Time-Limited Love: A Contract Expired, Not Renewed novel Chapter 166

Zinnia’s face was set in a look that brooked no argument.

Every word she spoke landed with the weight of a gavel.

It was unmistakable—this time, Zinnia had no intention of letting Noelle off the hook.

That was when Rosalie began to panic.

She was angry at her daughter for acting so recklessly, for treating her own brother’s life like it was nothing.

But what was done was done, and anger wouldn’t change a thing.

Right now, the only thing that mattered was minimizing the damage to Noelle.

With that in mind, Rosalie shot Landon a desperate look and said,

“Landon, you can’t let Noelle go out there and tell the truth. You know what those ignorant, vicious people online are like. The moment they find out Noelle was the one who hurt her brother, they’ll hound her to death.”

She said this with the air of someone stating the obvious, as if passing the blame onto the online mob was the most reasonable thing in the world.

But when the word “rabble” left her lips, everyone in the lounge exchanged uneasy glances.

Rabble?

Please.

Everyone here was just an ordinary person—did Rosalie think herself royalty?

“Yesterday, Noelle was already pushed to the brink by their harassment. She nearly took her own life. If it happens again, I can’t even imagine…”

Rosalie’s voice trailed off.

She buried her face in her hands, her shoulders shaking with sobs, looking every bit the victim—perhaps even more so than Zinnia.

Landon listened in silence, eyes downcast, lost in thought.

To Zinnia, though, his silence looked like agreement, as if he was weighing Rosalie’s plea.

He cared deeply about Noelle’s depression. The moment her condition worsened, he’d lose all reason in his desperation to help her.

With Rosalie saying all this, who could say he wouldn’t just try to sweep everything under the rug for Noelle’s sake?

“Depression is a serious illness. If her last doctor couldn’t help after all this time, maybe it’s time for Noelle to see someone new. There’s no shame in getting proper treatment.”

“You—”

Noelle was so incensed by Zinnia’s cool, effortless composure that her teeth clenched tight.

What made it worse was how familiar Zinnia’s words sounded.

Of course.

That day in Landon’s office, he’d said almost the exact same thing.

What was this supposed to mean?

Were they trying to show her just how in sync they were, as if they could finish each other’s sentences?

The more Noelle thought about it, the angrier she became. Her glare shifted instinctively to Landon.

She caught him just as he pressed his lips together, struggling to stifle a smile—and failing, as the corners of his mouth curled upward.