Chapter 129\u00a0<\/p>\n
Nolan POV\u00a0<\/p>\n
I had already made the decision.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Somewhere between that damned dance and the long nights lying awake, staring at the ceiling like it could give me answers, I knew I couldn\u2019t keep burying what I felt. I was going to tell her.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Not in the middle of a fight, not in anger, not as some clumsy excuse. In private. Just her and me.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The problem was figuring out how.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Every night she was visiting Moonstone with Lance and Cassian I had thought of how to do it. Nothing seemed right. A candlelight dinner was too cliche. A letter too impersonal, though it might be the only way I could word it correctly.\u00a0<\/p>\n
There was so much that I had to say. So much to apologize for and the desperate hopet that she could forgive it was enough to make me nauseous.\u00a0<\/p>\n
I didn\u2019t deserve to be forgiven. I knew that. But I had to try. I would go insane if I didn\u2019t.\u00a0<\/p>\n
At the election event, the hall buzzed with conversation-alphas vying for position, smiling too wide, speaking too loud, all of them already calculating who would stand at the end of this campaign.\u00a0<\/p>\n
I barely registered any of it. My attention was fixed on one person.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Ellie.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Moonstone was hosting, since Cassian and Alaric were sitting out the election. They were a neutral party for these meetings. That was part of the reason Ellie had gone ahead to Moonstone. It gave her some space to recover and have fun before she had to put on the make of luna again.\u00a0<\/p>\n
She looked radiant under the chandelier light, her hair swept back to reveal the curve of her neck, her eyes bright after the short break she\u2019d been able to take.\u00a0<\/p>\n
She moved easily through the room, speaking with grace that made it seem like she\u2019d been born to this life, even though I knew she wanted nothing less than to be trapped in it.\u00a0<\/p>\n
I was about to approach her when I caught a voice, low and smooth, threading its way through the noise.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Kieran.\u00a0<\/p>\n
He approached her in that practiced, smooth way of his. His smile was a little too sharp, his eyes calculating.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Ellie turned to face him and I saw her expression falter, just for a beat.\u00a0<\/p>\n
I froze, my jaw locking as I heard my rival\u2019s name on her lips\u00a0<\/p>\n
My heartbeat was too loud in my ears, my wolf growling posessively as Kieran stood too close to her, leaned his head toward her as they spoke.\u00a0<\/p>\n
I clenched my jaw so hard I felt it crack. I wanted nothing more than to walk over there and grab that bastard by his throat, tear him away from her.\u00a0<\/p>\n
I knew that I couldn\u2019t. I had to get a hold of myself. It was becoming a real problem how present my wolf was. And how violent his instincts were, especially when it came to Ellie. I had to have more control than this.\u00a0<\/p>\n
1\/3\u00a0<\/p>\n
Chapter 129\u00a0<\/p>\n
+25 Bonus\u00a0<\/p>\n
I couldn\u2019t allow myself to give in to these violent instincts. Especially not with so many people around.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201c\u2026I just need time to think,\u201d she was saying, her voice quiet but clear enough to slice through the din.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Time to think. About what?\u00a0<\/p>\n
My chest tightened, each word like a blade twisting deeper. What proposal was that bastard making to her and why was she actually considering it?\u00a0<\/p>\n
My mind flashed to her reminder about the divorce. She was insistent about it. I had promised, of course, but was there some other motivation? Was there someone else she wanted?\u00a0<\/p>\n
The thought of Ellie-my Ellie-wearing his mark, standing at his side, carrying his name\u2026 it hollowed me out.\u00a0<\/p>\n
I\u2019d promised her freedom. Promised her a divorce, her life back. I\u2019d already broken so many vows to her, dragged her through so much pain. I had no right to ask her to stay. No right to imagine she might choose me again.\u00a0<\/p>\n
But gods, I couldn\u2019t breathe at the thought of losing her to him.\u00a0<\/p>\n
If she had to choose someone else let it be Lance. Let it be someone that I knew actually cared for her and would make her happy.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Not Kieran. Not that smooth, lying bastard with his hidden motivations and his charming manipulation.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Ellie deserved more than that.\u00a0<\/p>\n
I turned away, gripping the edge of the table so hard the wood groaned under my hand. I couldn\u2019t make a scene here. Couldn\u2019t let anyone see how close I was to shattering.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Later, I told myself. Later I would find the words, even if they were messy, even if they ruined us both. I had to tell her everything. I had to take the chance, even if it was a desperate one.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Because I\u2019d rather bleed than watch her belong to anyone else.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Ellie POV\u00a0<\/p>\n
I should\u2019ve known he wouldn\u2019t let it drop.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Kieran had a way of making every conversation feel like it was on rails, smoothly directed toward whatever he wanted, and today was no different. He smiled as if we were sharing a harmless secret, his tone honey-sweet, but there was steel beneath it.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cEllie,\u201d he said, tilting his head like he was the only one who could see me clearly, \u201cyou know what I\u2019m offering isn\u2019t just for appearances. You\u2019d have stability. Respect. Power. And I would make sure you were safe\u2014always.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
I tensed at his words. The memory of the attack by the rogue came to my mind and sent a cold chill through me. Nolan had been by my side when it happened. He had tried to protect me, but still\u2026\u00a0<\/p>\n
He leaned in just slightly, his breath warm near my ear. \u201cTell me that doesn\u2019t tempt you.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
It did, in a way. Not the marriage. Not him. But the thought of safety. Of not having to walk into every room wondering who was watching me, who wanted something from me, who would discover the truth.\u00a0<\/p>\n
But marriage? That was a cage, gilded or not. And with Kieran, it would be one locked tight.\u00a0<\/p>\n
I forced a light laugh, though my stomach knotted. \u201cYou\u2019re very insistent.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
His grin widened. \u201cI\u2019m serious. Think about it. You wouldn\u2019t have to fight alone anymore.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
2\/3\u00a0<\/p>\n
Chapter 129\u00a0<\/p>\n
+25 Bonus\u00a0<\/p>\n
I thought of the twins then-August\u2019s smile, Ian\u2019s sleepy curls falling into his eyes. My babies, hidden away, very existence a secret I couldn\u2019t afford to gamble with.\u00a0<\/p>\n
their\u00a0<\/p>\n
Not even Nolan knew about them. How could I possibly justify telling Kieran about them before their own father knew? I couldn\u2019t do that to Nolan.\u00a0<\/p>\n
I wasn\u2019t that heartless.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Kieran might offer me security, but he could never give me freedom. And if I married him, the truth about them would surface eventually. It always did.\u00a0<\/p>\n
I stepped back, creating space between us. \u201cI\u2019ll think about it,\u201d I said, because it was easier than picking a fight here in front of so many watching eyes.\u00a0<\/p>\n
But deep down, I already knew the answer.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Letting anyone close again was dangerous. And letting Kieran close would be a mistake I couldn\u2019t afford to make.\u00a0<\/p>\n
He had some other motivation here, that much was obvious. Maybe it was just to hurt Nolan by stealing me away, but maybe it was more.\u00a0<\/p>\n
And I couldn\u2019t afford to play games with my future. Not when I had my babies to protect.\u00a0<\/p>\n
BIG SALE: 3500 bonus free fou you\u00a0<\/p>\n
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A Cold Marriage That Turned Warm 129 Chapter 129\u00a0 Nolan POV\u00a0 I had already made the decision.\u00a0 Somewhere between that […]<\/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":[62],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-23698","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-the-unremembered-mate-novel"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/23698","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=23698"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/23698\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=23698"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=23698"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=23698"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}