Willow said, “Let’s talk about it when we’re there.”

    +25 BCNUS

    To her surpriseb, /bJulian bought her a handbag. It was a limited edition tinum Birkin. Only 50 of them were made in the entire world, and it wasn’t even on the shelves of the stores in Brindley.

    The lights shone brightly. Julian lowered his head, his eyes brimming with tenderness. “Do you like it? Don’tdies love handbagsb?/bb” /b

    Willow did love them, but she wasn’t bthat /binto them. She took it and thanked him.

    Julian loved seeing bthe /bsatisfied look bon /bher face. bHe /bstared at bher /bperky cheeks and gulped.

    “I don’t have meetings or business gatherings tomorrow. How babout /bwe go bto /bthe apartment? Are there any dishes you want to eat? I’ll ask Esther to get the ingredients ready.”

    Willow raised her head and zoned out a little when she saw the affectionate look on his face.

    “What’s wrong?” Julian’s voice sounded a little hoarse. Are byou /bupset by what Aunt Karen said earlier today?”

    She shook her head gently. Looking at him, she said softly, “Julian, I’m pregnantb!/b”

    Julian was immediately stunned. She said again, “I’m pregnant! bIt’s /bprobably five weeks bnow/bb, /band I’ll probably go intobor in September next year.”

    For five seconds, nothing happened. Then, he pulled her into his arms with one hand. She nuzzled her face against his shoulder and felt the warmth of his body through his thin shirt. Her bvoice /bsounded broken when she spoke.

    “Julian, we shouldn’t do it…”

    He interrupted her gently, “We shouldn’t be intimate or pretend to be a lovely couple. We shouldn’t bgo /bbto /bthe apartment again just to sleep with each other again. Is that what you’re trying to bsay/b?”

    “Yeah.” Her bvoice /bdrifted from his shoulderb, /bbso /bsoft and tender. “Julian, Landon’s condition will be fully cured once the baby is born.b” /b

    Lowering her head, Julian looked at Willow. His voice was deep and affectionate when he spoke. “Is that the only reason? What about us? Are you really moving on from me?”

    The night remained quiet for a long timeb, /b

    Willow leaned on Julian’s shoulder and responded gently, “Julian, don’t make it hard for me!”

    Her words effortlessly made his heart bgo /bsoft, Moreover her eyes were glistening from tears.

    In the past, Julian would have remained assertive and stubborn, even if his heart did go soft. Nowb, /bhowever, he couldn’t bring himself to treat Willow that way.

    bHe /bcouldn’t stand it if she shed a tear, and he couldn’t bear the thought bof /bputting her in a difficult bsituation/b. His heart would break into bpieces /bif someone made her sd.

    Julian wiped Willow’s btears /bbaway/bb, /bbut fresh btears /bjust kept pouring out. Lowering his headb, /bhe bkissed /bthem away, but he never pulled back. Instead, he slowly made his bway /bto bthe /btip bof /bbher /bnose and bkissed /bher with

    b*/b

    affection.

    He held the back of her neck, raised her head, and made her kiss him on the lips. At that moment, her fragility and his dominance stood in stark contrast.

    After the kiss, Willow’s nose turned red. Her eyes wereced with something that only both of them knew. There were regrets, mncholy, and an indescribable shamelessness.

    She slowly pulled away from his embraceb. /bTears bstill /blingered at the corners of her eyes, and her voice sounded very hoarse. “This is the end of bthe /bline, Julian!

    Julian didn’t stop her. Standing beneath the brilliant light, he cast a tender nce at her. There was a smile on his face, but his eyes told tales of a broken heart.

    The short, sweet life they shared in the apartment felt like a dream. However, it was time for them to wake up and return to realityb. /b

    Julian kept a faint smile on his face as he fell into deep thought.

    “Willow, I told you that I would set you free. So, I’m not going to put you in a difficult position.”

    He never stopped smiling, and byet /bbthe /btears still cameb. /bFate had brought them together and torn them away from each other.

    Was this the end of the road for them? They had a new life on the way, and yet not even that was enough to wash away the faint sadness. 1

    Willow went back to her room and leaned her back on the door, her eyes were also glistening with tears.

    Under the weight of a mncholy night, two hearts broke into a million pieces.