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Chapter 289
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Leaving You Bereft Chapter 290
Melanie made a sound of acknowledgment. She would help Willow keep her family intact, if only for Julian and the children.…That night, Willow had a dream. She dreamed about the night when she and Julian had fallen out by Lake Tolpond as Grace's life hung in the balance. She'd set the black Maybach on fire, and the flames had turned the sky above the lake crimson.She also dreamed of the chapel where Julian had knelt before the heavens and prayed. She wanted to step forward and call his name, but his figure was blurry—she stepped right through him.Willow's eyes flew open. She was covered in cold sweat, and the pain of childbirth spread through her.Melanie jolted awake and immediately hurried forward. "Are you okay? Do you want to see Evelyn?"The ward was silent save for that question. Willow looked at Melanie for a while before asking, "Where is Julian?"Melanie became choked up. "He's busy. He'll be back soon, okay? He'll be back to see you and the kids."Willow shook her
Leaving You Bereft Chapter 291
Esther's face was wet with tears when she finished reading the journal entry. Her sorrow couldn't affect a man who'd lost his memories, though.Julian couldn't see, and he couldn't remember anything. He lived in his own world, which didn't even have day and night. All he knew was that he had Noah by his side.The surface of the lake rippled, and the water lapped against the bank. For once, Julian couldn't sleep. He sat up in the darkness and said, "Noah."Noah immediately sat up. "Is your heart racing? Do you need water?"Julian shook his head. "Did something fall into the water? I keep hearing it lapping against the bank, and it's all I can hear. Can you help me out there so I can see it?"He couldn't see anything, but he still wanted to take a stroll. Otherwise, he couldn't be at peace.Noah tried to satisfy him wherever possible, so he helped Julian out of bed and straightened his clothes. He also wrapped a windbreaker around Julian's shoulders.They embarked on a journey in
Leaving You Bereft Chapter 292
No one dared to tell Willow the truth.Liam comforted her as he usually did, and Tyler and Karen chimed in. Meanwhile, Dexter remained silent. As a professional lawyer, Zachary would never betray his client's trust.Melanie was the only one who couldn't stand it. She burst into tears and cried, "Just act like Julian is no longer here, Willow! Raise the kids as best as you can. Julian also said that you can move on with someone new if they feel like the right person. Stop waiting for him."Tears streamed down her face. Willow wouldn't get to see Julian return—the blood clot in his brain was like a ticking time bomb. No one could save him!Liam wanted to tell Melanie off, but couldn't bring himself to do it.After a period of silence, Willow made a soft sound of acknowledgment before signing the document. Julian's signature was already there. It looked as strong and bold as ever.Seeing it made her feel like she was seeing him. She gently stroked it, her expression desolate as she
Leaving You Bereft Chapter 293
Gabriella stared out at the snow, suddenly feeling like a car would just pull up outside. Julian would get out with a handful of sparklers that he'd bought for her and Landon.How could he be dead? He'd yet to hold Evelyn, so he couldn't be dead. But why wasn't he coming back when she'd waited and waited for him by the window every day?Tears filled Gabriella's eyes, and she threw herself into Willow's arms. "Mommy, will Daddy come back?"Willow held her close underneath the warm lights and pressed their faces together. "Yes, he will. It might be when you're in elementary school, or it might be when you're all grown up and with a family of your own…"Gabriella was already five and had a vague understanding of life's intricacies. She leaned into Willow's embrace and was dazed for a long time. Then, she mumbled, "I'll always be by your side, Mommy."Willow felt like crying. After putting the children to bed, she stood before the window and looked out at the blanket of snow.Where w
Leaving You Bereft Chapter 294
Willow wasn't too happy with the robots after seeing them. "This product may sell on emotion, but we still need to make it look good. The design is far too plain—it won't attract attention on the market. It's unacceptable for a high-end product to look like this. Reflect on this and make improvements."Jim promised to do so. His secretary was a fresh graduate who wanted to prove herself, and she blurted, "There's another sample in the storage room, and it's done really well. Do you want to take a look at that, Ms. Harper?"Jim snapped, "It's not your place to speak here!"The secretary fell silent, not daring to make another sound.Willow was actually very interested in this project. She got up and said, "Let's head to the storage room, then."Jim wanted to stop her, but didn't dare to say anything. Five minutes later, everyone arrived at the storage room. The secretary proudly pulled back a black tarp, revealing a life-sized, hyper-realistic robot.It was so lifelike that it sen
Leaving You Bereft Chapter 295
It was the night before New Year's Eve, and the first snow had cleared. However, snow still blanketed the mountains and pines lining either side of the highway, turning them into a sea of white.Most of the lake had frozen over in winter, but there were spots where the sunlight hit that weren't frozen. The water gently lapped against the bank, glistening in the sunlight.A black car sped toward Lake Tolpond. Willow sat in it, her face turned to look out the window. Her nose was red.It was noon, and the sun hung high in the sky. The car approached Lake Tolpond, where a secluded resort sat. It was deserted in winter, and things were silent and still. Only one cabin had smoke coming from the chimney—someone was obviously using the fireplace to make things warm and toasty inside.Willow told the driver to pull up before that cabin. Once the car stopped, she opened the door. Her hands trembled uncontrollably, and she felt stiff all over. As she got out, she practically stumbled to the
