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Chapter 7: No Way Out
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2025-03-13 13:13:03
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Shattered Vows Chapter 8: A Hollow Vow
The ceremony was nothing like Isla had imagined a wedding should be. There were no flowers, no music, no guests to celebrate the union. It was held in a private office at city hall, the cold walls and lifeless decor mirroring the emptiness in her heart.Killian Blackwood stood beside her, his tailored suit immaculate, his expression unreadable. He had barely looked at her since she arrived, as if this was nothing more than a routine business deal. And to him, it was.The officiant cleared his throat, glancing between them. "Do you, Killian Blackwood, take Isla Carter to be your lawfully wedded wife?"Killian didn't hesitate. "I do."His voice was steady, devoid of emotion. He could have been agreeing to a contract merger for all the warmth he showed.Isla's chest tightened as the officiant turned to her. "And do you, Isla Carter, take Killian Blackwood to be your lawfully wedded husband?"She swallowed hard, her fingers trembling at her sides. Every fiber of her being screamed at her
최신 업데이트 : 2025-03-13Shattered Vows Chapter 9: The Other Woman
Isla had barely settled into her cold, lifeless new reality before fate threw another cruel twist her way.The morning after her sham of a wedding, she forced herself out of bed, determined to regain some semblance of control over her life. She wasn’t going to spend her days cowering in the east wing while Killian acted like she didn’t exist. Dressed in a simple yet elegant dress—something befitting a woman of the Blackwood name—she descended the grand staircase, her heels clicking against the marble. She was making her way toward the dining hall when she heard voices in the lounge.A woman’s voice. Sultry. Confident. Familiar.Her heart froze in her chest.No. It couldn’t be.But as she stepped closer, the sight before her stole the breath from her lungs. Celeste. Her stepsister sat comfortably on one of the velvet chairs, her legs crossed as she sipped from a crystal glass. Her golden-blonde hair cascaded over her shoulders in perfect waves, her designer outfit impeccable. But it
최신 업데이트 : 2025-03-13Shattered Vows Chapter 10: A Brewing Storm
The tension inside Blackwood Manor had grown so thick it could be cut with a knife. Every encounter between Isla and Celeste felt like stepping onto a battlefield, and yet, the one person who should have intervened—the man who had dragged her into this hellish marriage—remained as indifferent as ever.Killian Blackwood carried on with his life as if nothing had changed. He barely acknowledged Isla’s presence, except when necessary. Meanwhile, Celeste had made it her mission to remind Isla at every possible turn that she was nothing more than an inconvenient placeholder in a world she did not belong to.The dining hall was no exception.One morning, Isla found herself seated at the long, gleaming table across from Celeste, who had invited herself to breakfast as if she owned the place. The staff moved efficiently around them, pouring freshly brewed coffee, placing delicate plates of fruit and pastries before them. Killian sat at the head of the table, reading the financial section of t
최신 업데이트 : 2025-03-13Shattered Vows Chapter 11: Cracks in the Ice
The days blurred into weeks, and Isla had grown accustomed to the frigid atmosphere of the Blackwood estate. Her marriage to Killian was nothing more than a legal contract, but something was shifting. She could feel it. Though Killian remained distant, his indifference wasn’t as effortless as before. She noticed the subtle things—the way his gaze lingered a second too long, the way his jaw clenched whenever Celeste spoke to her, the way his fingers curled into fists when she held herself with quiet defiance. There were cracks in his carefully built armor. But every time she tried to peer inside, he shut the door before she could step through. ---One evening, Isla was in the library, seeking solace in the quiet. Books had always been her escape, and tonight, she needed it more than ever. Celeste had spent the entire afternoon throwing barbed insults her way, barely concealing her disdain. Worse, Killian had barely acknowledged her presence at dinner, making her feel like a
최신 업데이트 : 2025-03-13Shattered Vows Chapter 12: Public Betrayal
