All Chapters of Leaving You Bereft: Chapter 1 - Chapter 10

After four years of marriage, before the seven-year itch could even kick in, Julian Ziegler already had a mistress.At the gate of an upscale villa in Brindlewood, Willow Harper sat quietly in the backseat of an expensive car, watching her husband sneak around with another woman.The woman was young. Dressed in a white dress, she looked innocent and enchanting.They held hands like lovers, and Julian wore a tenderness Willow had never seen.The woman tilted her head up and playfully pouted at Julian. "My feet hurt. Carry me, Julian!"Willow thought Julian would refuse. After all, he was known for being a cold, unapproachable man with a short temper. No matter how much he indulged his lover, he'd never tolerate that kind of fuss.But the next moment, Willow was slapped in the face.Julian gently rubbed the woman's delicate nose, looking both aloof and tender. Then, he picked her up effortlessly, cradling her in his arms as though she were the rarest of treasures.The woman's sof

Julian gave Jeffrey a slight nod.Jeffrey smiled faintly and left, giving the couple, who were on different wavelengths, some space.After Jeffrey left, Julian glanced at Willow and frowned. "Why are you dressed like that? Go change. We're having dinner at the Ziegler residence later."Willow understood perfectly. When Julian mentioned "dinner", it was code for showing off their fake affection for Dominic's stake in the company.At times, Willow couldn't help but feel that Julian was a contradiction. He presented himself as polished and serene, but beneath the surface, he was more driven by ambition and wealth than anyone. He was perfectly suited for the world of power and status.Willow was willing to go along with it. Before they separated their assets, she would prioritize their interests.She returned to her office to change into a suit and met Julian in the private elevator.The elevator was empty except for the two of them.Julian glanced at his watch and said casually, "

Willow knew that once she spoke the truth, there would be no turning back between her and Julian.But when disappointment had built up to its breaking point, one would throw caution to the wind and let go of everything.Looking up at the man she had once loved so deeply, she was ready to peel open her wounds and expose them completely before him.When she spoke, her heart ached so much it felt numb. "Don't bother making any decisions, Julian. I don't want my position in Nebula Group or even the title anymore. Because I can't—"She never got to finish because Julian's phone rang.His eyes stayed locked on her face as he answered. On the other end, Esther's urgent voice came through. "Mr. Ziegler, Ms. Burke is in critical condition. You need to come now.""Okay."Julian hung up and turned to Willow. "We'll talk later." Without another word, he strode to his black Rolls-Royce, ready to leave.Willow stood frozen in place. A gust of night wind swept past, chilling her to the bone

The next morning, Willow woke up with a headache.Blair was considerate enough to bring her some medicine.After taking it, Willow felt much better. She was about to take a shower when Blair huffed indignantly, "Mr. Ziegler is completely into that vixen. He came home last night and saw you completely drunk but still chose to drive away."That was how Willow found out Julian had come back the previous night.Blair suddenly remembered something else. "Oh, right, Mrs. Ziegler, Mr. Ziegler told us to have Mr. Gibson's jacket cleaned and delivered to him. At least he's still considerate toward you."Blair had no idea about Julian's real intentions. She thought it was a gesture of care.But Willow understood. Julian was just afraid of being cuckolded.She wasn't feeling well, so she stayed home for two days and took time to visit her grandmother.…On Monday, Nebula Group underwent a shake-up.A major project had gone awry, and all the evidence pointed to Willow's negligence. After

Julian read and re-read every single word on the yellowed piece of paper, over and over again, until his eyes finally turned sore and bitter.Suddenly, he understood the pain that Willow had been through. He understood her tears.He finally understood why Willow had screamed at him in the parking lot, asking him why he wouldn't even spare her one minute of his time, and why he had changed so much.She couldn't give birth anymore.He didn't love her. However, Willow was someone very important to him. She had been with him for four years. She had been by his side when he was at his lowest, and she had also witnessed him achieving his greatest successes.They had agreed to have two children after they got married. One would be a boy named Landon Ziegler, and the other would be a girl named Evelyn Ziegler.Julian slowly sat down on the bed.His usual handsome features suddenly looked like they'd aged by a few years. He grabbed a cigarette from his pocket, lit it up, and took a huge