Leaving You Bereft Chapter 296
Julian and Willow rode in the same car on the way home. Liam and Karen wanted to follow them and savor the joy of being reunited, but Willow stopped them.She looked at Melanie and said, "Esther probably told you that you need to attend a banquet tonight. Nebula Group needs Mr. Hall's support now, and you know Mrs. Hall well. You're the only one who can get the job done."It was nice having her value recognized, but Melanie also wanted to be with Julian. Still, she was secretly quite terrified of Willow—the latter could be fierce at times.Liam couldn't help feeling vindicated.…Noah packed everything and got ready to follow Willow home. Esther finally arrived at the cabin and hastily opened the car door for them when she saw Willow helping Julian out. "Ms. Harper."Willow glanced at her and asked again, "Can I trust you, Esther?"Esther forced herself to stay calm. "I'll always be loyal to you."Willow stopped making things hard for her. She helped Julian into the car, and No
Leaving You Bereft Chapter 297
It was warm and comfortable in the bedroom's lounge. Julian had taken off his coat to reveal the black cashmere shirt underneath. The thin material clung to his toned chest and broad shoulders. Even just sitting there, he looked good.Gabriella held a fairy tale book and read it aloud. "Once upon a time, there was a beautiful princess who had a stepmother. Her stepmother was jealous of her beauty, so she thought of a way to get rid of her. The stepmother used a poisoned apple to hurt the princess, leaving the princess in a deep sleep."Only a prince who genuinely loved the princess could awaken her with a true love's kiss. One day, a prince passed through the forest…"When she was done with the book, she looked at Julian with bright eyes. "You used to read to me like that. Do you remember now?"He didn't, but Gabriella had plenty of ideas. She ran to the cot and carried Evelyn to Julian with a maid's help. She held Evelyn up to Julian's nose so he could sniff her. Then, she said ha
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Leaving You Bereft Chapter 350
Willow, feigning indifference, replied, "I think we should wait until our children are a bit older."Julian gently stroked her cheek, letting the remarriage topic drop for now. He then lowered his head to kiss Evelyn, who was currently nestled in his arms. She was clearly well cared for, with a soft, delicate face and chubby little arms, and holding her felt akin to embracing a cuddly stuffed toy.In the late hours, after the lights were turned off, Willow snuggled close to Julian, resting her head partly on his arm, and said softly, "I want to come back and look after the children, Julian. It feels like the right moment to do it now, since it'll just seem too sudden if I ask you to take over later."There was a prolonged silence before Julian asked gently, "Do you really want to leave the business world behind?"Willow, showing no lingering attachment to the business world, replied, "There are three little ones who need me to look after them at home. I mean, though the elders are
Leaving You Bereft Chapter 349
It was the dead of night, and at Radiance Manor—the most luxurious manor in Brindley—Julian and Willow were in the throes of passionate lovemaking when, jarringly, a phone started ringing from the suit pants that had been cast aside at the foot of the bed.It rang persistently, the insistent sound echoing throughout the bedroom. Julian had intended to ignore it, but Willow couldn't quite get back into the moment. She gently caressed his cheek and murmured, "You should answer it first—we can pick up where we left off later."Julian's gaze held a profound expression. He gave Willow a quick kiss on the corner of her mouth, then reached over and pulled his phone out of his pants. He glanced at the screen and noticed that it was a call from an unknown number. He then answered the call and said, "Julian Ziegler speaking."Having spoken briefly with the caller on the other end of the line, Julian glanced at Willow and said, "Got it. I'll be there shortly."He then hung up the phone and
Leaving You Bereft Chapter 348
Julian hardly ever drank this much. "I'm fine. It's not every day we get a night like this anyway."Willow, rarely this assertive, didn't back down this time. "You just had surgery not long ago. You're also not in your early 20s anymore, Julian."Julian, looking slightly tipsy, fixed her with a heated gaze and murmured, "I'll let you experience firsthand that a man in his early 30s is every bit as good as one in his early 20s."Upon hearing that, Willow's cheeks immediately flushed with embarrassment, murmuring, "Julian…"Julian's eyes were filled with love as he looked at her, taking her hand in his. Having toasted one last drink with one of the members of the project team, he decided not to push his luck with Willow and declared, "That's it for me! If I have another one, Ms. Harper will be displeased, and I might even end up sleeping on the couch tonight!"Those around them instantly hooted and hollered with amusement.Julian chuckled and exclaimed, "You bunch of rascals!"He
Leaving You Bereft Chapter 347
