Chapter b205 /b

    Julian paid a high price and bought Willow’s apartment. He still dropped by every week as he had always done. He’d make a meal and a cup of coffee. asionally, he would even spend the night here.

    Tonight, he slept on Willow’s bed. It was raining in spring, and he listened to the steady pitter–patter outside. One drop after another, rainwater fell on lush branches and leaves. Before long, they were glistening with rainwater.

    From time to time, Julian would run into Annie at business asions. She had done a marvelous job running Insight. Seeing her was like seeing Willow all over again, and it always took him an eternity to quell the tremors in his heart.

    The same thing happened at tonight’s banquet.

    Julian was smoking on the balcony by himself. The door to the floor–to–ceiling ss was pushed open, and someone stepped through it. It was none other than Annie.

    He stared at her quietly, and it took him a long time to light the cigarette in his hand. He made it sound casual when he asked, Is she doing welltely?”

    Annie looked at the horizon and responded nonchntly, “She’s doing great. She has a boyfriend now.”

    Julian’s eyes narrowed slightly. His lean fingers trembled faintly with the cigarette between them. After a while, he asked in the same casual tone, “Is it Caleb?”

    Annie grinned nonchntly. “I didn’t ask, but she was in a rtionship.”

    Julian dropped it. He raised the cigarette, put it between his lips, and took a fierce drag. He had never felt t. and he let it show on his face. It took him a while to finally murmur, “She’s starting over. That’s good.”

    Annie smiled. “I think so too.”

    ejected in his life,

    Then, she left gracefully, leaving Julian alone. The air was thick with swirling smoke. If loneliness had a scent, this would probably be it.

    Spring was gone, and summer came.

    It was the beginning of May, and Julian needed to make a trip to Yarrowmere. Before he left, he returned to the Ziegler residence. He offered a prayer to Dominic and shared a meal with Liam and Mnie.

    People had left the Ziegler residence one or another, and the ce felt colder and more deste.

    After the meal, Mnie pondered it before she decided to open the door to Julian’s bedroom. He was packing up his suitcaseb. /bAfter some hesitation, she pulled out some pictures and put them on the coffee table.

    “These youngdies stood out from the others, and I picked them the way you like it. All of them resembled Willow in some

    ways.

    “Your dad and I didn’t want to force youb, /bbut you’ve been alone for months. Aside from Esther, you haven’t let anydy get close to you.

    “We’re really worried about you and how you wallow in your loneliness day after day. Trust me. It’s always better to have someone who cares about you and looks after you.”

    Julian didn’t even cast a nce at the pictures. He responded icily, I will not marry again.b” /b

    Mnie wanted bto /bbsay /bsomethingb, /bbut she bbit /bher btongue/b. Eventuallyb, /bba /bsigh was all that she bcould /bmanageb, /b

    Liam was about to wipe an antique tea set when she went bback /bto btheir /bbedroom. He heard the door bopening /band basked/bb, /bb“/bbWhat /bdid bJulian /bbhave /bto bsay /babout it?b” /b

    She sat on the couch, drowned in mncholy. After a long timeb, /bbshe /bsaid, “He didn’t even look at the pictures. All he said was that he would never marry again.

    “Liam, I wasn’t being pushy. I’m just heartbroken. He’s just slightly over 30 years old, and yet he’s already on the path to being single for the rest of his life.

    “I might not be happy with it, but I would’ve been able to live with it if he were a yboy. But he just has to make himself suffer forever.

    “Liam, I can’t even imagine what it must feel like to be this way for a lifetime. Julian is only 30 years old, and yet his hair has turned gray.”

    Liam fell silent at first. Then, he walked over, stopped behind Mnie, and gave her a gentle massage on the shoulder.

    “He’s still got decades ahead of him. Perhaps he might figure it out someday. Also, Julian and Willow might’ve parted ways, but he’s going to Yarrowmere. Emotionally and logically, he has to swing by the Chapman residence and bring them some gifts.

    “The holiday ising. He had better not make them feel disappointed.”

    Mnie thought about what Liam said and nodded. Then, she raised her head and said, “I wrote some letters for Madam Harper and burned them. I cried my heart out back then.

    “Liam, Landon is going to be alright with Madam Harper, right?”

    His eyes glistened with tears as well. “I know he will be. She will look after him. Just look at how much she loved children.”

    Mnie wiped her tears. “Okay, I’ll get to it right now and let Julian take some gifts to the Chapman residence. We have to give them something too.”