Mnie protested, “Liam, don’t you think you’re reading too much into it? Alicia is pure–hearted and wonderful.”

    Liam looked at her. “Doesn’t she strike you as a hypocritical youngdy?”

    Feeling rather speechless, she reprimanded him. “Liam, you never fuss over the younger generation. What’s more, you’ve known her since she was a little girl.”

    He closed his eyes once more. “Willow is still the better match for Julian,”

    Willow woke up early in the morning. She was sleeping on a bed she wasn’t familiar withb, /bbut she was wearing a bathrobe from the brand she usually wore. There was even a faint scent of the shower gel that was also present in Grandview Manor.

    She had a hunch that this ce belonged to Julian.

    At that moment, the sound of a piano echoed from the lounge, and the melody was extremely familiar to her. It was a song that

    used to cause her emotional turmoil.

    Willow lifted the nket and got out of bed. Then, she walked over to the door of the lounge in her bare feet.

    Sunlight shone through the white curtain, illuminating the room brightly. A piano stood in front of a floor–to–ceiling window. Juhan was sitting at the piano and ying “Für Elise“, a song that she once yearned for.

    Willow remained where she stood and quietly listened to it. He yed it impably, but she no longer wanted to hear it.

    Once Julian struck thest note, the lingering melody echoed in the air. He didn’t rise to his feet. He was aware that Willow was behing him. Covering the lid, he said softly, “Willow, our marriage isn’t as miserable as you think.

    “Alicia and I have known each other since we were kids. She was weak and fragile. So, I frequently looked after her. That’s all.

    “When I was 18 years old, I was abducted. She was only 16 years old then, and the abductors also took her. We were locked up in a dark room for a whole week. We were only given a loaf of bread every day.

    “Every time, she would give me half of her portion, iming that she didn’t have as big an appetite as I did.

    “By the time we were rescued, the intense fear had taken a toll on her well–being, and she developed a chronic illness. It was

    leukemia.

    “Later, she suffered from kidney failure. I sent her to Grandsburg for the best treatment when I had the means to do so. There was a time when I was obsessed with getting her cured.

    “However, it was clear to me that I would never marry her, even if she were perfectly healthy. I carry a much more important task on my shoulders. The Ziegler family depended on me to elevate its reputation and status.

    “Willow, I put the past behind me a long time ago. The only sentiment I have for Alicia is to keep her alive. Guilt was probably what drove me all this time.”

    The way Willow saw it, Julian was a great performer. What a touching tale. s, it had nothing to do with her.

    The only thing she wanted to do now was to get changed into her own clothes and leave this ce. Their paths would never cross again in the future.

    She decided she would never get drunk because of Julian again. She had been overly sentimental for an extended period, and that was enough.

    Willow went back to the bedroom. She grabbed her clothes from the headboard and went to the restroom to get changed, only to find that the door was locked.

    She was aware that Julian did it on purpose. So, she took off her bathrobe in front of him without hesitation and slipped back into the dress she wore that night.

    They had been married for four years, and they had been naked in front of beach /bother countless times. Stripping into her birthday suit now wasn’t going to bother her.

    Willow’s body gleamed in the morning light, exuding a faint, seductive glow.

    Julian stared at her intensely as he gulped involuntarily. He was a man with needs. There was no way he wouldn’t feel anything when he witnessed her graceful body.

    Willow ignored him. She put on her shoes and headed toward the bedroom door. As she brushed past Julian, he reached out and grabbed her wrist. He pleaded with her humbly for the first time in his life.

    “Don’t leave. Stay with me.

    “We can live here in Radiance Manor if you don’t like Grandview Manor. This ce will be our new home. Let’s start over. I mean it, Willow. I want to spend the rest of my life with you.”

    Willow struggled fiercely, but Julian maintained a firm grip on her and wouldn’t let go. The assertiveness in his eyes was unmistakable when he looked at her.

    Amid their struggle, Esther rapped on the door. She sounded anxious as she spoke.

    “Mr. Ziegler, something huge has happened! Catherine died in her cellst night!”