Zara didn't apply for postgraduate studies after finishing university but joined a company to work in her field of studies. It seemed that Chris was working in that company as well. Zara went there to be with her boyfriend.She was quite proper in everything else, and she hardly ever talked about her boyfriend. She had mentioned Chris in passing, saying that they had a deep bond as she had fallen for him since childhood. He was the only one she wanted to marry.Chris wasn't tall but not short either, probably around five feet ten. He had a simple haircut and wore glasses with golden rims. They seemed to have thick lenses, indicating that it was a prescription. Chris appeared courteous but somewhat aloof.This was the first time I met him, but something seemed off.A normal man would be warm and friendly when meeting the close friends of his girlfriend, but Chris gave off an indifferent vibe. It was as if he were detached from everything, as if there were an invisible barrier betwee
As I was brooding over the matter, someone suddenly appeared and stood by our table.Everyone, except for Chris, was stunned.When I saw the person's face, I couldn't catch my breath and ended up choking. I started coughing badly.Why couldn't I even have a peaceful meal? He came uninvited. How shameless could he get?Colin tightened his grip on my hand under the table suddenly, the frustration on his face evident."Felix? Well, what a coincidence meeting you here. If I wasn't aware of your usual aloof demeanor, I'd think you had followed Colin here." Zara was quick with her words and did not spare his pride. She made Chris, who was concentrating on his food, give her a few strange looks.Felix's appearance successfully diverted Chris' attention from the food to Zara.With such obvious sarcasm, I couldn't believe Felix couldn't hear it. She might as well have accused him of being a stalker.Yet, Felix calmly replied as if he hadn't heard anything, "What a coincidence, indeed. I
Colin swiftly extended his arm to protect my head, so Felix's hand landed on Colin's arm. His expression turned dark immediately.Zara couldn't help but laugh out loud.Even Chris' eyes had a hint of amusement in them.Felix shook his head again dismissively as he said with a small laugh, "You little rascal."His doting tone gave me goosebumps all over.I had known him for 20 years. Even during his sweetest time with Lilac, he never spoke to her in such a tone.Would someone change so much after being beaten once? Shawn must have beaten him too hard.Feeling uncomfortable, I shifted slightly toward Colin. He was already very close to me since he was cooking for me, but with my movement, I ended up in his embrace.When I realized I was too close and tried to move away a little, it was too late. Colin raised an eyebrow as he deepened his smile and pulled me closer.Felix paused for a moment before smiling suddenly and lifting his head to speak to me. "Lulu, Aunt Harper said you
Colin's face turned cold. He told Felix to move to the back seat if he wanted to ride with us.Felix ignored him and started watching videos on his phone.It made me so mad I wished I could kick him to death.Even Drew couldn't stand it anymore and knocked on the car window to tell him to be a man.But we underestimated Felix's shamelessness. He continued to sit there and stare at his phone like he couldn't care less. It was as if he was saying, "I'm not getting off. What are you going to do about it?""Felix, stop being so shameless and get away from us!" I was so angry that I could explode.Now, I suddenly understood his feelings back then. That Thanksgiving, when he accused me of being shameless, I was upset for a long time. I didn't understand his feelings. I just wanted to be with him, so why was he so angry?Now, I finally understood. Being pursued by someone you didn't like and being unable to shake them off was a really awful feeling.Back then, I followed him around, a
That question was a bit tricky, so I dared not answer it casually. Colin had always been like this, using his intelligence to easily expose my foolishness.Darn it, I was digging my own grave. I brought this upon myself."Well, it'd be a coincidence, so I'll just let it be. Are you afraid he'll steal me away, Colin? You're lacking confidence. This is so unlike you. You're one of the best from Lincoln University. You shouldn't be like this."Hmm, there must be many other guys eyeing a rising star in the world of art like me. If you don't buck up and boost your confidence, our future seems bleak."I pretended to worry and held my chin in my hands. Colin was both amused and angry as he wrapped me in his coat and vigorously messed up my smooth locks.After struggling to escape from Colin's clutches and finally breathing the fresh air, I heard a snort from behind. It was Felix. I rolled my eyes while Colin frowned. After a brief exchange of glances, we collectively pretended not to hea
"It's okay. He's an adult. He knows what he should and shouldn't do," Colin reassured me.I fervently prayed in my heart with my hands clasped together.The supervisor of our dorm was in a good mood. Seeing my huge luggage, she surprisingly agreed to let Colin escort me upstairs.My apartment unit was on the third floor. The door was open, indicating that Helen had returned."Helen! You're back early…" I bounced to the door, but before my words could reach her, I had to forcibly swallow them back. I turned around to look at Colin with a silly grin.Both of us had a knack for jinxing things.I was worried about what would happen if Lilac and Felix bumped into each other, and they actually did in front of the school gate.Colin had been worried about what would happen if I bumped into Matthew, and he was actually in my apartment.What kind of drama was this? It was torturing.Matthew was bending down to pick up the suitcase and put it on the cabinet above when he heard my voice.
"I'll just let things develop naturally and try my best without leaving any regrets. Enough about me. That handsome guy of yours looks refined and powerful. He definitely has a bright future ahead.""Wow, Ms. Johnston, I haven't met you for two months and you've already switched careers? Tell me, when will I become successful and rich?""Stop fooling around."Colin called, asking us to go out and meet them at the stairwell.When Helen and I approached, Colin and Matthew had already put out their cigarettes and were talking to each other.Matthew had gained a little weight compared to when he was in the hospital, but he was still very thin. Looking at him from behind, it was obvious that his clothes were propped up at the shoulder blades.Colin stood shoulder to shoulder with him, though he was slightly taller than Matthew. His tall and straight posture made him look like a pine tree standing tall in the wilderness.Matthew was outstanding enough, but in my eyes, Colin was even b
This cold came out of nowhere. I had a stuffy nose, dry eyes, and a scratchy throat. It was so uncomfortable."I don't want to go." I weakly refused, barely opening my eyes.I had always hated going to the hospital. The smell of disinfectant was like a nightmare to me. So, in order to avoid going to the hospital, I tried not to fall sick.But in recent years, I had been to the hospital too many times. And it was serious each time. That feeling of panic was unforgettable. Even now, just the thought of hospitals would make me squirm. So, I firmly resisted.Colin took my sweater while coaxing me to get dressed and get up. But I just rolled over and pulled the covers over myself, refusing to listen to him."Baby, when you're sick, you have to go to the hospital. If you get pneumonia, you'll have to be hospitalized. Come on, get up quickly," Colin urged.But no matter how he coaxed me, I refused to listen. He was so anxious that his eyes were turning red, and Helen was so angry that s
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