Chapter 723: Husband, You Must Live On Well

Chapter 723: Chapter 723: Husband, You Must Live On Well

"So not letting you leave for half a year is me being unreasonable? Controlling you is me being unreasonable? Annabelle Linton, are you out of your mind?"

"Half a year! Do you have any idea what half a year means? I can’t even stand being apart from you for a single minute, and now you want to leave me for six months. How am I supposed to live?"

"Annabelle Linton, what am I to you, really?"

Leona Grant roared the last sentence, his deafening voice nearly shattering her eardrums.

"COUGH, COUGH, COUGH, COUGH..." After speaking, he turned his head, covered his mouth, and began to cough violently. It was a severe, wracking cough.

Annabelle lowered her head, tears welling in her eyes. Every one of his coughs tore at her heart.

But each cough also seemed to be urging her on.

She knew the excuse she’d given this morning was laughable. But Leona Grant was too good to her; honestly, she couldn’t even find a single fault to pick.

Leaving was the only way to let him live for as long as possible.

’My love, please, you have to keep living.’

Annabelle looked up, her expression blank as she stared at him and said coldly, "Leona Grant, I’ve actually wanted to say this for a long time. But you’re so domineering that I could never bring myself to say it. So let’s just get it out in the open today. I’m someone with no parents, someone who’s lived an unrestrained life for over twenty years. I’m used to being wild. So if you really love me, give me some space. If you won’t, if you can’t even indulge me in this one small thing, then how am I supposed to spend the rest of my life with you?"

A sharp glint flashed in Leona Grant’s eyes. Because of the height difference, he had to look down at her.

His intensity met her indifference. Leona could see she was serious. He frowned, his voice rising as he couldn’t help but shout, "Is this a question of indulging you or not? If you wanted to go for ten days or half a month, we could discuss it! But you want to go for half a year. Are you joking?"

"So that’s a no, then. In that case, there’s nothing more to say."

"Annabelle—"

Leona snarled, "Don’t push it. Half a year is impossible, and divorce is even more impossible! You want me to indulge you more, to respect you and your friends, to give you personal space? Fine, I’ll give it to you! But what about you? Do you respect me? We were doing just fine, and then your ’senior brother’ summons you to another city for half a year! What are his intentions? If you love me too, why don’t you get rid of those scummy friends of yours, huh? If you can’t do that, what right do you have to demand that I do anything?!"

Annabelle stubbornly yelled back, "I’m not asking you to do anything! We can just get a divorce, can’t we? Then nobody has to bother anyone!"

Leona was so angry he almost laughed, but it was a laugh born of heartbreak, and it left him feeling powerless.

It was as if all the emotion had been instantly drained from him. He stared at her blankly and asked in a wounded voice, "Annabelle, in your heart, am I the lowest of the low? In your social circle, even a dog could be an excuse for us to separate. I’m the one who’s been clinging to you this whole time, right?"

"Every day, you watch me putting on this energetic performance. When you can’t stand it anymore, you give me a little smile, a small response. You watch me get happy like an idiot, and you think it’s all very amusing, don’t you?"

As he spoke, he took her hand and placed it over his heart. "This place," he said, his voice desolate, "belongs to you. It will only ever belong to you. Even if you’re just lying to me, can you at least put a little more effort into it? I’m not asking you to love me the way I love you. I just hope you’ll give me a tiny piece of your affection. Even if it’s just a handout, is that okay?"