**TITLE: Unwritten Feelings Drift by Austen 19**
**CONTENT:**
**Chapter 19: A Taboo**
As the minutes dragged on, Ayla could feel the chill seeping into her bones, her hands and feet growing numb from the biting cold. The night was still, the air thick with an uneasy silence that only amplified her growing anxiety.
Yet, Troy’s car was nowhere to be seen.
She had no alternative but to endure the wait, her heart sinking with each passing second.
Just as her hope began to wane, a pair of headlights pierced through the thin veil of fog that clung to the mountain. She squinted into the darkness, trying to discern the vehicle’s make.
It was a Bentley.
Troy drove a sleek Maybach, and this was definitely not him.
Ayla felt a twinge of disappointment wash over her, perhaps intensified by the cold that seemed to wrap around her like a heavy blanket. She had been counting on Troy’s punctuality, a flicker of hope that now transformed into a dull ache in her chest.
With a sigh, she glanced down at her phone, the screen illuminating her face in the dim light.
Suddenly, the sound of tires crunching on gravel broke her reverie.
Curiosity piqued, Ayla looked up just in time to see a car pull over. The window slid down, revealing the sharp profile of a man.
He turned to face her, and in that instant, her breath caught in her throat.
Her eyes locked onto a pair of deep, inscrutable ones—Draven.
Time seemed to freeze, the world around her fading into a blur as his presence filled the space between them.
“Need a ride?” His voice was low, smooth, and somehow unsettling.
Ayla felt a jolt of panic.
Three years ago, their first encounter had left her with a chill that lingered long after they parted ways.
Yesterday, their brief, unexpected meetings had only solidified that impression, deepening her discomfort.
For the first time, she felt genuine fear in the presence of another.
What could he possibly want? Why was he offering her a lift now?
Perhaps it was an act of kindness, but the heavy aura that surrounded him felt threatening, like a storm brewing just out of sight.
Her instincts screamed at her to retreat.
“Thanks, but no. I’m waiting for someone,” she replied, her voice steadier than she felt.
Draven remained silent, his gaze lingering for a moment longer before he drove away, the Bentley disappearing into the night.
As the chill of the evening enveloped her once more, a gust of wind swept past, causing her to shiver involuntarily.
Just then, Troy’s car finally arrived, almost ten minutes late.
He didn’t even spare her a glance as he pulled up beside her, his demeanor as distant as ever.
Troy had a peculiar way of ignoring her presence, as if she were merely a shadow in his life.
With a quiet resignation, Ayla walked around to the passenger side, opened the door, and slid into the seat, fastening her seatbelt with a sense of foreboding.
The car began its ascent up the mountain, the silence between them thick and palpable. Ayla refrained from attempting small talk, a habit she had once indulged in to fill the void.


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Comments
The readers' comments on the novel: Divorce me I'm done serving you (Ayla)
Why is half of each of these chapters missing? The story sort of trails off in the middle of the chapter. That’s unfortunate....