Time-Limited Love: A Contract Expired, Not Renewed novel Chapter 304

By the time Charles arrived at the address Zinnia had given him, his shirt was drenched with cold sweat.

On the way over, his mind kept circling the same questions—if Mr. Ford really died, where would he go next? Would he still have his million-dollar salary? Was that climb to the top of the corporate ladder over before it even began?

The more he thought about it, the more he sweated. He’d nearly gone so far as to arrange Mr. Ford’s funeral home appointment.

Now, seeing Mr. Ford curled up on the ground—pathetic, exhausted—Charles finally let out a shaky breath.

Thank God, Mr. Ford was still breathing. His million-dollar paycheck was safe. He couldn’t help the little smirk that tugged at his lips.

He glanced at Landon, then at the firmly closed front door.

“Looks like Mrs. Ford really did just toss her boss out like yesterday’s news,” Charles muttered under his breath, eyeing Landon’s crumpled form.

Honestly, he’d assumed Zinnia would at least drag Mr. Ford inside and let him rest on the couch for a bit. He never expected Zinnia could be so utterly cold.

Mr. Ford, usually so tall and commanding, now looked like a stray dog huddled in the hallway. Charles felt a twinge of pity—mixed, admittedly, with a bit of schadenfreude.

“Serves you right,” he whispered to the unconscious Mr. Ford.

Charles stood with his hands on his hips, unsure where to start. “Should’ve made Richie come up with me,” he muttered, sighing as he struggled to haul Landon to his feet.

“Mr. Ford, I’m taking you to the hospital.”

“Zinnia…” Landon’s voice was barely audible, a faint murmur in the heavy silence. “Zinnia, you have to believe me…”

Charles listened to his boss’s fevered rambling, glanced again at the tightly shut door, and shook his head.

A fever? Landon’s memories were scattered and hazy. He remembered going to Zinnia’s place, remembered her locking him out. He’d tried to explain, to make her believe him, but she hadn’t listened.

After that… what happened after that?

He could only recall a blinding pain in his stomach, like someone was trying to rip it out of him. Then, nothing.

“Did… did she bring me here?”

“Nope.” Charles didn’t hesitate to shoot him down, stabbing straight through Landon’s fragile hope. “Mrs. Ford called me and told me to take you to the hospital.”

Whether he meant it or not, Charles’s words made Landon’s already pale face go even whiter.

“Enough,” Landon managed, his voice barely above a whisper.