The End of a Marriage (Colette and Matheo) novel Chapter 192

Chapter 192

“Sorry,” she said quickly, her voice breaking the silence as she

glanced up at him. “I didn’t catch that.”

Graham stopped, turning to look down at her. For a moment, the hard

edges of his expression softened, and something like regret flickered

in his eyes. “It’s okay,” he mouthed, his lips forming the words slowly

for her benefit. Then, almost sheepishly, he added, “Sometimes I

forget… you can’t hear.”

Strangely, as Graham looked at her now, the harsh edge in his

expression softened, replaced by something she couldn’t quite

decipher. Was it concern? Care? Isla wasn’t sure, but the shift was

undeniable. His dark eyes held hers for a fleeting moment before he

spoke again, his tone gentler than before.

“Never mind,” he said, his lips forming the words slowly enough for

her to catch. “Go and freshen up. Maggie must be serving dinner by

now.”

Then, to her surprise, he reached out and gave her a light pat on the

back–a casual gesture, quick and unthinking, the kind of thing

someone might do to hurry along a younger sibling.

Isla froze for a moment, her face heating as the realization sank in.

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Chapter 192

That’s exactly how it felt–as though he were treating her like a little

sister. Her cheeks flushed crimson at the thought. She had always

known Graham Lancaster saw her as nothing more than the daughter

of his father’s second wife, a quiet shadow on the periphery of his

life. But now, he was acting protective, almost familial, as though she

were his responsibility in the most brotherly sense of the word.

The very idea made her stomach twist with an odd mix of indignation

and something she couldn’t quite name. Before he could notice her

reaction, Isla turned on her heel and fled toward the sanctuary of her

room. The door clicked shut behind her, and she leaned against it, her

heart still pounding.

And why couldn’t she convince herself that it was better this way?

When she finally emerged from her room, the house felt eerily quiet.

The grand corridors of Thornfield Manor, usually so full of life,

seemed to echo with the absence of her stepfather. The thought sent

a fresh wave of sadness crashing over her, but she steadied herself as

she made her way to the dining room.

The sight that greeted her stopped her in her tracks. Graham was

seated at the head of the table–the chair her stepfather had occupied

for as long as Isla could remember. Seeing him there, so effortlessly

filling the role of patriarch, was like a punch to the gut. It wasn’t just

the physical act of him sitting there; it was the way he seemed to

belong there, as though that seat had always been his.

Chapter 192

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