211: Chapter 211 Breakup

Julie turned her head away, not daring to look into his eyes, her voice trembling yet exceptionally firm.

"I said, we're breaking up. The wedding is canceled. From now on, we have nothing to do with each other."

"Why?" Zhang Haonan stood up abruptly, his hands braced on the table, leaning forward slightly, his eyes filled with pain and confusion.

"Julie, tell me why. Is there something I didn't do well enough? Did I make you angry? Tell me, and I'll change. I'll change everything. Just don't break up with me, okay?"

He was truly panicked, so flustered he didn't know what to do with himself.

In his eyes, Julie was gentle, kind, and sensible; their relationship had always been stable and sweet.

They had never argued or fought; both sets of parents were satisfied, and the wedding date was already set. How could she suddenly want to break up?

Julie bit her lower lip hard, only managing to suppress the breakdown in her heart once she tasted blood.

She couldn't say it. She couldn't say anything.

She couldn't speak of Liu Ziqiang's matter, nor could she reveal her shameful past.

She couldn't let him know she was being threatened and extorted.

Even less could she let him know she was about to commit murder.

She could only push him away in the most hurtful way possible.

"There is no why."

Julie slowly turned her head, her gaze empty and cold.

"I don't love you anymore. I'm bored, I'm tired of it, and I don't want to marry you."

"I've played enough with this relationship. Let's leave it at that."

"You don't love me anymore?"

Zhang Haonan repeated those words as if he had been stabbed. His face turned deathly pale in an instant.

"Julie, look at me. Look into my eyes and say it!"

"Tell me, do you really not love me anymore?"

"After being together for so long, you can just stop loving me? You're lying to me. You must be lying!"

He knew Julie too well.

He knew her sensitivity, her fragility, and that the sadness in her eyes wasn't faked. He knew she must have encountered something and was being forced to say these things.

"I'm not lying to you."

Julie's heart was bleeding, yet she maintained a cold, resolute expression.

"The love before was all fake. I only wanted your money and your family background."

"Now I'm bored and don't want to pretend anymore. Is that not allowed? I'll return the BMW to you, along with everything else you gave me. From now on, we're cutting ties completely."

Every word was like a sharp knife, stabbing deep into Zhang Haonan's heart and tearing apart her own soul.

Zhang Haonan stared at her blankly, at her resolute gaze and cold expression.

Usually steady and confident, his eyes were now red, and his voice carried an irrepressible sob.

"Julie, don't be like this... Don't force me, and don't force yourself."

"Tell me, what exactly happened?"

"Do you have some secret you can't tell? Is someone threatening you? Say it, and we'll face it together. I'm your fiancé; I can protect you!"

"I don't need your fake kindness."

Julie suppressed the urge to throw herself into his arms and weep. She stood up, grabbed her bag, and turned to leave.

"I've said what I needed to say. Whether you accept it or not, the breakup is final."

"You're not allowed to leave!"

Zhang Haonan suddenly rushed forward and gently hugged her from behind, his grip cautious as if afraid of hurting her.

He buried his face in the crook of her neck, his voice choked with endless pain and pleading.

"Julie, I won't let you go... I can't be without you. You can't do this to me... We're about to get married, my parents are preparing the wedding, you can't just break up like this..."

Feeling the man's trembling body behind her and his hot tears falling on her neck.

Julie could no longer control herself; tears gushed out, and her whole body shook violently.

She pounded his arms desperately, crying out, "Let me go! Let go! I said we're breaking up! I don't love you anymore! Let me go!"

"I won't. Not even if I die."

Zhang Haonan held her tighter, like a helpless child. "Unless you tell me the truth, I will never let you go."

The two were at a stalemate in the cafe, drawing frequent glances from the surrounding customers.

But at this moment, they no longer cared about the gaze of others; there was only heart-wrenching pain and reluctance.

Julie knew that if this continued, she wouldn't be able to harden her heart enough to leave.

She had to be even more ruthless, ruthless enough to make him give up completely.

Just then, Julie's phone rang.

The name "Auntie Zhang" flashed on the screen.

It was Zhang Haonan's mother.

Apparently, in his panic, Zhang Haonan had called home.

Julie looked at the caller ID, her heart sinking to the bottom.

The person she least wanted to face had still come.

Ten minutes later, Zhang Haonan's parents arrived hurriedly at the entrance of the cafe.

Father Zhang was dressed in a formal suit, looking serious and steady, while Mother Zhang wore an elegant ensemble, her face full of anxiety and worry.

As soon as they entered, they saw the young couple embracing and weeping in a state of collapse, and they immediately walked over quickly.

"Xiao Nan, Julie, what exactly is going on?"

Mother Zhang hurried forward and took Julie's hand, her eyes filled with affection and concern.

"Everything was fine, so why are you making such a fuss about breaking up?"

"Did Xiao Nan bully you? Tell me, and I'll scold him for you and settle this!"

Mother Zhang had always liked Julie very much.

From their first meeting, she had treated her like her own daughter. Knowing she was sensible, well-behaved, and gentle, she had been looking forward to her marrying into the Zhang family soon to become her daughter-in-law.

Seeing Julie crying so piteously now, her face pale, she was heartbroken.

Father Zhang also said in a deep voice, "Talk it out properly. Marriage is a major life event, not a joke. You can't just break up whenever you want."

"Julie, tell me, did Xiao Nan do something to wrong you? Or is there some misunderstanding?"

Julie looked at the two elders who had shown her so much love, and her tears fell even harder.

She owed them too much.

They had treated her as family, giving her warmth, respect, and dignity.

Yet she had to leave their son, carrying a burden of darkness and sin, and was even about to embark on a path of no return.

She couldn't involve them or ruin the Zhang family's reputation.

Julie slowly withdrew her hand, wiped away her tears, and gave Father and Mother Zhang a deep bow, her tone cold and resolute.

"Uncle, Auntie, thank you for taking care of me during this time."

"But the relationship between Zhang Haonan and me is truly over."

"I don't love him anymore and don't want to marry him. This has nothing to do with him or you; it's my own problem."

"Child, what nonsense are you talking about?"

Mother Zhang was so anxious her eyes turned red, and she refused to let go of Julie's hand.

"What's all this about love? What couple doesn't have conflicts? Did Xiao Nan make you angry?"

"Tell me, and I'll definitely teach him a lesson! Don't joke about breaking up."

"The wedding date is set, and all the relatives and friends have been notified. If you break up now, what will others think of you? What will they think of our family?"

"I don't care what others think."

Julie's heart felt like it was being cut by a knife, but she still hardened her heart.

"My mind is made up. We're breaking up, the wedding is canceled. All the responsibility lies with me. I'm the one who failed Zhang Haonan and failed you."

"From now on, I have no further relationship with the Zhang family."

"Julie!" Zhang Haonan roared, trembling all over with pain. "Are you really going to be this heartless?"

"Yes." Julie closed her eyes as a tear fell. "I am heartless, I am cold, and I don't deserve you. Forget about me."

With that, she abruptly broke free from everyone's grasp, not daring to look back once as she rushed out of the cafe recklessly.

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