I turned Felix's suggestion down. I told him that even if no one wanted to bring me there, I'd find a way to go there.I was willing to forgo my life for Colin. A mudslide was no threat.Also, if something bad truly happened to Colin, I didn't mind being taken by the second mudslide either. At least Colin and I died together.Colin's phone remained switched off. With my phone in my hands, I sat on the couch. I continued to dial his number repeatedly. Originally, Andrew planned to go home. But seeing how distraught I was and fearing that Queenie couldn't handle me alone, he stayed.I did not feel sleepy at all that night. Queenie tried to console me, but I was still too afraid to close my eyes. Every time I did, I'd see a mudslide that lay waste to everything it passed through.Andrew then told me that if I did not sleep, I would be tired tomorrow. Someone without sufficient sleep would not be allowed to join the rescue effort. He told me that if I wanted to find Colin, I'd need
If Queenie dated him, she might be able to get her happy ending.Even the most delicious food would turn bland and tasteless when one was at the receiving end of tragic news. Nevertheless, I forced myself to eat as much as possible as I knew a battle of attrition awaited me. Without sufficient rest and stamina, I wouldn't be able to last long. I'd be a burden.That said, I had no idea what I was expected to and should do when I arrived at Lagado. I was going there without a plan.After being pampered by my parents and Colin for more than 20 years, I had become sheltered and complacent. When things went awry, I did not know what to do except to cry.Once I found Colin, I had to learn to become stronger and more independent.The school sent three teachers and three students. The students were all from the student council in the undergrad and postgrad faculties. They were also popular figures on the campus. They were studious and diligent.Notably, the tall and handsome Winston Moye
I withdrew my gaze. While Winston was pleasing to the eyes, I already had a Prince Charming named Colin. I wouldn't be enticed by other handsome men anymore. That said, everyone loved eye candy. I loved Colin, but that did not stop me from appreciating handsome men.Still, now wasn't the time to indulge in eye candy. The tragic news involving Colin filled me with worries and fear.As soon as we exited the airport, the two other lecturers from Jesselton College based in Lagado came and ushered us to a bus. Professor King went ahead and discussed the latest update with them in a hushed voice. I was sitting behind him, but regardless of how hard I tried to eavesdrop on their conversation, I couldn't hear a thing. Their voices were practically miniscule.I grew more anxious. If only I could grow a pair of wings and fly to the mountain."My grandmother often told me that in dire situations, men proposed while God disposed. Mudslides are destructive, but people have survived them befor
The bus we boarded was followed by two trucks covered by wraps. I didn't know what they were transporting. Perhaps tools for the rescue mission and logistics.The atmosphere inside the bus was rather stuffy. No one spoke.We left the city center and headed to a muddy path. The mountains should be right in front.The dangerous path was narrow and muddy. Several days of heavy downpours only made the bumpy path even more slippery. No one could tell if we were traveling on a straight path or water puddles.The bus proceeded very slowly. The constant rocking motion made me sick. I almost threw up several times.Colin's phone remained switched off. It had been two days now. I grew more and more anxious as news of him continued to elude me.Looking at the endless path before me, tears welled up several times in my eyes. But I forced myself not to cry.I told myself not to cry when it wasn't the time to cry. I needed the energy when I searched for Colin later.As we ventured deeper, se
So that was why. I knew it. If Colin had made the decision himself to attend the conference, he would have told me earlier.I whispered to Professor King, "I would've done the same."He felt guilty after hearing what I said. "I can only hope that Colin is safe. Otherwise, I wouldn't be able to forgive myself. He wouldn't have been in danger if I hadn't nominated him. He's my best student. His safety means everything to me.""Don't say that, Professor King. No pain, no gain. This is a trial Colin must undertake. Come. I have faith in him. He must be waiting for us to rescue him somewhere."It was my turn to console him. Moved, he patted on my shoulder and nodded. Tears welled up in his eyes. "Yes, we must have faith. Let's go."Professor King and I helped each other as we walked with John to lead the way. Behind us were staff members who wore the same uniform from an organization. They were around 27 or 28 years old, and they carried many things with them. They seemed to be struggl
If possible, I'd stay very far away from Felix. Whenever I saw him, I'd be reminded of whatever happened earlier on. Colin's safety was my priority now. I did not want to be distracted by him.Felix wasn't deterred by my coldness. He asked if I wanted a throat lozenge as he had some.I did not want anything from him, be it a throat lozenge or a miracle pill. The damages he had done were irreparable. Not wanting to entertain him, I asked Winston to keep up with me.Winston heard me loud and clear and closed the distance. He inserted himself seamlessly between Felix and me, blocking Felix.Felix's expression froze. He understood that I did not want to see him. He didn't want to force me to change my mind, so he followed behind me silently."Are you not fond of Felix? I know many girls have a big, fat crush on him." Even guys loved to gossip.I pouted. "Well, they must be blind."Winston covered his mouth and chuckled. He said that I had a sense of humor.I inadvertently looked ba
The official rescue team sent us a young instructor to teach us the dos and don'ts of the rescue mission, how to protect ourselves, and what to do during an emergency. Then, he distributed all of us some tools."The front line is installing lights now. However, please be careful. Tell us right away should a problem arise. Don't act alone. Your reckless decision might complicate the whole operation. To avoid further complications, you must do your job well and proceed with caution."As the mudslide took place during the summer break, there weren't a lot of people at school. There were only 11 students who were staying for a summer art camp, the principal, four teachers, Colin, and the woman who was leading the volunteer construction work. In total, they were 18.It wasn't a huge number. But locating 18 individuals within a muddy mass spanning 500 square feet wide and four feet thick was a challenging task nevertheless.Black sand was everywhere.The mudslide took place more than 48
"I'll talk to the head of the operation." Professor King thought about my suggestion and went to consult the people in charge.After 20 minutes, he returned. He told me that the head of the operation proposed we dig two tunnels from two directions. We would dig the tunnel that passed through the building entrance to save the ones trapped inside the classroom.And if not all victims were there, we would slowly expand the area. The victims were only trapped for two days, and the mudslide wasn't a serious one. There had to be survivors. Once we found out where the rest of the victims were, the operation would go even more smoothly.One of the tunnels would connect the school entrance to the classroom door, while the other tunnel would connect the classroom's backdoor and the toilet.Now that we had a clear understanding of the rescue mission, the head of the operation said that we were making good progress. Everyone was in high spirits.I noticed that many volunteers were residents o
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