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Chapter 12
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Leaving You Bereft Chapter 13
Willow couldn't help wondering how much Julian had to love Catherine for him not to care about rumors and gossip.She didn't want to watch them anymore and turned to leave. However, Catherine suddenly called out to her in a rather high-pitched voice. "Mrs. Ziegler."Willow turned around and fixed her gaze on the couple.Catherine seemingly tightened her arms around Julian's neck. She called out again in her supposed weak voice, "Mrs. Ziegler, there's absolutely nothing going on between Julian and myself! I was just feeling unwell. That's why he's carrying me."Without waiting for Willow to respond, Nancy then piped up in an overly polite voice, "You must be Julian's wife! Catherine and Julian are childhood friends, and Julian just takes care of her often. You don't mind, do you?"Willow looked at Julian.Julian didn't let go of Catherine. He just frowned a little.Meanwhile, Willow had no interest in playing the jealousy or possessive game. She was just disgusted by both Catheri
Leaving You Bereft Chapter 14
It was late at night when Willow finally drove home.She was about to undo her seatbelt after getting home when she suddenly caught sight of something.Julian had parked his car under the sycamore tree opposite her. He was dressed in all black as he puffed clouds of smoke into the air. His Adam's apple kept bobbing lightly, drawing her attention to it.As the smoke rose into the air, it framed his face for a slight moment before being blown away by the gentle night breeze.The night was dark and black, and his clothes blended right in. It was as if he was part of the darkness himself.When Julian caught sight of Willow, he frowned deeply at first. Then, he extinguished the cigarette and threw it to the ground, stomping out the embers before heading over toward her.Willow didn't want to talk to him, so she hurried into her apartment building toward the elevators while Julian's hurried footsteps could be heard following her.In the end, he managed to corner her against her own un
Leaving You Bereft Chapter 15
Willow didn't like Julian anymore.He just couldn't understand it. Since when had he lost Willow's love and adoration?…Three days later, in Julian's office at Nebula Group, it was obvious that he was in quite a terrible mood. There were a bunch of court summons on his office desk. Willow was the prosecutor. She wanted the court to grant her a divorce and to split up their common marriage properties and assets.Julian leaned back on his couch, one leg crossed over the other, as he held the summons in his hand. He then asked Esther, standing next to him, "Has she contacted a lawyer?"Esther answered truthfully. "She hired Mr. Zachary Lawless, the most famous and capable divorce lawyer in the field. If he agrees to take her up on her case, I'm afraid that Mr. Gibson won't be able to win the case for you."Julian glanced at her and said softly, "Who said I was going to court with Willow? That's just her wish. I do not plan on getting a divorce with her."Esther was stunned. "What?
Leaving You Bereft Chapter 16
Jeffrey was dressed very formally.He wore a navy blue shirt with a black suit jacket draped over his shoulder. To complete his look, a black tie was strapped around his neck. Put together, he looked sharp and refined, yet exuded an air of restrained allure.He gazed at Willow with a faint smile. "Can I sit and have a coffee with you?"After a brief pause, Willow returned the smile lightly. "Of course."Jeffrey set his briefcase down and sat down. Very quickly, a waiter approached and politely asked, "What kind of coffee would you like, sir?""Blue Mountain," he replied with a tap of his finger.The waiter nodded and left.He sank back into his chair and habitually reached for a cigarette. Remembering where he was, he frowned and abandoned the idea. He tucked the cigarette away and turned his attention back to Willow.They hadn't seen each other for a while, and it seemed she had changed quite a bit.She wore a fawn-colored woolen dress that outlined her slender, graceful figu
Leaving You Bereft Chapter 17
Willow's attire was markedly different from before. Gone were the rigid, professional suits—her current outfit carried a touch of innocent allure. It looked as if she had casually styled for a date.Julian felt extremely uncomfortable. He pulled out his phone and started dialing Willow's number.As soon as she answered the phone, he coldly demanded, "Where are you?"It wasn't until a brief pause later did Willow reply, "Must I report my whereabouts to you? Julian Ziegler, we are about to get a divorce."Julian's voice remained firm. "That's only your one-sided decision."She couldn't hold back an incredulous laugh. "Is that so?"She didn't want anything to do with him any longer. Suppressing her emotions, she managed as gently as she could, "I no longer hold any value for you. Can't we part on good terms? Actually, Julian, I can't...""Willow Harper!" interrupted Julian.His voice was quick and urgent; he wouldn't let her utter the rest of her sentence.They had wanted two chi
Leaving You Bereft Chapter 18
Now that autumn was here, the streets had transformed into rivers of fallen leaves.A fleet of sleek black cars drove into a villa in Brindlewood, making a grand entrance. There were maybe seven or eight in total.The servants tried to stop them from entering, but how could they hold back over 20 men in black?An elderly servant was forcibly dragged in front of Willow. He couldn't stop trembling in fear.Willow's eyes were glacial. "Is Catherine Burke home?"The old servant feigned ignorance, avoiding eye contact and mumbling evasively.Willow paid him no attention and walked straight into the grand hall. Behind her, Annie and the 20-odd security personnel followed closely.Catherine was lounging on her sofa enjoying a self-pamper session when she suddenly found herself surrounded.Startled, she tried to act tough. "What do you think you're doing? This is trespassing! I'm warning you—it's illegal!""Illegal?"Willow emerged from within the crowd, a mocking smile tugging at he
