Chapter 195
Leanne tossed and turned in bed, the faint glow of the streetlights casting shadows across her room. Insomnia had become a frequent, unwelcome guest, and her mood seemed to be tethered to Curtis, as though she was a marionette and he held the strings.
Deep down, Leanne knew she wasn’t heartless enough, not the ice queen she sometimes. wished she could be. Despite her best efforts, the remnants of his fiery love had still stirred an indescribable bitterness within her heart.
How could she be indifferent? In her twenty-something years, she had loved only him, and he had once claimed every corner of her soul.
He had given her love so intense that it bordered on obsession, but he had also taught her the bitter taste of hatred.
The vast landscape of love had different meanings for different people. For Leanne, it was all about Curtis.
The first love wielded an unshakable power over one because it defined what love meant to him.
The first kiss, heart-to-heart gaze, what he believed love was like, and how he loved. someone were all sculpted alongside the first love.
Every person he loved later carried an indelible trace of that crush of the first love.
For Leanne, love had come to mean vulnerability to pain.
To love someone
one was to willingly hand them the blade that could strike at your very heart. So, while Curtis could afford to be fearless, she lacked the courage to face that kind of pain again.
Her survival instincts, honed since childhood, shaped her worldview. Much like her approach to finance, stability always trumped risk.
She noticed her phone’s screen light up when she rolled over. Picking it up, she saw a message from Devin.
[Hey Anne, Curtis is pretty down. He has drunk too much and is out cold. Could you swing by and pick him up?]
After sending the text, Devin sat on the couch, legs jittering with anxiety, glancing at Curtis.
“Bro, do you think she’ll come?”
Of course, she wouldn’t.
Chapter 195
Leanne had a heart of diamond, unyielding, impenetrable.
Yet, Curtis couldn’t help but cling to a sliver of hope, wondering if she’d show even a hint.
of concern.
“Got a reply!” Devin exclaimed, slapping Curtis on the back.
Curtis glanced at the screen to see a string of digits. No message, just a phone number.
“What’s this? Whose number? Devin asked, puzzled and reaching for his phone.
Curtis’ gaze had already shifted away, his voice as thin and pale as the moonlight outside. “Don’t bother. It’s Jake’s.”
In the morning, the doorbell woke Leanne. Peering through the peephole, she saw Curtis standing there with breakfast in hand.
She didn’t answer, pretending not to hear, and returned to her morning routine. When she was ready to leave, Curtis was still there.
As the door opened, Curtis’ gaze was heavy with unspoken emotions, but they quickly vanished, replaced by his usual demeanor.
“It’s early still. Have some breakfast before work.”
Leanne acted like she didn’t hear or see anything, ignoring him and heading toward the elevator.
Hearing the neighbor’s doorbell chime, she overheard a woman’s voice, tinged with surprise and delight. “Oh, look who it is! The handsome is bringing the food and showing his love again!”
Curtis chuckled and responded, “Was just swinging by with an extra serving. How did you replace the restaurant last time?
“Delicious! The cupcakes were the best, so soft and creamy, and that passionfruit pudding, sweet and tangy, my son loves it.”
“That’s quite a coincidence. Your tastes align with my wife’s, Curtis said with charm. “This seafood chowder is pretty good, too. She’s fond of it. Give it a try”
Leanne stared at the metallic doors of the elevator, and her expression was unreadable as she listened to him chat away.
His words were measured, bridging the gap between neighbors while subtly crafting the image of the ‘man next door.”
The timing was impeccable. The elevator arrived just as Curtis approached.
He held the elevator door open for her and said with resignation. “I might overfeed your neighbor’s kid if you always skip breakfast”
Chapter 195
Leanne kept her eyes on the floor indicator, silent.
As the elevator door closed, Curtis said, “I had a rough night and dreamt something
strange.”
But there was no response from Leanne.
“Dreamt I’d been gone three years, and you’d secretly had a daughter without telling me.
You hid her away. She didn’t recognize me and clung to Jeremy’s leg, calling him ‘Daddy.’ I woke up fuming.”
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