Lahat ng Kabanata ng Leaving You Bereft: Kabanata 221 - Kabanata 230

Gabriella was awake in the swaddle. She had flawless skin, bright eyes, and tiny dimples. She looked just like Julian.Every father had a soft spot for their daughters, especially since Gabriella kept staring at Julian with her twinkling eyes. She could see clearly now and seemed to be curious about him.He stared back at her as his heart melted. He carefully took Gabriella from Willow's arms, feeling like something was lodged in his throat as he held her close.She was so soft and light. Julian couldn't help but lower his head and press it to Gabriella's cheek. She smelled sweet and had that unique scent that only babies had. It was a smell that filled him with joy.Tears filled his eyes, which was unlike him. This was what blissfulness felt like.Esther quietly wiped her tears. She was just a regular employee, but she'd formed a bond with Julian after working with him for so long. She hoped beyond hope that this moment of bliss would last forever.She said softly, "It's chilly

Willow and Julian had agreed to live like a married couple for three days, but Julian was busy throughout those three days. Even when he was at home, he spent most of his time attending to work in his study.At night, he was rarely home. He would leave the villa every night and return before 5:00 am. After showering, he would fall asleep with Gabriella in his arms. He would sing her lullabies.He only had three short days with her, so he gave her his all—he exhausted himself physically and mentally just to be with her. He wanted her to grow up with memories of a father's warmth, no matter how brief it was.On Julian's last night with Willow, he returned home, overwhelmed by his despair as usual. He sat in the car, feeling drained as he pulled out a cigarette and lit it. His hand trembled as he smoked his way through half of it.Each time he saw Landon felt like the last. He'd hired the world's best doctors to save Landon, whom he knew was in pain. He was such a tiny baby, yet he co

Melanie sneaked back to the Ziegler residence at 2:00 pm, looking disheveled.It was eerily quiet at home; the place seemed empty. None of the Zieglers seemed to be around.She grabbed a passing maid and asked, "Is Liam home yet?"The maid was taken aback. Then, she started crying when she saw it was Melanie. Choked up, she said, "You should hurry to the hospital, Mrs. Ziegler! Mr. Julian got into an accident, and his arm was crushed. We don't know whether he'll be able to keep it—he's still in surgery."Melanie was stunned. She couldn't care less about how unkempt she looked as she hurried to the hospital. The Ziegler family's relatives and friends stood outside the operating theater, looking grim, especially Liam. He was utterly despondent.She staggered to him and grabbed his arm with trembling hands, asking, "Where's Julian? Where is he? Tell me where he is, Liam!"Instead of answering her, he backed away. Meanwhile, Tyler cried, "You've made a huge mistake this time, Melanie

Willow turned off the faucet and met Julian's gaze in the mirror. She said indifferently, "I don't think my personal life has anything to do with you."He swallowed. "You're right. It doesn't."She turned and left. As she brushed past him, his right arm twitched underneath his suit jacket. Ultimately, however, he did nothing and allowed her to leave.He looked at himself in the mirror and smiled self-deprecatingly. What could he do to win her back? His right arm was a mess of patchwork, and he couldn't even hold a glass of water properly. What right did he have to ask a woman in her prime to stay by his side and endure the odd looks others would give them?Willow had plenty of men to choose from. Why would she settle for him?…Later that night, a black car slowly pulled into Radiance Manor. The car stopped, and the driver circled to the back to open the door. "Mr. Ziegler, we're back."It was dark inside the car. Julian sat in the backseat, still engrossed in the agony of his p

Julian had never taken Caleb seriously. He didn't take his eyes off Willow, but his words were directed at Caleb. "Everyone's preferences change with time. Yours have changed, too, haven't they?"Caleb gnashed his teeth angrily, but Annie was both amused and exasperated. How could he possibly stand a chance against Julian when it came to arguing?She hurriedly dragged him away after giving Willow a heads-up. "We're gonna go. You two take your time catching up."Willow smiled helplessly as she watched them leave.Julian looked at her. "I thought Jeffrey would be the first person you'd meet for a meal upon your return."She said, "You're right. I ate with him and Rosabelle two days ago."He fell silent. After a brief silence, he asked, "Why didn't you let me know you were coming back? Why didn't you ask me out for a meal?"She looked into his eyes. When she realized he wasn't joking, she smiled faintly. "Is it even necessary for us to eat together, Julian? Grandma and Landon are g