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Chapter 22: Tension Unraveled

Penulis: Inpeaceplace
last update Terakhir Diperbarui: 2025-03-15 10:38:13

The evening air was thick with unspoken words as Isla sat in the dimly lit library of the Blackwood estate. The fire crackled softly in the background, casting flickering shadows along the mahogany bookshelves. She had buried herself in a book, hoping that the fictional world would offer some solace from the chaos of her reality, but her mind kept drifting back to Killian. The way he had kissed her. The way he had pulled away. The way he had shattered whatever fragile understanding had begun to form between them.

She hated him for it. And she hated herself for letting him affect her so deeply.

A sharp knock at the door startled her. Before she could respond, the door creaked open, revealing the one person she was trying to avoid.

Killian.

He stepped inside, his imposing presence filling the room instantly. Dressed in a tailored black suit, his stormy blue eyes locked onto hers with an intensity that sent a shiver down her spine. There was something different about him tonight—som
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  • Shattered Vows   Chapter 109 – Pier of Unspoken Things

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    The morning arrived in a haze of responsibilities. Isla plunged headlong into the maelstrom of the community center's morning routine—managing volunteers, inventorying, fielding questions from those who, like her, relied on this institution. Her hands moved with practiced ease, her smile well-rehearsed, but her thoughts? They were elsewhere.They were with Killian.Every word he'd said replayed, louder than the laughter of the children, louder than the sound of rummaging through donation bags or the hum of the overhead lights."*Then let me help rebuild it. Not because I deserve forgiveness, but because I'm willing to do whatever it takes.*"What did rebuilding trust actually mean? Was it even feasible?She wasn't prepared to say that. Not yet. Not now.By noon, when the sun poured in through the large windows, she finally departed. She needed air—real air, that is, not the tension-charged recycled air that seemed to harbor decisions. She opened the rear door, stepping out into the al

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    The next morning greeted Isla with golden light coming through the blinds, casting long strips of heat on her floor. It was the first morning in years she didn't automatically feel the weight of her history on her chest. She lay in bed, watching the ceiling, listening to the muted sounds of the city stirring under her window.Killian lay sleeping on the couch.She could hear him breathe, slow and steady. It had been strange—asking him to stay. Strange too, that it hadn't felt intrusive. He had been a quiet presence, considerate. He hadn't spoken much once she'd asked him to come in. They had eaten toast in silence. He did the cleanup. Then he collapsed on the couch covered in one of her old throw blankets. And that was all.It was. still. And odd.She eventually emerged from bed, dressed herself in a robe, and padded into the kitchen. She put the kettle on the stove, making tea in its bare simplicity a calming ritual. As the water heated, she glanced over at the couch. He hadn't shift

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