Time-Limited Love: A Contract Expired, Not Renewed novel Chapter 219

So this is what it feels like—when someone’s sick of you, it doesn’t matter how hard you try or what you do. Nothing works.

A fleeting trace of sarcasm flashed in Landon’s eyes.

After a moment, he gave a low reply. “Alright.”

He called Richie, handed off a few tasks, then returned to the sofa.

Landon glanced at Zinnia, then at Dapper, who was curled up fast asleep in his dog bed. He said, “We don’t have to live together, but we should talk about Dapper.”

What did Dapper have to do with anything now?

Zinnia instinctively recalled Landon’s previous complaints about Dapper; her frown deepened.

“If you’re going to ask me to give up Dapper again, you can save your breath.”

Sure, he’d been oddly nice to Dapper tonight, but that was out of character and she didn’t buy it.

Landon realized she was misunderstanding him again, and felt a mix of helplessness and regret.

“I’m not asking you to send Dapper away.”

He lifted his hands in surrender, then said sincerely, “Honestly, I really like Dapper.”

Zinnia looked at him, suspicion and confusion in her eyes.

She simply couldn’t believe Landon’s attitude could shift so drastically in one evening. Earlier, when Dapper went missing, he had seemed almost gleeful, like he hoped the dog would never come back.

Seeing the distrust in her gaze, Landon let out a wry, self-mocking laugh.

He lowered his head, explaining, “I thought the ‘puppy’ you were keeping was a college kid or something. That’s what made me upset and want you to get rid of it.”

Zinnia: “Excuse me?!”

Had she really just heard that?

So all this time, Landon thought her dog was… a guy?

Excuses would only sound like he was shifting the blame.

Sure, maybe Leanna planted the misunderstanding, but if he hadn’t let his own suspicions run wild, he could’ve just done a little checking and realized who Dapper really was.

Instead, he’d stubbornly clung to his mistake, arguing with Zinnia for so long.

If he tried to blame Leanna now, it would only make Zinnia despise him more.

Then he remembered what Zinnia had just said—“I’m not like you”—and his expression changed.

He opened his mouth, hesitated, then finally spoke.

“I know everyone thinks there’s something going on between me and Noelle.”

He gave a bitter, self-deprecating smile. “And honestly, I can’t blame any of you. I didn’t set clear boundaries. But Zinnia…”

He met her eyes. “If I’d ever wanted anything to happen with Noelle, I’d have married her long ago. I wouldn’t have waited until after our wedding to start being unfaithful.”