Eve’s voice grew louder, and she became even more agitated. The guests whispered even more fervently among themselves, and the situation started going out of control. Andrew’s expression was already as cold as ice at this point, and complicated emotions flashed in his eyes. His friends got worked up, and one of them whispered to Andrew, “Say something, Andrew! If you let this continue, the situation will blow out of proportion!” Even so, Andrew said nothing. Finally, tears streamed down Eve’s cheeks, and despair filled her voice. “Do you like her or not, Andrew? Tell me! Look, they’re all saying that it just takes one word from you, but you’re refusing to say it. Do you know why that is?” Emotions flickered in Andrew’s eyes, and at last, he spoke, but his voice was still as cold as ice. “Eve, are you done with this entire farce?” But Eve, too, still acted as if she did not hear him and continued, “I’m not! Not only am I not done, but I’m also going to blow this entire
Andrew’s face was sour. He unlocked his screen while his heart hammered away in anxiety, but he would not let anyone see its contents. His friends were speechless. “Seriously? You’re still worried about us seeing them? Even now?” But Andrew ignored them all. With trembling fingers, he opened the video folder. Once he found the hidden folder, he tapped on it, only to find it completely empty. All the videos had been deleted, including everything in the recycle bin. His mind went blank, and he felt as if something within him had collapsed. Finally, he understood why Willow had been acting strangely lately. He realized why she was always so quiet, and why her smile grew less happy. She knew. She had heard everything they said in the room that day. The date she circled was not just her birthday but also the date she chose to leave. “She knew.” Andrew’s voice was hoarse, as if he was forcing those words out with difficulty. “And she left.” His friends looked at ea
With the luggage behind her, Willow walked out of the airport, and the cold wind immediately assaulted her, which made her instinctively hunch her shoulders and tighten the scarf around her. Northvalley’s winters were bone-chillingly cold. As for Southvalley, while its winters were cold as well, they were also gentle, with a slight humidity aspect to it. She looked up and searched among the crowd of people who came to pick up their loved ones. Soon, she saw a familiar figure. Rias stood not too far away. He wore a black trenchcoat that made him look tall and lean. In his hands, he held a pink hot water bag that stood in stark contrast to his stern countenance. Touched, Willow went over to him quickly. Once Rias saw her, he smiled and walked toward her as well. She threw herself into his arms and said in a sweet yet worried tone. “Didn’t I ask you not to pick me up since it’s too cold?” Rias just patted her head and said gently, “I wanted to come.” Willow said nothin
Willow’s heart skipped a beat in fear. She was worried that he would see something was off. Fortunately, Rias did not continue digging deeper and only said, “Still, it’s good that you broke up.” When they got home, Willow found her parents there too. The moment they saw her step in, Grace Warma, her mother, immediately went up to her with teary eyes. “You’re finally back, Willow!” Henry Warma, her father, might not have said anything, but his eyes shone with concern. Willow felt touched and hugged her mother. “I’m back!” Over the next few days, Willow was doted upon by her family. Every day, Grace made her all sorts of food. Henry occasionally paid full attention to her and asked about her wellbeing. Every day, whenever she woke up, she found a pile of presents at her door. She grumbled that the presents were in the way and that it would be better if they just gave her money instead. The next day, she found a check worth 10 million dollars stuck at the door crack.