In the end, with the conclusion of the bidder conference, Nebula Group was officially awarded PrimePath Group's project. Michael turned on his heel and stormed out of the conference room.In contrast, the representatives from the other companies, being good sports, all went up to congratulate them. Given that Nebula Group was the biggest player in Brindley, Julian's direct participation in the bidding was a game-changer, giving them all a memorable lesson. It definitely provided them with plenty of fodder for future conversations and boasting.Meanwhile, those back at Nebula Group had already begun their celebration by popping the champagne.Julian and the other returned to the company, where Dexter immediately popped open a bottle of champagne and playfully doused Julian with it. Upon seeing that, those from the project team cheered and clapped enthusiastically. They had, after all, never dared to act this way toward Julian, who had always been perceived as cold and utterly rut
Leaving You Bereft Chapter 346
Upon seeing Julian, Eleanor went completely still, knowing that her defeat in PrimePath Group's bidder conference was inevitable.Michael firmly held her hand, his eyes conveying a deep conviction as he said, "I believe you won't let me down, Eleanor."Upon hearing that, Eleanor felt a wave of cold air wash over her.It was then that Julian and Esther took their seats next to Eleanor. Having exchanged a polite nod with Eleanor, Julian feigned surprise at seeing Michael, saying, "It's been a while, Mr. Hall. You're looking as distinguished as always—unlike the last time, when you looked like a swollen mess."Having heard what Julian said, Michael's lips trembled almost imperceptibly.Julian, looking thoroughly pleased, settled into his seat.Esther leaned in and whispered, "It seems like we're the ninth one to present our bid, placing us directly after Ascent Group."Julian nodded in understanding.It was then that Preston Padilla, the key figure from PrimePath Group, stepped fo
Leaving You Bereft Chapter 345
Dexter seethed with a desire to triumph over Michael, after all.In the early hours, Willow began the scheduled meeting, but after five minutes had elapsed, Dexter's seat was still unoccupied.Having noticed that, Willow turned to Julian and instructed, "Please go take a look in the storeroom."Julian nodded his assent, readily following Willow's instruction. He made his way to the storeroom in a couple of minutes and bypassed the fingerprint lock. He then noticed that the space within was silent, though the subtle sound of someone breathing could still be detected.Dexter, likely overcome by exhaustion, had inexplicably fallen asleep in the storeroom, holding "Julian," the AI robot, in a tight embrace. That sight inexplicably sent a chill down Julian's spine.Dexter remained asleep, undisturbed by the slight movements. He was even issuing a command to the robot in his dreams, murmuring, "Did you miss me, Julian?"Julian landed a solid punch on Dexter, exclaiming, "It's already m
Leaving You Bereft Chapter 344
In the aftermath, Michael, wearing a white bathrobe, leaned against the headboard and smoked his cigarette. Khloe snuggled against him, being incredibly affectionate and wheedling, her ultimate aim being for Michael to financially support her on the side.Michael lowered his gaze, and the finger holding his cigarette softly brushed against her cheek. Khloe looked up at him, allowing him to do as he wished.It was common knowledge that men had always preferred the gentle and compliant type.Michael had never kept women around. He was very displeased with Eleanor, though. He could tell that Eleanor still had a thing for Dexter, which, for a self-made man like Michael, felt like a huge slap in the face. Thus, in order to get back at her out of spite— and with Khloe being good in bed and easy on the eyes—he agreed without much hesitation.In their social circle, it wasn't uncommon to keep a woman or two on the side. In addition, his subsequent marriage to Eleanor would only be a marria
Leaving You Bereft Chapter 343
Julian smiled faintly and said, "It must have been someone who was always around, then."Upon hearing that, Liam was completely dumbfounded. It took him a while before he blurted out, "You've actually known all along, huh, Julian?"Julian turned slightly and flicked his cigarette ash, thinking that it would have been impossible not to know about it. Liam's partiality for Willow had been so clear since Willow's reunion with her family. It was only Melanie, in her obliviousness, who had failed to notice it. Those who were aware simply played along, thinking that what happened in the past had no place in the present.Julian quipped, "You should probably be a bit more subtle going forward."Liam's face flushed with embarrassment as he quickly made up a reason to retire to his room.Julian's surroundings had fallen silent once again. His gaze drifted into the dark depths of the night as he slowly took a drag of his cigarette, his thoughts drifting between the past and what lay ahead, o
Leaving You Bereft Chapter 342
In the hush of the night, a black car slowly pulled into the Ziegler residence, where Tyler and Karen had been waiting anxiously at the entrance.Upon seeing Dexter unharmed, Karen gave him a firm smack on his shoulder and exclaimed, "You gave your father and me such a fright! You can't go breaking the law—no matter what!"Having stepped out of the car with Willow, Julian smiled gently and said, "Dexter only acted in such a manner out of deep affection."Tyler sighed softly and said, "I seriously can't thank you enough, Julian. If it weren't for you, Dexter might have gotten himself into real trouble again."Julian, maintaining his smile, exclaimed, "You give me too much credit, Uncle Tyler! I'm certain Dexter knows what he's doing."Tyler had instructed the household staff to prepare some late-night snacks, but Julian, after giving it some thought, expressed his worry about leaving his three children alone and decided to return home with Willow instead.It was only after their c
