I pretended to be asleep and ignored Helen."Stop pretending. I know you're awake," she slurred and flopped onto her bed."How did you find out?" I propped myself up. Helen lay on her bed. Her glamorous attire failed to conceal the disappointment and sadness she was feeling."Your eyes were moving. And your breathing was odd too. You don't breathe like that when you're asleep." Helen sat up and ruffled her hair out of frustration.Her nose was red, and she spoke with a nasal voice. I wondered if the autumn wind had given her a cold or if she had cried for a long time.Given her looks and her family background, Helen was prideful and confident. But her unrequited love for Matthew might have dealt a huge blow to her ego. I was also certain that Matthew was the reason why she was so upset now. However, there wasn't much I could do.To ask a guy who liked me to like another woman was very cruel. I couldn't possibly do that."It's getting late. Go to bed." I turned to the other sid
"I once swore that I'd marry Matthew. So whenever a woman tried to approach him, I'd chase her away. When I heard that he had fallen for another woman, I told myself that once I found out who she was, I'd beat her up."Helen sobbed loudly. I felt sorry for her.Unrequited love was a lonely journey. Only those who had gone through it understood how excruciating it could be."So, why didn't you beat me up?" I teased.Helen knew I was joking, but she grabbed a plushie and threw it on my face nonetheless. She sniffled and said, "Because you're so sweet. Also, it isn't your fault that he fell for you. I can't beat you up. I'm not that heartless."My bad day was turned around after hearing Helen's words.Among the arrogant, condescending upper-class people beyond my reach, there was still someone who treated others with kindness.Oh, Helen. She was a sweetheart too. Matthew and she would make a great pair. I hoped Helen would never give up."Helen, you fight for your love. Trust me,
It rained for three days straight, and the temperature dropped as a result.As it was getting cold, I put on thick winter clothes before I did my daily commute of going to the apartment, lecture hall, and cafeteria.Helen stopped coming back to the apartment the second night after the incident. I was all alone in the cold apartment.When I was bored, I'd talk to my friends. More often than not, I'd be texting Colin.It wasn't that I was neglecting my friends, but they all had a boyfriend. They didn't have time for me. Colin and I were both single, so we were like each other's support group.On the fourth day, I had a lecture in the morning. As soon as I entered the lecture hall, I saw my classmates gossiping about something excitedly."So what's the good news? Did they increase the scholarship amount or something?" I found a seat at the front of the lecture hall. Then, I took out the textbooks from my bag and placed them on my desk. I also took out the draft I drew yesterday so t
Professor Ash, in his dapper outfit, walked toward the lectern in broad strides. My classmates cheered. They gossiped about their idol in hushed voices.Professor Ash seemed to be very familiar with this kind of reception. He waited patiently until the class calmed down. Then, he said, "Hi, everyone. I'm Ash King. I'm honored to be part of Jesselton College."In the foreseeable future we share together, I'll do my best to impart what I know to you. I hope you can stay sharp and keep up with my pace. Those who don't pay attention or finish their assignments on time will have their marks deducted. This is non-negotiable."A commotion broke out again. This time, it was a collective groan.Watching my classmates complain about the harsh lecturer, I chuckled.Professor Ash was a renowned artist. In his eyes, attitude was more important than talent. My perseverance and thirst for knowledge were the reason why he specially tutored me.That said, this didn't mean that talent wasn't impor
"As you can see, I couldn't be better. You, however, have lost so much weight. Work as hard as you want and you still can't own all the riches in the world. You should look after your body. If you don't do that while you're young, you'll age very quickly and you'll regret it."I didn't know what else to say.No amount of consolation could mend the brokenhearted Matthew.He looked at me and then sideways. He smiled. It was a beautiful smile, albeit a bit lonely."Yeah, I'll take care of myself. Go back to your apartment. I'll get going now. It's cold now. Make sure you cover yourself.""Will do. Thanks. Goodbye." I then entered my apartment building.There was a floor-to-ceiling glass pane at the entrance. I caught Matthew's pitiful silhouette standing under the autumn rain.His head was lowered, his Adam's apple rolling up and down. Pain and misery were written all over his face.I knew I had shattered his heart. Sorry, Matthew.Back in my apartment, Helen was standing by the
"I cherish Matthew's feelings toward me. But we hadn't started dating each other. I refuse to be belittled, and I don't want him to fall out with his family for me. I will not be called nasty names for the rest of my life."He had plenty of options. He was told to choose one option, yet he chose both. You know what that is, Helen? That's a mistake.""I get what you're saying, Luna. But seeing him so devastated and so heartbroken pains me. I know my demand is very selfish. But I don't know how else to reduce his suffering.""No one can help Matthew. Not even me. He has to go through this alone. If I can't commit to him or give him a future, I shouldn't give him false hope. Otherwise, he'll fall even deeper in love with me. Helen, don't you like him too? Why don't you keep him company in this time of need?"They say hardships bring the best out of everyone. I'm sure that one day, he'll notice what you've done for him. I firmly believe that his feelings for me are nothing but an infat
Matthew's dressing was changed before he was pushed into a ward. The doctor said he had a high fever and needed to be hospitalized for a few days.He must be seriously ill because after all the medical help, he still hadn't regained consciousness."Luna, you're so cruel. He refused to see a doctor when he had a fever back at home. And to see you, he put his life on the line." Helen kept sobbing. Her eyes and nose were red from the crying.I felt so guilty as I looked at the sleeping Matthew. Regardless if I could return his feelings or not, I felt like I had just stepped and spat on his devotion.I should consider myself lucky to be loved by such a loyal man. Alas, there were too many things between us. I couldn't reciprocate his feelings."Helen, I'll go back now. Don't tell him that I came." I retrieved my phone from the corner of the bed and gazed at the unconscious Matthew. Then, I steeled my mind and left.Helen chased after me and cussed at how heartless I was. She said bad
I was still sobbing when Jade called. Surprised by my sniffling voice, she asked if Felix and Lilac had bullied me again.Now that she brought it up, I realized that I hadn't seen them for a long while.Did they have a moral epiphany and decide to stop pestering me? Good for them!"Luna, you dummy. When they bully you, you fight back. It's time to stand up for yourself. You're five-foot-five, and meekness doesn't look good on you. You're willing to endure the bullying, but I'm not. Let me avenge you. I'll call Felix right away and give him an earful.""Don't, don't. I haven't seen them in a while. My eyes and ears appreciate the current peace, so please don't provoke them."Jade then wondered, "So, they aren't trying to get your attention now? Felix can live without your attention, but I highly doubt Lilac can do the same."I had the same question too. Life was full of surprises."I don't know why they're doing this, but I'm not complaining.""Right, you can now enjoy your peac
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