Chapter 1555:

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Novalee didn’t argue. She knew he was right; the luxury villas sat deep in the suburbs, far from the city’s bustle, and by this time of night, finding a car willing to come all the way out here was nearly impossible.

Without another word, she turned and walked back to the guest room. Just as she reached for the door, Marcus’s voice followed her once more. “What I told you, I meant every word. And that won’t change.”

Novalee didn’t respond. She simply stepped inside and closed the door behind her.

The next morning, when she walked out dressed for work, Marcus was already waiting downstairs. He picked up his car keys from the entryway table and looked over at her. “I’m heading to the office anyway. I’ll drop you off.”

This time, Novalee accepted without a word.

When the car arrived outside Owen Studio, she immediately spotted Barry waiting by the entrance.

Her phone had run out of battery the night before. After thinking for a moment, she asked Marcus to pull over. Then she climbed out and made her way toward Barry.

She knew it was better to make things clear now, before they had the chance to grow even more complicated.

Barry was wearing the navy-blue shirt she’d given him, his hair neatly combed, a bag of breakfast dangling from one hand. The moment he saw her step out of Marcus’s car, the bright, eager smile on his face froze.

Even so, he quickly composed himself. He didn’t ask why she had been in Marcus’s car. Perhaps, in his mind, there simply couldn’t be any connection between them. The distance separating their worlds was far too great to bridge.

Looking back now, all those moments when he’d been jealous felt almost ridiculous. After all, someone like Marcus, a man born into staggering wealth and privilege, would never, in Barry’s eyes, take an interest in a woman like Novalee, who had mental issues and troublesome parents.

𝗡𝗲𝘄 𝘄𝗲𝗲𝗸𝗹𝘆 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗽𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗼𝗻 𝗴𝗮𝗹𝗻𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗹𝘀.𝗰𝗼𝗺

Barry crossed the distance between them in a few quick strides, holding out the bag in his hand. “Novalee, I called you so many times last night. You never picked up. I was up the whole night worried sick.”

Novalee spared him a brief glance but made no move to take the breakfast. “My phone died.”

“You don’t look well.” Barry followed after her as she walked into the studio, setting the breakfast on her desk. “Did I do something wrong? Why are you suddenly shutting me out like this?”

“Let’s break up, Barry.” She turned to face him, her voice so calm it might as well have been a casual remark about the weather.

Barry’s brows drew together in disbelief. “Where is this coming from? Is this because of my parents? I told you, just give me a little more time. Why can’t you understand?”

Novalee let out a slow, measured breath. “It’s not about your parents. You went on a blind date yesterday, didn’t you? Or do I really have to spell it out for you?”

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