The grand ballroom of the St. Regis Hotel shimmered under the dazzling glow of crystal chandeliers, the air thick with the scent of champagne and designer perfume. It was the kind of event where billionaires solidified alliances, where high society preened, and where every interaction was a game of power.Isla stood at the edge of it all, her hand tightening around the stem of her untouched champagne flute. The evening was supposed to be a show of unity—a chance for her and Killian to present their marriage as unshakable. Instead, he had barely acknowledged her since they arrived.Instead, he was with Celeste.The woman draped on his arm, laughing at his every word, was her stepsister and his supposed "fiancée." The very woman who had taken every opportunity to humiliate her behind closed doors. Now, in front of flashing cameras and scrutinizing eyes, Killian had chosen to flaunt her like a prized possession.A sharp pang twisted in Isla’s chest, but she masked it with an impassive ex
최신 업데이트 : 2025-03-13Shattered Vows Chapter 13: No Way Out
Isla’s heart pounded as she threw open the doors to their bedroom. The echoes of the evening’s humiliation still burned in her veins, each whisper, each smirk, each dismissive glance from Killian replaying in her mind like a cruel joke. Her hands shook as she grabbed the first suitcase she could find, yanking open the closet doors with a vengeance.She had endured enough.If he wanted to treat her like she was nothing, she would show him just how easily she could disappear from his life.Furious tears blurred her vision as she pulled dresses off hangers, tossing them into the open suitcase. Shoes, makeup, jewelry—all reminders of this toxic, hollow marriage—were discarded like the illusions they had once been. She refused to be his pawn, his burden, his puppet on display while he paraded around with Celeste.A cold voice cut through the silence. “Going somewhere?”Isla froze, her fingers tightening around a silk blouse. The deep baritone of Killian’s voice sent a shiver down her spine
최신 업데이트 : 2025-03-13Shattered Vows Chapter 14: Defiance
The sun barely broke through the gray clouds over the Blackwood estate, casting muted light across the grand hall. Isla sat at the long dining table, untouched breakfast in front of her, eyes fixed on the steaming cup of coffee she had no intention of drinking. She wasn’t hungry. She was angry. After last night, after Killian’s warning, she had lain awake, staring at the ceiling, wondering how she had let herself get tangled in his world, in his web. And worse, how she had let herself believe, even for a second, that there was something beneath his icy facade worth holding on to. No more. The butler set down a fresh plate of croissants, bowing his head slightly before stepping away. Isla sighed, pushing the food farther from her. A quiet clicking of heels against the marble floor made her tense.Celeste. The woman who had tormented her since childhood, now playing the role of Killian’s fiancée while Isla was reduced to nothing more than a ghost in her own marriage. “You look dr
최신 업데이트 : 2025-03-13Shattered Vows Chapter 15: Breaking the Ice
The storm had come out of nowhere. The sky, once a dull gray, had deepened into an ominous black as thunder rumbled across the horizon. Heavy raindrops pounded against the pavement, turning the Blackwood estate’s vast courtyard into a glistening sheet of water. Isla barely noticed. Her pulse thundered in her ears, drowning out everything else as she stormed down the driveway. She didn’t care that she had no destination. She didn’t care that her dress was soaked through, clinging to her like a second skin. All she knew was that she had to get away. Away from the suffocating walls of the Blackwood mansion. Away from Killian.Her hands clenched into fists as she replayed their last conversation in her mind—the way he had looked at her with that infuriating mix of detachment and possession. He thought he could control her. He thought she would bend and break just because he said so. Not anymore. She had been so consumed by her thoughts that she hadn’t heard the car. Not until it was t
최신 업데이트 : 2025-03-14
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Shattered Vows Chapter 96