Leaving You Bereft Chapter 19
Without the slightest sliver of mercy, the guards dragged Catherine away.Very soon, her delicate limbs were covered in bruises that were especially stark against her pale skin. Her shrill, unrestrained screams rang through the entire villa."You old hag! You're just jealous because you can't have children yourself. Julian will never forgive you. He'll only love me more and treat me better!"Her words were like needles piercing Willow's heart, inflicting a deep, unrelenting pain.She walked up to Catherine, raising her hand to deliver another slap.But her hand never landed.Julian had arrived in the nick of time.The evening twilight cast shadows over his face, making his grim expression all the more terrifying.He took in the scene before him—the wreckage of the villa, Catherine's swollen face, her bruised limbs. As the frail girl wept pitifully, a storm brewed in the depths of his dark eyes.At that moment, his anger boiled over, clouding his reason. It drove him to commit
Leaving You Bereft Chapter 20
Annie took a deep breath. Choking back her tears, she continued, "Catherine almost killed Ms. Harper's grandmother! She lied and told Madam Harper she was pregnant with your child, causing such a shock that she almost died. Yet, here you are, slapping Ms. Harper for her instead."Julian was taken aback for a moment.Catherine, pregnant? How was that possible?His gaze darkened as he turned to her. "You told Willow's grandmother that you were pregnant?"Catherine was scared out of her wits.Pitifully, she tried to explain to him, "I just couldn't stand her! She's always putting on airs in front of me, so I... Julian, I didn't mean any harm."He abruptly released her and strode out, ignoring her desperate calls.He didn't even spare her a second glance.Catherine was left in shock.For the first time, she had failed to keep Julian on her leash.She refused to believe that Willow still held a place in his heart. Their marriage had clearly been a transaction. How could he possi
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Leaving You Bereft Chapter 30
After Willow left, Julian headed off to another place. He went up to the rooftop of the Manning Building.The black coats that the two men were wearing flapped in the night breeze. Both men gave off the intimidating auras of the nightjars, which usually came out at night to hunt their prey.Facing the wind, Julian lit a cigarette. He put it between his lips and drew on it. His cheeks were a little sunken as he pulled on the cigarette, making his handsome features a lot sharper.When only half of his cigarette was left, Julian directed his gaze to Jeffrey. His voice was steely."I'm calling off all of our collaborative work. Also, I'm putting the divorce lawsuit between me and Willow on hold for now. If I'm going through with it, I'll have someone else take over the case instead…"Jeffrey asked, "Why?"Julian dropped the butt of the cigarette on the floor and put it out by stepping on it with his leather shoe. His voice hardened even more. "Jeffrey Gibson, you're asking me why?"
Leaving You Bereft Chapter 29
Willow was aware of that, of course. That was why she did not turn down Julian's offer right away. After all, who would say no to earning more money?However, she was no fool. Julian would not just make such a nice offer for no reason. He was not someone who would give away his money so easily.Willow smiled slightly. "What are the duties that I'll have to fulfill?"Julian looked at her and said crudely, "You need to cooperate with me for Project Aurelia. Also, you'll need to satisfy me in bed.""Julian Ziegler!""I have urges."Willow did not agree to it right away. She replied flatly, "I'll consider it."Julian produced a document and handed it to Willow. "This is the agreement. You can get a lawyer to go through the details listed in the document. We can discuss more if you have any other conditions."Even if there's no love between us, we're still family. Think about it, Willow."Willow agreed to consider his offer. Still, she insisted on leaving. She refused to stay there
Leaving You Bereft Chapter 28
Julian took Willow to the suite and opened the door with the access card. It was their first time staying in a hotel room together.The lights were off. All of their senses were heightened. While Willow was still in a daze, she was pressed against the sturdy door and forced to accept Julian's kisses.The faint scent of aftershave and the strong smell of tobacco lingered on his body. All of that invaded Willow's senses while Julian was kissing her passionately. Willow could hardly stay on her feet since her legs were shaking…The two of them stumbled across the room and got to where the couch was. Julian's coat had been taken off, followed by Willow's stockings. Her legs trembled slightly as she felt the fabric of Julian's black suit pants against her skin.Julian caressed her face and demanded, "Say that you don't like Jeffrey."There was no way Willow would say something like that.She did not have any special feelings for Jeffrey. At the same time, she did not want to say those
Leaving You Bereft Chapter 27
