Time-Limited Love: A Contract Expired, Not Renewed novel Chapter 264

By the time the dinner party ended, it was well past ten o’clock at night.

Restless and frustrated, Landon had drunk more than he should.

Back at Eastlight Estate, Zinnia was just about to carry Dapper inside when Landon caught her wrist.

She turned to find him staring at her, his eyes full of pain. Several times, he looked like he wanted to say something, but the words seemed trapped in his throat. Finally, he managed a bitter, lopsided smile.

With reddened eyes, he asked quietly, “I deserve this, don’t I?”

Zinnia blinked, confused. “What?”

The words had come out of nowhere, catching her completely off guard.

“What do you mean?” she asked instinctively.

The bitterness on Landon’s face deepened. “You’ll never forgive me, will you?”

Honestly, even he couldn’t think of a single reason why she should.

But Zinnia just paused for half a second, then shook her head.

In that instant, hope flickered in Landon’s eyes. “Zinnia…”

“There’s nothing to forgive,” Zinnia said evenly. “Landon, I never hated you.”

But instead of relief, Landon’s expression only grew more desperate and hollow. He understood the unspoken truth behind her words.

“You just don’t love me. Why would I hate you, Landon?” Zinnia looked at him with a calm, almost gentle smile.

She’d lost the right to hate or blame him the moment she agreed to sign that contract.

“So let’s not talk about forgiveness. There’s no point. Go home, Landon. I need to get some rest.”

With that, she turned away, opened the door, and walked inside with Dapper in her arms, leaving Landon standing outside.

Zinnia didn’t bother responding. She simply deleted Noelle’s contact.

But even that wasn’t enough to keep Noelle away.

Noelle cornered her just as Zinnia was finishing up with her last patient of the day.

Zinnia was sorting through some files when she heard footsteps behind her. She lifted her head from the paperwork to see Noelle closing the door behind her, expression icy.

“Something you need?” Zinnia asked, shutting the patient file, her tone casual.

Noelle glared at her, tossing her purse onto the desk with a sharp thud. “Feeling pretty smug, aren’t you, Zinnia?”

Zinnia frowned, not following. “About what?”

A vicious sneer twisted Noelle’s lips. “Landon’s ignoring me. Are you happy now?”

Noelle’s voice was tight with anger, as if she might lash out at any moment.