"Don't say that, Zara. I know I made a mistake in the past. I let you down. But I didn't do it on purpose. Faye and I grew up together. When we played house, she was my wife. I thought I was in love with her, so whenever I had to choose something, I always chose her."But after you left me and I began to date her, I realized that she wasn't the person in my memory. I would miss you so much at night. I was so drunk one day that I called you a million times, hoping that you'd come to pick me up. But none of my calls went through. None."Whether you believe it or not, Zara, that was my first true heartbreak. I made a mistake in the past, and I don't expect you to forgive me. But please give me the chance to redeem myself. I'll love you with my heart."Don't you want to travel? I can book the plane tickets now. We'll fly tomorrow, okay?"For some reason, Chris turned emotional, and his eyes turned glossy. They were as beautiful as ever, but I couldn't see myself in them. His emotional
Chris' skinny body faltered. The pain in his eyes was palpable, but I ignored it coldly. Pain? This was nothing compared to the hurt he had given me back then. It was now his turn to feel the pain. What swift justice."Zara, don't do this. I love you." He came closer to grab my hand.I dodged away and chuckled. "You love me? Then call Faye in front of me and tell her everything. Cut her off your life and I'll believe you."Chris lowered his arms. He couldn't respond. I cackled out loud. So that was his love. No wonder I wouldn't believe him. How could he convince me about his love when he couldn't convince himself that he loved me? What a joke."Why? You can't let her go? So why act like a hopeless romantic here? I won't buy your pretense anymore. Remember what you said, Chris? If you come to bother me again, you'll be a loser. So, stop pestering me. I don't want to be seen with a loser. It's humiliating."It was late, but since we were standing before the entrance to Jesselton Co
Chris' fearful and avoidant gaze told me that he was afraid of speaking his mind. It was not that he couldn't. In other words, he was afraid of Winston. I couldn't help but feel even more curious about Winston's identity."This is between me and my girlfriend. Stay out of it," warned Chris.Winston raised his brows and asked me coldly, "Are you his girlfriend?"I shook my head violently and denied it, "Not at all. We broke up more than six months ago. We're strangers now. He's lying. Don't trust him. He's trying to harass me. That's right, harass."Winston grinned, and light sparkled in his eyes. "Did you hear that? What else do you have to say?"Chris stood up. He was irritated and mad. He glared at Winston as if he wanted to kill him with his intense gaze. Winston put both hands in his pockets nonchalantly and walked a few steps toward Chris. While he was lanky and young, he had an intimidating aura around him.As he advanced, Chris backed off until he turned around and ran awa
I didn't want to entertain her, but Lulu continued, "You know those corny romance novels where the male protagonist and the secondary male protagonist compete against each other just to find out that they're somehow blood-related? The whole story then becomes very suspenseful."Similarly, you're now stuck between Winston and Chris. Something might happen to prove that they're brothers. I sure can't wait for it."I laughed out loud. I came to Jinovy not long ago, and I had only met Winston twice. Why did she think that Winston and I would date each other? Jinovy had to be a very wondrous place to turn an art student into an imaginative visionary.Besides, why should I care if Winston and Chris were blood-related? I told Lulu very seriously that there would be nothing between Winston and me. She then dared me to have a bet with me. "Zara, if in the next three years, you and Winston don't end up dating each other, I'll give you a life-size portrait."If Winston manages to steal your h
I declined his help, of course. It was about to rain that day. Plus, asking a man in a suit and slacks to pick up trash with a trash bag might affect his personal image. We weren't friends, so I didn't want to bother him. I thought it was just a chance encounter and that I wouldn't meet him again.But fate had another plan. What would happen would happen—there was no use rushing it. Shortly after that day, I was walking home under my umbrella on a rainy day. A speeding car blitzed past a puddle, drenching my sportswear.I had begged Zachary for the longest time until he agreed to buy it for me. It was my first time wearing it, and it was all dirty because of the puddle water. I was so mad that I ran after the car to demand compensation. Alas, humans could not outrun a vehicle.Tired, I threw away my umbrella and caught my breath with both hands on my knees. I cursed at that speedy vehicle. Then, he appeared again. His umbrella shielded me from the rain as he looked at me from above.
For some reason, Chris rented a place near my university. It wasn't huge—two rooms and one living room, but it was more than enough for one tenant. We weren't together back then yet, so I had never been to his place.One evening, as I jogged at the central park opposite my university, I ran into a drunk Chris. He clung to me and begged me not to leave him. Unable to do anything, I sent him home. I wiped his face clean and took off the dirty jacket on him.Then, I tucked him in and sat on the floor before his bed, hearing him calling out Faye's name all night long. As I listened, I cried for his unrequited love and also for mine. I traced his facial features with my fingers as I told him how much I loved him.In the end, I said, "You fool, I'm the only one who loves you the most in this world. Why won't you notice me? Why can't you forget the woman who abandoned you?" He was still asleep. His brows furrowed into tight knots as if he was in so much pain.The next morning, Chris woke
I knew what Zachary said was true, but I chose not to listen to him because I wanted to try and see if Chris would fall in love with me. I knew how much he loved Faye, and I knew he dated me not because he liked me. But I loved him so much. I wanted to be with him.I knew Zachary was right. But stubbornly, I wanted to take the risk. No pain, no gain, right? The first three years we were together, we were alright. He wasn't very romantic, but we still talked nonetheless. We could engage in small talk, and he would go shopping with me.At times, he would give me presents. They were dainty things that a girl would like. They weren't expensive, but I loved the effort he put into them. The relationship wasn't full of surprises like others', but it was great to enjoy plain love like that. I was content to stay by his side.But in our fourth year of dating, he changed. He stopped communicating with me. I often sent him ten or 20 messages, only to receive one "OK" as his reply. He stopped c
When I heard that, I was so concerned. I disregarded how long he had abandoned me or how hurtful his cold treatment was. Instead, I drove under heavy rain to pick him up. When I arrived, there was no one else in the room. He was lying on the couch, presumably asleep."Faye, why did you leave me? Why?" Right when I wanted to pull him up, he mumbled those hurtful words that threatened to shatter my soul and my entire being. I loved him for five years, yet in the end, all he cared about was Faye.I gave him five years of my life. In his eyes, it was worth nothing. What kind of love would plague him so? Right, unattainable love. No wonder he never smiled at me. It was because he had never opened up to me. He didn't love me. He had never loved me. My love was but a sorry one-man show.That night, he slept on the couch. I ordered a dozen beer bottles and drank till I passed out. When I woke up, I held my head that throbbed with massive hungover and groaned. A pair of cold hands appeared a