Time-Limited Love: A Contract Expired, Not Renewed novel Chapter 94

Dark, heavy clouds twisted together on the horizon, threatening rain at any moment.

No wonder the air felt stifling and restless, making Zinnia’s nerves prickle with unease.

She let out a quiet sigh.

Hurriedly, she dashed toward the surgical wing before the first raindrop could fall.

Today, she only had two operations scheduled, but both were major procedures.

By the time she finished, it was precisely quitting time.

“Zinnia, I promised my friend we’d check out some apartments after work. Let’s get changed and head over together, okay?”

Zinnia nodded. “Sure.”

After changing out of her scrubs and stepping outside, she made a quick detour to the security office.

Royal Bay.

Landon was certain he was sick.

Not just with a fever and chills—something was wrong deep inside his chest, too.

Whenever he pictured Zinnia’s distant expression, a wave of panic would seize him.

It hurt, realizing she no longer cared for him the way she used to.

He’d never known this kind of helpless, gnawing anxiety before.

Maybe... just maybe... he really was ill.

He coughed, the sound harsh and raw.

He’d spent all morning hacking as if his lungs were about to burst.

The fever medicine he’d taken earlier seemed to have worn off already, and the heat crept back up inside him.

But he could barely focus on that. It was the hollowness in his chest that bothered him more, as if a cold wind kept sweeping through, chilling him to the bone.

He’d stared at his phone all day.

Ever since Zinnia left that morning without so much as a backward glance, right up to the final minutes of the workday.

Not a single text or call from her—no simple “How are you feeling?” or “Did you take your meds?” Not even a stray emoji.

Yet here he was, clutching his phone like an idiot, not even sure what he was hoping for.

When had he, Landon, ever wasted a whole day waiting for a message that didn’t matter?

The more he thought about it, the more ridiculous it seemed. But that cold ache in his chest only tightened, swelling until it almost hurt.

She caught a flash of panic in his eyes, as if he was terrified someone might see and get the wrong idea.

Noelle bit her lower lip until it turned white, staring at him.

“Noelle, what do you want?” Landon asked, already turning away and sinking onto the sofa.

Noelle swallowed her resentment, letting tears spill down her cheeks.

“Landon, Zinnia has such a terrible misunderstanding about me. I didn’t know what else to do, so I came to you.”

The moment she mentioned Zinnia’s name, Landon’s full attention snapped to her.

“What happened?” he asked, his voice hoarse.

Noelle sniffled, her words catching. “I went to the hospital this morning to see my brother, and I ran into her. Right there in the middle of the corridor, with people all around, she called me a homewrecker and said I was ruining your marriage.”

As she spoke, fat tears rolled down her face.

“Everyone heard her. They didn’t even bother to find out the truth—they just sided with Zinnia and started hurling insults at me. Some of the things they said were awful.”

Noelle kept crying, sneaking a glance at Landon for his reaction.

Sure enough, his expression had gone dark. She felt a surge of satisfaction and pressed on with her sob story.

“I know Zinnia has the wrong idea about me. Maybe I’ve relied on you too much and made her uncomfortable, but I never meant to come between you two. I swear, I never wanted to be the other woman or ruin your relationship.”