\u00a0<\/p>\n
Chapter 88 Growing Up\u00a0<\/p>\n
Chapter 88 Growing Up\u00a0<\/p>\n
Ayla couldn\u2019t help glancing at the two of them.\u00a0<\/p>\n
53\u00a0<\/p>\n
+10 Free Coins\u00a0<\/p>\n
Both men had those dangerously seductive eyes-peach-shaped, deep-cut, with a hint of wickedness when they looked at people. Both of them were tall and handsome. Standing side by side, they looked like the poster boys of high-end heartbreakers, radiating the kind of decadent charm you\u2019d expect from nightlife scandals.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Except James was loud, straightforward, bold-the rough type.\u00a0<\/p>\n
And Troy\u2019s best friend Max, with his refined looks and restrained temperament, somehow felt more mature between the two \u2026 even though he was the gentler one.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cYou two look like family,\u201d Ayla muttered.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u2026\u00a0<\/p>\n
If only their calm expressions weren\u2019t hiding the tension underneath.\u00a0<\/p>\n
They must hate the sight of each other in private.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Clearly, the irritation they felt toward each other wasn\u2019t anything like the murderous hostility between Draven and Troy.\u00a0<\/p>\n
This felt more like plain, mutual dislike.\u00a0<\/p>\n
When Max heard the words \u201clook like family,\u201d he felt like he\u2019d swallowed a fly.\u00a0<\/p>\n
James-on purpose-slung an arm around Max\u2019s shoulder and grinned, \u201cYeah, my little cousin\u2014\u2019\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cLet\u2019s talk?\u201d Max flicked his hand off immediately. \u201cFamily matters.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
James shot him a look, then turned to Ayla. \u201cGive me one minute.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
He stepped aside with Max.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Max said, \u201cYour aunt said you\u2019re thirty now. Asked when you\u2019re getting married.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cDamn it, what\u2019s wrong with you-why are you pushing marriage? You\u2019re almost 30, too. Your turn is coming soon. Don\u2019t help the enemy.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cMy mom\u2019s curious too. She told me to ask how things are going for you.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Hearing it was Aunt Juliet, James caved instantly. \u201cNothing\u2019s going on. I don\u2019t like anyone. You know me\u2014I just like making friends. Really falling for someone? That\u2019s hard.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
James had tried a few relationships before. He dated women because they interested him, but after enough time together, he just couldn\u2019t fall in love.\u00a0<\/p>\n
He\u2019d pretend to be in love-until he couldn\u2019t pretend anymore.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Then, he\u2019d break up.\u00a0<\/p>\n
1\/4\u00a0<\/p>\n
17:07 Fri, Dec 26 JOM.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Chapter 88 Growing Up\u00a0<\/p>\n
+10 Free Coins\u00a0<\/p>\n
He even briefly thought about getting involved with Ayla-all because he had a thing for cool, aloof types \u2013but that ended the moment Draven got jealous and shut it down.\u00a0<\/p>\n
James simply didn\u2019t do love at first sight.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Max\u2019s eyes darkened slightly under his long lashes.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Oh.\u00a0<\/p>\n
So James and Ayla had nothing going on.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Now that he had the answer he wanted, Max immediately lost all interest in conversation and cut him off. \u201cI\u2019m leaving.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cWait.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Max didn\u2019t wait at all.\u00a0<\/p>\n
James cursed under his breath and followed him. \u201cWith a question like that-do you like someone?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cNone of your business.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
James was stumped.\u00a0<\/p>\n
He sped up, stepped ahead, and blocked Max\u2019s path.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Max stopped walking.\u00a0<\/p>\n
James raised both eyebrows-then lifted one hand and gave him an unmistakably bold middle finger.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Max didn\u2019t know what to say.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Idiot.\u00a0<\/p>\n
With a cold face, he brushed past James and walked straight back to Ayla. The icy aura vanished instantly -replaced by a gentle, smiling warmth that made people feel at ease. \u201cI\u2019m heading out. See you next time, if there\u2019s a chance.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Even though he really wanted to stay.\u00a0<\/p>\n
But he couldn\u2019t rush this.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Ayla took it as simple adult politeness and nodded.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Truth was, there wouldn\u2019t be a next time.\u00a0<\/p>\n
James shot Max a murderous glare. That reckless habit of flirting with anyone he looked at was never going to change.\u00a0<\/p>\n
He was already worrying for his aunt. Who knew how many unclaimed Winston grandbabies Max would leave scattered across the country someday?\u00a0<\/p>\n
2\/4\u00a0<\/p>\n
17:07 Fri, Dec 26 JOM.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Chapter 88 Growing Up\u00a0<\/p>\n
After Max left, Ayla said, \u201cLet\u2019s go back. Continue the game.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
They returned to the court.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The others didn\u2019t ask anything.\u00a0<\/p>\n
After all, her situation with Troy was personal.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Asking would cross boundaries.\u00a0<\/p>\n
+10 Free Coins\u00a0<\/p>\n
And with Storm Group executives, Ayla always considered herself a small secretary-never their friend.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Their relationship was distant, polite.\u00a0<\/p>\n
James was the only exception.\u00a0<\/p>\n
So, it was normal they didn\u2019t interfere in her conflict with Troy, as normal as hearing gossip about a coworker you weren\u2019t close to.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Look if you want, but don\u2019t get involved.\u00a0<\/p>\n
James asked, \u201cAre we playing now? I\u2019ll team with you.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019ll rest a bit.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cAlright.\u201d James went back to the court.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Will and Blake were playing, so James subbed in for Blake.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Blake walked over to sit beside Ayla, racket in hand.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cHow did it go?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Ayla\u2019s voice was low. \u201d \u2026 He left already?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cAre you two dating?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cMarried.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Blake was speechless.\u00a0<\/p>\n
She let out a sharp, humorless laugh and stopped talking.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Ayla sensed the ridicule in her tone. \u201cWe\u2019re divorced. Just waiting on the Divorce Certificate.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Only then did Blake look back at her. \u201cSo, what now?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Ayla didn\u2019t understand. \u201cWe divorced. So we go our separate ways.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cReally? After Troy treated you like that, you\u2019re not planning to fight back? Teach him a lesson?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
3\/4\u00a0<\/p>\n
17:07 Fri, Dec 26 JOM.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Chapter 88 Growing Up\u00a0<\/p>\n
Ayla wanted to.\u00a0<\/p>\n
+10 Free Coins\u00a0<\/p>\n
But Troy\u2019s identity\u2026 his power\u2026 In Trensea, there wasn\u2019t a single person who could actually hurt him.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Blake looked across the court toward Draven.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Some thoughts flickered in her mind.\u00a0<\/p>\n
But no need to tell Ayla.\u00a0<\/p>\n
And no need to elaborate. \u201cWish you a smooth divorce.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Ayla\u2019s expression was composed-clear, sobered by experience. A woman who has been through one marriage often sees human nature more clearly. She learns to look past illusions, loses her romantic delusions, and knows what she truly wants. That\u2019s called growing up.\u00a0<\/p>\n
4\/4\u00a0<\/p>\n
17:07 Fri, Dec 26 J<\/p>\n
Editorial Board Our editorial team works behind the scenes to refine each chapter, maintain consistency, and deliver the best reading experience.<\/p>\n
Unwritten Feelings Drift by Austen 88 \u00a0 Chapter 88 Growing Up\u00a0 Chapter 88 Growing Up\u00a0 Ayla couldn\u2019t help glancing at […]<\/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":[70],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-24523","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-retired-from-your-heart-novel"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/24523","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=24523"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/24523\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=24523"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=24523"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=24523"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}