Andrew was shrewd. He looked at me and knew what I wanted right away. He uttered, "We all had a long day today. Besides, the food outside is often too unhealthy and oily for a recovering patient like Ms. Taylor. Let's not eat out."Laura has bought a lot of ingredients. Why don't I cook something for you? It'll be some simple yet heartwarming dishes. You won't mind that, will you, Ms. Taylor?"Then, he glanced at Jasmine. For some reason, it felt like he was looking at her with misgivings and contempt. Andrew took the words out of my mouth, so I raised my hand in agreement. Colin often indulged me, and he did not oppose the suggestion either.Besides, where I was from, we only invited those we held dear to dine with us at home. Inviting Jasmine to a home-cooked meal was the most polite form of treatment we could give her.Still composed and well-mannered, Jasmine said that dining together in the apartment felt cozier. However, her frown told everyone present that she was displeased
When I entered the room, Colin had already taken a shower. He was lying on the bed and looking at his phone in his comfortable cotton T-shirt and sweatpants. When he heard someone come in, he sat up and extended his arms.Blushing, I closed the door behind me. Stumped, I froze on the spot, unsure of where to go.Suddenly, my world spun. The next thing I knew, I was thrown on top of the soft mattress. Above me was a muscular body that threatened to suffocate me.I wanted to protest about his crushing weight, but before I could open my mouth, he sealed my lips with his.My mind went blank. I took in his seductive smile, his minty scent, and his body warmth that ignited my body. I couldn't sense anything else.He guided me to the sea of passion in the flurry of motion. In fact, this was the third real kiss we had had.After more than a week of not seeing each other, Colin was as ravenous as a beast. His broad hands stroked my back up and down, searing my skin with his hot touches.
Colin rested his head on my shoulder and nibbled on my ears. His hot breath immobilized half of my body. Inside my mind, a voice kept telling me to give it to him.But… I couldn't say it out loud.Growing up, Mom taught me that girls needed to protect themselves and that we shouldn't offer ourselves to anyone recklessly. She also told me that even when in a relationship, we shouldn't lose ourselves.As a result, I was particularly conservative about this kind of thing. Even though Colin and I had been living together for quite some time, we had only kissed and hugged each other—nothing more.Since we were neighbors for more than 20 years, Colin knew about my family values. Therefore, he never forced himself upon me. He never coerced me into making a difficult situation. Instead, he held himself back time after time. "Give it to me please, babe. I've been waiting for you. I want you." Colin was holding himself back as he asked for my consent.Like always, he didn't want to put me
My phone's speaker was loud, and Colin was close to me. He heard everything Winston had said. His eyes darkened, and as a punishment, he pinched my earlobe. A strange sensation coursed through my body, and I moaned out loud.Panicking, I covered my mouth and shot daggers at Colin. He gave me a mischievous grin and kissed me on the cheek."Luna, are you alright? Do you need help?" Winston asked, thinking that something had happened to me when he heard my voice.It was Colin's turn to sulk and my turn to mock him. If I allowed him to "help" me, Colin would go crazy."Oh, nothing. I stubbed my toes. Uhm, I'm not coming over today. I have things to do. Just have dinner without me."After I hung up, the frenzy in Colin's eyes had already disappeared. His body was still tense, but it wasn't as hot as before. However, his hands continued to tease me."Colin, let's go out. Dinner's ready soon."Colin tossed. Now, I was on top of him. He rained kisses on my lips, cheek, and neck. They we
The dining table was square, so everyone sat according to their factions. Colin and I sat on one side; Andrew occupied one side alone; Jasmine and her men took another side.Right before I asked Andrew if he had prepared food for Queenie and when we could eat, she slowly walked into everyone's view with the wall as her support.Her face was pale, and her body was so skinny and frail that it looked almost skeletal. Without the wall, she might not even be able to stand upright. Worried about her safety, I wanted to get up to help her. But Andrew was ahead of me. He dashed to her side and carried her in his arms.Queenie struggled awkwardly for a while. But she was too weak to offer any resistance. In the end, she relented."Queenie, you're sick. Stay on your bed. You shouldn't be here," I told her earnestly."I'm fine. It's nothing serious anyway. We have guests. I ought to greet them. It's already very rude of me to appear this late."Queenie brushed her hair, trying to make herse
However, anyone with an ounce of intelligence would comprehend that Queenie was poking at Jasmine's selfish agenda when Jasmine said she wanted to be taken care of by Colin solely.I had to admit that Jasmine demonstrated exceptional patience. Despite being mocked and insulted, her friendly facade never broke. She continued with a smile, "You're reading way too much into it, Queenie."Somebody definitely felt guilty now. It wasn't Queenie or me, for sure."Knowing your honest character, Jasmine, I'm sure you won't guilt-trip Colin into repaying the favor you gave him. Besides, why would we doubt you? Anyway, since you're new here, you probably don't know about this. Colin is very popular at Jesselton College."Many women know that he's taken, but they keep throwing themselves at him. They have no shame at all. Fortunately, Colin is a man of integrity. He rejects all those beautiful, young, or rich women and remains loyal to Lulu."Those people can only envy her. I mean, why would
"That's right, Queenie. You should eat more. Look at how sick you are. You need to eat more if you want to recover sooner. Once you're healed, we'll go shopping together!" I snuggled up to Queenie's side, but she grabbed my noggin and pushed me away. "Stay away from me. I don't need you to remind me of how single I am."Colin and I looked at each other before rubbing the tip of our noses. It wasn't a huge reaction, but we did it simultaneously, showcasing how synchronized we were.Andrew and Queenie noticed our unanimity and laughed out loud, especially Queenie. She was sick, yet she cackled the loudest.Abashed, I playfully raised my fist to threaten her. Andrew was very protective of Queenie, so he immediately put down his cutlery to shield Queenie. Colin sat silently as we played and bantered among ourselves. However, his eyes were smiling too.He ruffled my hair affectionately and gave me another generous portion of food, asking me to eat well.Having not seen each other for
Colin was sensible enough to make sure I wouldn't be jealous. Fine. I'd add back the 20 flowers that I had taken out of my mental notebook.Happily and obediently, I went to the room to get changed. As soon as I removed my top, Colin came in. He saw my bare skin, and his gaze immediately sharpened. He slowly walked toward me. I saw danger in his eyes.Recalling the steamy session that we had just now, my cheeks reddened and turned warm. I was clothed back then, so I was protected. But now, I was only covered by my bra. My straps were my only protection. I was afraid that Colin might be unable to hold back. Colin closed the door behind him. To make sure that it was shut tight, he even leaned back to close it. Then, he approached me. Following my widening gaze, he pulled me into his arms. His hands brushed against my smooth back, and he kissed my shoulder.Then, he planted more kisses on my shoulder and back. My bra straps tugged against my skin. I didn't know what Colin was feeling
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