Leaving You Bereft (Willow and Julian) novel 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 children–Landon and Evelyn.

They were once their hopes and dreams.

Without the children, there seemed to be no path forward for him and Willow. At that moment, an overwhelming sense of

attachment surged within him. Caught off guard, he could no longer tell how much of his feelings for Willow were genuine love.

The tense atmosphere was abruptly interrupted by another incoming call on Willow’s phone.

It was the caregiver looking after her grandmother.

Without so much as a second thought, she hung up on Julian and answered Maureen’s call.

Maureen’s voice was filled with panic as she exclaimed, “Ms. Harper, something terrible has happened! A woman came by, and

Madam Harper developed chest pain. Fortunately, there was medicine by the bed, which she managed to take herself. Had that

not been the case… I dare not imagine the consequences.”

Willow’s face turned deathly pale.

After ending the call, she said to the attorney, “I have an urgent matter to attend to. Mr. Gibson, we’ll have to discuss this another

time.”

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Maureen recounted everything in detail. “It was a young woman–she looked shallow and vain. She came straight to Madam Harper and claimed she was pregnant with Mr. Ziegler’s child, demanding that you step aside. Madam Harper was so angry that she nearly collapsed on the spot. Then, upon seeing her condition worsen, the woman ran away without offering any help.”

Her expression was grave. “Ms. Harper, there’s surveillance footage to prove it. I’m not making this up!”

Willow’s hands trembled.

She struggled to contain her emotions and spoke with forced composure, “I understand. Please take care of Madam Harper while I handle some things.”

Maureen assured her that she would.

After making the necessary arrangements, Willow turned and walked down the corridor.

The setting sun cast streams of crimson light through the windows. Her figure glowed red, as if she were engulfed in flames. Her face was filled with the harshness of the world.

Willow was willing to give up love, to lose Julian, to lose everything. But she could not lose her grandmother.

Her grandmother was her bottom line.

And now, Catherine had crossed it.

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