Chris continued, "Zara, I've been thinking about why you suddenly left me, and I finally understand now. It's because of that dress, isn't it? You were always the one taking care of my laundry, and I never once did the same for you, not even when you were going through your period."I was so insensitive and selfish. Yet, I washed a dress for Faye. It was my mistake, and I'm truly sorry. Zara, from now on, I'll make sure to handle all of your laundry—only yours. I'll take care of all the cooking and pack your lunch every day. I'll take care of everything, okay? Please, Zara?"I let out a long sigh before pulling my hand away and lifting my head to meet his gaze. "That won't be necessary," I said calmly.Chris stopped speaking, seemingly unsure of what I had said. "Zara, what did you say?"I stood up, maintaining my expressionless demeanor as I returned the towel to the bathroom. I then looked at him and repeated, "I said that won't be necessary, Chris. I can cook for myself, and whe
I was wearing high heels, which caused me to twist my ankle when I fell, sending sharp pain through my leg. My shoulder scraped against a tree by the roadside, peeling off a large patch of skin. Blood began to ooze out.I sat on the curb, penniless and crying uncontrollably. The physical pain was unbearable, but the pain in my heart was even worse.I couldn't understand why Chris chose to leave despite the fact that the long drive would take hours and the rain would likely subside before his arrival.Seemingly oblivious to this reality, Chris failed to recognize that any classmate passing by could have easily assisted Faye with an umbrella or a ride. Nonetheless, he insisted on traversing the city and driving for hours to aid her.I couldn't help but feel hurt by his constant tendency to prioritize Faye over me. I was his girlfriend, yet he disregarded his promise to spend my birthday with me.It made me wonder when Chris would ever prioritize me. Like any other girl, I yearned fo
My mind wandered back to our first encounter during our freshman year. Chris wore a simple white shirt, its hem tucked neatly into his trousers. His short hair shone in the sunlight, and his youthful gaze held a captivating innocence.I had been instantly enamored, irresistibly drawn to him. When he asked me to be his girlfriend, I boldly declared, "Chris, no matter what the future holds, even if the sky falls or the world turns upside down, I'll always love you."Back then, I naively believed that my love alone would be enough. I thought that my devotion would eventually touch his heart and make him love me in return.However, I didn't know then that love itself was a consumable resource. If one didn't nurture it and let it grow, it would inevitably dwindle and fade away.No matter how deep the love was, it could never escape this fate.I gave a faint smile. "Well, Chris, I once thought I could warm your heart. But I overestimated myself and underestimated how cold your heart cou
Chris sat there in silence. Perhaps he had never considered this question. Or, more likely, he never thought it was an issue at all.I continued, "Or perhaps you enjoy having me as a convenient stand-in for the one you truly love. I was there to provide comfort in your moments of loneliness and despair. And when the real deal came back, you could just coldly cast me aside."Chris buried his face in his hands, his shoulders trembling as if his entire world had crumbled around him.Once upon a time, the mere sight of his pain would've been unbearable to me. But now, as his suffering lay bare before me, my heart remained untouched. It was then that I realized how stark the line between love and indifference could be."Stop saying you love me. It sounds painfully ironic. Your love is something I no longer need or desire. Have you seen my new home? It's small and modest, and with my meager salary, it'll take years to afford a house of my own. "Despite this, I find solace in the know
The next day, I officially reported to the police station and started my new life serving the people from dawn till dusk.Three days later, I began to understand what Chris meant by not giving up.Every evening, he would wait for me at the entrance of the police station, his eyes lighting up with a peculiar gleam as soon as he saw me—like a dog seeing a bone.I refused to speak to him and wouldn't even spare him a glance as I walked past. I remained steadfast in my resolve, treating him as a complete stranger.Despite my cold treatment, Chris was undeterred in his mission to pick me up from work every day. He would bring a bouquet of flowers every other day, usually red roses, but occasionally sunflowers or baby's breath.I would pass by him without a glance, and he would shove the flowers into my arms like a nervous teenager before running off.Chris even hand-washed all the clothes I had left at our old place and gave me a few pieces every day, asking me to take them home.He
I didn't look at Chris' reaction and walked straight to the designated street for my ride. Lulu and Queenie were waiting for me, and we had plans for a leisurely shopping spree and a carefree dinner.Chris, who once occupied a position above everyone else in my life, had finally relinquished his place, giving way to the people I truly loved and valued.All this happened because of the wrong choices I made and the misplaced trust I gave. Thankfully, everything was back on track.I even felt a strange gratitude toward Faye. If it weren't for her calculated interference, Chris and I might have continued our toxic entanglement for a while longer, which would have been truly terrifying for me.The car soon arrived. It was a white Haval driven by a young woman. I got into the back seat and saw Chris sitting on a bench, opening the round box and staring blankly at the birthday cake inside. Tears streamed down my face.Goodbye, the man I loved for five years.Goodbye, my false ideal of a
