"What are you doing? Come up!" Colin urged me.I stared at the seat where Lilac had just sat, crossed my arms, and refused to get in the car.Looking at me for a while, he turned his head to snicker. His teasing look made me blush.So what if he laughed at me? I wouldn't get in!Colin had no choice but to get out of the car helplessly. He took the passenger seat cushion outside, shook it vigorously, and put it back again. Then, he opened the trunk to take out a clean blue blanket. After folding it, he placed it on the seat cushion.He reached a hand toward me gentlemanly. "Miss, please get in the car."Although I wanted to pretend to be indifferent, his actions still made me smile. I took a step forward while still pretending to refuse him. "Colin, I can just go back by myself. We're not on the same route."During the winter vacation of my senior year, my family finally moved to a new place. The Lawsons and the Whites officially ended their two decades of living next door to eac
"Thank you for the compliment."As we were meeting again after a long time, we chatted pleasantly. When Felix arrived at the door, his hair was disheveled. He carried an oversized travel bag on his shoulders. He pushed the large suitcase in one hand and carried a big bag in the other.On the contrary, Lilac followed delicately, only carrying a small bag containing bread.In my impression, Felix had always been clean and cool. But now, he looked like a refugee fleeing famine.Seeing him carrying a heavy load and greeting my parents, I tried to hold back my laughter several times.Aunt Mel's smile faded a lot when she saw Lilac. She only responded politely to Lilac's greetings without further communication.Even though Lilac was in such an awkward situation, she still bit her lip and persisted.If it were me, I would have left long ago knowing that the host didn't welcome me. I didn't want to feel ashamed by staying. As if Lilac was unbothered, she refused to leave. That was pre
Mom meaningfully smiled while looking at Colin and me. She then took the chicken from the refrigerator, wanting to prepare it.Colin was quick to prepare the sauce. The four of us sat together and started the barbecue.While we were enjoying the meal, I went to open the door when Felix knocked on it.My house had an open living room and kitchen, and the dining room was diagonally opposite the door. In other words, everyone could fully see the whole dining room while standing at the door of my house.Felix was here to ask Colin to go back for lunch. Lilac was in his arms, looking into the dining room with a greedy look."What's the matter?" I felt annoyed, not wanting to talk much to them."Luna, we're here to look for Colin. Our meal is ready. Why isn't he coming back?"She had seen the scene herself, but she still asked a nonsensical question. I bet she either had an eye problem or was daydreaming.After she said that, Felix didn't wait for my answer and wanted to rush into my
"Why openly and not secretly?" Colin leaned on the sink, facing my teasing calmly."Since the medieval era, it hasn't been appropriate for men and women to be too close to one another. If you enter my room secretly, it may affect your reputation. But if we meet openly, you can protect your reputation. It's my best offer."Colin turned his head, laughing so hard that his shoulders shook. He then turned and pushed me out. "Let's go. To protect myself, I'll go to your room openly."I had rarely seen him since I became an adult, and his opportunities to come to my room were even rarer."Nothing has changed. I didn't expect you to keep your things long-term."Colin sat at my study table, picking up a book to read."Of course, I..."Before I finished speaking, my phone rang. Matthew was giving me a video call.I looked at Colin guiltily, not knowing whether I should answer the call.His expression changed, and he signaled me. "Be polite. Pick it up."I immediately clicked the answe
"Am I not a man?" Colin was a little dissatisfied and aggrieved.What did he mean by that?I looked at him blankly. I was still young. I didn't mean my age. I meant that I was protected too well by my parents and Colin, so my mental age was young. I hadn't learned to think independently about many things.After listening to Colin's words, I pondered. Based on his strong physique and my knowledge of gender, I could be sure he was male. Why did he ask such nonsense?"Matthew's family is very unusual. His education and growing environment since childhood are beyond your imagination. Lulu, I've never cared about the difference in family background. "But if you marry into the Loxley family, you'll suffer. Society has classes. If you marry into a family with a higher social class, your future life won't be good."I had thought before about what Colin just said.My family's conditions were good for ordinary people. My parents had a good income, and I was their only daughter. I was b
It was rare for my former class monitor to be back in the city. He asked all former classmates in Southsville to gather at noon.Colin sent Felix and me to the restaurant. He reminded us to call him when the gathering ended.The gathering between former classmates should be pure and happy, with everyone giving life updates and recounting our friendship back then. But a few of them were arrogant. They constantly flaunted how outstanding they were and how much money they made, turning the friendship into a competition.I wouldn't have come if I had known the gathering would become like this. During a toast, I found a moment to leave the private room and stay on the terrace.This restaurant was the same one as on the day Felix brought Lilac home for the first time. After a few years, the decoration style of the restaurant had changed. I wouldn't have recognized this place if the restaurant's name had also changed.I was still Luna, and he was still Felix. But the changes of time
"All that's in the past. Why bring it up? I've never blamed you." I smiled faintly.Indeed, it was all over now. Now that I looked back, I could no longer remember the humiliation and pain I felt back then.Felix smiled bitterly, took out a cigarette, and asked me if he could smoke.We were at a public place. It was not like we were at my house. He could do whatever he wanted."Getting together with Lilac was purely accidental. I remember it was raining heavily that day. She didn't have an umbrella, and she had even injured her leg. I saw her sitting on the ground alone, wiping her tears. She was drenched. "Since we were classmates, I figured I should help her. I didn't know why, but I was moved by her tears. She wasn't popular in class, and no one liked her. During gatherings, she'd always sit alone in the corner, looking like a pitiful sight. It made me want to protect her."After being with her for so long, I know she uses her tears as a weapon and pretends to be weak. She's
Colin happily accepted my invitation, even saying he would choose the most expensive restaurant so that I'd be forced to spend more.Over the years, I had saved nearly a million from the prize money I received from participating in various competitions, the income I received from helping people draw, and scholarships. I could afford to treat him to an expensive meal.The itinerary he arranged was to go swimming in the open-air swimming pool in the morning and have a meal at noon. There were two options for the afternoon. One was hiking, and the other was bowling.Since I had some experience with the dangers of hiking mountains, I chose bowling. I had never played it before.After breakfast, Colin carried me into the car under Mom's earnest reminders.I protested, telling him not to carry me, but it was futile. He told me that whoever was stronger had the final say, so I gave up struggling.The open-air swimming pool was a natural lake with a large area. I could see the beautiful
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