The End of a Marriage (Colette and Matheo) novel Chapter 213

Chapter 213

Before he could process the rejection, Isla shot to her feet so quickly

that her chair screeched against the floor, wobbling precariously. She

nearly stumbled into the coffee table, her movements clumsy and

frantic, and her sudden outburst was barely above a whisper. !

“No.”

Graham stared at her, the single word echoing in his mind, louder

than any shout. He couldn’t believe what he was hearing. Isla, his

Isla, the girl he had rescued from the brink, the one he had just

offered the world to, had said no.

“No, thank you,” she continued, her voice trembling yet resolute, as

though the words cost her everything she had. Her teary eyes locked

on his, shimmering with unshed tears that made her look

heartbreakingly innocent. “I’m just not desperate enough to belong

somewhere to accept a marriage without love.”

The words were a dagger to his pride, and Graham felt his jaw tighten

as he processed what she had just said. Without love? Did she not

understand what he was offering her? This wasn’t just some

transaction–it was a promise, a lifetime of security, devotion, and

care. He could give her everything she’d ever wanted, everything she

didn’t even know she needed, and yet she was refusing him?

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Chapter 213

As she turned to leave, something primal flared within him, a surge of

possessiveness that overrode any rational thought. His voice came

out low, commanding, and unyielding.

“You are not going anywhere. Sit down.”

The authority in his tone froze her mid–step. Isla’s shoulders tensed,

E her small frame rigid as she stood there, torn between defiance and

submission. He could see the war waging within her, the way her

delicate features twisted in conflict. A vein throbbed at her temple, a

telling sign of her inner struggle.

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For a moment, he thought she might challenge him, might summon

the courage to defy him outright and walk out that door. But then, as though the weight of his presence bore down on her, Isla slowly

turned and sank back into her chair.

Her tears threatened to spill over, her lower lip trembling as she

crossed her arms protectively over herself. She looked so small, so

vulnerable, like a doe caught in the glare of a predator’s eyes. And

yet, even now, there was a flicker of defiance in her pouty expression,

a hint of the strength she didn’t yet realize she possessed.

Graham leaned forward, resting his elbows on the table as he fixed

her with an unrelenting gaze. His dark eyes bore into hers, the

intensity of his presence filling the room.

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