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Chapter 116
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Leaving You Bereft Chapter 117
Julian drove over to Willow's apartment to pick her up at 7:00 pm, Saturday. She still wasn't downstairs. So, he leaned on the car and smoked. He had burned through two cigarettes by the time she came. It was a private banquet. Willow didn't wear a formal outfit. Instead, she put on a Celine dress and a modest set of jewelry. However, Julian was happy with it. He was the only person who had known just how delicate and elegant she really was.Once they were in the car, he unwittingly turned around and frowned slightly. Her neckline was rather low, and her supple breasts were exposed a little. Julian buckled up. His eyes were brimming with lust. "The party hall has strong air-conditioning. I want you to put on my coat."Willow knew about his dark thoughts all too well. She chuckled nonchalantly in response. He slammed on the gas pedal and drove along the street, speaking to her tenderly during the whole drive. Her coldness and distant attitude didn't bother him at all. It was 8
Leaving You Bereft Chapter 118
Someone walked to the balcony. It was none other than Julian. The moment he walked over, he saw Natalie hugging Willow and sobbing quietly, causing his eyes to darken. When Natalie turned around and saw him, she wiped her reddened eyes and left frantically as if she were running away from her worst fears.Julian glanced at her for a while and chuckled nonchalantly. "What's wrong with Natalie? She looked like she had seen a ghost when she saw me."Willow asked, "Julian, don't you think you're being too cruel to her?"He flashed her an enchanting smile. "Really? Should I keep sweet-talking her then?"Willow couldn't hold it in anymore. Raising her hand, she slapped Julian, but he caught her hand. He wasn't angry, though. Looking at her intensely, he said, "I know you're upset, but are you seriously pushing me into another lady's arms? Do you want me to do the same things to another woman that I did to you in bed?"Willow laughed in exasperation. Julian was a master of twisted lo
Leaving You Bereft Chapter 119
Willow wasn't suspicious at all, nor did she bother to correct the way Heather addressed her. She nodded and hummed in response. Heather's hand was trembling even more intensely now. She was wife to the wealthiest man in Yarrowmere, but her hands were shaking as she touched Willow's reddish mole. She was being so careful with it as if she were dealing with an invaluable treasure.Was Willow the beloved daughter she had lost?Heather's heart was filled with hope, but she was also afraid that it was all a big misunderstanding. Brushing her fingers across the back of Willow's head, she murmured, "Mrs. Ziegler, there was a strand of gray hair over here. Let me pluck it for you."Willow was startled for a moment. "I've never realized that I have gray hair."Heather gently plucked off a strand of black hair and let it rest on her palm. Then, she put on some fresh clothes for Willow. When she circled around to do the buttons, she slowed down, tears welling up in her eyes. If Willow
Leaving You Bereft Chapter 120
Timothy immediately held Heather's arm and steadied her. "What's wrong? Did something unpleasant happen at the party?"She slumped onto the couch. Gripping his clothes tightly, she said in a daze, "Timothy, I think I found my little girl. I told you about her. She has a mole on her waist, and I saw it on Willow tonight."Timothy, do you think she's the daughter I've been searching for all this time?"He asked anxiously, "Did you ask her about her background?"She nodded. "All I know is that she lived with her grandmother. All they had was each other."What a coincidence. Timothy put his hands on his back. He paced back and forth for a while before he stopped and said, "We're going to need proof for it."Proof?Heather took a silk handkerchief out of her pocket and unfolded it with trembling hands, revealing a strand of hair. Tears welled up in her eyes as she spoke. "Timothy, I held myself back as best I could at the banquet. I made up an excuse and plucked a strand of her h
Leaving You Bereft Chapter 121
At dusk, the setting sun shone through the black metal fence of the house in the southern suburbs, casting a warm light over the hydrangeas in the courtyard.Grace was lying on a reclining chair, enjoying the evening breeze.Maureen was carefully peeling oranges right next to her.Suddenly, a gleaming black car pulled outside the yard. Heather, supported by Timothy, stepped inside.Grace glanced up and smiled. "What brings you here? Are you looking for Willow?"Heather's hair was disheveled. She stumbled forward, falling to her knees beside Grace's chair.Holding back her emotions, her voice trembled as she asked, "Wistonia Lane… Madam Harper, you once lived there, paying a rent of 200 dollars a month. "In winter, there was no hot water. If you wanted a warm bath, you had to walk miles to a public bathhouse."Grace's expression changed.As if realizing something, she nodded heavily.Heather's nails dug into the chair as tears welled up in her eyes. "22 years ago, you took in
Leaving You Bereft Chapter 122
As expected, tonight's auction was a huge success.Several well-known collectors sent representatives to bid on selected items at high prices, causing a frenzy that quickly went viral online.Just like that, Insight's reputation skyrocketed.A round of applause erupted as Willow took the stage with a glass of champagne in hand to deliver the closing speech. "Thank you all for your unwavering support. In the future, Insight will continue to bring in valuable collections. Thank you all."The beautiful female host led the audience in applause.Willow set down her glass and took a deep bow on stage.Just as she was basking in the moment, a commotion arose from the crowd.A woman's voice rang out, "Willow only climbed to the top by sleeping her way there! Without Julian Ziegler, she'd still be a nobody.""The role of Mrs. Ziegler should have belonged to my poor daughter!"Amid the murmurs, Charlie, Nancy, Tyler, and Karen stepped onto the stage.Since both families' children were