That day, for the first time ever, Jeffrey wanted to hold a woman in his arms. It was not out of lust or desire.Instead, Jeffrey simply wanted to hold Willow, wipe away her tears, and kiss those trembling lips.While the others remained silent, Jeffrey asked, "Why do you want a divorce?"The couple standing by the door turned around. Julian looked at his longtime friend with a stony gaze. His voice turned icy. "Do you know what you're doing, Jeffrey Gibson? You should go to the hospital and get yourself sobered up if you're feeling too drunk."Jeffrey rose from his seat slowly."I'm completely sober! I've always been! Have you sobered up, Julian? If you have, you should have realized by now that Willow doesn't love you anymore. You can hold onto her for one to two years, but you can't hold onto her forever."Julian scoffed. "She's still my wife now."Jeffrey fell silent.Natalie, who sat beside him, tugged at his sleeve. She asked cautiously, "Jeffrey, do you like Willow?""M
Leaving You Bereft Chapter 26
In the other corner of the room, Julian leaned forward and stubbed out his cigarette.With his perfect side profile and slender fingers, he looked charming even when he was just doing those simple movements. Then, he stood up and walked over to the group. Julian placed one hand on Willow's shoulder lightly."It's time to go home, Willow."A heavy silence lingered in the air.The others did not expect Julian to be so affected by this. They all assumed that he did not care that much about Willow.Besides, Jeffrey had not overstepped his boundaries. He merely said something ambiguous. It was not as though he had actually stolen something precious from Julian. Yet, Julian had reacted this way.Even back then, he had never acted so defensive when it came to that person. It seemed like being officially married did make a lot of difference.Everyone thought that Willow would surely listen to Julian and follow him home since he had given in first. She would most likely go back to being
Leaving You Bereft Chapter 25
"Julian's wife is celebrating another man's birthday behind Julian's back.""Well, Julian caught her red-handed.""Julian doesn't love Willow, though. I don't think he'll make a fuss about it."…Julian leaned back against a couch placed in a corner of the room. With his black attire, it was as though he had blended in with the darkness.Even in a place like that, Julian exuded an air of refinement. He seemed like he could be a celestial being who would never be tainted by matters of the mortal world.Julian fixed Willow, who was standing at the door, with an intense gaze.It was obvious that she had dressed up for the occasion.Willow was wearing a greyish-blue satin dress with a fitted waistline, a pearl necklace around her neck, and a pair of diamond earrings. She also paired her outfit with a handbag and a watch of matching colors.She looked both elegant and feminine.No one knew exactly when it was that Willow had started showing these changes.She started showing this
Leaving You Bereft Chapter 24
One week later, Willow secured the unit for her business.She signed a contract for five years since the price and location of the unit were ideal. She wrote a check and passed it to the landlord.With the economy having slowed down in recent years, the landlord was very pleased with the fact that Willow wanted to sign a contract for five years.The landlord left shortly afterward since he had other arrangements. On the other hand, Willow remained seated as she tried to finish her coffee. It was a habit she had had for a long time.Just then, she heard a soft female voice. "Willow!"Willow paused for a split second.It was Natalie, Jeffrey's younger sister.Natalie was still a college student. She and Willow were not exactly close. However, she was being very friendly to her that day. Natalie hurried over and clung to Willow's arm while speaking to her enthusiastically.Even someone who was usually aloof and distant like Willow liked how bubbly and lovely the young lady was. Wi
Leaving You Bereft Chapter 23
Willow left the hospital and headed home. Julian quickly hurried after her.After she stopped her car, Willow could see Julian standing next to his car, which was parked beside the sycamore tree.When Willow exited her car, Julian moved to block her path. "We need to talk."Willow walked past him and headed for the elevator. "There's nothing for us to talk about, Julian. I'll see you in court."She went up to her floor, and Julian followed behind her. However, Willow did not let him into her apartment.She leaned against the door after closing it. Julian took up a big part of her youth. It was actually really painful for Willow to try and cut him off now.She spent some time organizing her thoughts. Then, Willow took her bathrobe and went for a shower. As for whether Julian would linger outside or leave, it was none of her business anymore.As the night deepened, one could see through the windows of the building the lights going out one after another.Inside a black car parked
Leaving You Bereft Chapter 22
Willow did not want to speak to him. She excused herself and went into the bathroom.She leaned against the wall and stared blankly into space. Willow was waiting for Julian to take the hint and leave.Ten minutes later, the bathroom door opened with a soft creak. A ray of light streamed in through the opened door, and Julian slipped in shortly afterward.There were only the two of them inside that dark space.Willow did not look at him, a sign of her refusing to communicate with him.Julian stopped before her. With his tall form, he towered over Willow. Julian reached out and lightly placed his hand against her cheek. His voice was hoarse yet gentle. "Does it still hurt?"Willow turned her face away. She was repulsed by his touch, and she made sure to show it clearly.However, Julian was not someone who would give up easily. He pushed one leg between Willow's legs and held her chin. He gently caressed her cheek as if he was looking at something precious to him. Yet, Willow mere