Winston was an acquaintance, so I thought hearing him out was fine."What is it? Go on," I said.Winston's eyes lit up with excitement. He took off the bag he had slung over his shoulder, unzipped it, and pulled out an old, slightly yellowed photo. He handed it to me, gesturing for me to look at it.I took the photo and scrutinized it for a while but couldn't make out anything significant. The photo showed more than a dozen men and women. Four children squatted in the front row, grinning from ear to ear.It seemed to be a family portrait, but everyone in it was unfamiliar to me."Why do you want me to look at this?" I asked, though what I really wanted to say was that I didn't recognize a single person, and asking me to look at this made me wonder if he was crazy.Winston remained silent and handed me another photo.The background of this one looked like a park, with many children in the frame. The kid grinning at the front had a missing tooth. The boy behind him looked older an
I finally snapped back to reality and blurted, "Winston, I'm a good friend of Luna. Don't joke with me like this."He grabbed the phone from my hand, scanned my WhatsApp QR code with his phone, added himself in one swift motion, and then placed my phone back into my hand.Winston said, "With God as my witness, I swear that every word I've said is true, and none of it is a joke. Consider this a heads-up. Go home, adjust your mindset, and I'll begin my pursuit tomorrow. I hope you'll take it seriously."I regretted not setting a password for my phone. Winston wouldn't have been able to add himself so easily if I had.After finishing his declaration, Winston slung his backpack over his shoulder, smiled at me, and walked away with a casual swagger. When he was about ten yards away, he turned back and waved vigorously. "Go home now. I'll treat you to dinner tomorrow."Although I was indeed a foodie, I couldn't believe Winston's plan to pursue me was to highlight my love for food right
Luna furiously scolded me, asserting that I didn't deserve Queenie's love and that Queenie had been blind to my true colors all those years. Driven mad by desperation, I chased after Queenie, determined to tell her I was wrong and plead for another chance to prove myself. However, the young man intervened, delivering a swift and punishing combination of punches and kicks that knocked me to the ground. Humiliated, I struggled to get up and fight back, unwilling to lose to another man.Despite his youthful appearance, the look in his eyes as he glanced at Queenie was undeniable. It was a blend of love, desire, and possessiveness only a man could understand.I was consumed by the thought that he wasn't worthy of my precious Queenie's love.Nevertheless, my body felt heavy and powerless. It was as if the strength had been drained from me. The blows rained down on me, bringing with them a strange sense of relief amidst the pain. Part of me yearned for him to kick me harder, inflict
I wanted nothing more than to run to Queenie, to hold her tightly and tell her how much I missed her during those endless days apart. I wanted to kiss her deeply and feel the warmth of her embrace. I called out, "Queenie, I'm here."Seeing me seemed to jolt Queenie from her joyous state, replacing it with a vacant expression. Mere moments before, she had been smiling brightly, her eyes aglow with happiness. Now, she appeared lost, her initial elation dissipating into a blank, unresponsive gaze.I couldn't understand why she had turned so distant upon seeing me. The love and joy that once shone in her eyes were nowhere to be found. As I observed her, I wondered if our time apart had caused her to forget. Or perhaps the events of the past had wounded her so profoundly that she had stopped waiting for me.The thoughts terrified me, and I dared not ask for fear of confirming my suspicions. All I wanted was to hold her, kiss her, and tell her how much I missed her. Yet, it seemed tha
I had no interest in Daniela's pregnancy, so I kicked her out of the house. My friends came to console me, each expressing their sympathies with a drink because they didn't know how else to comfort me.The money I had sent to Queenie's account was quickly returned as the account had been closed. Her phone number became unreachable, and when I sought her at her parents' home, I found the elderly couple waiting anxiously for their daughter's return. I lost not only Queenie but any connection to her. I grew disinterested in everything, neglecting my company and spending my days in a drunken haze.Then, my uncle came. We drank through the night as he shared tales of his hardships, the painful memories of his mother, and the years he spent alone, suffering.He said, "Everyone has their fate, Flynn. And choosing one thing often means losing another. Just as you've chosen to fight for the family business, you've sacrificed a part of yourself. But you must rise and fight me with all you'v
