Lahat ng Kabanata ng Leaving You Bereft: Kabanata 871 - Kabanata 880

At 8:00 pm, Thalia set all of Toby's luggage in the living room. She had packed a lot for him, including his favorite toys, the pencil cases and bookmarks he liked, and all his little clothes.From spring to winter, she bought enough to last until he was ten.After ten, if she was gone, Toby would probably forget her.Standing before the pile of luggage that looked like a small mountain, Toby's face was streaked with tears. Thalia adjusted his clothes one last time, carefully zipped up his bag, hoisted his little backpack on, and lifted her head to look at him."From now on, you have to listen to your daddy and your grandparents, okay? If anyone at school bullies you, you need to tell your daddy right away. You got it?"Toby kept crying, his voice weak from sobbing. "Got it."Thalia kissed his soft little cheek and pulled him into her arms for a long, long time. Her voice was hoarse when she finally said, "Toby, go with your daddy now."The maid began carrying the luggage downst

Thalia rented a small apartment. It was located near a hospital, making it convenient for her dialysis treatments. With her condition, there was nothing to do but wait.Late at night, she sat alone in the apartment, staring into space.She had just parted from Toby, and the longing was unbearable. She scrolled through old photos of him as a baby. Just then, her phone lit up. It was a message from Landon.He'd mentioned that if things didn't work out with Luca, she could come back.He deleted it. Then sent it again.She didn't know how much inner struggle it had taken for him to finally type those words, to finally compromise. But his compromise only made her feel even more guilty and heartbroken. She would rather he didn't love her at all, rather he stayed the reckless playboy he once was.Because loving someone was too painful.She had already suffered through that kind of pain. She didn't want him to suffer the same. She only hoped that he and Toby would live well, stay safe a

Thalia got into the car. The warmth inside jolted her back to her senses. She slapped the window and shouted in a horse voice, "I know where Toby is. I know where he is!"…20 minutes later, in a dim stairwell, a small figure was found curled up in a corner. It was Toby. The place was the apartment Thalia once rented with him, the home they had lived in for half a year.He missed Thalia and came looking for her there, but she had moved out.Relying on memory, he had walked a long, long way to their old home. But Thalia wasn't there anymore. He wanted to go back, but he had no money. His head spun with hunger, so he curled up and waited, hoping Thalia would come find him, then he could go home with her.The light fell across his little body, making him look lonely and pitiful."Toby." Thalia's voice was hoarse, trembling. She called several times before Toby lifted his small face, dazed, and mumbled, "Mom… Mommy…"Tears spilled down his cheeks.Thalia rushed forward and pulled h

After a long moment, Landon's hand clenched tight.Just then, footsteps sounded at the door.It was Thalia.Landon didn't bother to hide anything. He tossed the bag straight onto the floor, and several bottles of medicine scattered, rolling far across the room.Thalia froze, then rushed forward to pick them up one by one.When she reached for the last bottle, Landon's hand beat her to it.Time seemed to stop. The air turned stiff and heavy. He slowly pulled the bottle back into his hand, his dark eyes flat and unreadable as he asked in a steady, deliberate voice, "Thalia, do you care to explain this?"Thalia's lips trembled. She couldn't explain. She couldn't tell him she had acute kidney failure.Since she wouldn't speak, he didn't press her. He simply put the medicine bottle back in the bag, then cupped her cold face and crushed his mouth against hers, kissing her hard and wild like he meant to destroy her.Her tears slid down. She didn't fight back. In despair, she called o

If love had its moment, it was now. Right here, right now.Thalia lifted her hand, wanting to touch Landon's face, but her fingers trembled so badly. When her palm finally landed, it met the warmth of his tears. She couldn't hold it steady, just like she couldn't hold her own life together.But this time was different.A hand caught hers, pressing it firmly against his cheek. From now on, she wouldn't be alone. Whatever she wanted to do, Landon would help her. Whatever she couldn't do, he would do for her. He would never leave her on her own again.Her voice shook. "Landon, you're crying.""Yes," he said softly. "I'm crying." As he said that, he buried his head deep against her stomach.After a long time, he gently lifted her sweater, exposing the flat plane of her belly. His gaze lingered on the faint scar etched into her thin body. He realized his feelings for Thalia weren't just love, not just family, but something deeper, like wanting to merge her into his very bones, to carr