Bound by the Past, Locked by the Heart novel Chapter 115

Willa waited for days, but Randal never returned. Instead, his mother, Eleanor Yates, showed up at her door.

She stood at the entrance, leaning in to glance around the apartment. "I know you're waiting for him. Stop waiting. He's not coming."

That single sentence utterly shattered the faint flicker of hope in Willa's heart.

A flash of impatience crossed Eleanor's eyes, but she still laid out her purpose for coming. "Randal has personally agreed to the engagement with the Sterling family. The ceremony will be held in ten days."

"You can continue living in this apartment, but you'd better know your place. Don't cause an ounce of trouble for him, and don't even think about fighting for things that aren't yours."

Willa's breath hitched.

It was the outcome she had expected, yet her heart still twisted in unavoidable agony.

Having delivered her message, Eleanor didn't want to linger a second longer and turned to leave.

The door clicked shut, and the breath Willa had been forcing herself to hold finally escaped her.

She stood frozen, her mind entirely blank except for the words "ten days" looping endlessly in her head.

Suddenly, a wave of profound sorrow washed over her.

Somehow, she had forced herself into an absolute dead end.

Her job was gone, her father's case had made zero progress, and she was trapped here, waiting on a promise that might never be fulfilled.

She slumped onto the sofa and didn't realize she was crying until a tear hit the back of her hand.

Crying, Willa eventually drifted off to sleep.

When she woke up, the sun still hadn't set. She sat up and grabbed her phone to check.

Still no message from Randal.

She tried calling him one more time, but the phone was still switched off.

Good thing she hadn't lived here long. There wasn't much stuff, so moving out would be fast.

She scanned the apartment numbly, holding on to that solitary thought.

But there were still some things she needed to say to him in person.

Willa opened her laptop and resumed editing her videos.

His tone was so intimate it was as if nothing had happened, as if he had merely gone on a routine business trip.

Willa reached out to touch the bruise on his face. "How did this happen?"

Randal caught her hand, pulling it to his lips to place a gentle kiss, but his eyes darted away.

"It's nothing. I just bumped into something."

She didn't call his bluff, merely humming softly in response.

Randal reached out to haul her up from the floor. Perhaps pulling too hard, he tugged at his injuries and let out an unexpected, muffled groan.

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing." He pulled her into his arms, his voice thick. "I just missed you. So much."

Willa's heart ached, and her eyes grew red again.

She missed him too. She had tossed and turned the past two nights, dialing a number that would never connect, over and over again.