By early evening, Haley was all dressed up and ready to leave. She joined Wilfred in the car as they set off together. Helen and Alex stood outside the car, waving enthusiastically. “See you later!” “Bye, Mommy! Bye, Uncle Wilfred!” As the convoy drove off, Helen glanced down at Alex, and the two exchanged mischievous smiles. With the two authority figures out of the house, they were free to enjoy themselves. Back inside, Helen grabbed her bag from her bedroom and headed downstairs. Alex stood in the living room, frequently checking his watch. “Aunt Helen, hurry up! We’re going to be late!” “Oh, stop rushing me! There’s plenty of time. The mall won’t close so early,” Helen said as she came down the stairs, taking Alex’s hand and strolling confidently out the front door. On the way out, she turned to the guards at the entrance. “Keep an eye on the house. We’re heading out for a bit.” “Yes, Miss Helen,” one of the bodyguards replied.Helen led Alex to the undergroun
When Heidi had given birth to Justin in her younger years, she had hoped to have a daughter next. However, her husband, knowing how difficult childbirth had been for her, had firmly refused to have another child. At the time, even though C-sections were available, medical advancements weren’t as developed as they are now.“Mrs. Yates?” The sales associate called out loudly, pulling Heidi out of her memories. She composed herself gracefully and walked over, pointing at the lipstick in Helen’s hand. “I’ll take this one. Please pack it for me.” “I’ll take this color,” two female voices said in unison. Helen and Alex turned around at the sound. It was uncanny—he looked so much like him! Heidi’s eyes softened as she gazed at the little boy in front of her with maternal affection. If Justin ever gave her a grandson, he would probably look just like this boy. “Right away, ma’am,” said the sales associate next to Heidi as she went to retrieve the product. Helen glanced at
Helen had no mood left for shopping and decided to take Alex straight to dinner. As they walked, Alex suddenly stopped and looked up at her. “Aunt Helen, didn’t you just promise me that if I helped you with the lipstick, you’d take me to play arcade games?” Helen nodded, not denying it. “I did. So, do you want to eat first or play games before dinner?” “Play first, of course!” Alex declared. “Alright,” Helen agreed. As they headed toward the upstairs restaurant, they passed through the men’s clothing section on the current floor. Alex stopped again, pointing ahead. “Aunt Helen, why don’t we buy something for Uncle Wilfred?” Helen glanced at the brand and shook her head. “Forget it. Your uncle only wears custom-tailored clothes. He’s not used to off-the-rack brands like these.” Unlike her and Haley, who loved shopping and could wear or buy whatever they fancied, Wilfred was much more particular. But Alex was persistent and still wanted to browse. He even had someo
“Why do adults always say one thing and mean another?” Alex couldn’t help but silently complain to himself. “Which of your eyes saw that my hesitation was me being tempted? That was clearly just a pause!” Helen defended herself, stiffening her neck as if to emphasize her point. Alex rolled his eyes. Both of his eyes saw it. He couldn’t understand what his aunt was struggling with—was having a boyfriend before his mom really such a bad thing? “Aunt Helen, it’s a seafood feast that requires a three-month reservation! Don’t you want to go?” Alex tilted his head, trying to convince her. Helen subtly swallowed at the thought. “Well, even if you don’t want to, I want to,” Alex declared confidently. *In a private third-floor room at Pearl Pavilion, the ocean view was beautifully illuminated by a dazzling display of lights. The restaurant owner had set up an array of outdoor lighting, creating the perfect ambiance for diners to watch the waves crashing against the shore whi
The convoy arrived at the Gibson estate, and Wilfred and Haley stepped out of the same car. Haley naturally took Wilfred’s arm as they walked toward the entrance.A valet directed the convoy to the parking area, while Wilfred dismissed his assistant and bodyguards, leading Haley inside to the banquet.“Mr. Wilfred,” Mr. Gibson greeted him warmly, a respectful smile on his face.Having heard from the valet that Wilfred had arrived, Mr. Gibson had personally come out to welcome him, accompanied by his wife and daughter.“Mr. Gibson,” Wilfred replied courteously.Haley stood quietly by his side, offering a polite smile and nodding to Mrs. Gibson and Miss Gibson in greeting.Miss Gibson, Xena Gibson, initially followed her parents with a look of disinterest. However, the moment her eyes landed on Wilfred, her demeanor changed. Her eyes widened with excitement, and a bright smile lit up her face. Straightening her posture, she greeted him in what she believed was her sweetest tone.
