Three Years Forgotten, Why Go Crazy When I Say Goodbye? novel Chapter 503

Willow strode straight past them, stopping exclusively at Silas's side. She quietly informed him that they had wrapped up the situation with Ethan and were cleared to start packing for their return to New York City. She casually chatted with him about a few mundane tasks, thoroughly treating Julian and Vivienne as if they were invisible.

Finally, Julian's patience snapped. "Willow, I have something to ask you," he demanded, his tone cold and unyielding.

Willow's first instinct was to ignore him entirely. However, Silas was standing right there. She knew whatever poison Julian was about to spew would only dirty the air, and she fiercely protected Silas from being dragged down into the mud of this petty, exhausting drama. Reluctantly, she agreed.

Silas, recognizing her need for boundaries and privacy, respected her space. He didn't press the issue. Before stepping away, he simply lowered his voice and told her, "If you need anything, call me. I'll be right next door."

Once Silas was gone, Julian ordered Vivienne to leave as well.

Vivienne bristled, utterly reluctant to walk away. She had desperately wanted to stick around and find the perfect opening to strike. But Julian had issued a command, and she didn't dare defy him. Suppressing the venom swirling in her eyes, she dragged her feet as she walked out.

In an instant, the sprawling courtyard was completely silent, leaving only Willow and Julian alone.

Willow met the gaze of the furiously brooding man across from her. Her tone was completely detached. "Spit it out," she said.

Julian hadn't entirely figured out where to begin. There was an overwhelming mountain of things he wanted to ask, but the absolute apathy in her eyes stung him deeply. Stabbing in the dark, he snapped, "Why did you have Silas arrange for people to hurt Vivienne?"

A faint, icy smirk grazed Willow's lips. Completely unfazed, she shot back, "Is that what Vivienne told you?"

"Everything that involves you is toxic." She didn't leave him a single shred of dignity. As for how they were different—did she really need to spell it out?

Willow gave him one last disgusted look before sharply pivoting the conversation. "Also, regarding the divorce, I'll be officially filing the second-instance appeal very soon."

That sentence ruthlessly obliterated Julian's absolute bottom line.

His face turned a dangerous shade of purple as a crazed, desperate obstinacy swirled in his eyes. "Give it up," he growled, rigid and unyielding. "I am never giving you a divorce."

He hadn't agreed to it the first time around. Now? The thought of letting her go, of handing her over to some other man on a silver platter, meant he'd rather watch the world burn than sign those papers.