Time-Limited Love: A Contract Expired, Not Renewed novel Chapter 291

“But honestly, my wife gets sick of me pretty easily. She might not even tell me,” Chandler said with a helpless grin.

At that moment, Landon suddenly spoke up. “The food’s getting cold. Let’s go out and eat.”

“Aren’t we waiting for Zinnia?” Arrow asked, glancing at him.

Landon’s face darkened, his tone icy. “No. She’s not coming.”

With that, he was already opening the door and stepping out into the hallway.

The others exchanged uncertain looks, then quietly followed him out, none of them wanting to be the last one left behind.

—

Across town, Zinnia hadn’t waited long in the hotel lobby before Yuri came down the stairs.

“You sure you don’t want to rest a little longer?” she asked.

“I had plenty of sleep on the plane,” Yuri replied, taking the stroller with Dapper inside from the doorman. “Besides, I’m starving. Let’s grab something to eat.”

Zinnia still cradled Cozy in her arms, absentmindedly squeezing the pup’s velvety paws and grinning at its playful squirming.

Yuri watched her fondly, a soft smile flickering in his eyes. “The restaurant I booked isn’t far. Let’s walk—it’ll do us good.”

“Sounds perfect. I’ll follow your lead,” Zinnia agreed.

Outside, the warm glow of streetlights spilled across the snowy sidewalk, painting everything in golden hues. Two friends, a dog, and a cat strolled through the night, their laughter echoing softly. The scene was so picturesque it could have come straight from a winter postcard.

“Zinnia?”

Not far away, outside a law office, Noelle had just finished a meeting with her attorney. The moment she stepped outside, she spotted Zinnia at once.

What’s she doing here? Noelle wondered, her gaze shifting to the tall, striking man beside Zinnia—the one with silver-rimmed glasses and the easy smile. Watching the two of them chatting and laughing, a sly, cold smirk tugged at Noelle’s lips.

She pulled out her phone and, making sure she wasn’t noticed, snapped several photos of them from different angles.

The words caught Yuri off-guard. For a moment, he just stared at her, mouth slightly open in surprise. “You’re not serious, are you?”

Zinnia watched his expression and couldn’t hold back a giggle. “See? Now you’re the one who’s scared.”

Yuri shook his head and chuckled, a little embarrassed.

—

Out front of the law office, Noelle’s attorney was saying his goodbyes. “Miss Smith, I’ll be heading off now. If you need anything, don’t hesitate to call.”

Noelle barely acknowledged him, too focused on her phone as she continued snapping pictures. The attorney watched her, a little puzzled at her evident delight. Her mother was still stuck in a police cell, the other party refused to settle, and Noelle was here grinning like she’d won the lottery. He shook his head and walked away, briefcase in hand.

Noelle watched as Zinnia and her mysterious companion entered an upscale restaurant across the street.

Let’s see how you explain this to Landon, Zinnia, she thought with a smirk.

She pocketed her phone and hurried across the street, stopping just outside the entrance. Peering through the window, she immediately spotted Zinnia and Yuri sitting together at a table by the window.