept\u00a0the\u00a0invitation.\u00a01<\/p>\n
-Zachary\u00a0Blackwell.<\/p>\n
I\u00a0let\u00a0out a\u00a0breath\u00a0as\u00a0I\u00a0read\u00a0the\u00a0address\u00a0sprawled\u00a0on\u00a0the\u00a0bottom.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat\u00a0is\u00a0it?\u201d\u00a0Taylor\u00a0asked,\u00a0his\u00a0eyes\u00a0filled\u00a0with worry.<\/p>\n
\u201cReturn\u00a0to\u00a0your\u00a0mate,\u201d\u00a0I\u00a0murmured\u00a0as\u00a0I\u00a0turned\u00a0away.\u00a0\u201cWe\u2019ll\u00a0talk\u00a0tomorrow.\u201d<\/p>\n
I\u00a0wasn\u2019t\u00a0ready\u00a0to\u00a0disclose\u00a0what\u00a0I\u00a0had\u00a0found\u00a0out\u00a0just\u00a0yet.\u00a0I\u00a0needed\u00a0to\u00a0know\u00a0for\u00a0certain\u00a0that\u00a0what\u00a0I\u00a0knew\u00a0was\u00a0true;\u00a0that\u00a0my\u00a0father\u00a0stole\u00a0something\u00a0from the\u00a0Blackwells\u00a0and\u00a0that\u00a0our\u00a0family\u00a0could\u00a0potentially\u00a0be\u00a0in<\/p>\n
danger.<\/p>\n
The\u00a0less\u00a0Taylor\u00a0knew,\u00a0the\u00a0better.<\/p>\n
He\u00a0knew\u00a0better\u00a0than\u00a0to\u00a0argue\u00a0with\u00a0me\u00a0right\u00a0now,\u00a0so\u00a0he\u00a0left\u00a0without\u00a0another\u00a0word,\u00a0murmuring\u00a0that\u00a0he\u2019ll\u00a0see\u00a0me\u00a0tomorrow.<\/p>\n
I\u00a0went\u00a0back\u00a0to\u00a0my\u00a0father\u2019s office\u00a0and\u00a0shut\u00a0the\u00a0door\u00a0behind\u00a0me,\u00a0letting out\u00a0a\u00a0breath\u00a0I\u00a0hadn\u2019t\u00a0known\u00a0I\u00a0was\u00a0holding.\u00a0I\u00a0returned\u00a0to\u00a0the\u00a0desk,\u00a0staring\u00a0down\u00a0at\u00a0the\u00a0papers\u00a0I\u00a0had\u00a0left.\u00a0I\u00a0read\u00a0the letter\u00a0over\u00a0and\u00a0over\u00a0again,\u00a0deciphering\u00a0every\u00a0word\u00a0that\u00a0Zachary\u00a0had\u00a0written.<\/p>\n
I\u00a0eventually\u00a0let\u00a0the\u00a0letter\u00a0fall\u00a0against\u00a0the\u00a0ledger;\u00a0old\u00a0lies\u00a0meet\u00a0fresh threats.<\/p>\n
I\u00a0knew\u00a0I\u00a0had\u00a0no\u00a0choice\u00a0despite\u00a0it\u00a0being an\u00a0invitation.\u00a0He\u00a0wasn\u2019t\u00a0asking\u00a0me\u00a0to\u00a0join\u00a0him\u00a0for\u00a0dinner\u2026\u00a0he\u00a0was\u00a0telling\u00a0me.<\/p>\n
The\u00a0Blackwells\u00a0weren\u2019t\u00a0hiding\u00a0anymore.\u00a0And\u00a0now\u00a0they\u00a0wanted\u00a0me\u00a0at\u00a0their\u00a0table.<\/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 744 Chapter\u00a0744\u00a0 That\u2019s\u00a0when\u00a0she\u00a0realized\u00a0the\u00a0stone\u00a0wasn\u2019t\u00a0the\u00a0same\u00a0as\u00a0it\u00a0used\u00a0to\u00a0be.\u00a0It\u00a0lost\u00a0the\u00a0magic\u00a0that\u00a0was\u00a0clear\u00a0as\u00a0day\u00a0inside\u00a0of\u00a0it.\u00a0It\u00a0lost\u00a0its\u00a0aura\u2026\u00a0it\u00a0wasn\u2019t\u00a0the\u00a0same\u00a0stone. My\u00a0hands\u00a0curled\u00a0into\u00a0fists. \u201cGavin?\u201d\u00a0A\u00a0mindlink\u00a0came\u00a0through,\u00a0and\u00a0I\u00a0recognized\u00a0Taylor\u2019s\u00a0voice.\u00a0\u201cSorry\u00a0to\u00a0bother\u00a0you\u00a0so\u00a0late.\u00a0But\u00a0something\u00a0arrived\u00a0for\u00a0you.\u00a0Are\u00a0you\u00a0available\u00a0to\u00a0meet\u00a0me\u00a0in\u00a0the\u00a0foyer\u00a0of\u00a0your\u00a0villa?\u00a0I\u00a0just\u00a0arrived.\u201d \u201cYeah,\u00a0I\u2019ll\u00a0be\u00a0there\u00a0in\u00a0a\u00a0second,\u201d\u00a0I\u00a0replied\u00a0as\u00a0I\u00a0continued\u00a0to\u00a0look\u00a0through\u00a0the\u00a0papers.\u00a0There\u00a0were\u00a0articles\u2026\u00a0so\u00a0many\u00a0articles\u2026\u00a0about\u00a0the\u00a0Blackwell\u00a0family. Why\u00a0would\u00a0my\u00a0father\u00a0be\u00a0keeping […]<\/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-21813","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\/21813","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=21813"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/21813\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=21813"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=21813"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=21813"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}