Lahat ng Kabanata ng Shattered Vows: Kabanata 1 - Kabanata 10

The Blackwood Estate stood as a towering symbol of wealth and influence, its grandeur casting an imposing shadow over the city skyline. It was a place where only the most elite gathered, a haven for billionaires, politicians, and socialites who measured power in whispers and sealed deals with a clink of crystal glasses. Tonight, the estate was alive with music and laughter, the grand ballroom a spectacle of shimmering lights, flowing champagne, and breathtakingly expensive gowns.Isla Carter adjusted the strap of her deep emerald dress, her fingers grazing the soft silk as she scanned the crowd with barely concealed unease. She was out of place here, surrounded by women who wore their privilege like a second skin and men who had the world at their feet. She hadn’t wanted to come, but her best friend, Elena, had insisted, dragging her into a night she was already regretting.“You look like you’re about to make a run for it,” Elena teased, nudging Isla’s arm as they stood near the bar.

The sun had fully risen by the time Isla gathered the courage to leave Killian’s suite. Even in her expensive gown, she felt exposed, vulnerable. The hallway was empty as she slipped through, her heart pounding with the weight of her regret. Every step away from that room felt like a thousand miles, but it still wasn’t far enough.By the time she made it to the lobby, her phone buzzed.**Bestie:** Where are you? I saw you leave with HIM. Tell me you didn’t.Isla’s fingers trembled over the screen. How could she explain what had happened? How could she admit to the reckless mistake that now clawed at her insides?Before she could respond, a hotel concierge approached her with a polite but distant smile. "Miss Carter, Mr. Blackwood requested that a car be prepared for you. It’s waiting outside."Isla stiffened. “Excuse me?”The man’s expression didn’t waver. "Mr. Blackwood had an early departure and left instructions to ensure you had a comfortable way home."Early departure.The words

The city skyline stretched beyond Isla’s apartment window, twinkling with lights that seemed indifferent to her turmoil. The pregnancy test lay discarded on her nightstand, but the truth it revealed haunted her every waking moment. She needed to talk to him. Killian Blackwood might have vanished after that night, but he couldn’t ignore this forever. Heart pounding, Isla grabbed her phone and scrolled to his contact once more. The screen glowed in the dim room, his name taunting her. She hesitated only a second before pressing ‘call.’The phone rang. Once. Twice. Three times.Straight to voicemail.A lump formed in her throat. She ended the call and tried again. This time, the call didn’t even ring—it went directly to voicemail.He had blocked her.The realization hit like a punch to the gut. Her breath came out in shallow bursts, fingers tightening around the device. Anger, frustration, hurt—all of it swirled inside her, an uncontrollable storm. Elena, who had been sitting cross-

The contract sat on Isla’s small dining table, an unrelenting presence, its crisp white pages mocking her with every passing second. She had left Killian’s estate in a haze, the weight of his ultimatum pressing down on her like a vice. For two days, she had locked herself in her apartment, refusing to answer calls, avoiding the world. But no amount of isolation could make the reality disappear. She was running out of time.Her finances were in shambles. Rent was overdue, her savings had dwindled, and the looming medical expenses of her pregnancy felt like a boulder hanging over her head. The job she once loved, her independence—all of it seemed to slip further from her grasp with each passing moment. Killian had backed her into a corner, and she hated him for it.A sharp knock on the door jolted her out of her thoughts. She hesitated before standing, smoothing out the wrinkles in her worn-out sweatshirt. When she opened the door, her best friend, Elena, stood there, eyes scanning

Isla had barely settled into her cold, lifeless new reality before fate threw another cruel twist her way.The morning after her sham of a wedding, she forced herself out of bed, determined to regain some semblance of control over her life. She wasn’t going to spend her days cowering in the east wing while Killian acted like she didn’t exist. Dressed in a simple yet elegant dress—something befitting a woman of the Blackwood name—she descended the grand staircase, her heels clicking against the marble. She was making her way toward the dining hall when she heard voices in the lounge.A woman’s voice. Sultry. Confident. Familiar.Her heart froze in her chest.No. It couldn’t be.But as she stepped closer, the sight before her stole the breath from her lungs. Celeste. Her stepsister sat comfortably on one of the velvet chairs, her legs crossed as she sipped from a crystal glass. Her golden-blonde hair cascaded over her shoulders in perfect waves, her designer outfit impeccable. But it