Lahat ng Kabanata ng Leaving You Bereft: Kabanata 751 - Kabanata 760

At the Nebula Group's Hortosia branch, Landon ended the call, glanced at the duration, and shook his head slightly.His assistant, Leslie Falkner, spoke in a low voice. "Mr. Ziegler, Mr. Ford invited you to the club tonight at eight. Says it'll help you unwind. Should I decline on your behalf?"Landon walked over to the couch and sat down, picking up a glass and gently swirling the golden liquor inside. His voice was even. "I'll go. No need to kill the mood. The terms he's offering are generous enough, no point dampening his enthusiasm."Leslie nodded. "Understood. I'll confirm with him."Landon watched as he left.After a moment, he leaned back on the couch, idly scrolling through his phone and browsing his contacts. Suddenly, a name came to mind—it was someone he'd once given his card to and told to call him. She clearly hadn't felt the need to.Thalia—she had always been different to him.When they were younger, she used to tease him mercilessly.Back then, he'd been all b

After being violated and forcefully kissed, Thalia was furious.Who did Landon think he was?A sharp slap cracked across his face.Both of them froze.No woman had ever dared lay a hand on Landon.In that instant, his spoiled temper flared. His expression darkened, and when he finally spoke, his voice was colder than ice. "Thalia, I let things slide because of the past. Don't fool yourself into thinking I can't live without you."Thalia had heard plenty about his countless affairs.She wanted no part of it.The two of them parted in anger.Landon rose from her, brushed the wrinkles from his trousers with deliberate calm, and walked out without a backward glance.When he opened the door to the suite, Matthias was waiting just outside. The moment he saw Landon step out, he quickly moved forward. "Mr. Ziegler, you're leaving already?"His tone held a trace of polite curiosity and subtle probing.Landon gave a faint smile. "Returning what belongs to you."The remark dripped wi

When the sun was blazing overhead, Thalia returned to the ward. The nurse had moved Selena into a private room for 300 dollars a night. It wasn't one of the VIP suites, but it was quieter.Selena was awake, curled up in pain.Maybe it hurt, maybe it didn't. Either way, she kept curling into herself, crying out that it hurt. She spoke of nothing else. If she said anything at all, it was only to ask whether that man had come back, whether he regretted it, and whether he still thought of her.Years had passed. In truth, that man had long since gambled away his fortune, landed in prison, gotten into constant fights inside, and eventually died there.Back then, Thalia had only been 22.She'd never told Selena.She knew Selena both hated him and missed him, and Thalia didn't judge those feelings. All she could do now was follow her conscience and see Selena through to the end. Even though this wasn't the same Selena anymore.The room had early spring sunlight, soft bedding, and fres

A moment later, Landon went to grab the small box. "I'll hold it."Thalia tightened her grip. "It's fine."But the next second, the bus hit a pothole and jolted hard. Thalia lost her balance in her high heels and fell straight into the arms of the man behind her.Their bodies pressed tightly together.Even through their coats, they could feel the heat radiating off each other. Landon looked down and caught sight of the delicate curve of her ear and her sharp, elegant profile. She hadn't changed much since they were kids, except now her bone structure had taken on a striking elegance. The baby fat was gone, replaced with a quiet, unmistakable womanly allure.Men were loyal to their own desires.He knew perfectly well that he was tangled up with Thalia because he was physically drawn to her. Men could be stubborn that way. If they never got a taste, they might just spend a lifetime wondering about it.And now, she was right here in his arms.She was so small, and her waist was sl

Thalia gave a small shake of her head. "Nothing."Landon put out his cigarette and asked seriously, "What are your plans now? Are you going back to Brindley, or staying here in Hortosia? Do you have any family left?"He knew her father had passed away.She shook her head. "No. I want to stay in Hortosia."To her, they were only short-term lovers. There was no future, so she didn't bring up her aunt. Even if she did, so what?At most, it would just earn a little more pity. And pity was something she had never lacked all these years.He nodded after hearing her words. "Alright. I'll get you set up with an apartment. You can go to work if you want to. Otherwise, just stay home."As for a storefront, he didn't mention it now. It was better to bring it up when they split.She said softly, "I want to work."Without thinking, he said, "Go work at Nebula Group's branch then. I'll arrange something—"She just looked at him.He paused, suddenly realizing that with her education, she w