Three Years Forgotten, Why Go Crazy When I Say Goodbye? novel Chapter 126

Throughout the meal, the conversation flowed almost exclusively between Willow and Genevieve. On the rare occasions Julian tried to interject, Willow would instantly fall silent and focus on her food, actively avoiding any form of engagement.

Her blatant disregard was obvious to Genevieve, and certainly obvious to Julian. Yet he seemed entirely unbothered, merely offering a faint, amused chuckle.

Right on cue, a steaming tureen of rich bisque was brought to the table. A maid carefully served Genevieve a bowl first, then handed the next one to Julian. Instead of keeping it, he smoothly slid the bowl toward Willow.

Willow acted as though the bowl didn't exist. She turned her body slightly toward the older woman. "This vegetable dish is wonderful, Grandma. You should have some."

Knowing full well she was ignoring him on purpose, Julian didn't get angry. He simply picked up a spoon, stirred the creamy soup, and nudged it closer to her again.

Willow still refused to acknowledge it.

The two of them fell into a silent standoff—one relentlessly pushing the bowl, the other stubbornly refusing to take it. The nearby staff exchanged nervous glances, entirely unsure of what to do.

Eventually, Julian lost his patience. He leaned in, forcefully sliding the bowl directly in front of her plate. Unwilling to back down, Willow raised her arm and shoved the bowl back toward him.

She pushed with force, completely misjudging the angle. The sudden motion sloshed the scalding bisque over the rim, splashing directly onto Julian's tailored suit, leaving a massive, dark stain across the fabric.

The maids gasped and rushed forward with napkins to do damage control. Willow, however, remained entirely expressionless. She watched the chaotic cleanup with dead eyes, her gaze drifting toward Julian with undisguised annoyance.

The stain was too severe to handle at the table, forcing Julian to excuse himself. Before stepping away, he cast a lingering look at Willow. His eyes held a complex storm of surprise, anger, and a dark spark of intrigue she had never seen before.

She didn't spell it out, but the implication was crystal clear. She had already severed her professional ties with Sinclair Group. Now, she was severing her personal ties to the family.

Knowing there was nothing she could do to stop it, Genevieve simply reached out and patted her hand. "No matter what happens, I am still your grandmother. This will always be your home, and you are welcome here whenever you want."

"I know. Please take care of your health." Willow could never bring herself to be cold to Genevieve. The bond was too deep to discard.

Just as they were finishing up, Julian returned. He didn't eat, choosing instead to sit quietly, his eyes occasionally darting over to study Willow.

Shortly after, Willow stood up to leave, and Julian immediately mirrored her, announcing his departure. Genevieve didn't try to make them stay. Instead, she asked Julian to drive Willow home. Her reasoning was practical—it was impossible to hail a cab around the estate—but she also wanted to give him one final, desperate chance to fix things.