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Home / Romance / Left Before You Looked Back / Chapter 21 - Chapter 30

All Chapters of Left Before You Looked Back: Chapter 21 - Chapter 30

30 Chapters

Chapter 21

Eileen took Tina's hand and gently pulled her forward. "Tina, come take a look. Isn't this boy adorable? He's Joyce's classmate, Andy. I've got no idea who his parents are, but look at him! With a face like that, they've got to be good-looking."She nudged Tina closer. "Go on, say hello. I can't wait to see you with a little one of your own."Tina froze. She forced a small smile, but didn't step forward. "I'm going upstairs to change first.""Alright, go ahead." Eileen was too absorbed in the child to notice anything off.Tina let out a quiet sigh and headed upstairs.The bedroom felt empty. She and Jonathan rarely stayed here. Early in their marriage, Eileen didn't interfere much, but later, when there was still no child, she began pushing harder, calling them back more often and having nourishing soups prepared.Every time they drank those soups, Jonathan's interest in her at night would rise. Even then, he never skipped protection.She had brought up having a child more

Chapter 22

Joyce scooted closer and spoke into the phone. "Can Andy stay and play?""I don't think that's a good idea," Sadie replied gently.Eileen took that as good manners. In her eyes, anyone who could raise a child like Andy, so well-behaved and bright, couldn't be a bad person.She smiled warmly. "Kids like playing together. Let them stay a little longer. I'll have the driver take him home tomorrow."Sadie hesitated, then said, "Then I'll come pick him up myself in the morning.""Alright."Just as the call ended, Jonathan came downstairs.He had changed out of his tailored suit into something more casual. The soft cotton fell loose on his frame, making him look even taller and leaner. His sleeves were rolled to his elbows, revealing toned forearms that hinted at long discipline.Andy saw him and walked straight over, reaching for his hand. "Daddy."Everyone in the room except Tina froze.Even though Joyce was a little afraid of Jonathan, she still stepped forward for her friend,

Chapter 23

Joyce blinked. "Tina's gonna have a baby? Then I can play with Tina's baby!"She grabbed Andy's hand. "We can play together, then."Eileen smiled and placed shrimp on both kids' plates. "Such good kids. I hope my great-grandchild will be just as sweet and well-behaved."As she spoke, she glanced at Tina and Jonathan.That was when she noticed it. They barely looked at each other anymore.Before, even when Jonathan kept his distance, Tina's eyes would light up whenever she looked at him. Now, Tina kept her gaze lowered the entire time, not once glancing his way.Eileen frowned to herself. They needed a child, and soon. If this dragged on, Sadie might find a way in.She would never allow a divorced woman to marry her grandson. Tina might not have much to offer, but she was at least presentable and beautiful.After dinner, Eileen had Jonathan and Tina walk with her.She checked the time more than once. Tina found it odd."It's about time. Go get some rest," Eileen said at last

Chapter 24

At the time, Tina hadn't thought much of it. Eileen had asked similar questions more than once. Older people liked to nag.But now, looking back, she realized it felt different.Eileen must have done something.Something was off with that soup.The strange part was that she had drunk the same kind of soup for four years without any issue. That was why she hadn't been on guard this time.Heat burned through her now, sharp and uncomfortable.If she felt this bad, Jonathan would feel it worse.Not long after, he pressed close again, his hand slipping under her clothes without hesitation. Her body shuddered.Clinging to the last bit of clarity, she shoved him away and got up. She went to the cabinet, grabbed the two boxes of condoms inside, and tossed them out through the balcony.When she came back, he had already gone into the bathroom and turned on the shower.Without protection, he wouldn't touch her.She poured two glasses of cold water and drank them.Eileen hadn't gone o

Chapter 25

Eileen picked up on the tension in their voices. She also knew Jonathan was the biggest investor in the arts center. If Tina had suddenly quit, he had to know why. "What exactly is going on here…"Samuel spoke first. "Didn't she switch jobs?"Eileen frowned. "Switched to what?"Tina answered, "I invested in a dance company run by a friend from dance school."Eileen's frown deepened. "A friend? Is it a man?"Tina had always kept her distance from other men. That was one of the reasons Eileen had been comfortable letting her work in a mixed environment like the arts center.She knew how much Tina loved Jonathan.But now she was working closely with another man and didn't seem to care about boundaries anymore."What about your job at the arts center?"Jonathan cut in. "Grandma, you don't need to worry about that.""I was let go," Tina said.At that moment, a figure appeared in the doorway.It was Sadie.She was still in a hospital gown, an IV needle taped to the back of her

