Chapter 265\u00a0<\/p>\n
+25 Bonus\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cI knew about the arrangement,\u201d she said. \u201cI agreed to meet you because it made sense on paper. You\u2019re respected. Influential. Close to Nolan. It was supposed to be\u2026 manageable.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cAnd then?\u201d he asked quietly.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cAnd then I started falling for you,\u201d she said, voice breaking. \u201cAnd that wasn\u2019t part of the plan.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
The admission hung between them, raw and unguarded.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Lance felt the sting immediately-not because she cared for him, but because of what it meant she\u2019d been carrying alone.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cWhy didn\u2019t you tell me?\u201d he asked.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cBecause that\u2019s where it becomes a problem,\u201d Isla said, finally looking up at him. Her eyes were bright, unshed tears trembling at the edges. \u201cIf I care about you-really care-then everything my family is asking of me becomes a betrayal.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
His stomach dropped.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat are they asking?\u201d he asked, though part of him already knew.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cThey want me to move quickly,\u201d she said. \u201cTo formalize things. To marry you as soon as possible, while the election is still unsettled.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Lance\u2019s fists curled slowly. \u201cAnd?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cAnd they want information,\u201d Isla whispered. \u201cAbout the packhouse. About Nolan. About internal divisions. Who\u2019s wavering. Who\u2019s loyal. What decisions are being made behind closed doors.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
The words tasted like poison in the air.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cThey\u2019re using you,\u201d Lance said flatly.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cYes,\u201d she agreed. \u201cAnd they think I\u2019ll let them.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
He moved closer then, kneeling in front of her so they were eye level. \u201cHave you?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cNo,\u201d she said immediately. \u201cNever. I haven\u2019t told them anything. But the pressure keeps increasing. Every letter, every visit-it\u2019s always the same. Reminders of duty. Of obligation. Of what I owe them.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Her voice cracked fully now. \u201cThey say if I truly care about the future of the kingdom, I\u2019ll help them.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cAnd what do you want?\u201d Lance asked.\u00a0<\/p>\n
She laughed weakly, \u201cThat\u2019s the problem. I want you. And I don\u2019t want to use you to get what they want. I don\u2019t want to become someone who trades affection for leverage.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
The tears finally fell, silent and devastating,\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cI thought if I pulled away,\u201d she said, \u201cIf I created distance, I could protect you. Protect us. But it just made everything worse.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
1\/3\u00a0<\/p>\n
Chapter 265\u00a0<\/p>\n
+25 Bonus\u00a0<\/p>\n
Lance reached out without thinking, cupping her face gently, thumbs brushing away the tears.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cYou don\u2019t get to protect me by shutting me out,\u201d he said softly. \u201cYou protect me by trusting me.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
She leaned into his touch instinctively, then froze. \u201cYou should be angry.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cI am,\u201d he admitted. \u201cAt them. Not at you.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Her breath hitched.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cI won\u2019t pretend this doesn\u2019t hurt,\u201d he continued. \u201cKnowing that people see me as a piece on a board. Knowing that you\u2019ve been carrying this alone.\u201d He rested his forehead against hers. \u201cBut I\u2019d rather face that pain with you than be kept in the dark.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
She sobbed then, quietly, shoulders shaking as the weight finally spilled over. Lance held her without hesitation, anchoring her against him.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cI love you,\u201d she whispered, the words tumbling out as if she\u2019d been holding them back for too long. \u201cAnd that terrifies me.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Lance closed his eyes.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m not afraid of that,\u201d he said. \u201cI\u2019m afraid of what happens if you keep thinking you have to choose between me and doing the right thing.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
She pulled back slightly. \u201cWhat if being with you puts you at risk?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cIt already does,\u201d he replied. \u201cEverything does right now.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
He brushed his thumb along her cheek. \u201cBut you choosing honesty-that\u2019s not a threat. That\u2019s the only way forward.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
She nodded slowly, breathing uneven.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat do we do?\u201d she asked.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cWe take this one step at a time,\u201d Lance said. \u201cNo rushing. No secret deals. And if your family keeps pushing-\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019ll tell them no,\u201d Isla said, firmer now. \u201cI don\u2019t care what they threaten me with.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
A flicker of pride warmed his chest.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cAnd if they ask for information?\u201d he asked.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019ll refuse,\u201d she said. \u201cAnd if they don\u2019t accept that\u2026 I\u2019ll tell Nolan.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Lance studied her face, searching for doubt. He found resolve instead.\u00a0<\/p>\n
He pulled her back into his arms. \u201cI\u2019m not going anywhere,\u201d he said. \u201cNot because of politics. Not because of obligation. Because I choose you.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
She clutched his shirt, fingers curling into the fabric as if afraid he might vanish.\u00a0<\/p>\n
For the first time in days, the tension in her body eased.\u00a0<\/p>\n
2\/3\u00a0<\/p>\n
Chapter 265\u00a0<\/p>\n
+25 Bonus\u00a0<\/p>\n
Outside the walls, the kingdom continued its quiet maneuvering. Elders whispered. Lines shifted. Pressure mounted.\u00a0<\/p>\n
But in this small, sunlit room, two people chose something simpler.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Honesty.\u00a0<\/p>\n
And for now, that was enough.\u00a0<\/p>\n
COIN BUNDLE: get more free bonus\u00a0<\/p>\n
D\u00a0<\/p>\n
\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
A Cold Marriage That Turned Warm 265 Chapter 265\u00a0 +25 Bonus\u00a0 \u201cI knew about the arrangement,\u201d she said. \u201cI agreed […]<\/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-23834","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\/23834","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=23834"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/23834\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=23834"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=23834"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=23834"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}