Time-Limited Love: A Contract Expired, Not Renewed novel Chapter 199

“Dapper’s missing?”

Zinnia’s voice shot up a few notches, pinched by panic.

The words pulled Landon’s attention off the road, where he’d been sulking in silence behind the wheel.

He caught a glimpse of Zinnia’s face—startlingly pale, worlds away from the calm, almost frosty mask she’d worn just moments earlier.

His brow creased. That strange, sour ache in his chest grew sharper.

He was just a grown man, for God’s sake. So what if he disappeared for a while? It wasn’t like he could just get lost. Was it really worth all this anxiety?

“I’m already heading back,” Zinnia said, her voice trembling. “Can you help look around the neighborhood? I’ll be there soon.”

Veridian City might be friendly to animals, but there were always risks. Not everyone loved dogs and cats—some people were downright cruel.

If Dapper had been snatched, or worse, hit by a car on purpose…

Zinnia couldn’t bring herself to finish the thought. Her face drained of color, turning ghostly white.

“Landon, drive faster!” Her words shook with desperation, and her eyes were already rimmed red.

Landon, stung by jealousy, snapped, “So he’s missing. He’s not stupid enough to totally vanish, is he?”

Zinnia, lost in the terror of losing Dapper, flared at Landon’s coldness.

“Right, he’s not as smart as you, Mr. Ford. Now can you please just drive faster?”

Her voice wavered even more.

Landon bit back another snide remark—he’d meant to mock Dapper again, but seeing the tears brimming in Zinnia’s eyes stopped him cold.

Shock and disbelief flickered across his face.

He stormed around to the passenger side, seized Zinnia’s wrist, his own hands trembling.

“You’re risking your life for that useless mutt? Do you even know what you’re doing, Zinnia?!”

His voice shook almost as much as his hands. Just the thought of her leaping from a moving car made him sick with dread.

Zinnia knew exactly what she was doing.

She’d never actually throw herself into traffic. She’d just gambled that Landon wouldn’t want a death on his conscience, so he’d have to pull over.

She’d already died once—she was more careful with her life than anyone.

But she had no patience to explain. She shot him a cold glance and said, “I’m going back to find Dapper. Let go of me.”

Landon stared at the red rims of Zinnia’s eyes, the icy look she gave him. Beneath his anger, a fresh wave of jealousy and pain washed over him.