Bound by the Past, Locked by the Heart novel Chapter 270

The little guy squirmed restlessly in her arms, grabbing at her hair.

Willa's grip tightened. She shifted her hold, pressing Nugget's face against her shoulder so all Randal could see was the back of his head.

"Why are you here?"

"The air quality is better over here, so I moved in," Randal replied, deliberately slowing his words.

Willa saw right through his pitiful excuse.

Sycamore Grove was an old district with cramped alleyways. How could the air quality or living conditions possibly compare to the elite mansions he was used to?

It was an excuse so flimsy it barely counted as a lie.

She didn't bother exposing him. Playing along with aloof detachment, she replied, "Yes, it's quieter than downtown."

Her apathy was undisguised; she didn't even care enough to ask anything else.

Willa sidestepped, trying to get past him to unlock the door, but Randal's gaze locked onto her. He asked in a low voice, "Corbin actually makes you live here?"

Willa paused with her hand on the door. Keeping her back to him, she calmly threw his terrible excuse right back in his face. "The air quality is better over here."

That single sentence silenced Randal completely.

Once inside, Willa collapsed onto the couch as if all the strength had been drained from her body.

Startled by the sudden movement, Nugget curled against her nervously. His tiny hands clutched her shirt as he looked up at her in confusion, staring at her with eyes identical to Randal's.

"Mama..." the baby babbled, resting his head dependently in the crook of her neck.

Willa's heart melted into a puddle.

Keeping up that facade of cold indifference had nearly taken everything she had.

Of course she understood the desperate probing behind his words.

It had been over a year. She assumed her carefully crafted lies would have been enough to make him give up.

At the very least, it should have taught him to keep his distance.

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