Chapter 806: Always Thinking of You Out of Habit

Leona Grant gently pulled Annabelle Linton into his arms, rubbing her head as he said, “During the month we were apart, I would habitually think of you every single day. Whenever I had a free moment, I couldn’t help but wonder if Annabelle had eaten, if she was wearing enough clothes in the cold weather, or if she was exhausting herself.

“At night, lying in bed alone, I’d wonder what my sweetheart was doing. Had she gone to sleep without drying her hair again? Was she missing me? Should I call her? But then I’d decide against it, not wanting to bother her. I’d look at the empty space beside me, feeling out of place for the longest time before finally drifting off.

“Living without you was full of things I just couldn’t get used to. Hearing you cough and sound sick over the phone made me so worried, but I didn’t dare come find you. I was terrified that if you came back with me and saw me sick all day, you’d only be heartbroken again.

“But things are better now. We can finally be together forever. Sweetheart, I’m truly terrified of losing you. Whether you leave me or I leave you, the thought breaks my heart. Promise me you won’t ever leave me, okay?”

It was incredibly rare for him to speak so much in one breath, revealing the sheer depth of his emotions.

Meeting Leona’s earnest, affectionate gaze, a bitter ache gripped Annabelle’s chest, leaving her utterly speechless. She didn’t want to leave either… but she had no choice, did she? Forcing down the violent trembling in her heart, she offered a gentle smile. “I won’t leave.”

Her heart would never truly leave him.

Leona kissed her in satisfaction. He held her tightly, pressing his cheek against hers as he murmured sweetly, “Annabelle, you’re the best.”

Hearing those words made her chest tighten with a suffocating pain. Tears welled up in her eyes; had the lights been on, he definitely would have noticed. Taking a slow, steadying breath, she forced her voice to remain casual, though it came out slightly hoarse. “Do you want to keep watching? If not, let’s go to sleep. I’m so tired today.”

Hearing this, Leona clicked off the television with the remote and pulled back the covers. “We’re done watching. If you’re tired, let’s rest.”

“Mhm,” Annabelle replied softly. She turned her back to him and lay down, genuinely struggling to keep her eyes open any longer.

As she settled in, Leona wrapped his arms around her from behind. His hands, burning with a searing heat, trailed slowly up her legs, over her stomach, and continued upward. He pressed kisses from her earlobe down her neck, his body gradually covering hers. Feeling a sudden tickle, Annabelle pushed lightly against him. “Let’s go to sleep, stop messing around…”

“Just once…” Leona nuzzled against her, his hands slipping beneath her pajamas. He showered her with kisses, pleading relentlessly, “Just once, sweetheart…”

Left with no other choice, Annabelle finally compromised.

Winter had arrived.

The weather was growing increasingly colder, requiring thick coats just to walk down the street. After spending a few days wrapped up in each other at home, Leona took Annabelle on a trip to a private island. The air there was exceptionally fresh, but more importantly, it was wonderfully warm, boasting spring-like weather all year round.

During those few days, Annabelle accommodated his every whim. Whatever Leona wanted, she did her absolute best to satisfy him. She simply wanted to spend her limited remaining time by his side, completely unaware that her compliance was only making him more hopelessly dependent on her.

The private island estate belonged entirely to Leona, featuring a massive seaside castle that overlooked a vast, sparkling expanse of the ocean.