The End of a Marriage (Colette and Matheo) novel Chapter 219

He couldn’t bear it. The stillness of this place grated on his nerves.

Out here, there was no sharp click of heels on marble floors, no hum

of high–powered engines or distant wail of sirens. Just the endless

expanse of green fields stretching out from the large bay window

before him, dotted with the occasional cluster of trees.

Christmas was around the corner, and his to–do list was a mile long.

Deals needed closing, meetings needed leading, and the project–his

project–was at a standstill because some decisions simply couldn’t

be made without him. And yet here he was, marooned in Willow

Creek, while life back in the city continued without him.

Graham pushed back from the desk, rising to his feet. He stalked to

the window, hands shoved into the pockets of his slacks, his piercing

gaze fixed on the horizon. But he wasn’t really seeing the landscape.

His mind was consumed by a singular thought, one that had taken

root the moment she’d walked back into his life. Isla.

He couldn’t leave. That much he knew. The last time he’d turned his

back, she’d vanished without a trace, leaving nothing behind but an

empty room and a hollowness in his chest he still couldn’t quite

name. The fear of her disappearing again–of never finding her this

time–kept him tethered to this place, no matter how much he hated

1. it.

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Chapter 219

But this arrangement wasn’t sustainable. He couldn’t live like this,

balancing the weight of his empire on one hand while keeping constant watch over Isla with the other. No, he needed a solution. A

way to anchor her to him permanently.

The answer was obvious, even if she couldn’t–or wouldn’t–see it yet.

Marriage.

It was the only way to ensure she stayed. The only way he could breathe easy, knowing she wouldn’t slip away in the night and leave him haunted by the memory of her absence. But what if she said no?

That question gnawed at him, a rare and unwelcome vulnerability. Graham Lancaster didn’t fail. He didn’t lose. And yet, the possibility of Isla rejecting him loomed large, a threat he couldn’t shake.

His jaw tightened, and then another thought struck him–a solution, simple and foolproof. If she wouldn’t stay here willingly, he would

take her with him. Wherever he went, she would go too.

The idea brought a small, satisfied smile to his lips. It was perfect. No

more sleepless nights wondering if she’d bolt. No more irrational fear

of losing her forever. If she was always by his side, he could keep her

safe, keep her close.

The fear–that gut–wrenching panic he’d felt when she disappeared-

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Chapter 219

was something he had never experienced before. Not for anyone, not

for anything. Graham prided himself on his control, on his ability to

remain detached and pragmatic. But Isla shattered all of that. For her, he felt something raw, something dangerously close to need.

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