Chapter 23
The day of the engagement was creeping closer, and Zara and Julian had already made plans to take their wedding photos.
They started with a family portrait–just the three of them, with Grandpa.
Grandpa, thankfully, was still in good spirits, cracking jokes and laughing along. According to Julian, ever since Grandma passed, Grandpa had been living alone, spending most of his time with a group of old men from the neighborhood. Julian thought the family photo would help ease the loneliness, and maybe prevent Grandpa from constantly missing his dear late wife.
But as soon as the picture was taken, Grandpa started mumbling, his voice laced with a
hint of frustration.
“Weren’t you supposed to give me a great–grandson by now? It’s been over half a month, and still nothing. This foolish grandson of mine isn’t doing his job.”
Zara, standing behind Grandpa, nearly choked on her laughter as Julian’s face twisted between disbelief and annoyance. He couldn’t help but snort, shaking his head.
“Grandpa,” he grumbled, a smirk playing on his lips. “I’m doing just fine. As soon as we get married, I’ll give you a whole bunch of great–grandkids!”
At that, Grandpa’s face lit up, and his mood instantly lifted. All his earlier grumbling disappeared, replaced by a sparkle in his eye.
The day of the engagement came, and nearly everyone showed up. Batu and the rest of their friends, along with close family, gathered to show their support.
The gifts they handed over were generous, but Zara, without missing a beat, focused more on the envelopes than the man standing next to her.
Julian, standing just a few feet away, snorted, clearly annoyed by Zara’s lack of interest.
“Hey, beautiful lady, is it really just that small amount of money that’s got you all worked up?” he teased, his voice both playful and possessive. “You should know, your man’s got plenty more where that came from.”
Zara rolled her eyes dramatically but couldn’t hide the satisfied smile tugging at her lips. Ast much as Julian was getting under her skin, she could feel the excitement in the air.
Everything was starting to fall into place.
Batu, not able to resist a jab, grinned. “Zara, you wouldn’t know it, but back in the day, he ignored everyone. Only you can handle him now.”
Zara swallowed, then nodded thoughtfully. She could remember a time when she left him alone in the capital, and how badly he’d suffered from it.
From now on, Zara promised herself, she wouldn’t ever let him go through that again.
He was her precious, and she would protect him.
Just as she turned her gaze away, though, her eyes locked with Landon’s. He was standing across the room, his cold, indifferent eyes boring into hers.
3/3 0151
22.10 Sat, 15 Mar A
There was something darker in them–jealousy, dissatisfaction–and a chill that seemed to radiate from him.
Despite knowing that Zara and Julian were about to get engaged, Landon couldn’t hide the anger and coldness bubbling inside him.
He clenched his fists, trying to keep up the act of being unaffected. But Zara saw right through the facade, her sharp eyes catching every hint of tension in his body.
Landon’s mind raced, clouded by bitterness and resentment. He couldn’t stop thinking. about the downfall of Winston Enterprises. He knew Julian had something to do with it, but he refused to believe that the Hayes family was entirely innocent.
A sneer tugged at the corner of Landon’s mouth. ‘Why didn’t Julian just finish off Winston Enterprises once and for all? And now this engagement?”
The bastard was rubbing in how much he’d lost.
Suddenly, a sharp pain shot through his chest, and he staggered slightly. It felt as though his heart was being crushed from the inside out.
It was hard to understand, even harder to explain.
But Landon tried to console himself. ‘It’s just an engagement,‘ he thought. Just an engagement. It’s not a wedding. I still have a chance.”
Still, the bitterness clawed at him, sour and heavy, like a weight he could barely carry. He felt like he was about to collapse, consumed by jealousy and the fear of losing Zara.
This engagement wasn’t just a public event. It was in his territory–the venue prepared by the Hayes family.
If anything went wrong here, he’d be the first person blamed.
Everyone knew about the personal tension between him and Julian.
The ceremony came to a close, and it was already six o’clock. The venue started to empty, and by the time Landon left, it was nearly dark.
His head was pounding, his vision blurring as he stumbled. His legs felt weak beneath him, and before he knew it, he collapsed to the ground, his hand slipping out of his pocket to fumble for his phone.
With a tremble, he hit a button, and a voice came through the phone.
“What’s wrong? Did something happen to you?”
There was panic in Cassidy’s voice, but Landon couldn’t respond. His vision was fading. and his breath was shallow.
“What’s going on, Landon? Are you with that girl again?” Cassidy’s voice was growing frantic. “Say something, Landon! Are you messing around with that bitch again?”
The last thing Landon heard before the world went black was Cassidy calling his name, her voice becoming more desperate, but it was too late.
No one could hear him. No one could reach him.
Chapter 23
