Semua Bab Shattered Vows: Bab 11 - Bab 20

The grand ballroom of the St. Regis Hotel shimmered under the dazzling glow of crystal chandeliers, the air thick with the scent of champagne and designer perfume. It was the kind of event where billionaires solidified alliances, where high society preened, and where every interaction was a game of power.Isla stood at the edge of it all, her hand tightening around the stem of her untouched champagne flute. The evening was supposed to be a show of unity—a chance for her and Killian to present their marriage as unshakable. Instead, he had barely acknowledged her since they arrived.Instead, he was with Celeste.The woman draped on his arm, laughing at his every word, was her stepsister and his supposed "fiancée." The very woman who had taken every opportunity to humiliate her behind closed doors. Now, in front of flashing cameras and scrutinizing eyes, Killian had chosen to flaunt her like a prized possession.A sharp pang twisted in Isla’s chest, but she masked it with an impassive ex

The sun barely broke through the gray clouds over the Blackwood estate, casting muted light across the grand hall. Isla sat at the long dining table, untouched breakfast in front of her, eyes fixed on the steaming cup of coffee she had no intention of drinking. She wasn’t hungry. She was angry. After last night, after Killian’s warning, she had lain awake, staring at the ceiling, wondering how she had let herself get tangled in his world, in his web. And worse, how she had let herself believe, even for a second, that there was something beneath his icy facade worth holding on to. No more. The butler set down a fresh plate of croissants, bowing his head slightly before stepping away. Isla sighed, pushing the food farther from her. A quiet clicking of heels against the marble floor made her tense.Celeste. The woman who had tormented her since childhood, now playing the role of Killian’s fiancée while Isla was reduced to nothing more than a ghost in her own marriage. “You look dr

The morning sunlight spilled through the grand windows of the Blackwood estate, casting golden streaks across the marble floor. Isla sat at the breakfast table, stirring her tea absentmindedly, her mind elsewhere. Across from her, Killian sat with his usual air of indifference, his fingers scrolling through his phone, a steaming cup of black coffee untouched beside him.It had been a week since the accident, a week since Killian had shielded her with his own body, proving—if only for a moment—that beneath his icy demeanor, something else lurked. But after that night, he had returned to his cold, distant self, shutting her out as though nothing had changed.But for Isla, everything had changed.She was done waiting for Killian Blackwood to acknowledge her, done feeling like an unwanted ghost haunting the halls of his empire. If she was going to survive in this world, she needed to build something of her own.Placing her cup down with deliberate softness, she looked up. "I'm going out t

The mansion was silent except for the faint sound of the city humming outside. Isla stood near the window, arms crossed over her chest as she gazed at the endless Manhattan skyline. The night stretched before her like a vast, open road—a road she wished she could escape down, far from the chaos of Killian Blackwood.The tension between them had been unbearable since the gala. Every interaction was a battlefield. He had ignored her for days, but his presence still loomed, an ever-present storm ready to unleash its fury. The sound of approaching footsteps made her straighten, but she refused to turn around. She already knew who it was. "You’ve been avoiding me," Killian’s voice was deep, controlled, yet there was a rough edge to it. Isla scoffed, still not looking at him. "That’s ironic, coming from the man who ignores me whenever it’s convenient."A sharp exhale. "That night at the gala—"She finally turned, her gaze meeting his with defiance. "What about it?" His jaw clenched. "Ni

Isla sat in the darkness of her room, the only source of light coming from the city skyline outside. The vast metropolis stretched before her, alive with flickering lights and distant sirens, but she felt nothing—just a numb emptiness settling deep in her bones. Her hands clenched into fists on her lap as she replayed the scene with Killian over and over in her mind.He had lied to her. Again.She should have expected it. Killian Blackwood was not a man who dealt in honesty. He was cold, calculated, and only ever did things that served his own interests. And she? She had been a fool—a fool who had let him get close enough to hurt her not once, but twice.Never again.A knock at the door startled her. Her first instinct was to ignore it, but then a familiar voice echoed through the quiet space.“Isla, open the damn door.”Killian.A bitter laugh escaped her lips. Of course, he would come. Of course, he would try to smooth things over with that same cold, detached logic he always used.