Xena pouted, her face awkward after being scolded by her father. Mrs. Gibson stepped in to defend her. “Stop filling her head with nonsense. She’s about to get engaged to Wilfred. Why shouldn’t she care? How could he bring another woman here and embarrass our family like this?” The Gibson family had been struggling for years. If not for Mr. Gibson Sr.’s connections, the family would have gone bankrupt and been devoured by rival corporations long ago. Mr. Gibson had a reputation for keeping numerous women on the side, a source of much of Mrs. Gibson’s suffering over the years. What woman wanted to share her husband? The bitterness she endured was enough for one lifetime. She couldn’t bear the thought of her daughter going through the same. The thought of Wilfred doing this to her daughter enraged her. “You... You’re just spoiling her!” Mr. Gibson jabbed a finger at his wife’s nose as he scolded her. “Enough! Stop annoying me and go stay with your grandfather,” he barked
Ethan bent slightly, applied a gentle force, and sent the red ball neatly into the pocket. Standing upright, he grabbed a piece of chalk and dusted the tip of his cue while chatting with Justin. “The big shot from Merika State, Wilfred, is attending tonight’s banquet. My family is planning to form an alliance with him by marrying my sister off to him.”“Wilfred?” Justin raised a brow, bending over to aim at the black ball on the table. “Your family knows Wilfred well?” He didn’t particularly care about the idea of a marriage alliance, but as a collaborator on the project, Justin was well aware of Wilfred’s influence in Merika State. He also knew about the Gibson family’s declining business. It was surprising they even had a connection to someone as significant as Wilfred. For a family struggling to survive on their legacy, maintaining such a link seemed improbable. The Gibson patriarch, Mr. Gibson Sr., had made a name for himself in politics, commanding significant authority and
“This time, the art exhibition invited her to Lincourt City. I heard she’s absolutely gorgeous—a real knockout,” Ethan said, his eyes sparkling with excitement as he leaned into the conversation. “She’s nothing like those gray-haired old artists. She’s young, vibrant, and full of life. I wonder if I can get her to have dinner with me.”Ethan chuckled, a sly itch gnawing at him. “If she could be my girlfriend, even for just one night, that’d be perfect.” He had a particular weakness for the artistic charm that creative women exuded.Justin frowned, glancing at Ethan with evident displeasure.Noticing his reaction, Ethan smirked and shrugged nonchalantly. “What’s there to be so uptight about? We’re both men. If you’re interested, I’ll step aside for you.”He spoke as if Haley were already someone he had conquered and could pass around at will. Ethan had clearly inherited his father’s reputation as a playboy. He had dated so many women that he had lost count, though “dating” was
Haley shook her head quickly, flustered. “No… I mean—no.” Then she realized how that sounded and corrected herself. “Actually, yes. I’m just hot.”Helen blinked in confusion. “Hot? The classroom has air conditioning. Was the sunlight from the window hitting her seat?” Helen wondered.Without missing a beat, she rushed over and tugged the curtains tighter, making sure her bestie didn’t get “sunburned.” She still needed Haley to hold onto that top spot. Otherwise, she would lose her excuse at home for going out to “study” with Zac.The pressure and tension of senior year finally came to a close. On the day of the college entrance exam, when everyone stepped out of the test hall for the last time, their faces lit up with genuine smiles—relaxed, free, and full of relief.Haley tossed aside her textbooks. Her summer break was filled with makeup shopping trips with Helen or third-wheeling her and Zac on their study-dates-turned-real-dates.That routine came to an end the d
Haley’s eyes shifted as she thought quickly. “But… I don’t really like guys who rank higher than me on exams.”She gave a light shrug and continued, “I mean, I think we should be focusing on school right now. Relationships can wait until after we get into college, right? What if we don’t even end up at the same school? Long-distance never works, and after a while, we’d probably drift apart. Don’t you think?”Was that a gentle rejection? It seemed like it. Haley wondered if she had been too blunt. Had she left him any dignity at all?They still had a whole year of high school left together. She didn’t want things to get awkward between them. A harsh rejection would only make everything more uncomfortable.Justin furrowed his brows, thinking for a long moment before giving a single reply. “Okay.”Then he slung his backpack over his shoulder and walked off.Haley stood there, completely confused.“Okay? What did he mean by that?“Did he understand what I was trying to say?
