I worked hard every day. I scoured the internet for medical journals and consulted specialists on various platforms.Yet life was often very cruel. Not all hard work would pay off.A surprising turn of events could lead to disastrous results.That day, I was queuing up at the cafeteria to get my lunch. I then heard people saying that someone was trying to jump off the building in the neighborhood across the campus. A lot of students in the queue went to check out the scene.My heart began pounding erratically. Fear seized me.I grabbed a student rushing there and asked what happened. He told me that he didn't have the details either. He only asked me to check the school's forum.I opened my phone frantically. There were a lot of comments on the forum thread. There was a photo on the pinned comment, the content of which almost made me faint.I had no time to think. Despite my fear, I ran as fast as I could. Howling wind traveled to my ears.I had never run as fast as I was runni
The crisis negotiator sent in was a female police officer. She had a pair of dimples that made her look extra cute. She comforted Felix with her soothing voice while approaching him silently like a leopard. Her small frame was taut with tension, waiting for the right opportunity.As the female officer coddled to Felix, he slowly became quieter. He stopped yelling, but he still refused to step down from the ledge.Blindness rendered his auditory senses to be extra sensitive. When the officer was less than five steps away from him, his neck jerked suddenly. He stared at where the officer was at. He threatened angrily, "Come any closer and I'll jump."The negotiator was forced to remain on the spot. She shrugged sorrily, telling us that the first attempt was a failure.Staying alive was our first instinct. I couldn't believe that Felix would go this far.Colin rubbed his face. The powerlessness to change the situation and the fear of losing his younger brother pushed him to the brink
To deliver Colin from suffering, to save the tough man in my heart from his moral dilemma, I made a shocking decision.The decision was sudden and hurtful, but it wasn't selfish.He told me that he could handle the situation. It wasn't that I did not trust him or think that I had a better solution.I merely felt bad for him. I didn't want him to go through so much pain and woe for me. I did not want my existence to be his burden.The defeated look on his face filled my mind. It broke my heart. I told myself that I'd bring light and joy to his life, even if it meant I had to suffer in hell for eternity.Was I mad? No, I wasn't. I just didn't want him to be sad.When I recalled this incident many years later, I realized how thoughtless I was.Colin imprisoned me in his arms, refusing to let me leave. He was searching for my lips, trying to seal it before I said the words he'd hate to hear.But for some reason, an incredible strength burst out from me. I shoved Colin away, and he
I fumbled my words because I was trying to suppress the overwhelming heartache.At that moment, I realized that Colin was my soul. Without Colin, I'd become a zombie. My love for him had taken root beyond my imagination before I knew it.Colin held me tightly. His broad hands almost squeezed the life out of me. With reddened eyes, he uttered, "I don't resent you, babe. I know you did everything for me. Forgive me. I wasn't strong enough. I failed to give you a sense of security."I'm sorry, Lulu. But things weren't that bad. You should've trusted me when I said that I could handle it. What you did shattered my heart."He kissed me, and I returned his kiss passionately. The wounds in our mouths reopened, and warm blood rolled down the corners of our lips. The bystanders gasped in horror, but we paid them no mind.At that precise moment, we only had each other. We lived in our own world.He hugged me, creating a corner that blocked out the universe. I snuggled into him as if he wer
The nurse said that Felix would be asleep for a long time. To stabilize his mood, she gave him sedatives.Lights were switched off at nine at the wards. Colin and I sat silently in the darkness.I looked outside while Colin stared at me with cold eyes. I knew he resented me, but I let him be. There weren't many things I could do for him. But by sacrificing myself, it showed that our love wasn't in vain.I didn't dare to look at him or meet his eyes. I was afraid that once I turned around, my resolution would vanish.My heart ached. It probably would hurt for the entirety of my life. But perhaps that was the only way to know that I still breathed.When it was almost dawn break, I couldn't hang in there anymore and fell asleep.The noises from the corridor woke me up. I realized that Colin's jacket was on top of me, but he was nowhere to be found.Did he leave? A world without him felt so lonely.I heard shuffling from the bed, and Felix opened his eyes. There was no light in his
Colin was wearing a suit and a tie. Despite his bony cheeks, he looked dapper and walked in broad strides.Behind him was a meek woman carrying a stack of documents in her hands. She was chatting with him shyly. She looked to be around 18 or 19 years old—the age when one felt fearless. Colin's maturity and dependability attracted women around that age.Colin was expressionless, but he didn't quicken his pace either. He maintained the delicate balance where he was just slightly ahead of her.I didn't know if he saw me or not. But when he turned around, he had this condescending look on his face. The grin he wore was taunting me.Why was he taunting me? Because I made the selfish decision to agree to Felix's nonsensical demand?But I did it for him. Couldn't he see that?I froze on the spot. My heart felt like it had been put through a meat grinder. It hurt.Had he found a new love this soon? Were all his sweet promises empty and fake? I had expected this to happen one day, but I
"Lulu, are you sure you want to compromise?""No, I don't want to. But I don't want to give up either." Thanks to Professor King's and Colin's reminders, I decided to stop playing the hero.People might call me fickle-minded or toxic, but come what may, I would endure it.I was forced to promise Felix that to save him. I told him that as long as he saved his life, I'd stay with him. I didn't specify what we'd do or how long we would be together. Even if we only stayed together for a month, I still delivered my promise, right?Criticize me all they wanted. Felix never took care of me. In fact, I was the one taking care of him."Good." Dad gave a content smile and clasped my hand. "That's my baby girl. When facing adversities, we must think positively. Let's work hard together. There must be a solution.""I know. Thanks, Mom, Dad."I booked them a room in the hotel near my campus. After they settled down, I went back to Felix's place.I was away from him longer than usual today.
"I know you resent me, Lulu. I made a mistake last time. I made an inconsiderate demand because I was too afraid of losing Felix. I'm not going to apologize because I know it won't help. Whether you believe me or not, I want you to know that we don't expect you to sacrifice yourself."That accident took place when you were out buying medicine for Colin. If anything, Colin owes it to Felix, not you. This is a family matter. It doesn't fall on you to solve this problem."I stood up, poised to leave, but I decided to say my piece, "Colin's debt is also my debt. It doesn't matter who's repaying the debt. Let me be frank with you, Aunt Mel. I'm not as selfless as you think. I'm not sacrificing my love and my happiness for Felix."I'm doing this for Colin because I don't want him to be wedged between Felix and me. I don't want him to make a decision that he'll regret. Agreeing to be with Felix is just a temporary solution. I'll find a cure for him. And after that, I'll go back to Colin.
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