The End of a Marriage (Colette and Matheo) novel Chapter 216

Chapter 216

CHAPTER 16

A few hours later, they were back in the car on their way to Thornfield

Manor. The silence between them was palpable, thick with a tension

Graham couldn’t quite place. Isla sat with her face turned toward the

window, her delicate features set in a stubborn frown as she gazed

out at the passing countryside. Meanwhile, Graham found his gaze

drifting to her far too often, his brow furrowing deeper with every

glance.

Where had it all gone wrong?

The moment they had gotten into the car replayed in his mind. He

had opened the door for her–a gentlemanly gesture he thought she

might appreciate–and had even offered her his hand to help her in.

But instead of acknowledging him, Isla had ignored his hand entirely,

slipping into the car with the same stony silence she had maintained

since leaving the hotel.

At first, he was perplexed. Why had she rebuffed him so coldly? He

wasn’t used to being dismissed like this, especially by someone as

sweet and unassuming as Isla. The realization struck him gradually,

like a slow unraveling of a knot. Her body language, the slight pout

on her lips, the way her arms were folded tightly across her chest–it

1/6

Chapter 216

all painted a clear picture.

She was sulking.

He almost laughed out loud at the absurdity of it. Graham Lancaster,

multi–billionaire and master of negotiation, brought low by the silent

treatment of a sulking nineteen–year–old girl. He leaned back in his

seat with a groan, running a hand down his face. Dear God, what the

hell have I gotten myself into?

The realization that he was dealing with a teenager–one who likely

still processed emotions in bursts of dramatics and pouting–was

both maddening and strangely endearing. His usual strategies for smoothing over conflicts wouldn’t work here. Isla didn’t care about logic or reason right now. She was upset, and she wanted him to know

1. it.

It wasn’t until they reached Willow Creek that inspiration struck. As

they passed by a small, retro ice cream parlor with its cheerful neon

sign, an idea began to take shape. Without warning, Graham pulled

the car to a stop.

“Come on,” he said, his tone leaving no room for argument as he

climbed out of the car.

Isla looked at him skeptically but followed, her curiosity piqued

2/6

Chapter 216

despite herself. A few minutes later, they were seated at one of the

outdoor tables, Isla holding a waffle cone with a scoop of vanilla and

another of strawberry.

The transformation was almost instantaneous. The pout melted away

as she took her first bite, a small smile playing on her lips as the

sugary sweetness hit her taste buds. Graham watched her with quiet

satisfaction, the tension in his chest easing as her mood visibly lifted.

As the tension between them finally eased, Isla was happily digging

into her ice cream, her face lighting up with a genuine smile. Graham

leaned back in his chair, watching her with a curious mix of

amusement and fascination. She seemed so content, savoring her

treat as if the world outside didn’t exist. For a moment, he let himself bask in the simplicity of the scene her happiness was infectious.

But Graham wasn’t one to let a quiet moment linger too long. “You know,” he began, his tone casual, “I’ve been wondering about something, Isla. When you were asking me for a loan earlier…what exactly were you planning to do with the money?”

She looked up at him, mid–bite, her mouth full of ice cream. She swallowed quickly and dabbed at her lips with a napkin. “I was thinking of going to college,” she said, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. “I’m not trained for anything, really, and if I want to make a future for myself, I’ll need a higher education.” She paused, her lips curving into a sarcastic, taunting smile. “Why? Are you

3/6

Chapter 216

thinking of giving me the money?”

The taunting note in her voice caught him off guard. For a second,

Graham was stunned. She wasn’t just the shy, timid girl he’d grown

used to–there was a spark of defiance in her, a side of Isla he hadn’t

seen before. It was captivating.

است

But Graham wasn’t one to back down from a challenge, especially not

when it came from her. He leaned forward, his own smile turning sly.

“No,” he replied smoothly, “but you could always marry me, and then

you’d have all the money you’d ever need. Go to college, buy a college

-it’d be entirely up to you.” He shrugged nonchalantly, his tone

baiting her back.

He expected her to recoil, to blush and stammer like the shy little

touch–me–not he thought she was. But Isla surprised him again. Her

eyes narrowed slightly, and her taunting smile turned razor–sharp.

“Why?” she countered, tilting her head. “What happened to

Vanessa?”

The air seemed to leave his lungs for a moment. She’d knocked the

wind out of his sails, and she knew it. The minx. Graham forced

VERIFYCAPTCHA_LABELVerify