"I've placed everything that could harm him out of reach. It would be fine after I install a guardrail to the windows and balconies and elevate the door locks."I felt distressed to see Colin so busy. I doubted these methods could stop a person who wanted to die.It was difficult for us to take long-term precautions. If Felix wanted to die, even a belt was enough. We couldn't guard him at all times. Colin's actions made no sense.We first needed to understand Felix's true thoughts.After the suicide attempt, Felix became clingy again. He wanted me to be by his side whenever I didn't attend lectures. He even grasped my hand to ensure I was beside him, or he would feel unsafe.Honestly, sitting next to him was fine. I could at least accept it. However, I couldn't tolerate it when he held my hand, not even for a second.I told him I had to draw. I couldn't work if he held my hand.Then, he asked me to move the easel to his room so he could always be by my side. When I objected, he
"I know you hate me. Since it's my fault, blame me alone. You can ask for anything. I'll do anything to satisfy you. Don't involve Lulu. Felix, please let her go. Please.""Lulu is mine! I'll never let her go in this life. Just give up!"Colin swayed slightly, gripping his head. He let out a painful and desperate cry.I could imagine his breakdown.They had had this conversation countless times during this period. I'd encountered it three times. It always ended up this way.Felix always hurt others with a single blow and spared no effort. After all, he did the same to me on Thanksgiving that year.Colin had always been a decisive person. However, when it came to Felix and me, he was in a dilemma.He was responsible, and he valued the two of us. He felt hurt when he had to make a decision.As he said, he was the cause of the car accident. He felt indebted because his brother had become disabled. Yet his feelings for me were so deep that he was reluctant to let me go, let alone g
Queenie and Zara often called to comfort me. However, their comfort seemed meaningless in my case.As time passed, they realized it was pointless and stopped. They only encouraged me to keep going rather than forcing myself to do things I didn't want.One day, I was so depressed that I hid in the kitchen and cried softly. Colin embraced and kissed me.He said, "Lulu, you can leave and not return. I am the one who owes Felix. I'll accompany him forever. The world is big. There will always be another guy who will love you, protect you, and give you a stable life."You're a good person. Don't waste your whole life on my family. Leave us and live your life well. As long as you're happy, I'll be happy as well."That day, I got angry with him for the first time and slapped him."Colin White, you bastard! Do you think I'm heartless? You gave me the best love in the world! How could I fall in love with someone else?"Isn't it just suffering? We can get through it together! I'm not afrai
It was easy to guess. Helen would never show off another guy as she did with Matthew.She should have been delighted yesterday. I felt happy for her."Why didn't you tell me about your birthday? I didn't even prepare a gift.""That's not the point.""Then what's the point? To show off your love?" I joked.She replied, "No, it's Matthew. He's looking for you. He called you, but you didn't answer, so he asked me to find you."I took out my phone and looked at it. There were indeed three missed calls from Matthew. I put the phone back and glanced at Helen. "Didn't you treat me as your love rival? Won't you be jealous? You even help him to find me. Won't you be afraid I'll take him away from you?"Helen laughed. "I won't. If you were interested in Matt, you would have been with him long ago. I wouldn't even have a chance with him. You're not that kind of person.""That might not be the case. If I get tired of my current life and wish to change my boyfriend, I might seduce him.""H
Felix asked me gloomily, "Didn't you say you'll be with me because I saved your life?"As expected, he did all of these because of my earlier statements!However, was it worth it to pay such a high price to obtain me? After all, I couldn't fall in love with him again.Was he crazy because he loved me? Or was it because he remembered how I used to be by his side after Lilac's betrayal?Perhaps he wished to have whatever he wanted from me like he did before.Felix expressed his regrets, and Lilac also told me about his feelings. It was just that things had changed. We couldn't return to the Thanksgiving when we were 18.The hurt I had suffered would never disappear. I wouldn't treat it as if it had never happened because of his regrets. Since I didn't love him, I wouldn't start something just because of his affection.Colin was the one I wanted to love for the rest of my life. As for Felix, he saved my life. He was the one I would spend my whole life taking care of. It was purely
After cleaning up the rental house, I informed Felix about Colin's late return. He didn't speak and only nodded lightly.I soon filled the bathtub with water and placed all the towels, pajamas, and toiletries in fixed places. Then, I helped Felix into the bathroom and told him to let me know when he was done.Felix was familiar with the house and would no longer bump into things. After some practice, he could care for himself, including bathing and clothing. It was easier for me to care for him now than in the beginning.Usually, when Colin was at home, he was the one who helped Felix in bathing. However, there were only two of us today. Even though I didn't want to, I had no choice.The weather was scorching. Felix would be uncomfortable if he didn't take a shower.As his last request was unreasonable, I felt creeped out and nervous whenever I was alone with him.It was the same today. My heart had been racing unnaturally since Felix entered the bathroom. I was so panicked tha
Felix's behavior revealed his intentions.Humiliation drowned me. I couldn't even breathe or think. I just wanted to get away from this dreadful oppression.Being pressed under him caused me to break out in a cold sweat. His behavior was far scarier than a blackout at night.There was endless darkness. Felix pressed me down tightly like an evil spirit attempting to devour me.He gripped my waist with one hand and my head with the other, burying his face in my neck and kissing my ear.His lips were cold and moist. When he kissed the skin near my ears, it was as slippery as a cold, deadly snake. I attempted to dodge, but I couldn't get away from him.He sucked my earlobe. His chilly, moist breath touched my face, making me so sick that I was about to vomit.What was wrong with Felix? Why did he do this to me? What did I do that he wanted to destroy me?I punched him with all my strength and kicked him at random. I wasn't sure where my nails had scratched him, but I could hear him
I turned around and ran out in embarrassment.I couldn't find my way and didn't know where to flee. A voice in my mind kept telling me to run. There was a devil. I had to run away!I never wanted to come back here. I never wanted to see Felix again!In a panic, I bumped into a man. He hugged me tightly."Let go of me! You devil! Beast! Don't touch me!" I struggled desperately. Fear seized me tight. I longed to get out of my confinement.I kicked, hit, and bit him. I used all the methods at my disposal to protect myself."Let me go, Felix! Don't touch me! I belong to Colin! Don't touch me! Please!" I cried desperately.My shrill cry echoed throughout the empty corridor, causing the voice-activated light to turn on.The man was strong. He held me in his arms and let me listen to his heartbeat. His voice was full of suppressed anger and deep distress. "Baby, don't be afraid. It's me. I'm here."His gentle voice brought me back to my senses. I smelled a familiar scent that made me
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