Breaking Mr. Cold (Giselle and Donovan) novel Chapter 336

After a few days away, Giselle returned to the hospital to find Donovan already moving about on his own.

He had been in the middle of a video conference, but the moment he saw her step inside, he wrapped things up in a few words and ended the call.

"How's your flu? Are you recovered?" he asked casually.

Those days she had spent shut away in grief, she had told Donovan she was down with a fever, resting at home so she wouldn't risk infecting him.

Seeing his refreshed, healthy complexion, her mood eased a little, though the shadow over her heart refused to lift. She walked to his bedside, wanting to show some tenderness, but the weight pressing on her chest made it impossible to smile.

"What's wrong?" Donovan noticed the hollowness in her eyes, the faint swelling around them. He reached to lift her chin. "Were you that sick?"

"No." She pushed his hand away, sat in silence for a long moment, then spoke flatly. "My dog, Eastin—something happened."

"What happened?"

"Anne had it killed, then cooked it into stew and tricked me into eating it…" She stated the truth as if it were nothing, but with every word, her heart bled.

Donovan's expression hardened, stunned.

He had never kept a pet, but he knew how much that dog meant to her. For once, he felt a sting of grief on her behalf. All he could do was reach out and ruffle her hair, saying nothing.

Giselle's voice turned into a whisper, almost to herself. "After that, I went to the Holt residence. I stabbed her. I meant to finish her, but they stopped me. She's still alive."

"That simple?" He had always loathed weddings himself. Yet with her, the thought of giving her a grand, radiant ceremony—a marriage witnessed by the world—had seemed worth it.

"Yes." A bitter smile tugged at her lips. "My reputation's already ruined. A quiet marriage is enough. If we throw a spectacle, people will only laugh at your family. They'd never approve anyway. Since there won't be blessings, why make it a show? We just need to live our own lives."

Donovan thought it over. She was right. He didn't mind her past, but he also couldn't silence the gossip, nor endlessly fight his family over it.

"Whatever makes you comfortable. You decide everything about our marriage."

"Good." She leaned close, her voice brushing his ear. "Then let's get the marriage certificate in secret. Don't tell anyone in the Kane family—not yet."