The next morning, after Killian Blackwood's offer, was bright and beautiful, the kind of golden light that made all things seem fresh. Isla Carter awoke with her hand still lying softly over the engagement ring on her finger, her heart still skipping a beat in disbelief and joy. The previous night had seemed like a dream created, but the sparkle of the diamond and the heat of Killian's arms about her reminded her it was real.She rolled over in bed to find him already awake, lying on one elbow, looking at her with quiet respect."Morning, fiancée," he whispered, voice low with sleep and love.She laughed, stretching out. "Morning, fiancé."He got up and kissed her softly, his thumb tracing her cheek. "We have to get up. Big day today."She groaned. "I just want to lie here and pretend the world doesn't exist."He smiled, his face buried in her hair. "Tempting. But I promised a very clever woman that we would do something real."Her heart skipped another beat.Isla threw off the covers
Shattered Vows Chapter 95
For a couple of days, it looked like the storm had actually passed.The made-up stories fell out of the headlines.A formal denial from Marcus's so-called "anonymous sources" appeared, recanting all the charges. The donors who had pulled out of Haven's Hope began calling again, bearing apologies and tentative promises of aid.The shelter breathed again.The town itself, cautiously at first, but ever more warmly, welcomed Killian Blackwood back home.But Killian wasn't the same man anymore.He'd surrendered his empire, his riches, and his fine reputation for Isla Carter.And even though he didn't resent it — not one minute of it — the weight of it came upon him now and then on nights that stretched interminable and sleepless.He didn't tell Isla everything.Not yet.Not with the phone calls he wasn't returning from old friends who now saw him as a liability.Not with the lawyers circling like vultures over the deals Marcus had bullied him into signing.Not with the creeping, insidious
Shattered Vows Chapter 94
For a few fleeting days, the world stilled around Killian Blackwood and Isla Carter.They settled into a rhythm that was fragile but real — a rhythm built of whispered vows and lingering touches, of cautious smiles and hands brushing accidentally-on-purpose.It wasn't ideal.There were still shadows, still wounds not quite scarred over.But it was real.It was theirs.And that was enough.Until Marcus came back.This time, he did not come quietly. This time, he came to destroy.---It started with a headline. Killian had just stepped into the entrance of the shelter when he heard the buzz — biting whispers, horrified gasps. Janine rushed to him, phone outstretched, her face pale. "You need to see this," she whispered, shaking. Killian took the phone. The article stared back at him, the bold letters screaming:**"Blackwood's Dirty Secrets: From Criminal Empire to Philanthropist Fraud"**He read the words once. Then again. And again.Each sentence was a knife.Each accusation meti
Shattered Vows Chapter 93
The glow of the fundraiser still warm in Isla Carter's memory the next morning, she came into the small office of the shelter, an armful of paperwork in her arms.Her cheeks burned even now as she recalled the kiss — their kiss — amid a sea of onlookers. She hadn't cared who might see.For the first time in many years, Isla could hope without terror tightening its grip on her throat.Killian Blackwood was transforming into the man she needed.Maybe, just maybe, they had a hope of forever.She put down the papers and started to put them in order, humming a tune to herself. The office was unusually silent on a Monday morning, but she wrote that off as post-event exhaustion.It was only when she listened in to the strained, hurried words behind the door that she stopped.Janine's voice. Taut. Concerned.A different voice — gruffer, lower. Male.And Killian's voice — hot, tight.Isla's gaze grew darker and took a step toward the door.The moment she pushed it a little way open, she listen
Shattered Vows Chapter 92
The next morning, Isla Carter woke to the smell of coffee drifting through her small flat.For a moment, she lay still, eyes closed, letting the warmth of it seep into her bones.It had been a while since she woke up feeling anything like peace.When at last she opened her eyes and moved into the kitchen, Killian Blackwood was waiting for her — his back to her, shirt sleeves rolled up, pouring two mismatched mugs with coffee.It was this small, ordinary moment. This brutally normal thing.And it hit her smack in the middle of her chest.This might be real.This might be them.Killian turned at the sound of her footsteps and smiled — a tentative, uncertain smile that twisted her heart in torture."Morning," he offered, holding out a mug.She took it, their hands touching, a spark of electricity shooting up her arm."Morning," she whispered in return.They stood there for a moment, sipping coffee, the silence comfortable.But Isla knew that it couldn't stay this easy forever.Last night