The car came to a stop in front of the dance studio. Suddenly, Willow grabbed the door handle and refused to get out. “Rias, let’s just wait a little longer! I’m… not ready yet.” Rias’s gaze turned even more profound, but he spoke with a determination that implied that he would not allow Willow to postpone the meeting any further. “No. He’s been waiting for you for a long time. Since you’re finally here, he won’t wait any longer.” Stunned, Willow asked, “He’s been waiting for me for a long time? Has he… had a crush on me for a long time?” Rias said nothing. He just got out of the car, walked to the side, opened the car door, and pulled her out. Willow’s heart raced in panic, but she could not win against him in terms of strength, so she could only go into the dance studio with him. Once they were in, Willow was stunned by the sight before her eyes. The dance studio was decorated in the style she loved. It had wide floor-to-ceiling windows, soft wooden floorboards, and even a w
“Rias, I…” Willow’s voice quivered because of the emotional turmoil she felt. But Rias held her hand and said gently, “I didn’t want to scare you, so I only intended to confess to you after you became an adult. But you left and didn’t come back, so I ended up waiting for so many years.” Willow’s mind was blank. She could not believe this. She whispered, “But our parents won’t agree to it…” Rias just smiled. “I already told them how I felt about you before you came back, and they’re in full favor of us being together. Honestly, when they saw how I doted on you when we were children, they were already thinking about letting us get married.” Willow still found it hard to believe, so Rias took her back to ask their parents about this. Just as Rias told them about it, their parents were in full support and smiled. “Willow, Rias has been nice to you since you were children, and he’s the one we trust to look after you.” Even at this point, Willow’s mind was a mess. She simply
Northvalley’s nights were freezing, so the streets were practically deserted. Andrew’s mansion was dark. The air was thick with the smell of alcohol. He sat on the floor beside the couch with a bottle of whiskey in hand. His eyes were dull as if his life had been sucked out of his body. He had been drinking himself to the brink every day for a month. Over the past month, he went nowhere and did nothing aside from drinking. His friends came over to advise him to get back on his feet, but he refused to listen to any of them. To him, the only things left in his world seemed to be alcohol and the woman who had already left. His friends stood not too far away as they watched Andrew in his dejected state. They stood together and started whispering. “What’s with Andrew? He never acted like this before, no matter how huge the problem was.” One of them frowned in worry. “I think it’s because of that plan. He’s been at it for three years, but it came to an end so suddenly,
Over the past month, his lived as if in hell. As he drank, he stared at his phone. The screen showed the message he had read plenty of times. [Let’s break up. I don’t love you anymore.] Whenever he read it, Willow’s smile would flash in his mind. It was as if the image was carved into his memories, and he could not get rid of it. Regardless of whether he was awake or asleep, she was all he could think of. Her figure, voice, and even the faint fragrance from her body were like invisible chains that bound his heart. Andrew never thought that he would end up like this. He was once a cold, heartless person who stood above others and was a man who would do whatever it took for revenge. Yet, at this moment, he was like a dejected drunkard who drowned himself in alcohol and his memories. He was unable to remove himself from it. He could not understand why he was in such agony. Willow left. He felt as if she had dug his heart out when she went away. He had a hunc
After the wedding ended, the guests left. Only a handful of people remained behind. Andrew was seated limply in his chair. The bandages around his chest were drenched in blood, but he did not seem to sense the pain at all. He just stared dully ahead of him. Willow had changed out of her wedding dress and wore a simple white dress before arriving in front of Andrew. In her hands was a first aid kit, and she placed it gently in front of him. “Your blood has soaked through your clothes. You should treat your wounds.” Her voice was calm and distant. Andrew looked up in pain and regret. “Willow, do you… really not love me anymore?” Willow said nothing. She just stared at him and did not falter at all despite seeing her ex. Her gaze stabbed into his heart like a knife. She then whispered, “Don’t… come to Southvalley anymore. We won’t see each other again.” Andrew’s face turned pale as he spoke with a quivering voice. “Do you really have to do this, Willow?” Willow sai
His friends nodded, and they looked resigned. The sight caused Andrew’s heart to squeeze in pain. Despite the fact that his chest was bound in blood-soaked bandages, he did not seem to feel any pain. He threw off the blankets again and wanted to get out of bed. “No. I can’t let her get married. I have to stop it. Willow is mine!” “Andrew, have you lost your mind?!” His friends quickly went forward to stop him. They sounded anxious and felt powerless about the situation. “You’re still wounded! Rias Warma is seriously so ruthless. He broke five of your ribs! If you go there, you’re going to die!” But Andrew’s eyes were filled with a crazed frenzy, and he forced his words out. “Losing her is just going to make my life even more miserable! Don’t stop me!” The pain and despair in his voice made him sound like he was lost. His friends were stunned. They had never seen Andrew act like this before. This man, who always stood above everyone else and thought no one was up to his
