I didn't know who did it, but the words Felix said to me in public on campus quickly reached Lilac's ears. I wasn't sure if the story got twisted along the way.When I walked out of class with the crowd, I spotted Lilac standing against the flow at first glance.She was dressed in a long light blue dress. Her hair, which was previously in a bob cut, had grown past her shoulders and was draped softly on her back. Wearing a pair of white soft-soled leather shoes, she looked both ladylike and exceptionally pleasing to the eye.If not for the significant difference in our heights, I'd almost think I was seeing another version of myself with the way she was dressed. It made me pause for a moment.An answer seemed to emerge, but I quickly dismissed it in my head. No woman would willingly become someone else's substitute, nor would they want to imitate someone else to gain the attention and love of the man they liked.A classmate who was walking behind me bumped into my shoulder with her
Looking at the dark alley, my whole body just broke out in goosebumps. I hesitated at the intersection but thought that it wasn't too late. Besides, the campus had always been safe. I didn't want to scare myself and went straight over.With each step, my anxiety increased.My damned sixth sense seized hold of my unease, letting fear creep into my heart from time to time.Suddenly, I remembered that year when I stumbled upon Lilac and Shawn's affair. I was cornered by him on a dark night like this.Although Colin was right on time and came to my rescue that day, I had been particularly averse to the darkness when alone ever since then.A cold breeze swept over me, rustling the leaves and causing the branches around to sway gently. Fear swept over my senses, and every hair on my body stood on end.The ominous premonition grew stronger.I regretted taking this path.I wanted to turn back and run the way I came, but it was too late.Two men, one tall and one short, approached me w
The immense sense of shame made me tremble violently, and the impending sense of doom left my mind in chaos.I had never been so scared and desperate before!The feeling of helplessness with no one to turn to made me wish for death.The tall man's filthy hand reached up to my shirt collar, his cold fingers touching my neck. Something started to surge violently in my chest. A strong sense of nausea assaulted my tense throat.In the last second before the man's hand tore open my collar, I vomited.The half-digested food, which carried an unpleasant odor, sprayed all over the tall man's chest and arms.After a moment of shock, the man shook his right hand with disgust while cursing me under his breath. The short man pushed me to the ground and began to retch, his hands clutching his knees.Fortunately, I had eaten quite a bit for dinner. Despite feeling dirty myself, it was this undigested meal that helped me temporarily escape the clutches of the criminals.The tall man angrily t
He ran a few steps to my side and helped me up from the ground. His large hands trembled as he wiped away the blood that kept flowing from the corner of my lips. The pain in his eyes was so deep and heavy.He kept apologizing repeatedly and swiftly took off his clothes. He rolled them up to cushion them under my neck. Then, he turned around to join the fight.The two men were already retreating under Colin's furious onslaught. They were seeking an opportunity to escape.With Felix joining in, the brothers became formidable. The two men were both knocked to the ground and continued to be beaten up.They no longer had the chance to escape.I struggled to sit up and assess myself. Thankfully, my clothes were intact. Except for the injury to my tongue, everything else seemed fine.This was the second time Colin appeared when I needed him the most. He kept me safe and protected my innocence.Colin delivered a fierce kick to the taller man. It was only until the two men had completely
When we reached the hospital, Colin carried the bloodied me and rushed down the corridor. People passing by avoided us, speculating behind our backs about what had happened. They wondered how a young woman like me ended up covered in blood.Colin glared at them, his icy demeanor shutting up their mouths. They did not dare say another word.No one wanted any trouble just for some gossip.The doctor on duty in the emergency room was a man in his 30s. He asked me to open my mouth. When he saw the wound, he sucked in a cold breath. I didn't know if it was my imagination, but there was admiration in his eyes as he looked at me.He calmly tried to stop the bleeding. But when the cotton touched my wound, a sharp pain shot through my brain. I was dizzy just a moment ago, but my head suddenly cleared. The doctor said the wound was slightly deep and needed stitches. He said that I had sharp teeth and a fierce determination to have inflicted such harm upon myself.How could I tell him that
Colin started to grumble, every word sounding like a complaint. But behind each word was clearly his concern for me and his fear."When I heard you scream for help, I almost went crazy. I was worried I came too late, afraid you would be hurt because of it. God knows how angry I was seeing you covered in blood while lying there. If I had a knife, I would've killed them right then and there."Now that I thought about it, Colin was still full of suppressed anger. His gaze was so fierce it was frightening. He ground his teeth loudly.If he had a knife then, I had no doubt he would have turned those two into minced meat."It wouldn't have been worth it.""It would've. As long as it's for you, everything's worth it. Lulu, stop doubting yourself all the time. You have to know that you deserve the best of everything in the world. So, don't always choose to step back, forgive, and accommodate others. Stop sacrificing yourself."In my eyes, you'll always come first. For you, I wouldn't hes
Suddenly, my head began to hurt.If Colin hadn't come in time during the incident, I would've been completely destroyed.I had a stubborn nature. I knew I wouldn't have been able to live with the disgrace, so I could only choose death.The instigator of all this was Lilac, who was kneeling in front of my hospital bed while looking aggrieved.I didn't need to look for evidence. My intuition told me it was her, and I couldn't be wrong.No one else would do such a vicious thing, nor did anyone else have grievances with me enough to commit such an act.Seeing her appear, the hatred and anger in my heart were hot like lava. The fear of being overwhelmed during that incident and the fury from being harmed repeatedly were threatening to erupt all at once. I wished I could tear Lilac to pieces to quell the hatred in my heart.Perhaps my expression was too ferocious, so the usually bold Lilac instinctively dodged backward. She tried to grab Felix's hand, only for him to ruthlessly brus
At this point, Lilac was still trying to shirk responsibility. She did not once consider the damage her actions had caused me.How could she not understand that if those men had succeeded, I would never have been able to see the light of day again?"You're a vile and shameless person, Lilac!" I was speechless in the face of her actions.Felix took the phone, pulled her arms off of him, and played the recording.The conversation likely took place outdoors, given the sound of wind and a street vendor's distant cries. It seemed to take place in a less bustling residential area. Lilac had indeed gone to great lengths to plot against me.The recording wasn't long. It was just under ten minutes. Lilac had paid two thousand dollars for those scoundrels to bag and beat me up however they liked, as long as they didn't kill me.Those thugs were thrilled at the prospect of getting paid to beat someone up. They promised Lilac to do a thorough job.There was no mention of rape anywhere 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