Haley had just taken a few steps forward when Xena grabbed her arm roughly from behind. “Stop right there!” Xena barked angrily, her voice sharp and accusing, as though convinced Haley was about to report her behavior. The force of Xena’s tug caused Haley’s forward momentum to halt abruptly. At the same time, a chilling sensation ran down her back. It was the wine. Xena’s other hand, which had been holding a glass of red wine, had jerked with the motion, spilling the deep crimson liquid all over Haley’s back. The dark wine streamed down the pale champagne-colored fabric of Haley’s dress, leaving an unmistakable stain. Some of the droplets even splashed into her hair. Across the room, Justin had been quietly trailing behind Haley, watching her from a distance, careful not to startle her. When he saw the scene unfold, his expression darkened. He immediately stepped forward, but just as he moved, his phone vibrated in his jacket pocket. “Mr. Yates, we’ve swept the ent
Mrs. Gibson rushed over as soon as she saw her daughter causing trouble, eager to smooth things over. “Oh dear, how did the dress get ruined? Miss Haley, come upstairs with me to change into something clean. It’s not good for the other guests to see this. I’ve prepared several dresses just in case. You and Xena are about the same size. They should fit perfectly,” she said with a polite but slightly forced smile. “No need, Mrs. Gibson,” Wilfred responded coldly, his sharp tone leaving no room for argument. “We have our own backups.” He turned to Haley, placing a reassuring hand on her shoulder. “Head upstairs. I’ll have someone bring your dress.” Haley nodded, not saying much. When Wilfred spoke, she knew it was best to let him handle it. Still, a pang of regret passed through her. It was the dress Alex had picked for her that afternoon. Following Mrs. Gibson and the maid, Haley went up to the third floor. Once inside the room, she waited for a while before the maid knock
Haley had no time to react.The moment Justin’s lips touched hers, a resounding slap echoed through the room.“Smack!” The sting burned across his face, but he didn’t let go. Instead, he pressed his lips even harder against hers—not out of lust, but from an overwhelming longing that had consumed him for five years.Justin’s soul trembled. The sheer emotion of their reunion defied words. Her garment bag and handbag lay forgotten on the floor. Haley’s hand was trapped in his grip, while her free hand repeatedly landed sharp slaps across his face. The crisp sound of each slap filled the room.Justin didn’t stop her. He neither resisted nor tried to control her.“Hit me,” Justin thought to himself.He deserved this—for abandoning her to face the earthquake alone in Ramsdale. It was his fault. If she needed to vent her anger, he would take it all.As long as she was alive. As long as she was still here.A single tear slid from Justin’s eye, traveling down his cheek be
Once Justin had saved Haley's number, he didn’t persist in detaining her any longer and stepped aside, allowing her to leave.Haley opened the door and, to her surprise, found not only Wilfred waiting outside but also members of the Gibson family, including Mr. Gibson Sr.“Oh my, Miss Haley, you truly are stunning! That red gown suits you perfectly. It’s so elegant and radiant!” Mrs. Gibson stepped forward with a smile, reaching out as if to link arms with Haley.Haley sidestepped behind Wilfred, avoiding Mrs. Gibson’s touch. “Mrs. Gibson, save the compliments for now and focus on addressing this issue,” Haley said coldly, her irritation barely concealed. “My brother and I came to your home as guests to celebrate a birthday, yet we were met with threats, warnings, and outright hostility from your daughter. And then, to top it off, she spilled wine on me.“I must say, the way your family treats guests has truly been an eye-opener for me.”Even the most patient person would reach
However, Xena had always been used to getting her way, disregarding rules or consequences. Her trembling wasn’t out of fear of Haley but the dread of her threats being exposed for everyone to see. “This wretched woman—so this is where she was setting her trap!” she silently cursed.“Check the surveillance!” Mr. Gibson Sr. banged his cane decisively. As the head of the family, he had hoped this matter would be resolved with a simple apology from Xena. But given how far things had escalated, only clarity from the surveillance footage could restore order. Haley’s confidence made him wonder if everything she claimed was indeed true. He had spent a lifetime protecting his reputation. Now, in his twilight years, Xena was dragging his name through the mud. “This…” Mrs. Gibson hesitated, her eyes darting nervously. “The surveillance cameras… they’re broken.” Mr. Gibson Sr.’s sharp gaze turned toward her. Mrs. Gibson’s voice trembled as she stammered out an explanation. “They br
“Surveillance didn’t catch it? Well, I did.”Justin emerged from the room Haley had just used to change, pushing the door open deliberately. Though his words were aimed at Xena, his unwavering gaze was locked on Wilfred.“Haley? So she’s calling herself Haley now? Which Haley and which spelling, exactly?” Justin thought to himself.Mrs. Gibson murmured quietly to herself, “Why is he coming out of that room?”Haley narrowed her eyes at Justin, a silent warning for him not to speak recklessly. Justin returned her gaze, refusing to back down. Was she really so desperate to avoid Wilfred suspecting anything about their relationship? Were they that close? Did she love Wilfred that much? The thought was a dagger to Justin’s heart, though he betrayed no emotion on his face.Wilfred frowned slightly, glancing at Justin with an inscrutable expression.Justin, however, met his gaze head-on, his demeanor defiant, as if to say: “So what? She’s mine to take, and Haley will only ev
In the presence of guests, Mr. Gibson Sr. refrained from openly reprimanding his granddaughter. “I’m not going!” Xena stubbornly retorted, her neck stiff with defiance. “It’s not my fault! How was I supposed to know she was Wilfred’s sister when she didn’t even say so when she came in?”“You still think you’re in the right?” Mr. Gibson Sr. shot to his feet, raising his cane as if to strike her.Mrs. Gibson hurriedly stepped in, blocking him. “Dad, what are you doing? Can’t we talk this out? Besides, Justin’s still here.”Mr. Gibson Sr. paused, turning to look at Justin, realizing belatedly that his daughter-in-law wasn’t just making excuses—Justin was indeed still in the room. His anger deflated slightly as he lowered his cane and sighed heavily. “Justin, I’m sorry you had to witness this.”“Take care of your health, Mr. Gibson Sr. I’ll be heading out now,” Justin replied politely.“See him out,” Mr. Gibson Sr. said, glancing at Mrs. Gibson.“No need. It’s not my first time h
After the banquet, the Gibson family gathered in the third-floor sitting room. The household staff kept their distance, giving the family privacy. Mr. Gibson Sr. sat at the head of the sofa, his cloudy eyes dark and piercing as he glared at Xena, seated furthest from him. Any familial warmth in his gaze had long since disappeared. Xena shrank into herself, trying to hide behind her mother for protection.“You’re utterly useless,” Ethan snapped, his tone sharp and filled with disdain. “You can’t even keep yourself from offending someone! What exactly are you good for?”“Ethan, that’s enough,” Mrs. Gibson said defensively, shielding her daughter.Xena, though fearful, felt a pang of injustice. She kept silent, biting back her tears.“You’re the one who spoiled her!” Ethan retorted angrily. “If you hadn’t coddled her so much, she wouldn’t be so rude, selfish, and out of control!” His frustration mounted as he thought about the evening’s debacle, especially in front of someone as
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