Time-Limited Love: A Contract Expired, Not Renewed novel Chapter 278

After Richie left, Charles handed Landon a battered phone, its casing dented in several places.

Landon took it, immediately logging into WhatsApp and opening Zinnia’s chat.

What met his eyes was a harsh contrast: Zinnia’s cool, terse replies lined up against his own rambling paragraphs. A creeping suspicion made his fingers tremble as he scrolled upward, knuckles white.

At last, he reached that day.

The day Zinnia was trapped beneath the snow.

[There’s been an avalanche. I’m trapped under the snow.]

[Zinnia, if you’re trying to trick me into coming back, you could at least come up with a better lie. I’m still staying with Noelle for a few more days. If you’re done playing games, just come home yourself.]

Landon’s pupils widened, eyes fixed, unblinking, on the merciless, ice-cold message—sent from his own phone.

There were also several video calls, all marked as missed or declined.

Landon’s hands shook violently, mind reeling. The blood drained from his face; his usually calm eyes flushed red, and in the next moment, silent tears slipped down his cheeks.

“She was begging me to save her.”

His voice quivered, tears falling one by one.

“She was begging me to save her.”

He repeated the words, lips trembling, clutching the shattered phone in a death grip.

Charles stood silently to the side, witnessing—for the first time ever—his boss’s composure shatter completely. He thought about making a snide remark, but his mouth opened and closed wordlessly.

“Mr. Ford…”

Charles tried to find something comforting to say, but the words just wouldn’t come.

He glanced at the phone screen, sneaking a peek.

Holy hell.

That message came from Mr. Ford’s account?

He was the one who’d given Noelle his phone. Without that, Noelle wouldn’t have had the chance to send the message.

He’d let Noelle play him for a fool, but even those opportunities—he’d handed them to her himself.

How could he possibly justify himself?

Wasn’t it all because he’d taken Zinnia’s love for granted? Because he believed she’d always come back, so he could afford to ignore her, brush her aside? Even after he left Norway and returned home, knowing Noelle was safe, he should have called Zinnia himself—if only he’d cared, if only he’d felt the slightest guilt. But no, he’d let his pride get in the way, waiting for her to reach out first.

Landon’s mind was clear—painfully clear.

And the clearer it was, the more he realized he’d lost Zinnia for good.

He was the one who’d driven her away.

He deserved this. There was no one else to blame.

A sharp pain twisted in his gut, his stomach spasming, nerves raw.

He pressed one hand to his abdomen, the other gripping the phone so tightly his knuckles turned white.