Can’t Win Me Back by Ginger Sue

Lauren approached Landon, still clad in the white loungewear that she always wore when she was at Sage Manor. Her adorable appearance put a smile on Landon's face.
As he smiled, a drop of tear rolled down his cheek. When their eyes met, emotions washed over them, and their hearts pounded wildly.
She nearly could not recognize Landon as he'd lost many pounds. Suppressing her heartache, she pursed her lips and said nothing, fearing that she might cry if she opened her mouth.
If she cried in front of Landon, the resolution that she had shown would all mean nothing.
Landon went up to his lover with heavy footsteps and hugged her in tears. She wept in silence, suppressing any sound and refraining from returning his hug.
Despite that, her uneven breathing and her racing heart were proof of her emotions.
There were three things that couldn't be hidden-coughing, poverty, and love.
During his journey, Landon had many thoughts and questions for Lauren. He wanted to ask Lauren about the reason she agreed to marry Freddy. Just why?
However, when they finally met, he could only manage to say, "You should've put on a jacket. What if you catch a cold?"
She rested her forehead against his chest and shook her head softly. Angelina and Jordan looked away, feeling sorry for the ill-fated couple.
After hugging in silence, Landon touched his lips against Lauren's ear, which was red from the cold. He pleaded, "Lauren, don't marry another man. I'm begging you. Please come home with me."
She did not reply, but her tears stained his chest. After some silence, she clenched her teeth and pushed him away with trembling hands. "Landon, take good care of yourself. Don't ever meet me anymore."
It had been a while since he heard his name leaving her mouth, but it sounded distant. She no longer called his name sweetly.
Just as Lauren was about to leave, Landon lost his composure. He grabbed her arm with such great strength that he might crush her bones. "Lauren, how could you do this to me? This is too cruel. You might as well kill me!"
"Mr. Landon, calm down!" Angelina and Jordan frantically stopped him, worried that he might hurt Lauren.
Looking tearful and shattered, Landon questioned, "Didn't you say that you love me? You said you'd be my woman and only mine. How could you go back on your word?"
He was acting unreasonable and hysterical. His disgruntlement was peppered with threats.
"A marriage that isn't blessed by family will never be a happy one," she gently lied to him and herself as she fought the pain. "I'm timid and easily scared. I'm worried that people around me might get hurt or put in a difficult spot because of me.
"I'm just an ordinary woman. I can't handle a life with adventures and challenges. All I want is to live a simple life, even if it's loveless. All I ask is peace and safety.
"Landon, breakups hurt at first, but it'll get better. I've gotten over it, and you will too."
Angelina gaped at Lauren. For the first time, she witnessed someone making a cruel remark in a gentle tone.
After teaching Preston a lesson earlier that day, Angelina started to hesitate. Preston would certainly get his revenge as long as he was alive and kicking. If Landon and Lauren got back together, that would instantly make Lauren Preston's target. No one could imagine how Preston would hurt the poor, innocent Lauren.
The best solution for the time being was to put a distance between Landon and Lauren. After getting rid of all his enemies and threats, he could then marry Lauren without any worries.
Alas, no one had expected Freddy to get involved in the mess out of nowhere.
What would happen if Landon's plan took longer than expected, to the point that Lauren went ahead to marry Freddy?