Semua Bab When She Turns Her Back: Bab 701 - Bab 710

Half-asleep and disoriented, Talia heard Henry calling her name."Talia."She struggled to open her eyes and found herself drenched in sweat. When she lifted her head to look at him, worry was written all over his face. He was so close, unbearably close.If she tilted her head up just a fraction more, her lips would have brushed his cheek. His warm breath washed over her like heat from an open flame.She must have had a bad dream, but when she came to, her mind was completely blank. She could not remember what she had dreamed about. After several heavy gasps, Talia gradually calmed down.Henry was still gazing at her face, his expression gentle."Did you have a nightmare?" he asked, concern threading through his voice.Talia raised her hand and wiped the sweat from her forehead before nodding. "I think so."Henry reached out and tucked the stray strands of hair away from her cheeks. "Are you feeling better now?"Talia lifted her gaze to look at Henry. She took in his handsome

Henry ignored the conversations around them. All he cared about was Talia's mood.They had driven over 300 miles from Jarrowind just so she could ski and clear her head. He had not expected things to turn out like this.The crowd outside the ski resort was thick, and people kept bumping into Talia as they passed.Henry stepped forward and pulled her closer to shield her from the jostling. He glanced down at her and asked quietly, "Do you still want to wait in line?"It was already after 9:00 am. If they waited another hour or two, it would be noon by the time they got in. And even then, with so many people inside, she probably would not enjoy herself anyway.Talia shook her head. "Henry, let's just forget it. We can check out the flea market instead."Henry agreed without hesitation. "Sure. We'll change the plan."On the way into the city, Henry struck up a conversation with the cab driver and asked about the liveliest markets in the area. Then he had the driver take them there.

Seamus looked up at Henry and smiled. He did not say a single word.His silence was answer enough. Henry sat at the pool's edge, stunned.He had always been gentle, never pushy like Quentin, and he didn't have whatever it was that had drawn Talia to Christian. He loved her completely and openly, without holding back. But that very gentleness often worked against him.Seamus shook his head as he watched Henry's expression fall.Meanwhile, Talia carried Evan over to the refreshment area and set him down at a small table. She brought him a plate of fruit and some small pastries.Evan sat there in his swim trunks, his legs swinging beneath the chair. He stuffed a banana into his mouth and spoke around it. "Ms. Stewart, I haven't seen you in forever. I missed you so much."Talia watched him, his cheeks puffed out and eyes squinting as he grinned at her. She found it endearing and reached out to ruffle his hair. "I missed you, too, Evan."Evan hopped down from his chair, looking up at

Talia noticed Evan still looked uncomfortable. So, she asked, "Are your eyes bothering you?"Evan looked up at her. "They're just a little dry."Talia pulled out an alcohol wipe and cleaned her hands. "Let me take a look."Evan obediently tilted his face up. After examining his eyes, Talia made her diagnosis. "Cut back on your screen time, and they won't feel so irritated."Evan glanced back at Seamus, who was casually scrolling through his phone without a care in the world. Annoyed, he muttered reluctantly, "Okay."Henry sat nearby on the floor, not participating. He understood what was really going on and could guess what was bothering Evan.Soon, they finished the puzzle.After praising Evan, Talia stood and addressed both him and Seamus. "Evan, Mr. Merritt, it's getting late. Henry and I should get going. We have to leave early tomorrow to get back to Jarrowind."Evan opened his mouth but could not find the words. He turned to Seamus desperately. "Dad..."Seamus set down h

Talia stood frozen, his chest burning hot against her back. Quentin locked his hands over her stomach, holding tight, terrified that if he loosened his grip even slightly, she would slip away.Afraid of hurting him, Talia did not push hard. She nudged his waist gently with her elbow.Her voice dropped to a weak murmur. "Quentin, why lie to yourself? You know my name is just a placeholder. The person you shared all those moments with was never me."Quentin refused to let go. Instead, he held her tighter. "No. My heart is mine to decide. I told you, if I want something, I'll take it even if I have to fight for it."Talia sighed deeply. She turned her head to look at him, and the moment she did, Quentin leaned down and kissed her.She had nowhere to go. The kiss left her breathless. Even her protests died on his lips.At the same time, Quentin's hand slipped beneath her shirt. His fingers touched her bare skin, and the contact sent a shock through him.Quentin lost control. He kiss