The Extraordinary Bride Of The Wyndham Family (Isla and Gabriel) novel Chapter 55

Extraordinary bride 55 Summary

Isla wakes up with a brutal headache and a dry throat, struggling to remember the painful events of the previous night filled with tears, shouting, and heavy drinking. As her blurry vision clears, she realizes she is not in her own bedroom but in Gabriel’s room, with him asleep beside her. The memory of how she ended up there is unclear, but she suspects Landon must have called Gabriel for help.

Trying not to disturb Gabriel, Isla quietly prepares to leave, but he wakes and confronts her, his voice rough from sleep. Isla, still angry and hurt, tells Gabriel firmly to stay away and insists they are finished. When she attempts to leave, she finds the door locked, which frustrates her. Gabriel insists she stay, promising to take care of her and talk after she freshens up and eats breakfast.

Isla retreats to the bathroom, exhausted and overwhelmed, while Gabriel unlocks the door and leaves to arrange breakfast with Magdalene. He prepares Isla’s favorite foods and brings them to her room. After Isla finishes showering, Gabriel presents her with clothes to change into, and though their fingers briefly touch, Isla remains distant and silent, her anger and pain palpable.

Despite the warmth of the shower, Isla feels emotionally hollow and heavy-hearted. She longs to escape Carminton and everything surrounding her to find herself again, highlighting her deep inner turmoil and desire for distance from her current life. Gabriel watches her silently, caught between wanting to comfort her and respecting the cold distance she maintains.

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Isla’s head throbbed mercilessly, the pain pulsing as if someone were hammering her temples from within. She tried to open her eyes, but her heavy eyelids felt as if they were sealed shut with glue, refusing to budge. Her throat was parched, and a faint, lingering bitterness of tequila clung to her tongue.

Gradually, fragments of the previous night began to surface—the sobbing, the shouting, and the endless stream of tequila she had swallowed in a desperate attempt to drown her pain. She remembered how she had cried until her chest tightened and her breath came in ragged gasps, wishing, more than anything, for the world to stop spinning, even if just for a single night.

With a weary sigh, she lifted her hand to her face, her fingers gently massaging the swollen skin around her eyes. This time, when she tried again, her eyelids finally obeyed, parting to reveal a blurry, bright room. The harsh light stung her eyes, forcing them to adjust slowly.

As her vision cleared, a sudden realization froze her in place. This wasn’t her bedroom. The familiar surroundings were unmistakably Gabriel’s. Her heart tightened painfully at the thought. She couldn’t recall how she had ended up here, but seeing Gabriel asleep beside her offered a silent explanation.

Landon must have called him last night.

Not wanting to disturb Gabriel’s sleep, Isla carefully pushed the blanket aside and slipped out of bed. Her entire body ached, and a faint dizziness lingered as she searched for her phone. It wasn’t on the nightstand, so she scanned the room until her eyes landed on her clutch bag, neatly placed on the table.

She opened it, her fingers trembling slightly as she located her phone inside. Without removing it, she closed the bag quietly. Every small noise—the creak of the floor, the soft rustle of fabric, even her own breath—seemed unbearably loud in the stillness. She moved cautiously toward the door, intent on slipping away before Gabriel awoke.

But just as her hand reached for the door handle, a low, rough voice broke the silence.

“Where do you think you’re going, Isla?”

Her whole body stiffened. Slowly, she turned around. Gabriel was awake now, his voice still husky from sleep, eyes sharp and fixed on her.

Isla’s face hardened instantly. She didn’t want to engage with him, didn’t even want to meet his gaze. Yet, there were things she needed to say—things she needed him to understand.

Gabriel sat up, rubbing his eyes briefly before swinging his legs over the side of the bed. Like her, he was still wearing the clothes from the day before. His dark hair was tousled, and tired shadows lay beneath his eyes. He stepped forward, bare feet making soft taps on the polished floor.

Isla’s electric-blue eyes, rimmed with red from crying, stared at him coldly. The anger blazing in her gaze dared him to come closer.

Gabriel halted about three feet away, reading the warning in her expression. He longed to reach out, to touch her, but something in her eyes told him to hold back.

“Let me make one thing clear,” Isla said, her voice quiet but steady, trembling slightly beneath the surface. “Stay away from me. I don’t want to hear whatever you have to say. We’re finished, Gabriel.”

Turning toward the door again, she tried to leave before tears betrayed her resolve. This time, Gabriel didn’t stop her. He remained still, watching her silently.

Her hand gripped the doorknob and twisted, but the door didn’t budge. It was locked.

Frustration welled up inside her. She closed her eyes tightly, then reopened them and faced him again. “This isn’t a game, Gabriel. Unlock the door. Now.” Her tone was firmer, commanding even, though exhaustion lurked beneath the strength.

“Not until you let me take care of you… and hear me out,” Gabriel replied calmly, though pain lingered beneath his words. He closed his eyes briefly and ran a hand through his disheveled hair, exhaling deeply. When he opened them again, he added, “You’re not leaving this room, Isla. Go inside, freshen up. I’ll bring you breakfast. After that, we’ll talk.”

She didn’t respond. Her face remained calm, almost distant. Her heart felt unbearably heavy, numb to everything else. Without a word, she turned away and went to change.

Gabriel stood still, watching her retreat into the corner of the room.

Inside, Isla felt hollow. The warmth of the shower hadn’t eased the ache in her chest. Her body may have settled, but her heart still burned fiercely. She longed to leave—leave Carminton, leave everything behind for a week or two—just to find herself again.

Conclusion

The raw emotions that permeate this chapter reveal the deep fractures between Isla and Gabriel, underscoring a painful distance that neither seems ready to bridge. Isla’s exhaustion and anger are palpable, her struggle to maintain control amidst overwhelming vulnerability painting a poignant picture of a woman caught between heartbreak and the desire for self-preservation. Gabriel’s quiet determination to care for her, despite her coldness, hints at a lingering hope for reconciliation, yet the tension between them remains thick and unresolved.

As Isla retreats into herself, the chapter closes on a note of quiet despair and longing for escape, reflecting the complex emotional landscape they both inhabit. The delicate brush of their fingers and Gabriel’s thoughtful gesture with the clothes serve as subtle reminders of their connection, fragile yet persistent. This moment of stillness captures the essence of their fraught relationship—marked by pain, unspoken words, and the tentative possibility of healing that lies just beneath the surface.

What to Expect in Next Chapter?

The next chapter promises an intense emotional confrontation between Isla and Gabriel, where unspoken feelings and simmering tensions will come to the surface. As they navigate the fragile space between anger and vulnerability, readers can expect a deeper glimpse into their complicated relationship, revealing layers of pain, regret, and perhaps a flicker of hope. The locked door serves as a powerful metaphor for the barriers they must overcome, both physical and emotional.

Meanwhile, Isla’s inner turmoil will continue to unfold, her desire to escape clashing with the undeniable pull Gabriel still has on her. The quiet moments between them may speak louder than words, hinting at unresolved conflicts and the possibility of unexpected decisions. The atmosphere is charged with anticipation—will they find common ground or drift further apart? The next chapter will keep readers on edge, eager to witness how these two wounded souls confront their past and what the future holds.