Semua Bab Leaving You Bereft: Bab 361 - Bab 370

Gina smiled. She and Michael were bedfellows, but she was open-minded about these things. Her relationship with him was more of a way to secure her job, and it helped that Michael gave her extra compensation of about 300 thousand dollars each month.It was easy money for someone like her, who was close to 40. She was surprised that he'd decided to marry Khloe, though.Michael said carelessly, "I need to have a wife right now—I can just find an excuse to divorce her a year or two after the wedding. Oh, don't forget to remind my lawyer to prepare a prenuptial agreement. I'll need it tonight."Gina smiled. She knew it.…Khloe was delighted when Michael went to see her again—he told her she was going to become his wife. For someone with her background, being with someone like Michael was about the best she could do.She'd considered giving him a child so she could make more money and get her hands on more resources, but she never would've thought that he'd be willing to marry her.

Silence descended once again. Eleanor took some time to gather her thoughts before saying, "Michael, I've already said everything I want to say."She wasn't a saint. She didn't want to reconcile with Michael, not because of Khloe's pregnancy, but because Michael himself was a jerk. The sincerity he was currently displaying stemmed from his dissatisfaction with Khloe—he just didn't want her to have his kid.Eleanor was just his excuse.He asked hoarsely, "Do you have to be so stubborn, Eleanor?"He'd already backed down, yet she refused to do the same.Eleanor responded by hanging up. She smiled faintly and thought about how she would've ended up with Dexter long ago if she weren't so stubborn. She knew it wasn't the best trait and made her seem foolish, but what could she do to convince herself otherwise?The night seemed to grow heavier. Michael lowered his phone and turned around to see Khloe standing at the door leading to the balcony. She held a jacket, looking like she was

Eleanor's heart skipped a beat at the mention of Dexter. However, she followed Maisie silently, not probing her for more information.…A few days later, Michael and Khloe got married.Of course, he had plenty of ways to cover up her past. To the outside world, she was a rookie in the entertainment industry who'd caught Michael's eye. Then, they'd gotten married after she'd accidentally gotten knocked up.At the same time, Eleanor became something of an abandoned woman—not that she cared about the rumors. She brought Layla and Maisie to Yarrowmere for a vacation. It was late fall by the time they returned.October was when the leaves on the trees turned gold. Eleanor, Layla, and Maisie returned to Brindley.Back at the apartment, Eleanor unpacked Maisie's things while the latter curled up on the couch and yapped on the phone to Dexter. He called her on alternate days at around 7:00 pm so that he wouldn't disrupt her bedtime.Maisie's voice was cute and gentle as she spoke, and s

Eleanor found Maisie doing her homework with her back straight in Karen's room. She looked focused as she wrote. Her complexion was flawless, and she looked just like a Ziegler.Karen was beside her, her eyes full of love and pride as she watched. Maisie looked pretty and was also the best student in her year. Naturally, as her grandmother, Karen adored her.Karen looked up at the sound of footsteps. When she saw Eleanor, she said affectionately, "Come look at Maisie's writing. She's much better than Dexter was as a child, and I just love looking at it. Let me attend her next parent-teacher conference!"Maisie didn't stop writing even when she spoke. She said crisply, "Parents are normally the ones who attend parent-teacher conferences, but I can speak to my teacher about it if you insist on coming, Grandma. I'll tell her you're looking forward to attending."Karen beamed, happy that she wasn't being overlooked. But after a while, her smile faded, and her expression turned conflict

Dexter watched Eleanor's car leave, his gaze so dark that it was unfathomable. He slowly raised his right hand after a long time. He'd touched Eleanor with it earlier, and the contact still made him tingle.It was laughable that he still felt things for a woman who didn't want him. He hated that feeling.…Julian and Willow stood on the second-floor terrace. They'd seen everything that had happened.Willow leaned against Julian and murmured, "Dexter is obviously still hung up on Eleanor, so why did he bring Jessica back with him? Isn't he worried he'll actually lose Eleanor?"Julian looked down at her. He'd become more mature and handsome over the past two years. It was late fall, so he wore a wool three-piece suit that made him look gallant and showed off his figure. He attracted attention wherever he went, but women rarely dared throw themselves at him because of his daunting presence.Besides, he made sure to have his wedding ring on at all times—he didn't want anyone to cling