Leaving You Bereft Chapter 123
Charlie was dumbfounded after being slapped.It took him a long moment to process the fact that Willow was her daughter.Willow was the child he had with Heather.Charlie stood frozen for a moment, his eyes brimming with tears as he gazed at Willow. The more he looked, the more he saw the striking resemblance to the woman he once loved.His voice trembled as he said, "You're my little girl. You're my daughter!"Nancy was about to erupt in fury.Heather let out a cold laugh. "What right do you have to claim her as your daughter? Have you already forgotten what you'd just said about her?"You and your wife have humiliated my daughter time and time again. I'll make sure you pay for it. Also, let me make it clear that my daughter only has one father, and that's Timothy Chapman! It will only ever be him."Charlie's face turned deathly pale.What had he just said?He had only echoed what Nancy said, but at that time, he didn't know that Willow was his daughter, his little girl.No
Leaving You Bereft Chapter 124
Julian stood quietly, watching as Willow's chaotic life was finally set right. He began to wonder. If she had never gone missing as a child, she would have never become his wife.She would've grown up receiving the best education, living a life of privilege. Perhaps, in this lifetime, their paths would've never crossed.He would have stayed in Brindley, while she stayed in Yarrowmere. They might have stayed strangers who had just heard each other's names in passing.He didn't disturb her. Instead, he turned and left silently, settling into the back seat of his car.The night was dark.Julian, ever so composed and dignified, sat in the back seat and instructed Esther, "Contact the PR department. I want a post issued."Esther nodded.Then, Julian sent the proposal to Esther.When Esther read it, she was stunned. That was a rather unexpected move from Julian.Ten minutes later, Nebula Group published an official post, with a simple caption, "My true love".Attached to the post w
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Leaving You Bereft Chapter 201
At the end of January, Julian received a phone call from 618 Southlane, Brindley, which was where Brindley Asylum was located. Alicia had been interrogated for a month, and she actually remained tight-lipped the whole time. However, a certificate of mental illness landed her in the asylum.Her doctor, Jonathan Crane, was a middle-aged man in his 40s. He was tactful and sensible and would immediately inform Julian about her latest developments. They were on the phone now, and his voice was deep and composed. "Just moments ago, Ms. Burke had a miscarriage."Julian was sitting on a couch in front of a floor-to-ceiling window in his office at Nebula Group. With his phone in his hand, he wore an emotionless expression, and his voice was nonchalant when he spoke. "I'll be there in half an hour."Jonathan nodded. "I know what has to be done. Leave it to me, Mr. Ziegler."…Half an hour later, a black Rolls-Royce Phantom slowly drove into Brindley Asylum. The car door swung open, an
Leaving You Bereft Chapter 200
Julian prayed sincerely to the heavens. Landon wasn't even born and was completely innocent. If God wanted to punish anyone, he should be the sole target. He didn't care if it meant he could never come back from it or if he would be ripped to a million pieces. All he wanted was for the angels to give Landon a place to stay in the afterlife. …After Julian returned from the chapel, he fell heavily ill, leaving the doctors clueless and powerless to stop it. He didn't get better until two weeks later. It was evening, and the sky was bathed in an orange glow. A glistening black limousine slowly drove into Radiance Manor. After the car was parked, the driver got out and opened the door for Melanie. She had a delicate food container in her hand that held the mushroom soup she had made. A maid stepped over and said, "Mrs. Ziegler."Melanie passed the food container to the maid and asked as she climbed up the stairs. "Is Julian feeling better? Tell Esther to stop sending documents
Leaving You Bereft Chapter 199
As Julian walked out of the building. He thought he could still hear Alicia's blood-curdling cries in the hallway behind him. However, his surroundings were eerily silent as if there were countless demons lurking in the dark. He didn't believe in the existence of deities, but he believed that the demons had manifested in greed, anger, and delusion before infiltrating his soul. He got where he was today because of the darkness within his heart. If he hadn't been so focused on power, he would have known his feelings for Willow much sooner. Then, he wouldn't have let a woman who loved him deeply suffer for four long years. What was worse, she even ended up losing Grace and Landon. The great priest, Seraphion Lumas, once said that those who were fierce and antagonistic would harm the people around them. Happy endings would always remain out of reach.The wind roared in the night, lifting Julian's hair and chilling him to the bone. The glow from the street lamp stretched his shadow o
Leaving You Bereft Chapter 198
