Although Jesselton College was still a few hundred miles away from Southsville, it was much closer compared to Lincoln University. There was a flight every day, making it convenient for round trips.On the day of our farewell dinner, my besties and I drank beer, white wine, and fruit wine. Each of us got so drunk that we lost our bearings. We huddled together and cried as if we would never meet again.It was Colin who carried me back to the dorm that day. I shamelessly vomited all over him.…Four years had passed, and I was already 22 years old. I was no longer the little girl who would cry all night because of Felix.When I met him on campus, I greeted him casually with indifference.I never told him about going to Jesselton College for graduate school. Over the past two years, our interactions were limited to social media and my occasional return home.His relationship with Lilac was good. Although she was still pretentious whenever we met, she treated Felix well. I had gradu
The end of September in Jinovy was still warm. I sat under the shade of a tree, fanning myself with my hand while waiting for my new roommate to go to the cafeteria with me. Then, I heard someone calling my name.I turned around and saw a man standing under the sun. He wore a white shirt with dark stripes and gray trousers. He was smiling gently at me.The midday sun pierced through the leaves, leaving spots of light on his face.Matthew?"Matthew, what are you doing here? What a coincidence," I exclaimed happily, standing up and walking toward him.It had been over two years since we last met. When we parted ways back then, he asked me, "Lulu, will we ever meet again?"The world was indeed small. In just two years, we met again in the vast sea of people at Jesselton College.In an instant, I remembered the tall man who bade me farewell with tears in his eyes. He had quietly stood there, expressing his feelings, regrets, and reluctance to leave me.Time had transformed him, tur
Feeling a little full, I picked up a fork to eat fruit."He has a heart problem, but he's fine now. Thank you."We talked about everything. And finally, the topic came to Southsville, where we went to high school together for three years.After studying in another city for years, I often thought of many people and things in Southsville. My high school classmates were the most vivid ones in my memory.Matthew was very talkative. I didn't even remember many things he said, but he narrated them as clearly as if they happened yesterday.He was a little proud while mentioning our senior year of high school graduation.Everyone was standing on the field to take graduation photos.He spent ten dollars to change places with the boy behind me, successfully taking the spot closest to me."Matthew, I have the graduation photo on my phone. Do you want to take a look?"His eyes lit up, and he smiled softly. "Of course. Show it to me."I soon found the photo, clicked it, and pushed my phon
Matthew controlled the door lock, which made me nervous. The atmosphere in the car became ambiguous."Open the door. I want to go back."In the past 22 years, I had never been so embarrassed no matter who I faced—even Felix, whom I loved so much back then.Matthew turned sideways, staring at me seriously. His eyes seemed to glow. I dodged his gaze, urging him to open the door.Soon, he stroked my head and said hoarsely, "Lulu, don't make me wait too long.""Mhm, I'll get off."Apart from Colin, I seemed to instinctively distance myself from every man. After turning off the car, he got out and opened my door. He reached out to me gentlemanly.After thinking for a second, I didn't take his hand but got out myself.Matthew looked disappointed, but he still cheered up and followed me."It's only a few steps away. I can go back by myself. Go ahead and attend to your business."During the meal, his phone's notification tone kept ringing. But he didn't answer the phone, nor did he
Matthew was the first to make his pursuit of me clear. I couldn't find a reason to say no, so I agreed.While washing my face, I was thinking about my four years at Lincoln University. In the first semester, some guys would always send me flowers and ask for my contact number for no apparent reason. However, nothing like that ever happened again in the following years.Due to this reason, I always felt envious when I saw a man holding a big bouquet of roses and confessing his love to a woman.At that time, I thought I was too tall and indifferent, which made me unpopular. Or maybe my classmates at Lincoln University loved studying so much that they had no time to care about a beautiful woman like me, which made me appear so worthless.But Jesselton College was different from Lincoln University. The second day after I reported here, a senior blocked my way and asked for my contact number.Felix happened to pass by that day. I didn't know what he said to that senior, but he turned a
When Matthew put the phone back, he looked at me intentionally, seemingly a little nervous. I smiled at him despite my doubts.We were just former classmates. Whoever he sent messages to had nothing to do with me. Since I had no right to interfere, he didn't need to be nervous.Only when we got to the destination did I realize that it wasn't a formal restaurant but a club.It was my first time visiting a place like this. Its atmosphere and decoration style were different from a restaurant. This place was high-end and beautiful, especially the garden deep in the lobby on the first floor. There, one could see rare plants of varying heights. It looked like a small botanical garden.The guests were all dressed in bright clothes and had subtle fragrances, which was incompatible with the environment I grew up in.My simple dress looked very shabby amidst the gorgeous clothes. I couldn't help but regret following Matthew.I was used to living my own life, so I didn't care what others th
The waiter soon served the dishes and poured the red wine for everyone present.When it was my turn, Matthew reached out to block it. "She doesn't drink wine. Just give her fresh juice.""Hey, I never knew Matt would help women.""Pretty lady, you're so lucky to have Matt protecting you.""Matt, this woman is beautiful, and she has a good temperament too. Have you ever thought about asking her to be your girlfriend?"Matthew ignored everything they said as if he hadn't heard anything.But when he heard the last sentence, he finally smiled meaningfully. "I want to. I'm working hard on it."Everyone booed, asking him to work harder on pursuing me as soon as possible.I had never experienced such a scene and did not expect them to bring up such a topic. I felt like a clown standing on the stage, which was very uncomfortable.Faced with everyone's teasing, I only responded with a faint smile.With the wine, the atmosphere at the table gradually became warmer. Others were toasting
Helen was lying on the bed, seemingly doing something. When she saw me come in, she looked at the roses in my arms for a few seconds and then turned away. She showed indignant disgust and was seemingly unreconciled.I didn't say anything, let alone do anything. I wondered what this woman disliked about me. Why did she hate me more and more? Did same-sex repulsion also apply to roommates?It stood to reason that it shouldn't. At Lincoln University, I got along very well with my two roommates. Why were the roommates at Jesselton College so difficult to get along with?Helen's unwarranted hostility was so strange.I put the roses on my table, thinking about finding something to keep them when Helen said, "I have hay fever."What? Hay fever?Did it mean that I had to throw away such beautiful flowers? I felt a little troubled. It would be a pity to throw them away.It was the first bouquet of red roses I had ever received. Apart from the sender's intention and the meaning of the flo
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