Shattered Longings

Chapter 37 How Long Did You Plan to Leave Me?

Amidst her confusion and internal struggle, Bella didn’t fall asleep until the sky began to lighten. When she finally woke up, it was already a sunny afternoon.

She expected the hospital director to call and reprimand her for not coming to work, but to her surprise, the director hadn’t made any fuss at all.

She went outside to the courtyard to freshen up, and Leonard followed her with a smug expression, saying. “I told you that you’re not going anywhere.”

Bella, brushing her teeth with irritation, wanted to spray him with toothpaste foam. How could he be so confident that he understood her so well?

Although she was still conflicted, she was leaning toward staying for the time being. If she decided to leave, she would do so only after Dominic had left to avoid giving him the impression that she was leaving just because she didn’t want to see him.

Good weather never lasted forever. After several days of clear skies, heavy rain finally arrived.

Raindrops pounded against the grape trellis. The young grapevines, not yet bearing fruit, seemed unable to withstand the onslaught. Soon, the ground was littered with fallen green grapes.

poor sound insulation. The noise of

grape trellis, stepping into the icy rainwater and reminiscing about the times when Dorothy had scolded

gentle that even when scolding her. Yet her mother had only been with her for five

to Dominic’s room opened. He stepped out onto the eaves to smoke, the flickering flame illuminating his stunningly handsome face. The smoke slowly rose into the

stopped herself from splashing around in the water. Regardless of the time or place, one

finished his cigarette but didn’t go back inside. It seemed like he was looking at

to say something, but Bella couldn’t hear clearly. She saw him turn and enter the house, leaving

guessed that he might be inviting her in. After hesitating for a moment, she walked under the eaves and closed her

went to a small table in the room, poured two cups of hot tea, and took a sip

face to face again. Now, with things so unexpectedly calm, she felt at a loss and couldn’t gauge what

How Long Do You

shut the door and turned to find that, after cutting off the wind and rain, they