Alicia and Andrew were having hot, passionate moments with each other until she suddenly saw Julian. He was standing by the door and seemed to be looking at her calmly. However, there were some emotions in his eyes that he kept to himself. She could see disdain and revulsion in them, as well as some other emotions that she couldn't decipher. Alicia frantically pushed Andrew off. She was barely clothed when she got off the bed and ran over to Julian. Then, she begged pitifully, "Julian, this is a misunderstanding. Dr. Gabler drugged me and made me do this."Andrew curled his lips into a mocking grin. He slowly put on his clothes before walking out of the ward. As he brushed past Julian, he chuckled and added, "I'm just one of her many boy toys."Julian didn't do anything. The only thing he wanted to do now was find out if Alicia was behind the horrifying fire in the southern suburbs. Also, had she been actually ill all these years?His expression was cold and distant. There was n
Leaving You Bereft Chapter 197
Willow was very frail. Heather had to hold her arm and help her get into the car. She looked at the ultrasound report in her hand, which showed that she was actually pregnant with two babies. One of them hid behind the other during the last scan, and that was why it avoided detection. Willow was pregnant with twins, a boy and a girl. That was right. Her babies were still alive and well, but she had no intention of telling Julian about it.She decided she would move to Yarrowmere when she was done with matters related to the listing. By all means, she wouldn't return to Brindley anymore. Her babies would grow up in Yarrowmere, and they would take her family name. They would be hers and hers only.Willow stared at the report for a long time. Heather held her hand and said to her gently, "You have to eat more. Both of your kids need nutrition to grow up strong and healthy."She nodded in response. Turning sideways, she looked out the car window. The sun was bright, and Julian was sta
Leaving You Bereft Chapter 196
Willow had suffered a miscarriage, but she hurried back to Grace's funeral without getting any rest. When she got there, she still wore her mourning clothes and kneeled next to the latter's casket as she burned some of the letters she had handwritten to Grace.A breeze swept through, lifting the burned remains of the letters and scattering them to the wind in the dark. Willow lowered her gaze as tears dropped one after another. "Grandma, I hope you know how much I miss you. Be happy wherever you are now. I will write you a letter on every big day."The funeral banner flapped in the wind, its loud snaps reminding her of the sound the axe made when Grace used to chop wood. "Willow, dinner will be served in another two hours. The spaghetti is going to taste absolutely divine this year."Willow's heart ached so much that she couldn't breathe. She could no longer hear Grace's voice. Raising her head, she looked at the dark sky and screamed the latter's name at the top of her lungs.
Leaving You Bereft Chapter 195
Nancy screamed, "It's blood! She's having a miscarriage."Julian's heart clenched. Lowering his head, he saw blood staining Willow's mourning clothes, giving rise to a frightening sight. He stepped forward, intending to carry her in his arms. "Willow, I'm going to take you to the hospital."However, she wouldn't have any of it. She didn't want him anymore. She rejected his very presence. Taking a step back, her face turned pale. "Don't come closer. Julian, it doesn't matter if the baby is dead or alive. It has nothing to do with you!"Willow didn't stop retreating until Timothy caught her and steadied her. Her feet were trembling uncontrollably, and blood was flowing down her thighs relentlessly. However, she insisted on walking on her own as she slowly left the place and got away from Julian. Willow held onto the frame of the door underneath the bright light. Her waist ached so much that she couldn't stand upright.It wasn't as if she didn't love her unborn baby, but she h
Leaving You Bereft Chapter 194
Willow leaned on the stone slab, and the sounds got clearer by the second. She could almost hear the sound of the crackling flames as they consumed everything in a frenzy. She almost seemed to hear Grace's weak voice. The latter was uttering the same lullaby that she used to sing when she was putting her to sleep. "The sky is bright, and the moon is so high. And precious Willow's sleep drew nigh."The sky is bright, and the moon is so high…"Eventually, Grace's voice faded.…Willow pushed against the stone slab with everything she could. She wanted to get out, but Grace put her weight on it, preventing her from coming out. The basement might've been cramped, but it gave her a fighting chance at survival.Willow pressed against the stone slab with both her hands as blood trickled downward and fell to the floor, drop by drop.She wasn't sure when it started, but tears were already streaming down her cheeks. Eventually, the sky turned dark. It was like one of the summer eveni
Leaving You Bereft Chapter 193
Back when Willow was a little girl, she looked forward to the New Year. Grace would let the baked goods cool off in the evening and stash them in the basement, where she kept the cabbages. Now, that place was basically Grace's treasure trove. She was traumatized by poverty. So, she would always buy some cabbages at dirt-cheap prices during winter if she could afford it. Every day, she would buy some meat and pair it with spaghetti. That would be a meal for her. She had always picked and cleaned the meat meticulously so that Willow would get the nutrition she needed. Grace spent wisely and saved up whenever she could, and that was how she raised Willow and sent the latter to school. She had never married anyone in her life, but she said that she didn't have any regrets. After dinner, their maid went back home to spend time with her family. Grace packed the baked goods away in a white cloth and tied it up before she moved them to the basement, where the cabbages were stored. In