Shattered Vows Chapter 91
The next morning, it had stopped raining, but the city was shrouded in a thick fog, as if the world itself was catching its breath.Isla Carter stood in her window, holding a mug of steaming coffee between her hands, looking out at the gray skyline.The midnight conversation with Killian Blackwood still ran through her head, as vivid as if it had just happened.His cracked voice.His soaked body at her doorstep.His promise: *I'll wait forever if I have to.*She wasn't sure if she was ready to pardon him yet.But she did know this — she couldn't ignore him either.Her phone on the counter rang.Her heart skipped a beat.A message.**Killian Blackwood:**> *There's something I have to show you. No pressure. If you want to see it, I'll be at 345 Lennox Street at noon. If not. I'll get it.*Isla stared at the note for a moment, stomach twisting with nerves.She should leave it alone.She should stand up for herself.And yet. her fingers seemed to act of their own accord, typing out two b
Shattered Vows Chapter 90
Rain was still coming down on the city, sheeting the streets with a damp, mournful glow. Isla Carter slumped beside the big glass wall of her tiny rented studio, her knees to her chest, looking blankly out into the world beyond. Her tea had gone cold hours ago, sitting on the table.She hadn't replied to Killian Blackwood's previous attempts to reach out to her.Hundreds of messages. Voicemails, emails, even handwritten letters left on her doorstep — all ignored.She didn't know if she was brave enough to see him again. She didn't trust him — not entirely. Not yet.And the ache in her chest warned her that even one small mistake could destroy her for good this time.A sharp knock shattered her downward thoughts.Isla braced.She hadn't been expecting anyone. Her heart hammered pitifully. She crept quietly to the door and peered through the peephole.Of course.Killian.He stood there, dripping from the rain, a fistful of white lilies clutched tightly in one hand. His face was a map of
Shattered Vows Chapter 89
City lights twinkled in the weight of twilight, as though the horizon itself held bated breath. Killian Blackwood stood against the roof garden of the Carter Foundation, the wind tugging at his open coat, his expression impassive. The city raged beneath him, unaware of the storm brewing in one man's soul.Tonight was not one of pomp and circumstance. There were no fireworks, no red carpet, no over-the-top displays of riches. Tonight was raw, bare, and totally human. It was about truth. About redemption.Killian had sent the invitation to Isla Carter days before, a scribbled note in the bouquet of lilies she still refused to accept. But he knew she'd be there. He had caught it in the quiet between them, in how her eyes clung a beat longer on their last encounter, as if she heard words that he hadn't spoken yet.As she stepped onto the roof, her heels ticking quietly on the wooden deck, Killian turned lazily. The sight of her, in the gentle light of string lights swaying above them, too
Shattered Vows Chapter 88: Whispers of a New Beginning
The city hummed with its own rhythm, but for Isla Carter, it was all just a bit. softer. Quieter. It had been three days since she'd stood beside Killian Blackwood in the brightly lit community center and said the words she'd never been brave enough to say until that moment. "Maybe I'm still in love with you."Those words had changed everything. And nothing had been rushed. There were no grand statements or fireworks. No immediate talk of labels or planning. Just a slow rebuilding. And for once, Isla didn't feel like she needed to rush to get ahead of her emotions.She was in her bookstore again today. The scent of old paper and cinnamon coffee greeted her, and sunlight streamed through the windows, casting golden squares on the wooden floor. Customers browsed idly through the shelves, and her helper, Margo, waved as Isla entered."Morning, boss. You look. glowy," Margo teased.Isla smiled, her cheeks going pink. "It's the weather.""Okay, let's pretend it's not the sexy billionaire
