Chapter b227 /b

    Willow turned off the faucet and met Julian’s gaze in the mirror. She said indifferently, “I don’t think my personal life has anything to do with you.

    He swallowed. “You’re right. It doesn’t.”

    She turned and left. As she brushed past him, his right arm twitched underneath his suit jacket. Ultimately, however, he did nothing and allowed her to leave.

    He looked at himself in the mirror and smiled self–deprecatingly. What could he do to win her back? His right arm was a mess of patchwork, and he couldn’t even hold a ss of water properly. What right did he have to ask a woman in her prime to stay by his side and endure the odd looks others would give them?

    Willow had plenty of men to choose from. Why would she settle for him?

    Later that night, a ck car slowly pulled into Radiance Manor. The car stopped, and the driver circled to the back to open the door. “Mr. Ziegler, we’re back.”

    It was dark inside the car. Julian sat in the backseat, still engrossed in the agony of his past. The driver’s words yanked him out of his reverie, making him get out of the car.

    As soon as he entered the house, a maid hurried forward and said, “He refused to go to bed, no matter how we coaxed him. He’s been asking for his mother.”

    Julian headed upstairs. The easternmost bedroom on the second floor belonged to him and Landon.

    Julian’s right arm was disabled, and he was always busy with work. Despite that, he’d refused to leave Landon to be raised at the Ziegler residence. He’d insisted on keeping thetter by his side.

    Landon was throwing a tantrum. He’d burrowed underneath the sheets and had refused toe

    out.

    Julian entered the bedroom and took off his suit jacket, Then, he sat by the bed and reached underneath the sheets to pull Landon out.

    Thetter was small in size and looked cherubic. He liad been frail since birth and had spent ten months in an incubator, barely clinging to life.

    He was the son Julian treated like a treasure and had carefully nursed back to life. He looked just like Willow, and Julian would almost be momentarily dazed whenever he looked at him.

    Landon tearfully curled up in Julian’s arms. “Today Thalia Sherman asked me why I don’t have a mommy. A few other kids also made fun of me.”

    Julian couldn’t help thinking of Willow. He gently stroked Landon’s face and kissed him. “Of course you have a mommy.”

    “I want to see herb, /bthen.”

    Julian fell silent. Then, he smiled and said, “Alright”

    Landon wanted to push for more information but merely pouted when he saw the look on Julian’s face. Then, he grabbed his pillow and got ready for bed. Julian was about to help him take his clothes off when he stood on the bed and wriggled out of his sweater. “I can do it myself, Daddy.”

    Julian watched him in surprise. Landon proceeded to burrow underneath the sheets and wriggle closer to Julian like a little caterpir.

    He missed his mother, but he was even more afraid of making his father sad. Whenever he asked for his mother, Julian would look sad. Was it because his mother couldn’te back anymore?

    He couldn’t stop thinking about this and even muttered about it in his sleep.

    Julian caressed Landon’s face gently as a lost look appeared on his face.

    Mnie dropped by early the following morning.

    Life hadn’t been good to her over the past three years. Her stupidity had cost Julian an arm, so`she was racked with guilt whenever she saw him. To this day, Liam refused to move back into their bedroom. He’d slept in the study since the ident.

    She helped Landon get dressed before taking him to kindergarten. When she returned, Julian had yet to leave for work. He was poring over some documents in the study.

    She used bringing him a drink as an excuse to join him there. She sat on the couch and looked at him, saying, “I know I shouldn’t urge you, but we can’t leave Landon like this forever.”

    Julian didn’t speak. Mnie continued, “You’ve never had the heart to tell her, so maybe we’ll never need to. Perhaps a half–sibling would help the doctor said there’s a 50% chance it’ll work, right? I’ve found someone who’s pretty nice, and she’s aware of the situation. She adores Landon,

    too.”

    The fall morning’s sun’s rays streamed in through the window andnded on Julian, casting a golden glow over him.

    He finally put down his pen and said, “I ran into herst night. Willow, I mean. She’s back.”

    Mnie was overjoyed. “That’s great! You can talk to her, and Landon will be saved!”

    Julian merely pulled out a cigarette with one hand and stuck it in his mouth, lighting it. He took a few drags before saying softly, “Arrange for me to go on blind dates. There’s a 50% chance, right?”

    Mnie was taken aback. Then, she cried, “Julian!”

    He lowered his gaze to look at his tattered arm. He smiled self–deprecatingly and said, “Even I’m ashamed when I look at myself now.”