Shattered Longings Novel

Chapter 23 Your Woman Is With Me

After wandering for a while, Bella found herself back in the small town where she had lived with Dorothy before she was five.

This place was far from the bustling city, and it still had the same clear blue skies and fresh air as she remembered. It felt like nothing had changed.

After Dorothy passed away, her body was buried here, fulfilling her final wish. This was their birthplace, the place where both she and Dorothy were born, and also where Dorothy’s suffering began.

Returning to this starting point meant that she might never see Dominic again. It also meant that she would have to treat the past two decades as a long–forgotten dream. But fully waking up from that dream? That was easier said than done.

Fortunately, the house she and Dorothy had rented was still standing. The house came with a courtyard, and it had been renovated over the years. But the ownership had changed, and someone else was living

there now.

The house was quite large, enough to be rented out in parts. She had a special attachment to the place, so she managed to get the new owner’s contact information and called to inquire about renting a room.

After getting the owner’s permission, she went to the house to discuss it in person.

one answered.

When she arrived, the gate to the courtyard was open. She called out a few times, but no one After a moment’s hesitation, she stepped inside.

The courtyard looked much the same as before. The grapevine and the lush greenery were even more vibrant than she remembered.

To her surprise, she discovered that the rose bush she had planted as a child was still alive. It had been pruned but had grown tall. It was blooming, as it was the season for flowers.

She had always loved plants. It was almost funny to recall that she once dreamed of creating a perfect garden for Dominic. Now, looking back, it just seemed childish.

While she was lost in thought, a clear male voice sounded behind her. “Are you here to rent a room?”

She turned and met a pair of strikingly beautiful eyes.

The man was casually dressed in a light gray tank top and matching sweatpants. His slightly was tied back partially. He had a tall, lean build and looked as if he had just gotten out of beu, holding a water cup in one hand and a toothbrush with toothpaste on it in the other.

hair

Despite his laid–back appearance, there was something about him that didn’t feel unkempt. Perhaps it was just that good looks were powerful. Bella had to admit that this new landlord was quite handsome

live

She politely introduced herself, “Yes, I’m the one who called earlier about renting a room. Do you here? Would it be possible to rent one room? It’s just me.”

The man walked over to the faucet in the courtyard, filled his cup with water, and began brushing his teeth as if no one else were around. With his mouth full of toothpaste, he mumbled, “I rent based on vibes. If it’s a pretty girl, I’ll rent it.”

Then, he turned and winked at her. “You meet the criteria.”

Bella’s mouth twitched. He seemed a bit unserious. She was already preparing to say, “Maybe I should keep looking elsewhere,” when he suddenly shifted his tone and became serious.

“Eight hundred a month, deposit and three months‘ rent upfront. Minimum stay of three months. No

Chapter 23 Your Woman to With Me

refunds if you leave early.”

The town had been developing over the years, turning into a scenic area with a lot of foot traffic. The price was reasonable.

Bella reluctantly repeated her question, “So, do you… always live here?”

The man rinsed his mouth, casually grabbed a towel to wipe his face, and replied, “No, just recently. So most of the time, it’ll be like you’re renting the whole place for eight hundred. Quite a deal.”

Bella breathed a sigh of relief. “Thank you. I’ll move in as soon as I can.”

While signing the rental agreement, Bella realized she hadn’t asked the landlord’s name. “Um… what’s your name? Since we’ll be neighbors.”

The man looked at her, his eyes narrowing slightly. “Leonard Sawyer.”

For some reason, the name sounded familiar to Bella, but she couldn’t quite place it. After signing the contract, she returned to the hotel where she was staying to pack her things.

Leonard watched her leave and then picked up his phone to send a message. “Dominic, your woman is with me.”

At the end of the message, he added a smirking emoji.

Back in Joville, Dominic was in a meeting when he noticed his phone screen light up. Almost instinctively, he opened the message.

Upon reading it, he couldn’t help but let a faint smile curl the corner of his lips. There wasn’t the slightest hint of surprise in his expression.