The End of a Marriage (Colette and Matheo) novel Chapter 189

Chapter 189

Tears blurred her vision, and her chest heaved as panic took hold. She wasn’t just mourning her father now–she was mourning the life she had always known. Without Robert, she had nothing. No family, no home, no anchor. She was nineteen years old, a girl with no direction, no one to turn to, and a deafness that had always set her apart

Her breath quickened, coming in short, ragged gasps. The parking lot blurred around her, the edges of her vision closing in as the weight of it all pressed down on her chest. She felt like she couldn’t breathe,

like the world was closing in on her and she was powerless to stop it.

Edwin remained by her side, his presence steady in the midst of her

unraveling thoughts.

“Miss?” he prompted again, his tone soft but insistent. “Would you like to go home now?” He gestured toward the black sedan parked a few feet away on the gravel road, the familiar car that had ferried her

countless times to and from Thornfield Manor.

Home. The word felt foreign now, hollow and uncertain. Isla’s mind

twisted with the question she couldn’t shake: How long would

Thornfield remain her home?

“Yes, Edwin,” she murmured, her voice barely audible. “Thank you.”

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Chapter 189

She had barely taken a step toward the car when movement from the

corner of her eye caught her attention. A blur of red swept past her-

Graham’s girlfriend, her vibrant hair flowing behind her like a flame.

“Oh, there you are, Edwin,” the woman called out, her tone breezy but

commanding as she closed the distance between them. “I’ve been

looking for you! Graham says he wants to stay here a bit longer, but

these heels are absolutely killing me.” She thrust her designer purse

into Edwin’s hands with an air of entitlement. “Drive me to the

manor, please. You can come back for Graham later.”

Edwin looked momentarily flustered but nodded, ever the

professional. Isla, however, felt the weight of the moment crush down

on her.

She froze, every nerve in her body firing at once. It wasn’t just the

woman’s dismissive tone or the casual way she commandeered what

was once her sanctuary–it was everything. The realization that

nothing in her life was truly hers anymore struck her with brutal

finality. Her father was gone, her home was slipping through her

fingers.

The thought of sharing the drive with Graham’s girlfriend–her

bright, confident presence so starkly contrasting Isla’s shattered one

-was unbearable. Before she could fully process it, her legs were

moving on their own. She turned abruptly, her footsteps quickening

as she fled the scene, her heart pounding like a rabbit escaping a

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Chapter 189

predator.

She didn’t stop, didn’t glance back to see if anyone had noticed her

sudden departure. She ran, her breathing shallow and ragged, until

she found herself back inside the church. Her eyes scanned the dim

interior, her vision blurry from the sting of unshed tears, until she

saw the old confession booth tucked into a shadowed corner. It hadn’t

been used in years, but in that moment, it was exactly what she

needed.

She slipped inside, closing the door behind her. The cramped space

was dark and musty, but it felt safe–safe enough to let her walls

crumble.

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