Chapter 26

Eileen turned to Tina. "What's going on? Tell me exactly what happened."Jonathan's gaze settled on her. Beneath the sharp line of his brow, his eyes were dark and steady. Tina didn't need to guess what that look meant.It was a warning. If she said anything, she could forget about Rosalind's surgery.She curved her lips into a faint smile. "I left on my own. I've joined another dance company. You don't need to worry about me."Eileen's jaw tightened as she shot Sadie a hard look. "Then I won't allow this woman to cause trouble in a place Reed Corporation invested in. Jonathan, call right now and have her fired."Sadie's eyes reddened as she looked at him.He stepped in front of her, his broad back blocking the view. "Grandma, everything's already finalized. The performance's coming up, and the roster's been submitted. It can't be changed."Tina let out a quiet, humorless laugh.Her name had been on that roster, too, and she had been replaced without hesitation. But Sadie cou

Chapter 27

Eileen came from a family of medical practitioners. She hadn't inherited the profession, but she still knew some symptoms of pregnancy.There was nothing unusual.A flicker of disappointment crossed her face as she let go and sat back down. "You two are trying for a baby, right?""We are," Jonathan answered calmly.Eileen sighed. "If you'd started right after the wedding, your child would probably be in kindergarten by now. You're sensible in every other way, but when it comes to this…" She trailed off, then added, "And that Sadie."At the mention of Sadie, she turned to Tina. "Don't overthink it. I asked Jonathan. There's nothing between them. She's physically impaired, and they've known each other for years. He just helped her out a bit."Her tone grew more serious. "Besides, the company's been investing heavily in AI and robotics lately. Sadie's an expert in that field. She won quite a few awards back in college, and the research exhibition is coming up. If her project s

Chapter 28

But now, even if it made Eileen suspicious, Tina couldn't bring herself to move any closer to Jonathan.Jonathan glanced at Tina, saw she didn't react, and looked away. "Grandma, we've been married four years."Eileen let out a cold snort. "Four years, and you've already lost the spark? Tina's still young. Of course, she's drawn to people with more energy. You don't even try to meet her halfway. Keep this up, and she'll find someone younger and leave you."His voice stayed even. "She won't."Tina pressed down the irritation rising in her chest. "It looks like it might rain. Let's head back."Eileen glanced up at the sky. It was heavy and overcast. "Alright, let's go."When they stepped into the elevator, they ran into Sadie.She had a coat thrown over her hospital gown, an IV needle still taped to the back of her hand, like she had just come from a drip.Eileen's expression darkened, but remembering Sadie's usefulness, she held back some of her dislike. "What are you doing he

Chapter 29

But Tina had no way to wash up.She had taken all her clothes from the apartment. The closet held only Jonathan's things.When he came out of the shower, he saw her still sitting at the vanity, makeup untouched, staring at her phone.He went back into the closet, grabbed one of his shirts, and tossed it over.The fabric fell over her head. She paused, then pulled it off. A faint pine scent clung to it. It took her a second to understand. He wanted her to wash up and wear his shirt.Tina tossed it back without expression. "No need. I'll sit for a while. Once your grandma goes to sleep, I'll use the guest room."Jonathan looked at her. "She had the guest rooms locked."Tina took a slow breath. So Eileen had noticed something and made arrangements ahead of time.Wanting to share a bed and being forced to were two different things. If someone wanted it, they would find a way no matter what. If they didn't, even lying side by side would feel unbearable.Right now, she was firmly in

Chapter 30

Eileen lowered her gaze, her voice turning cold. "So you've changed? You don't love Jonathan anymore?"Tina's fingers tightened. The answer rose to her lips. Yes. She didn't.But she couldn't say it. Not yet.She gave a faint smile. "You know how much I love Jonathan. I've been following him around since I was a kid."Jonathan glanced up at her, paused, then lowered his gaze again and continued eating at an unhurried pace."Something's off." Eileen's eyes swept over Tina's bare neck.In the past, whenever they stayed at the Reed Estate, there were always faint marks there the next morning.Eileen knew what that meant.Today, there was nothing. Which meant nothing had happened last night.Before, with Eileen around to back her up, Tina would've clung to Jonathan without hesitation. And with Eileen present, he wouldn't refuse her.If nothing happened, it could only mean one thing: Tina didn't want to.Eileen said nothing more. She turned and walked into their bedroom, headin

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