CHAPTER 26
The penthouse was unusually quiet now, the weight of everything that had happened between them settling heavily in the air. Graham had been standing by the window, his mind in turmoil, when the soft knock at the door pulled him from his thoughts. He glanced back, frustration still simmering beneath the surface.
It was Nella, with her usual chipper demeanor, unaware of the storm brewing in the room.
“We’re ready for the party,” Nella said, her voice light, as though she was announcing a pleasant surprise. “I’m sure your fiancée will enjoy it.”
The words hit Graham like a slap, his jaw tightening involuntarily. “Nella,” he said, his tone sharper than he intended. “I’m not sure this is the right time—”
But Nella didn’t seem to notice his discomfort. “Don’t worry, I’ll make sure everything goes smoothly. I’m sure Isla will love it. After all, it’s her special night, right?”
Before Graham could respond, he heard a soft sound from behind him. He turned, just in time to catch Isla standing in the bathroom doorway, her face pale, eyes wide, and something—something unmistakable—flashing in them.
"Wait," Isla said, her voice trembling, cutting through the stillness of the room. “Is that what you’ve been doing? Lying to me this whole time? This whole party... was it just to manipulate me? To get me to come to New York?”
The question hung in the air like a dagger, aimed directly at his heart.
Graham’s mind raced. He wanted to deny it, to tell her that it wasn’t true, that he had genuine feelings for her, that everything he had done was for the right reasons. But the truth was already clear between them. The doubts, the jealousy, the distance—it was all there, and nothing he said could erase that.
Nella, sensing the tension, shifted uncomfortably but didn’t move. Graham, feeling the weight of Isla’s gaze on him, clenched his fists at his sides.
“I... Isla,” he started, his voice rough. He took a step toward her, wanting to close the distance, to explain, to make her understand. But his frustration flared again. “You don’t get it. I’m trying to fix this, trying to show you I care. This party... it’s not just for me. It’s for both of us.”
Isla’s eyes narrowed, her voice rising in anger. “For both of us? Is that what you call it? A party where you parade me around like a trophy? A party full of people I don’t even know, and you want me to pretend it’s all for us?”
Graham’s patience, already stretched thin, snapped. “It’s not like that,” he snapped, his voice rising in frustration. “I didn’t want it to be like that, but you won’t even give me a chance. Every time I try to do something, you shut me out. You don’t even try to understand me!”
Isla’s face twisted with hurt, and she stepped back, as though his words had physically pushed her away. “You’ve been lying to me all along. I never asked for any of this. I never asked for your ‘help’ or your ‘plans.’ I just wanted you to be honest with me, Graham. But I guess that was too much to ask.”
The words were like a punch to the gut. Graham stared at her, feeling the anger boiling over, his hands clenched at his sides. “Honest?” he repeated, voice low and dangerous. “I’ve been honest with you, Isla. I’ve been more honest than anyone’s ever been with you. But you—”
He stopped himself, the tension thickening as he realized how far he was going. “Never mind,” he muttered, frustration and guilt swirling in his chest.
Isla shook her head, tears welling in her eyes. “I can’t do this anymore, Graham. This... this charade. I’m not going to this fake party. I want to go home. Right now.”
The words stung, and Graham felt a surge of helplessness. She wanted to leave. To walk away from him, from everything they had. He wasn’t going to let that happen. Not now, not when everything felt so close to falling apart.
“Isla, please,” he said, voice softer now but still firm. “Don’t do this. We’ve come this far. Don’t walk away now.”
But she didn’t answer. She turned away, making her way toward the door, her steps slow and deliberate.
That was it. He couldn’t let her go like this, not without a fight.
Before she could reach the door, he stepped forward, his hand gripping her arm, turning her back toward him. The contact was firm but not violent, and Isla looked up at him, her eyes filled with a mix of anger, hurt, and confusion.
“I’m not letting you walk out on me,” Graham said, his voice low but filled with an intensity that surprised even him. “Not like this. We need to talk.”
Isla tried to pull away, but he held her, his grip strong but not painful. Her chest heaved with each breath, the emotions swirling between them palpable, tangible. “Let me go, Graham,” she whispered, voice trembling. “I don’t want to hear it anymore. You’ve made your choice.”
“No,” he said, his voice sharp, determined. “You don’t get to walk away without hearing me out. I’ve been trying, Isla. I’ve been trying so damn hard to make this work.”
Her eyes flickered with uncertainty, and for a moment, he thought he saw the walls come down. But before either of them could speak again, Nella cleared her throat softly, standing awkwardly in the doorway.
Graham turned to her, his frustration evident. “Leave. Now. Just... leave.”
Nella, taken aback by the intensity of the moment, nodded silently and stepped back, retreating without another word.
With Nella gone, the room felt even quieter, the tension between them heavier. Graham turned back to Isla, his heart pounding in his chest. “You’re not leaving, Isla. Not like this. I won’t let you.”
Isla stood frozen for a moment, tears in her eyes, her shoulders shaking with emotion. Then, in a soft but firm voice, she spoke. “You’ve done all this, Graham... but for what? To win me over with a party? To show me off?”
“No!” Graham’s voice cracked slightly, frustration and helplessness breaking through. “I’ve done it because I care about you. More than you could possibly know. But you won’t let me in. You keep pushing me away, and I don’t know how much more I can take.”
For a long moment, they simply stood there, the words unsaid lingering in the space between them. Finally, Isla wiped away a tear and took a deep breath, her voice steady but filled with hurt. “Maybe I just don’t know how to trust you anymore.”
Graham’s heart sank. He hadn’t expected that. “Isla...” He reached for her, but she stepped back, the space between them growing once more.
“I’m not going to pretend this is okay,” she said, her voice breaking slightly. “I’m not going to go to some fake party and pretend that everything’s fine when it’s not. I can’t do it.”
Graham's frustration boiled over as he grabbed Isla's wrist and pushed her against the wall. Their eyes locked for a heated moment before he crushed his lips to hers in a searing kiss. His body pressed firmly against hers, pinning her in place as his hands roamed possessively over her curves. The kiss was fierce and demanding, Graham pouring all his pent-up emotions into it. Isla's initial shock melted away as she found herself responding with equal passion, her fingers tangling in his hair. The air between them crackled with electricity and unresolved tension. When they finally broke apart, both were breathing heavily, faces flushed. Graham's eyes smoldered as he gazed at Isla's swollen lips, fighting the urge to claim them again.
Graham's hands roamed possessively over Isla's body beneath the thin fabric of her robe, igniting sparks of sensation everywhere he touched. As his fingers brushed the underside of her breast, Isla gasped, arching into his touch. Graham cupped her soft flesh, his thumb grazing over her hardened nipple. Isla's eyes fluttered closed as a soft moan escaped her lips, her body responding eagerly to his caresses despite her mind's protests. The shock of pleasure coursing through her was evident in the way she trembled against him, caught between desire and uncertainty.