Semua Bab When She Turns Her Back: Bab 1121 - Bab 1130

When Talia came out of the bathroom after freshening up, Quentin was already dressed and ready.He took her hand and led her downstairs, but with every step, the knot in her stomach pulled tighter.It was nearly noon. Wouldn't Millie think she had nothing going on in her life?Talia had been let go from the hospital and was at home preparing for grad school. The acceptance was practically guaranteed, but the fact remained that she was currently unemployed.Millie had met all kinds of impressive young women over the years. What made Talia think she could measure up? She didn't even compare favorably to Nancy, let alone the countless accomplished young women who ran in these elite circles.The more she spiraled, the more her nerves ate at her.Quentin noticed the tension written all over her face. Something was clearly weighing on her, though he couldn't figure out what.When they reached the bottom of the stairs, he was about to ask if everything was alright, but Millie emerged f

Quentin stood where he was, watched Millie leave, then turned back to Talia. Talia's cheeks were flushed a deep red, prompting him to frown in confusion.He circled her while looking her up and down, and when he saw just how badly she was blushing, he finally had to ask. "What did she say to you? Your face is on fire."Talia lifted her head and glared at him. "This is your fault."The accusation in her tone told him everything he needed to know.But while Talia was mortified, Quentin merely grinned. He stepped in front of her and leaned down. "Are you embarrassed?""You already know the answer to that," she muttered.He slipped an arm around her waist and pulled her against him. When he looked down at her, his gaze was impossibly gentle. "If you don't like her saying stuff like that, I'll tell her to stop. She won't do it again.""Wouldn't that upset her?" Talia asked quickly.Quentin shook his head. "She wouldn't mind."Talia went quiet and let the subject drop.When she did

After they finished eating, Talia and Quentin left the Henderson residence.They drove to the Stewart residence, and once they had Paige's and Garrett's permission, they took Maeve out to pick strawberries.The moment they arrived at the farm, Maeve could barely contain herself. She had Talia snapping photos and recording videos of her before they'd even made it through the gate.Inside the greenhouse, the strawberries were plump and red, packed tightly along every row.Maeve popped one into her mouth, then carefully started placing the rest into her basket. As she picked, she counted them off out loud. "This one's for Mom, this one's for Dad, this one's for Grandma, this one's for Grandpa, and this one's for that stinky Evan."Talia and Quentin stood back and watched her quietly. The sight of her sorting through her short list made them both laugh.Quentin bent down, but instead of picking the biggest or the reddest strawberry, he chose the most oddly shaped one he could find an

Those three words hit Quentin like a bolt of lightning. His whole body trembled, and his hand holding the bouquet shook.He looked down at Talia, disbelief flooding his voice. "What... What did you say?"Talia lifted her face and met his eyes without flinching. She didn't care about the people walking past them or that her divorce wasn't finalized. In that moment, she refused to lie to herself.She looked at him and spoke with more conviction than she'd ever felt. "Quentin, I said I love you. Maybe it started today, or maybe it started a few days ago. But I don't think that matters anymore."All I know is that I want to see you every single day. I want to get lost in the quiet moments with you. I want to walk through the snow with you, get caught in the rain with you, share every meal with you. I—"Her words unraveled him completely.He couldn't even let her finish. He leaned down and kissed her.Everyone else disappeared, the whole world narrowing until there was only her.He

Talia's message disappeared into silence. Henry didn't reply.Quentin watched her grow more frantic by the second and finally spoke up. "Henry's missing?"A thin sheen of sweat had formed on Talia's face. She shot Quentin a hurried glance. "Yes. The hospital just called."Her panic was contagious. Quentin lost his appetite too. He pulled out his phone and started scrolling through his contacts for Jericho's number.He said, "Don't panic yet. Let me make some calls and get people looking for him."His words eased her nerves for a moment, but the worry soon came rushing back.Henry was someone who'd built everything from nothing. He didn't come from a privileged background, but through sheer determination, he'd earned his place at the top. In the medical world, he was a leading authority with countless patents to his name and a recognized expert in primary cranial diseases.For someone whose work saved other people's lives, he should have been living in the light.But now, he cou