“Willow! Willow!” His voice echoed in the street, and it was filled with long-suppressed pain and regret. In the car, Rias looked at Andrew’s crazed figure through the rearview mirror and turned to Willow. He sucked in a deep breath. “Can you tell me what happened?” Willow looked up, and her lips quivered. She told him everything that had transpired between her and Andrew. She told him of the moment they met, the moment they got to know each other, how he was using her, and how she broke up with him. In the end, Willow looked down and asked in a trembling voice, “Do you think I’m dirty now? If you do—” But before she could finish speaking, Rias hugged her tight and said gently, “You’re the purest girl in the world, and I’ll love you forever.” Willow leaned into Rias’s embrace and could not stop her tears. As Rias held Willow, he seethed at how Andrew had hurt his treasured person, and ruthlessness flashed in his eyes. At the sight of Andrew still running after the
In the past, Andrew would have retaliated a hundredfold. But at present, all he did was wipe away the blood at the corner of his mouth and endure the humiliation as he whispered, “I don’t want to fight you anymore, Rias. Whatever you want, I’ll give it to you, so long as Willow forgives me.” Rias’s face changed. His eyes shone with disbelief. “Willow, is he… your ex?” Willow’s face turned sour. Andrew looked at Rias and humbled himself once more. “Rias, please let me be with her again. I can give you whatever you want.” Rias looked even grimmer. Suddenly, he threw another punch at Andrew’s face, but the latter did not fight back. He just let Rias hit him. So, Rias pinned him to the floor and punched him repeatedly, as if he wanted to vent all his anger on Andrew. His friends finally went forward to break the fight. “Enough! Are you trying to kill him?! If you do, your brother-in-law will die!” Rias scoffed and said mockingly. “Brother-in-law? Who gave him the gall t
The group flew overnight to Southvalley. When the plane landed, the sun was not up yet. The cold wind blew at their faces, but Andrew did not feel cold in the slightest. He felt as if a fire was burning in his heart, and he eagerly wanted to see Willow. After they walked out of the airport, his friends lamented. “Andrew, remember how both you and Rias Warma said that you wouldn’t step foot into each other’s regions when you two fought with each other? You said that you’d stay in Northvalley, and he’d stay in Southvalley. To think that you’d come here on your own accord...” Andrew said nothing. He just smoothed out his cuffs with a determined glint in his eyes. One of them asked, “Are you sure you like Willow? If you look for her this time, you’ll be at a disadvantage.” “I can give up on everything. I just want her back.” His friends were stunned, and then they laughed. “Sacrificing everything for love isn’t embarrassing, anyway.” Andrew fell silent after that and hu
Over the past month, his lived as if in hell. As he drank, he stared at his phone. The screen showed the message he had read plenty of times. [Let’s break up. I don’t love you anymore.] Whenever he read it, Willow’s smile would flash in his mind. It was as if the image was carved into his memories, and he could not get rid of it. Regardless of whether he was awake or asleep, she was all he could think of. Her figure, voice, and even the faint fragrance from her body were like invisible chains that bound his heart. Andrew never thought that he would end up like this. He was once a cold, heartless person who stood above others and was a man who would do whatever it took for revenge. Yet, at this moment, he was like a dejected drunkard who drowned himself in alcohol and his memories. He was unable to remove himself from it. He could not understand why he was in such agony. Willow left. He felt as if she had dug his heart out when she went away. He had a hunc
Northvalley’s nights were freezing, so the streets were practically deserted. Andrew’s mansion was dark. The air was thick with the smell of alcohol. He sat on the floor beside the couch with a bottle of whiskey in hand. His eyes were dull as if his life had been sucked out of his body. He had been drinking himself to the brink every day for a month. Over the past month, he went nowhere and did nothing aside from drinking. His friends came over to advise him to get back on his feet, but he refused to listen to any of them. To him, the only things left in his world seemed to be alcohol and the woman who had already left. His friends stood not too far away as they watched Andrew in his dejected state. They stood together and started whispering. “What’s with Andrew? He never acted like this before, no matter how huge the problem was.” One of them frowned in worry. “I think it’s because of that plan. He’s been at it for three years, but it came to an end so suddenly,
“Rias, I…” Willow’s voice quivered because of the emotional turmoil she felt. But Rias held her hand and said gently, “I didn’t want to scare you, so I only intended to confess to you after you became an adult. But you left and didn’t come back, so I ended up waiting for so many years.” Willow’s mind was blank. She could not believe this. She whispered, “But our parents won’t agree to it…” Rias just smiled. “I already told them how I felt about you before you came back, and they’re in full favor of us being together. Honestly, when they saw how I doted on you when we were children, they were already thinking about letting us get married.” Willow still found it hard to believe, so Rias took her back to ask their parents about this. Just as Rias told them about it, their parents were in full support and smiled. “Willow, Rias has been nice to you since you were children, and he’s the one we trust to look after you.” Even at this point, Willow’s mind was a mess. She simply
The car came to a stop in front of the dance studio. Suddenly, Willow grabbed the door handle and refused to get out. “Rias, let’s just wait a little longer! I’m… not ready yet.” Rias’s gaze turned even more profound, but he spoke with a determination that implied that he would not allow Willow to postpone the meeting any further. “No. He’s been waiting for you for a long time. Since you’re finally here, he won’t wait any longer.” Stunned, Willow asked, “He’s been waiting for me for a long time? Has he… had a crush on me for a long time?” Rias said nothing. He just got out of the car, walked to the side, opened the car door, and pulled her out. Willow’s heart raced in panic, but she could not win against him in terms of strength, so she could only go into the dance studio with him. Once they were in, Willow was stunned by the sight before her eyes. The dance studio was decorated in the style she loved. It had wide floor-to-ceiling windows, soft wooden floorboards, and even a w