\u00a0<\/p>\n
Chapter 169 Empty House\u00a0<\/p>\n
Chapter 169 Empty House\u00a0<\/p>\n
+10 Free Coins\u00a0<\/p>\n
Max clenched his teeth but hid it well. \u201cThen I\u2019ll swing by the birthday party,\u201d he said. \u201cI want to see the show myself.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Troy narrowed his eyes. \u201cYou don\u2019t believe me?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cNot really,\u201d Max said. \u201cBut I\u2019m curious to see if Ayla will ever go back at you. You know me; I love a good\u00a0<\/p>\n
show.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
And on that day, he planned to be part of the show.\u00a0<\/p>\n
It was simple logic.\u00a0<\/p>\n
If there was even the smallest chance that Ayla and Troy might rekindle their feelings, Max would crush that possibility.\u00a0<\/p>\n
He could stir up trouble, stir up Skyla a little, or even hire an actress to put on a scene. He\u2019d decide in the\u00a0<\/p>\n
moment.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The bigger the chaos, the better. Let everyone see it. He would make sure Troy lost any right to compete for Ayla\u2019s affection. Let him become a past in her life.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Max could already picture it.\u00a0<\/p>\n
After that birthday, he and Troy would probably fall out.\u00a0<\/p>\n
And honestly? Max didn\u2019t care. He hated the way Troy treated Ayla. Some things weren\u2019t misunderstandings; they were just plain character problems.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Losing a buddy like him wasn\u2019t a loss at all.\u00a0<\/p>\n
With that thought, Max poured Troy a cup of tea, then poured one for himself and took a drink.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Troy stared at him, studying him with a heavy look.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Max didn\u2019t mind being studied.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat are you thinking?\u201d Troy finally asked. \u201cOr what result are you hoping for?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Max smiled, lifting a brow. \u201cI hope you get what you wish for.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cFunny,\u201d Troy said. \u201cIt sounds like you\u2019re siding with Ayla\u00a0<\/p>\n
Max shrugged. \u201cWell, I did get to try her cooking.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Troy let out a cold laugh. \u201cSo you \u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
can\u2019t\u00a0<\/p>\n
how I\u00a0<\/p>\n
ated her?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cKind of,\u201d Max admitted.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Troy\u2019s face didn\u2019t change, but his voice cooled even more. He more. He\u00a0<\/p>\n
eminded, \u201cMax, this is my personal\u00a0<\/p>\n
1\/3\u00a0<\/p>\n
13:09 Thu, Jan 1\u00a0<\/p>\n
65\u00a0<\/p>\n
Chapter 169 Empty House\u00a0<\/p>\n
business. Watch if you want, but don\u2019t get involved.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
+10 Free Coins\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cCome on,\u201d Max said with a helpless smile. \u201cWhen have I ever stepped into your marriage problems?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Troy didn\u2019t answer.\u00a0<\/p>\n
But just thinking about Ayla made his mood crash again.\u00a0<\/p>\n
He took one last drink of tea, grabbed the divorce certificate, and walked out.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Max watched his retreating back, eyes narrowing.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Troy still refused to humble himself to Ayla.\u00a0<\/p>\n
But his attention on her was growing. Clearly.\u00a0<\/p>\n
So Max was more eager for Martin\u2019s birthday than anyone else.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Even more than his grandfather\u2019s.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Not long after Troy left, Max\u2019s phone rang.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cMr. Bennett,\u201d Patrick said. \u201cEmmett turned down our extra investment.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Max froze, then laughed. \u201cThose two kids really have that much money to burn?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
www\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cNo idea. Emmett refused flat-out.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Max sighed.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u0aaa\u0ab0\u0ab8 \u0ab8\u0a82\u0aa4\u0acb \u0ab8\u0ac0\u0aa7\u0acb \u0ab8\u0abe\u0ab0 \u0ab8\u0abe\u0aa5\u0ac7 \u0a9a\u00a0<\/p>\n
Addis\u00a0<\/p>\n
www\u00a0<\/p>\n
So much for winning over a future brother-in-law.\u00a0<\/p>\n
***\u00a0<\/p>\n
Was he really supposed to win over James instead?\u00a0<\/p>\n
He had to admit, he kind of respected James. The guy somehow became close to Ayla in such a short time.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Max\u2019s expression darkened.\u00a0<\/p>\n
But if it was for Ayla, he could swallow his pride.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Troy went straight home.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Laura, who had taken the day off, had come back early.\u00a0<\/p>\n
She looked at him eagerly and even glanced behind him, as if expecting someone else to walk in.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Troy remembered how upset she\u2019d been about losing Ayla. The anger in his chest rose again. His face stayed cold as he asked, \u201cWhat are you looking for?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
2\/3\u00a0<\/p>\n
13:09 Thu, Jan 1 JA\u00a0<\/p>\n
Chapter 169 Empty House\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cYou and Mrs. Winston\u2026\u201d she whispered.\u00a0<\/p>\n
65\u00a0<\/p>\n
+10 Free Coins\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m divorced from her,\u201d Troy cut in, his voice low and sharp. \u201cAnd don\u2019t ever let me hear you call her that ever again.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
The warning was clear.\u00a0<\/p>\n
If Laura dared to say it again, she would lose her job.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Laura\u2019s face went pale. She had already heard the news last night.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Hearing it now from Troy himself made it real, and even though she could accept it, she still felt a deep sense of loss.\u00a0<\/p>\n
She was only a maid. Troy had been Ayla\u2019s husband. If even she felt heartbroken, how could he feel nothing at all?\u00a0<\/p>\n
Not even the smallest trace of regret?\u00a0<\/p>\n
Laura watched him walked into his study. He looked the same as always-cold, detached, untouched by anything.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Her heart sank.\u00a0<\/p>\n
For the first time, she fully realized how heartless he truly was. Ayla had lived with that coldness for three long years. The fact she lasted that long was unbelievable. It couldn\u2019t have been easy.\u00a0<\/p>\n
In that moment, Laura finally understood why Ayla filed for divorce.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Her sadness for the past turned into a quiet blessing for Ayla\u2019s future.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Once Ayla left Troy, she would finally be happy.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Laura wanted to text her. But Ayla had already blocked her. Everything she wanted to say stayed stuck inside.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Laura sighed.\u00a0<\/p>\n
People don\u2019t cherish what they have until it\u2019s gone,\u00a0<\/p>\n
Sometimes, the goodbye happens long before anyone says the words. Some people just never notice. They stand in the same place, thinking nothing has changed.\u00a0<\/p>\n
But the other person had long gone.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Ayla drove to the airport to pick up\u00a0<\/p>\n
Halle.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The moment they met, Halle pulled her into a big, warm hug.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Halle\u00a0<\/p>\n
3\/3\u00a0<\/p>\n
1\u00a0<\/p>\n
13:09 Thu, Jan 1 3 A\u00a0<\/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 169 \u00a0 Chapter 169 Empty House\u00a0 Chapter 169 Empty House\u00a0 +10 Free Coins\u00a0 Max clenched […]<\/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-24604","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\/24604","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=24604"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/24604\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=24604"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=24604"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=24604"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}