Time-Limited Love: A Contract Expired, Not Renewed novel Chapter 123

“Looks like something happened to Xander tonight—Zinnia’s stuck in the on-call room, cornered by his parents demanding answers.”

Landon snatched Chandler’s phone out of his hand.

It was a message from Zoey.

The screen was filled with angry rants directed at Landon, with a few lines explaining the trouble Zinnia had run into during her overnight shift.

“Ugh, Noelle’s parents are the ones giving Zinnia a hard time. My wife’s chewing you out, fine, but why am I getting dragged into this?” Chandler grumbled as he grabbed his coat, tossing it over his arm. “I’m out. Gotta go smooth things over at home.”

He plucked his phone from Landon’s grip and strode out of the private lounge without another word.

Landon didn’t move. He just sat there, drinking in silence, glass after glass.

“She thinks she’s so tough. Why should I bother getting involved?” He let out a bitter laugh, still knocking back the liquor.

“Damn it! I owe her, that’s what this is!” Landon cursed under his breath and slammed the bottle down on the coffee table. He grabbed his jacket and stalked out.

By the time Landon reached the hospital, it was well past midnight.

The in-patient wing was quiet, save for a couple of nurses at the front desk, bored and glued to their phones.

“What’s got you so hooked?” one of them asked.

“Checking out Dapper,” the other replied.

“Who’s Dapper?”

“That puppy Dr. Quinn adopted a while back.”

She turned her phone around, showing off a few photos.

Landon’s steps faltered. He glanced over at the two nurses.

“Isn’t he gorgeous?”

“Seriously, look at that build, those muscles, that golden fur—he’s a total heartbreaker.”

“No wonder Dr. Quinn can’t stop posting about him on Instagram.”

The nurses giggled, practically drooling over the pictures.

Her voice was cold, detached—the tone Landon knew all too well. But that icy calm only pushed his frayed nerves closer to snapping.

He marched over and yanked her up from her chair.

The smell of alcohol hit Zinnia instantly, making her wrinkle her nose.

“How much have you had to drink?” she asked, instinctively taking a step back.

But Landon noticed, and in a flash, wrapped an arm around her waist, pulling her against him.

Zinnia struggled to break free, but his grip was ironclad—she couldn’t move.

“Landon, don’t make a scene in my office,” she said, giving up the fight. She stood still, meeting his eyes with calm resolve.

Landon hesitated, clarity flickering in his gaze for a split second.

Staring into her cool, logical eyes, he felt his heart twist painfully.

His chest ached, swollen with a sour, suffocating pressure, as he steadied himself and spoke, eyes rimmed with red.