Emma and her little clique of schoolyard mean girls had Justin completely surrounded.“I’ll ask you one more time,” she said, smug and unbothered. “Will you be my boyfriend or not?”“No,” Justin replied coldly, his face unreadable.“Hey!” one of Emma’s loyal followers stepped forward, cracking her knuckles and getting way too close. “Do you even know who our Emma is? She’s the heiress of the Xander Corporation. She’s giving you a chance, and you should be grateful. You better say yes.”“What, you want us to beat you up before you agree?” another girl sneered.Justin didn’t flinch. His icy stare locked onto the girl who spoke, completely unbothered by the threat.Emma waved a hand to hold her crew back, pretending to be generous. Then she turned to Justin again, cocky and bold.“I like you way too much to have anyone rough you up,” she said sweetly. “But I heard you’re trying to get into Altiplano University in the capital. Here’s the deal—if you go out with me, I’ll have my dad
As soon as Justin sat down and pulled out the textbook for the next class, a hand suddenly reached out from beside him.“Hey, I’m Zac White,” Zac said.Justin glanced up with a cold look, then went right back to pulling out his notebook and pen—completely ignoring the extended hand.Zac awkwardly pulled his hand back, speechless.“Man… this guy’s seriously cold. What a show-off,” he thought to himself.The class flew by. When the bell rang, signaling the end of the period, Haley and Helen linked arms and headed off toward the bathroom. Zac immediately trailed after them.“Where are you two going? Take me with you.”“You planning on going into the girls’ bathroom, you perv?” Helen smacked his hand away, not wanting their classmates—or worse, their teacher—to get any ideas about the two of them dating.Zac scratched his nose. “Fine, I won’t go in the girls’ room… but I can go to the guys’ one, can’t I?”“Hmph!” Helen huffed, scrunching her nose playfully.Zac clutched his chest
At a top-ranked high school in Lincourt City, the bell rang.Students still lingering in the hallways or restrooms were urged to hurry back to class.Outside, the summer heat simmered, accompanied by the steady buzz of cicadas. Inside, the air-conditioned classrooms offered a much more comfortable escape.In Class 2–1 of the junior year, students hurried back to their seats. Just as the final chime faded, the homeroom teacher walked in, holding a stack of freshly graded exam papers.“For this round of mock exams,” she announced, loud and clear, “the top score in the entire grade once again goes to our very own Haley!”A wave of murmurs and applause followed. “Let’s all work hard and try to catch up to her next time!”She began handing out the papers in order, from the highest score to the lowest.After Haley got her paper, the next few went to her seatmate, Helen, and the student sitting behind them—Zac.“Work hard and catch up?” Helen muttered as she slid back into her seat, s
But what did it matter, even if she still loved him? The pain he caused her in the past was still there, lingering beneath the surface.They had loved, they had hurt, they had been entangled for years. But not every love story had to end with forgiveness and reconciliation.Haley couldn’t pretend the past hadn’t happened. She couldn’t smile and pick up where they left off, as if nothing had ever gone wrong.She would always remember that street in Merika State, when Justin turned away, picked Emma up in his arms, and left her standing there alone.Even if he had mistaken someone else for her, the pain he caused and the love he failed to give were real.And that wasn’t something she could ever forget.She could make peace with the past, but she could never erase it.Her heart ached, but she didn’t say anything. Instead, she turned and walked away.*Years later, Haley passed away peacefully in her bedroom at the estate.That same day, Justin had gone out to the grocer
It was just a shame that life rarely worked out the way people wanted it to.*Ten years passed in the blink of an eye.Chase and Alex had grown taller and older. Haley’s once-small jewelry brand had not only found its place in the industry—it had grown into a globally recognized luxury label, known for bespoke, high-end pieces.As for Justin, he split his time between Haven State and Merika State. Whenever he wasn’t busy, he would shamelessly camp out at the estate, claiming he was just there to “see the kids.”Eventually, no one even bothered to call him out on it anymore.One day, Haley had a business meeting with a potential partner—a widowed single father. Somehow, Justin caught wind of a rumor that the man had feelings for Haley and was actively pursuing her. Word had it that she was interested too, and they were currently having dinner together at a restaurant.The second Justin heard that, he canceled a company meeting, boarded his private jet, and flew straight to Mer
As soon as Haley stepped into the room, Justin followed right behind her.It was the first time he had ever set foot in Haley’s room—the space where she lived in Merika State.“Get out!” she snapped.“Haley, I just wanted to see you. Please don’t make me leave, okay?”His eyes scanned the room. The walls, the shelves—everything was filled with Haley’s photos. There was even a custom-built glass display case, clearly made with love, housing her pictures from childhood to adulthood. It was something Evelyn had put together just for her, and it overflowed with affection.There were portraits of her alone, family pictures, and right at the top—photos of Chase and Alex.Justin looked at each one carefully, as if he were trying to piece together a life he hadn’t been part of, but desperately wished he had been.Then his gaze landed on a particular photo: Haley in her teens, wearing a soft pink-and-white hoodie with little bunny ears on the hood. Her pale skin, big round eyes, and brig
“Haley…” Justin’s voice was weak. There was so much he wanted to say, but he didn’t even know where to start.“I heard you’re sick?” Haley said.“I… I’m fine. I’m not really sick, I just—”“Take care of yourself. Heart problems aren’t like other illnesses. Just look forward. Let go of the past. Meet someone new. Live your life.”Justin fell silent. His head dropped, and the phone pressed against his ear was clenched so tightly in his hand that his knuckles turned white. He wrestled with the words for a long moment before finally managing to force out.“Okay.”But he knew. He wouldn’t meet someone new. Without Haley, what kind of life could he possibly call “living”?The call ended. Life went back to its quiet rhythm. Justin no longer clung to Haley or tried to find her. After one more day in the hospital, he threw himself back into work and took over the reins of RC Corporation.They had truly managed to part on peaceful terms.After returning to Merika State, Haley d