The Moyer family was in a frenzy, bringing in experts from all over the country to treat Chris. While his life was no longer in danger, he would never be able to have children. Whether he could even perform sexually in the future was up to fate.Given this situation, Faye's pregnancy suddenly took on enormous significance, making her child Chris' only possible heir. His parents treated Faye like a queen, showering her with endless care and attention.When Chris came to understand his condition, he tried to take his life several times. Only his parents' desperate pleas and tears managed to keep him from succeeding. Despite his profound reluctance, Chris eventually accepted the reality of his situation. To ensure the Moyer family line continued, he acknowledged Faye's status and married her although he adamantly refused to hold a wedding ceremony.When I heard the news, I couldn't help but feel a sense of poetic justice. The once-arrogant man was now in a pitiful state. It was a sta
It wasn't until much later, after the elegant ladies had left, that I realized the woman who had implied I was only interested in Winston for his money was none other than Chris' mother. As for the stunning woman's remark about chaotic unions between equal families, it was undoubtedly a jab at Chris and Faye's marriage.When I considered the rumors surrounding Chris and Faye's tumultuous marriage, it became apparent that "chaotic" was a severe understatement. Their life together was nothing short of a disaster.It was no surprise that Chris' mom was so nasty. Even when things were bad, she was insufferably haughty. If things were going well, she would probably be unbearable.With a newfound sense of satisfaction, I pulled out my phone, unblocked Chris' number, and sent him a message: "Chris, knowing your life isn't going well gives me peace of mind."Winston grabbed my phone, read the message repeatedly, and gleefully declined the flurry of calls from Chris. Laughing uncontrollab
Lena and I entered her parlor, and before we knew it, we talked for almost two hours. The conversation was surprisingly enjoyable, and none of the derision or disdain I had feared came to pass.Lena was not only beautiful but also had a wonderful personality as well as a great sense of humor. She shared countless hilarious stories about Winston's childhood, from him wetting the bed at age five to being terrified by a mouse at 14, from drawing portraits of cockroaches to making a captured mouse pose as a model.Gradually, my nerves faded, and I became engrossed in the stories. I eventually felt entirely at ease with Lena.As we were about to leave, Lena and Allen solemnly handed me a beautiful translucent emerald bracelet. Lena said, "Zara, this isn't some trick from the Moyer family. Since you've chosen this rascal, there's no turning back."This is our family heirloom, passed down only to daughters-in-law. It was passed to me by my mother-in-law, and now, I'm passing it to you.
The bracelet looked exactly like the one I broke.Lena picked it up and said solemnly, "Zara, this is our Moyer family's heirloom. Your grandmother gave it to me, and now, I'm passing it on to you. You must continue this tradition.""Did Grandma leave a pair of these bracelets?" I asked, feeling more confused than ever. It looked too familiar."No, just one," she replied.That didn't make sense at all."But wasn't that one broken? I even married Winston to repay the cost of that priceless bracelet, and I was planning to have a kid to pay off the debt. How is there another one now?" I muttered.I couldn't help but wonder if the supposed debt wasn't genuine and if I had spent the whole time repaying something that didn't exist. Lena's carefully crafted expression showed signs of cracking as she gave a forced smile. "Well, it turns out your dad made that one from the bottom of a beer bottle to fool any potential thieves. Our heirloom is so valuable that if it were lost, our ancest
Allen and Lena were over the moon, flooding all social media platforms with the joyous news as if the Moyer family were the only ones capable of having twins. They each held a baby, their smiles so wide they could hardly be contained.Winston, my dear husband, stayed by my bedside, his eyes red and tearful as he kept asking if I was still in pain. He vowed never to have more children, expressing that if he had known the extent of pain I would have to endure during childbirth, he would never have put me through it as he couldn't bear to see me suffer.He initially grumbled about not liking the two little troublemakers who had caused me so much pain. However, the next moment, he was holding both of them, his eyes filled with delight as he said that our daughter resembled him and our son resembled me.It was the beginning of autumn, and the midday sun shone warmly on me, casting a golden glow on Winston's hair. It made him look lively and charming. At that moment, I realized that r
Queenie never had any grand aspirations for wealth or status. For her, happiness meant being with me, living a simple life with a nine-to-five job, earning a modest salary, and residing in a modest home. She cherished the small joys of life, like shopping for discounted vegetables and meat at the market and cooking a simple yet delicious meal together at home.She often told me that her happiness came from being with me as a person and not about the Hayes family. However, I was born into the Hayes family. From a young age, I carried the weight of my parents' expectations on my shoulders. As a member of the Hayes family, I didn't have the luxury of living the life I wanted. My education, hobbies, future, and dreams were all predetermined by my family's needs and ambitions.The Hayes family was vast, with countless relatives. My grandpa favored my young uncle, making my dad's position seem insignificant.The family business was enormous, and entrusting it to my inexperienced uncle
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
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
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