I heard my phone chime.Unsurprisingly, it was from Colin. It was a selfie he took in the bathroom. His eyes looking into the camera were filled with a mixture of grievance and satisfaction, and there was a faint blush of shyness on his face.He was an adult carrying the shyness of a young teenager. This characteristic of a puppy-like innocence seemed incompatible with his overall demeanor.As I pondered why he would make such a coquettish expression early in the morning, another message came in: "Guess what I'm doing?""Um, taking a cold shower?" I suggested according to the usual plot in a romance novel and waited for his response.He replied and added an irritated emoji: "You're partly correct. I wasn't showering but washing my pajama pants." What was there to be shy about washing pajama pants? Colin was becoming more and more contentious."Guess why I had to wash my pajama pants?"This time, I guessed somewhat seriously. Yet, even after pondering for a full minute, I coul
"What? T-Three times." I stammered in disbelief. He did it three times! Would there be any time left to rest? "Colin, y-you, um… You must be exhausted."His face turned red all the way to the base of his neck. He hung his head uncomfortably, focusing on whatever he was scrubbing in his hands. He was no longer looking at me, but his hand movements quickened noticeably. "That's my problem. It has nothing to do with you."Fine, it was none of my business. I wouldn't care and wouldn't ask.What a stubborn fellow.I gritted my teeth, suppressing a laugh.As the water continued to trickle softly, his face grew even redder. He began scrubbing more vigorously, as if he was venting his frustration.I was worried that whatever he was scrubbing would spoil with his reckless washing. Even high-quality materials couldn't withstand such treatment.I felt a little sorry for that piece of fabric.Seeing him being so awkward, I inexplicably felt that deep down, the mature Colin was still quite
I didn't expect someone to come to my side, making me jump in my seat when Winston spoke.It was outrageous for my junior to overhear me talking with my boyfriend like that. So, I quickly hung up the phone in a panic.Colin's message came quickly. It was just three simple words, but it made my scalp tingle."Wait for me!" Reading those three words was like looking at his face while he was gritting his teeth.Fine, I would admit that he succeeded in threatening me.I could just wait, I guess. It was not like I had never seen a dick before, even though I had no experience. He wouldn't actually kill me, would he?As long as I was still alive, I would have my chance for revenge later. By then, I hoped he wouldn't be the one begging me. Hmph!I decided to decline to help out with the welcoming party because last year's event had left a lasting impression. I didn't want to repeat the same mistakes. I preferred a simple life, without all the scheming, explanations, flattery, or showing
Felix's eyes changed a little, but they quickly returned calm.He smiled and said, "Aunt Harper, these vegetables were picked from the small garden. My mom said they're pretty good, so she asked me to bring some over. They're quite fresh.""Oh? Well, that's nice," Mom took the bag from Felix and opened it to take a look. She waved him in and said, "I'll keep the vegetables. By the way, I just baked some bread, so bring it home to your mom, okay?"After we moved here, no one had been taking care of the old house's garden. I heard that Uncle Austin and Aunt Mel had been taking care of it on our behalf. They would always send some harvest over.Felix listened to Mom's words and obediently responded. He sat on the couch, politely maintaining some distance between us.He gave me a faint smile, and I returned with a stiff one.We just looked at each other in silence.Suddenly, I realized that six years had passed. We had gone from being companions to strangers. The atmosphere became u
"Okay, I believe you, and I forgive you," I said sincerely.Felix seemed surprised that I was willing to forgive him this time. He looked at me with astonishment, but seeing that I was serious, he quickly believed my words.A beautiful smile formed on his lips as he said happily in a soft voice, "Thank you, Lulu. After being such a jerk, you're still willing to forgive me. Thank you."He choked up on his words.I smiled and said, "It's nothing. We grew up together as childhood friends, after all."This time, he smiled happily, revealing his canine teeth. He looked cute.Mom came out at this moment, carrying a large bag in her hands. It was full of freshly baked bread. It was still warm, and small droplets of water began to form inside the bag."Here, these are freshly baked. Eat them while they're warm. They taste especially good."Felix stood up and took the bag. Then, he politely thanked Mom, "Thank you, Aunt Harper. I'll go back now. If you need anything, feel free to call m
Colin gave me a wicked smile and said, "Of course. Otherwise, I'd have to find someone else to help me with my release three times a night. I wouldn't want to soil myself, or my darling would find me repulsive."Here we go again! What kind of talk was this!Was dirtying his pants three times a night something to boast about? He was flaunting it shamelessly.I felt awkward and couldn't respond.I had originally wanted to tease him, but now I ended up being teased by him. I was the one embarrassed now.In terms of witty banter, I still had room for improvement. No matter how many times I counter-attacked, it always ended in failure. I was hopeless.Hearing about my return, Jade and Zara came over early in the morning and dragged me out with them.It was hard for us to meet up in person nowadays. Much of our communication was done through the internet. It was only natural for us to gather and have some fun when the opportunity to meet arose.Young women of our age didn't choose to
"Hey, am I seeing things? Isn't that Lilac?" Zara, with her fiery temperament, had been displeased with Lilac for years. Naturally, she wouldn't miss such a good opportunity to tease her.Shawn's slap was not light as it made Lilac fall to the ground heavily. As she cried and struggled to get up, she heard Zara's deliberately raised voice. It caused her bitter expression to turn into one of embarrassment and humiliation.She wanted to retort but felt outnumbered by the three of us. By then, Shawn had disappeared without a trace. Instead of trying to get up, she just sat on the ground with her back to us. It seemed she chose to act defiantly.Picking fights for no reason and avoiding confrontation when things got tough was definitely her style."Wow, is she crying? That's quite impressive," Jade said softly, her words laced with poison.Lilac's back was twitching. She was clearly still crying.We were not the type of people to kick someone when they were down, so after a few words
I was just trying to appease Colin, but somehow, I started to feel aggrieved as I spoke.My voice choked, and my eyes became teary. I couldn't help but say a lot more than intended.All the longing, worry, unease, and concern that had accumulated over the past two months came pouring out. I spoke for a long time, but the focus was only on how he had company while I was all alone and miserable.I was sure he could understand my intentions.The coldness in Colin's eyes completely melted away as he listened to my words. Seeing my tearful eyes, he immediately felt sorry for me and started to show me his deep affection."Alright, alright, don't be sad anymore. I'm not angry, okay? I know you've been feeling lonely recently. I'm returning soon, aren't I? When I'm back, I'll keep you company and make up for all the time I was away, okay?"Don't cry anymore. How could I ever be truly angry with my darling? I was just teasing you. Don't take it seriously. Be good now. Don't cry anymore. Y
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