Fated Marriage Spoiled by My Ice Billionaire novel Chapter 217

Chapter 217 Confessions Between Friends

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Maddox glanced at the pony beside her, then at the instructor standing nearby, but said nothing.

“Maddox,” Sienna called out when neither spoke, nudging him lightly.

Maddox gave a low grunt of acknowledgment, and the two of them smoothly mounted their horses.

Sienna rode off first. Before leaving, Maddox’s gaze lingered on Celeste for a beat longer than necessary. A faint, knowing smile touched his lips before he quickly nudged his horse to follow Sienna.

Celeste shot him a cool look before turning away, but not before she felt an unwarranted warmth rise to her cheeks. Her heart gave an unexpected flutter.

She had never been on the receiving end of a gaze quite like that before.

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A black gelding and a white mare grazed peacefully nearby. Damian handed Isabelle a bottle of water, already opened.

Isabelle smiled, took it, and began to drink.

Damian watched the elegant line of her throat as she tilted her head back. Fine beads of sweat traced paths down her neck. Her skin glowed with warmth, and her clothes were damp from exertion. The fitted black riding shirt clung to her frame.

He swallowed hard, then took a tissue and gently blotted the sweat from her temples.

Isabelle paused, her drink interrupted.

Damian casually dabbed away a drop of water from the corner of her mouth, then took the half–empty bottle from her hand and finished it himself.

She watched him. Silhouetted against the light, his throat moved as he drank.

She quickly looked away.

Don’t stare. But her mind wandered despite herself.

After resting a while, the two walked side by side along the wooded trail, leading their horses,

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Chapter 217 Confessions Between Friends

their hands intertwined.

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The scenery was breathtaking. Tall redwood trees lined the path, and a serene, man–made lake shimmered nearby–quiet and picturesque.

Wouldn’t this be a stunning location for wedding photos?

“Have you thought about locations for the wedding shoot?” she asked suddenly.

“I’ve shortlisted a few places, but haven’t had a chance to run them by you yet,” Damian replied, giving her hand a light squeeze. “This ranch is a strong contender.”

“Yes, I was thinking the same.”

They shared a quiet smile.

Isabelle’s good mood faded slightly when she spotted Celeste, Maddox, and Sienna approaching slowly on horseback in the distance.

The sight instantly brought back the lingering annoyance over the 200–thousand–dollar

gown.

She subtly withdrew her hand from Damian’s, using the pretense of smoothing her wind- tousled hair.

Damian, sensing the distance, simply wrapped his arm around her shoulders instead, as if he couldn’t bear even a sliver of space between them.

They moved closer together.

Isabelle felt a fresh prick of irritation.

But since he’d been secretly messaging Muddlehead about a design, she couldn’t exactly confront him openly. It was endlessly frustrating.

The two groups exchanged greetings as they met on the narrow path. Isabelle and Damian stepped aside to let them pass, but the riders chose to dismount.

“Isabelle,” Sienna greeted with a warm smile.

The two had grown close since the incident with Blaze and now treated each other like

sisters.

Isabelle seized the chance to walk over to Sienna, putting a few more steps between herself and Damian

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Chapter 217 Confessions Between Friends

Damian glanced over, finally picking up on her subtle withdrawal.

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“Careful,” Maddox said suddenly, reaching out to steady Celeste as she stumbled while dismounting.

He held her arm just long enough to ensure her balance. Once she was steady, he released her immediately.

“Thanks,” Celeste replied, frowning slightly in awkward acknowledgment.

She had only just gotten comfortable on the gentle horse when they suggested switching. Riding the smaller pony had made her feel conspicuously out of place.

Fortunately, Maddox had later invited her to ride along with their group; otherwise, she might still be making slow circles with the patient instructor.

She wanted to fit in, but the injury on her foot, though mostly healed, still throbbed dully.

Now, standing here, she suddenly felt like an interloper.

“Get back on. I’ll lead him,” Maddox said quietly, his eyes briefly dropping to her foot. Her slightly uneven stance betrayed an injury she was trying to ignore.

“It’s fine. I can-”

“If you try to walk all the way back like that, you’ll be in the emergency room by midnight,” Maddox cut her off, his voice low enough for only her to hear.

Knowing he was right, Celeste reluctantly nodded and let him help her remount.

“Blaze and I are together,” Sienna whispered conspiratorially to Isabelle as they walked.

Isabelle looked genuinely surprised. “Since when?”

Sienna’s cheeks flushed a delicate pink. Linking arms with Isabelle, she leaned in closer. “When I went to return his tie, some of his staff saw us. The gossip spread like wildfire.”

As Sienna explained, they had run into each other again at an alumni event after New Year’s, where they discovered they’d attended the same university. Sienna had a bit too much to drink, and to avoid unnecessary speculation, Blaze couldn’t take her back to her family’s estate, so he checked her into a hotel instead.

Someone from the Savage family spotted them, and rumors spiraled out of control. Eventually, the family confronted Blaze directly.

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Chapter 217 Confessions Between Friends

No matter how Sienna tried to clarify, no one believed her. She was even effectively grounded for weeks.

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Blaze, meanwhile, seemed utterly unperturbed, acting as if the whole situation were trivial.

The Savage family kept up the pressure and eventually proposed a marriage alliance between the two families.

In a panic, Sienna called Blaze, begging him to help clear things up.

Blaze’s response was characteristically blunt. “Might as well give it a shot.”

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