The Real Heiress's New Family Adored By All novel Chapter 203

Chapter 203 Silent Tears and Unexpected Closeness

Zora crouched beside him.

“Leighton.”

She called out gently, yet Leighton gave no response at all. His gaze stayed fixed blankly on the view outside the window.

Zora followed his line of sight and saw nothing out of the ordinary, just ordinary street lamps glowing in the dark.

“Leighton?”

Worried that the alcohol was making him feel unwell, she reached out to touch his forehead and then his cheeks.

The hangover soup had taken effect, and his body temperature had dropped back to normal.

“Don’t leave me… please don’t leave me…”

It seemed her gentle touch had roused his muddled senses. Fragmented murmurs spilled from his lips. He rested his head against the clear glass window, with city lights streaking across his face. A corner of the sheer curtain fluttered loose, casting dappled shades over him. His hair fell limply over his forehead, laying bare his fragile state without restraint.

A close look revealed his body was trembling faintly.

Zora’s heart tightened sharply.

She had never seen him look so broken, as if the whole world had turned its back on him.

“Leighton.”

His condition was far from normal. She reached out and took his hand, noticing his knuckles were clenched so tight they had turned pale.

The moment her fingers touched his skin, he pulled her abruptly into a firm embrace,

The faint scent of liquor wrapped around her, leaving Zora stunned.

Before she could recover, he rested his head on her shoulder and circled his arms tightly around her waist.

He looked just like a wounded young lion seeking shelter and comfort.

Zora paused for a second, then lifted her arms to hold him and patted his back gently.

1/3

11:06 Sun, May 31

ent fears and Unexpected Closeness

…Let her go…. take me instead… please… don’t leave me…”

Painful and suppressed whispers drifted right by her ear.

ཊྛ་

Seeing him being so reliant, vulnerable, and tormented filled Zora’s heart with heavy sadness.

She had always known he was born outstanding and privileged. A man like him would never lower himself to beg for anything, yet drunk and lost in his emotions, he was doing exactly that.

She could feel the deep-seated agony hidden deep inside his soft words.

“I won’t leave you. I promise I’ll never go anywhere.”

Zora knew he was at his most fragile right now. She dared not say anything harsh to upset him, fearing it would deepen his inner trauma, which might even be the root cause of his long-term insomnia.

She kept patting his back and spoke in the softest soothing tone.

“Don’t leave me…”

Leighton held her even tighter. Unconsciously, his eyes turned red, and a single tear slipped down his cheek and landed on the side of her neck.

Waves of sorrow and desolation radiated from his body.

The warm drop felt scorching against her skin, stirring up strange feelings inside her. She tilted her head up to look at him and saw his bloodshot eyes glistening with unshed tears.

He was utterly heartbroken.

2

That was the first thought crossing Zora’s mind.

Beneath his usual easy-going smile lay countless untold pains no one knew about.

She suddenly recalled what Opal had told her earlier that afternoon-that he had gone through far more hardships than anyone could imagine.

Realizing this, Zora felt a surge of heartfelt sympathy welling up inside her.

“I’m staying right here with you.”

She stroked his hair tenderly. She was never good at comforting others, so she tried to copy what she had seen before.

Once while strolling along the ginkgo tree path on campus with Hallie, she had spotted a crying girl being comforted by a boy. All he did was gently pat her head, and soon the girl stopped weeping.

2/3

11:06 Sun, May 31

Sent Teats and Unexpected Closeness

Now that Leighton was upset too, she hoped this simple way could calm him down.

She just wished she had heard exactly what the boy had said back then.

Her gentle words seemed to work. Leighton stopped whispering and simply held her quietly without moving.

“Leighton, let me help you head back to your room and rest, okay?”

Zora’s legs had gone numb from crouching for so long. She wanted to get him settled in bed, and it was rather chilly staying in the living room in the middle of the night. Staying here any longer would easily make both of them catch a cold.

She had no idea when he had wandered out here. Earlier, Jensen had texted her to say he had already helped Leighton into his bedroom and told her not to worry.

She never expected to find him huddled alone in the window corner.

Leighton still stayed silent. Zora tried gently to pull his arms away from her waist, yet his grip was as firm as steel, and she could not budge them at all.

Just as she grew helpless, he seemed to notice her uncomfortable posture. He stretched his legs flat on the floor out of the blue.

She had been leaning sideways in his embrace, and the sudden movement made her lean straight forward. Her forehead lightly brushed against his soft lips, and her crouching posture shifted until she ended up sitting right on his lap.

Feeling that faint, soft touch, she instantly straightened up. One quick glance at his lips made the tips of her ears burn bright red in an instant.

30

3/3

11:06 Sun, May 31

The Real Heiress New Family Adored by All