I tried calling Colin after the lecture, but his phone was off, so I sent a message instead. Still, I didn't receive a response.It was the first time he turned off his phone and failed to respond to my messages in time. I couldn't help but worry about his safety.I tried calling multiple times, but his phone was still unreachable.While waiting for my meal in the cafeteria, I realized how Colin must have felt when I didn't respond to his messages or calls yesterday.It turned out it was uncomfortable to wait for someone's reply. But he had patiently waited for me many times, never once complaining.He doted on me a lot, which made me feel touched.As he still hadn't responded to my messages, I became so absent-minded during the afternoon lecture that I wasn't even in the mood to attend the rehearsal.It was also at this time that I began to feel more concerned about Colin. I could feel him becoming more important to me. After the lecture, I went to the classroom to rehearse.
At that moment, I felt like a carefree child again. I put down the guitar and jumped up and down, brimming with happiness.Felix was also affected by my emotions. We laughed and shouted like fools. Holding hands on the balcony, our happy voices echoed far and wide.As I faced the floor-to-ceiling glass on the balcony, a figure suddenly appeared.Colin was standing under the sunset, still wearing the clothes he had on the night before. He was carrying a big shopping bag that had become dusty from all the travel. He appeared tired, with slightly messy hair.I wondered how long he had been standing there."Colin!" I excitedly ran to the window and waved at him.After thinking about Colin all day and night, I finally felt relieved when I saw that he was safe. He had driven out very late last night. I was worried about him having an accident due to fatigue.I was uncertain about my feelings toward him. But above all, I wanted him to be okay. The thought of him getting hurt or being
Felix stared at me silently, not even turning to look at Colin.His gentle expression was inappropriate considering our current relationship, even a little unsettling.He had always maintained a detached, uncaring appearance as if nothing could affect him ever since he recovered from his injury. However, I always had the impression that despite his seeming disinterest, he was constantly keeping an eye on the situation.Felix seemed to be waiting for some kind of opportunity.He seemed like a dormant beast waiting for the right moment to attack. Though he appeared calm and uninterested, he was incredibly hazardous.Perhaps my perception was incorrect."I'm glad you like them. I'll return first." Colin held up his hand, presumably wishing to stroke my hair.But he dropped his raised hand for some reason and pointed at the candy box I was holding. "Don't eat it at night or you'll get tooth decay.""Colin, wait for me. I'll go with you. Where were you last night? Did you just drive
But why did Colin look so depressed and alone?With Colin in mind, I stopped practicing the guitar. I planned to inform Hannah that I would be taking my leave.When I opened the door of the balcony and walked into the room, I noticed how lively it was. Everyone was hard at work, practicing. A charming junior was passionately reciting poems while gesturing appropriately. Seeing these people's efforts, I couldn't say that I wanted to leave early.As a senior who had cleared the postgraduate admission exam, I should lead my juniors by example.All I could do was go back to practicing the guitar. Before I could do that, I saw Felix sitting on a chair with a gloomy expression. He was continuing to play the guitar.I practiced until 6:00 pm. My proficiency in playing the song improved significantly. My arms hurt and felt sore because I hadn't worked them out in a long time.To avoid the tragedy of going too far, I told Felix to end our practice. I then tried to call Colin to make an
It was already 9:00 pm after dinner. I wanted to return since I was thinking about the drawing I hadn't touched in nearly two days. I even wished that Helen and Matthew would go on a date so that I could stay up late and catch up on the work."Luna, how about we go to a karaoke joint?"Upon hearing their suggestion, I felt a greater generational gap between me and the juniors. They had been enjoying themselves for a long time. Wouldn't it be nice to go back home and engage in activities they liked?As I had gone to the restroom, I ended up walking at the back. I moved to the center of the reception hall when a junior called me.I was taken aback for a moment by his loud voice. The guests at the table near the leisure bar opposite were startled as well. The man facing me suddenly raised his head. Under the dim light, his familiar face suddenly darkened when he saw me.I was about to leave, but my feet suddenly became a jumbled mess. I nearly fell to the ground as I tripped on my
Felix, who had been following behind me and whom I had deliberately ignored, was unable to stand motionless much longer. That was why he finally spoke up. It was a pity that his goal was to shatter my heart rather than educate me. I was unable to dodge his hurtful words.It would've been fine if he hadn't said anything. I could then act as though he never existed. Once I went into the apartment, he would leave and go on his own way. We wouldn't need to get involved with each other.But he insisted on speaking and even spoke in a tone that sounded like he was mocking me. It triggered my rebellious streak, making me want to lash out at him with the foulest insults imaginable. I wanted to make him feel what I was going through.Unfortunately, I never learned any curse words from my parents. Since I never had the chance to acquire such an ability, I couldn't vent my bitterness and anger well."Are you jealous? Rather than spreading rumors behind people's backs, you ought to work on i
I wanted to ask but was afraid. I was such a coward.Feeling like this made me so uneasy.I was having a severe mental struggle. Even so, I forced myself to ignore the pressing need to ask Colin what had happened even though I knew it would drive me to tears.I didn't have the right to do that because he didn't grant it to me.As for why I was feeling this grief that I couldn't get rid of despite my best attempts, I didn't ponder too much about it. Perhaps I had become very possessive of Colin as he had taken such great care of me in the past.When he asked for my answer to his confession, I said I would consider it. Perhaps consideration wasn't equivalent to a promise. He could do anything he pleased since he was a free man. It wasn't my place to meddle.Yes, it wasn't my place to meddle. So, should I still be considering giving things a go with Colin?Also, why was there an aching in my heart? It felt like my eyes were searing too, and it hurt so much. I felt like I was abou
Despite what Lilac might believe, I had nothing to do with Felix. Naturally, I was not worried about her causing me problems.If I had been more shameless, less self-respecting, and more unscrupulous, it was hard to say what the outcome would've been. Would Lilac have succeeded in getting together with Felix back then?Simply put, I had never given it any thought.Felix's persistent actions throughout the last several years, particularly in the last few months, gave me the impression that he liked to pursue the one he couldn't own.Lilac was naturally nervous after hearing my cool-headed remarks and realizing I had no intention of explaining.I didn't know her well enough, after all. I had no idea that her resentment and anger could cause me such severe pain and nearly ruin my life afterward."Luna, don't keep pretending to be innocent," Lilac said gloomily as the conversation came to an unhappy end. "You know best whether you're acting innocent. Don't blame me for being cruel
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