Time-Limited Love: A Contract Expired, Not Renewed novel Chapter 28

As soon as Zinnia stepped outside her apartment building, she heard hurried footsteps behind her. Landon’s anxious voice called out to her.

“Zinnia!”

She stopped, turning to look at him with a puzzled expression. “What’s wrong?”

Landon let out a subtle sigh of relief and caught up to her, trying to sound casual. “I just happened to be heading out too. Let me give you a ride.”

Zinnia blinked in surprise, then shook her head without a moment’s hesitation. “No, that’s all right. The subway is just up ahead, and with all the rush hour traffic, it’ll be much faster than driving. My coworker’s waiting for me to swap shifts—I can’t keep her waiting.”

Her excuse was perfectly reasonable, leaving Landon with no room to argue.

Still, she couldn’t help but find Landon’s sudden offer a little strange. Why the urge to drive her to work out of nowhere? Their workplaces were in opposite directions, so it wasn’t as if it was on his way.

Landon’s face tightened when she refused him so directly, something unreadable flickering in his eyes.

“The next train’s almost here, so I’ll get going,” Zinnia added.

She waved to him politely and jogged toward the subway entrance. Only after she’d passed through the turnstile did she finally let out the breath she’d been holding.

No matter how determined she was to treat Landon like any other friend, whenever he got close, she couldn’t help but tense up and want to pull away. Her heart always beat faster—not from nerves or shyness, but from pure anxiety and dread.

She knew something was seriously wrong with her emotions, and she didn’t want to ignore it anymore. So when Yuri urged her to see a therapist, she didn’t make excuses.

Zoey wiped her tears, shaking her head. “No, it’s not about him.”

She looked at Zinnia, her eyes shining with fresh tears. “I’m just worried about you.”

Zinnia froze for a moment, then forced a smile. “Worried about me? Why?”

Zoey’s eyes filled again, her voice trembling. “Zinnia, I know everything.”

Zinnia’s smile faltered, her lips parting as if to speak, but no words came.

“There was an avalanche in Svalbard. I remember your hotel was right in the area where it happened. You disappeared for five days—not because you lost cell service, but because… something happened to you, didn’t it?”