Queenie would then jump off the cliff, leaving me to jolt awake in a cold sweat. I endured each twilight in my hopeless vigil, counting down the days.On the 75th day, the door finally unlocked. I stepped outside and realized that this was the neighborhood where Queenie and I lived. All this time, we had been mere yards apart.My mom truly knew how to break a person's spirit. All I had to do was lift my head to see the pomegranate tree planted in our yard.I stumbled toward our home, my wounds screaming as I desperately called for Queenie. But the immaculate house stood eerily silent, echoing my footsteps like thunder.Except for Queenie, every possession remained meticulously in place—the exquisite clothes, expensive jewelry, and designer cosmetics.Queenie was gone, and the thought of losing her drove me into a frenzy.I collapsed in the middle of the room, sobbing uncontrollably. Regret consumed me. I should have never let my family's threats manipulate me and left Queenie to
I clenched my fists, barely resisting the urge to rush over to Queenie's side. All I wanted was to embrace her and whisper assurances that I would protect her, always. But I knew I had no right to do so.My dad's threat hung heavy in my mind, and the stares of Daniela and her mother bore into Queenie like daggers. One wrong move or word and those blades would descend upon Queenie, cutting her to shreds.The pain was unbearable. I felt sorry for Queenie. I was powerless and couldn't help her. With all my heart, I wished for her to stay strong and survive. She deserved better than me. Daniela's mother slapped Queenie, calling her a whore and a homewrecker, accusing her of seducing other people's boyfriends.Queenie stood rigidly, her gaze filled with humiliation. Her lips trembled, and the light in her eyes gradually faded.I winced in agony but held myself together, picking up Daniela and walking away.Countless times afterward, I berated myself for choosing to take Daniela away
We both knew the truth—neither of us could cross the chasm that had formed between our hearts.After that, I went home almost every day. We managed to maintain a semblance of normalcy in our day-to-day lives. We prepared sumptuous dinners and tended to our garden. I even considered adopting a pet to keep Queenie company while I was away.However, no matter how hard we tried, we couldn't rekindle the warmth we had once shared. Queenie hardly smiled anymore. No matter what I did to cheer her up, she would only give a half-hearted smile, her eyes remaining cold and distant.I knew something had transpired during our separation, but she refused to discuss it. My attempts to uncover the truth through private investigators were in vain. Any evidence had been meticulously erased.Eventually, I realized Queenie was simply biding her time, waiting for the moment when she would be forced to relinquish all hope and leave.A month later, my mother joyfully told me that Daniela was pregnant an
I grabbed a brush from the bathroom and scrubbed myself furiously, desperate to wash away the overwhelming sense of filth. Even as the rough bristles tore into my skin, drawing blood and causing searing pain, I felt no closer to feeling clean.My mind was consumed with thoughts of Queenie and the nearly five years we had spent together—the happy moments, the arguments, every single memory.At that moment, I realized I was terrified. Never before had I experienced such abject fear. Knowing Queenie's uncompromising stance on love and fidelity, I knew she would never forgive me once she discovered my transgression.She would undoubtedly turn and leave, heedless of any pleas I might make. I probably wouldn't even have the courage to ask for her forgiveness in the face of her justified anger.I regretted everything. If I had listened to my friends and taken Queenie away from all this, none of this would have happened. But I had hesitated. Even now, I couldn't be certain if my hesitati
Yesterday afternoon, my dad called and demanded that I make a decision within two days, or they would take action.I felt cornered because I genuinely didn't know how to talk to Queenie about this. The mere idea of her packing her belongings and leaving, accompanied by the unspeakable anguish it would inflict upon me, was a burden too heavy to bear.I wasn't sure if I could ever have a semblance of normality in my life again after that.So, I gathered some friends to drink with me. I drank heavily because I had made a decision—a disgraceful, heartless decision. The thought of what I would have to face the next day made life seem hopeless, so I drank even more.Before losing consciousness, I handed my car keys to my assistant, using my last bit of clarity to tell him to take me home no matter what state I was in.Even if it meant returning to the Hayes family's residence, he should not leave me out on the streets. Despite the imminent breakup, I wanted to part ways with Queenie in
My mom proved to be even more ruthless than my dad. She found me, dropped to her knees without a word, and begged me. She reminded me of the years they had spent raising me, pleading that I ensure they wouldn't be left without a sense of security in their old age.In essence, they were pressuring me to abandon everything. I was to pursue money and power for their sake, secure the Hayes family's head position, and ensure our grip on wealth and influence. Their priority was maintaining their luxurious, elevated lifestyle. My happiness, my desires—whether I even wanted those things—meant nothing to them. Sometimes, it felt like I was nothing more than a tool for achieving their ambitions.My dad told me bluntly that he would go after Queenie if I didn't comply. He said, "You're right. I'm incapable of outmaneuvering your uncle. But no matter how incompetent I am, I can easily make Queenie's life in Harveyton unbearable."To be honest, that day was the coldest my heart had ever felt