Leaving You Bereft (Willow and Julian) novel Chapter 6

The autumn night was crisp outside, but inside the car, it was warm and quiet.

Willow caught the scent of fresh tobacco. Jeffrey smoked the same brand as Julian. For a moment, in her hazy state, she got confused. She thought Julian was the one sitting beside her.

Her eyes fluttered shut as she reached out, grasping his hand. "Julian."

Half-asleep, she felt like she had slipped back in time. Back to when she and Julian were still a young couple.

Jeffrey didn't pull his hand away. He didn't say a word either. He simply turned and looked out at the road ahead. The night was as deep and dense, eerily similar to the way he felt at that moment.

Jeffrey had been with women before.

But those had always been casual arrangements—no strings attached. He had never experienced emotions as intense as Willow's. For the first time, he wondered what it would be like to be loved by someone like her.

In the distance, fireworks bloomed against the sky, their brilliance cutting through the night.

Willow stirred slightly, just a small movement, but Jeffrey noticed. He turned to her, and his eyes were deep and unreadable. "You awake?"

Willow's limbs felt heavy, but her mind was slowly clearing.

She remembered drinking too much. She vaguely recalled Jeffrey pulling her out of the bar, but the rest was a blur.

Her voice was hoarse. "What time is it?"

"Just past 1:30 am," Jeffrey replied.

Willow gazed out at the fireworks with misty eyes. She was unusually quiet.

After a long silence, she spoke softly, "I once saw the most beautiful fireworks in the world. I thought they were mine to keep. But I forgot that no matter how dazzling, fireworks only last for a moment.

"Just like Julian and me. I thought if I gave up everything for him, we'd last forever. But now I finally understand that Julian might have imagined love once or twice, but the woman he loves was never me."

A bitter smile curved her lips. "Jeffrey, do you think I'm a failure?"

"You're not."

Jeffrey's voice was calm. "As long as you want it, you'll always be Mrs. Ziegler."

It wasn't just empty comfort.

Men like Julian didn't divorce easily. He might enjoy spoiling a younger woman for a while, but the title of Mrs. Ziegler was reserved for someone like Willow.

Willow just smiled faintly. She said nothing more and kept watching the fireworks.

…

By 2:00 am., Jeffrey pulled up in front of Grandview Manor.

The car came to a stop. Willow turned to him and thanked him for the ride. She held out his jacket, ready to return it.

"Keep it on," Jeffrey said. "It's cold out."

Willow thought that it seemed more proper to return it after getting it cleaned, so she didn't insist. Holding the jacket, she stepped out of the car and bid him farewell.

Jeffrey remained seated, offering a polite nod before pressing the gas and driving away from the villa.

The moonlight was cool, and the wind brushed against her skin.

Willow rubbed her temple. Her head ached.

From the house, Blair Vaughn, the housekeeper, hurried over.

The moment she got close, she caught the scent of alcohol.

Blair didn't comment on it. Instead, she asked gently, "Have you been drinking, Mrs. Ziegler? Mr. Ziegler just called. He'll be dropping by soon to pick up some clothes. Would you like to pack them, or should I take care of it?"

Willow had already made up her mind about the divorce. Julian's affairs no longer concerned her.

She told Blair to handle it, while she wandered up with Jeffrey's jacket in hand. The moment she touched the bed, she drifted off into a deep sleep.

A night breeze lifted the sheer curtains. Moonlight spilled into the room, casting a soft, ethereal glow over the woman on the bed. She looked delicate and alluring.

At the foot of the bed, Jeffrey's black jacket lay where she had dropped it.

…

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