"But I can't help it. My feelings can't magically disappear." Jasmine sobbed even louder, her tears gushing out incessantly."I'm sorry," uttered Colin.That was the end of the conversation. There was only Jasmine's stifled and helpless sobbing on the balcony. For a moment, I felt sorry for her.I had been squatting for so long that my legs went to sleep. I wanted to stand up to peek through the glass panel above me to see if they hugged or not. However, I lost my balance and stumbled forward, pushing the door to the balcony open.A hilarious scene then ensued where I half-knelt on the floor, one hand trying to close the door while the other hand steadying my body against the floor. Colin leaned against the concrete railing and grinned at me.Jasmine was crying in her wheelchair. When she saw me, her sadness turned to fright mixed with something else. Resentment, perhaps."Uhm, I heard someone talking and I thought we had a break-in. Don't mind me. Please continue with your hug.
"You're cruel. You made a pretty girl cry." I suppressed my jealousy and tried to sound indifferent. But even I wasn't convinced.What was I supposed to do? No woman would not get jealous when another woman confessed to her boyfriend and even asked him for a hug. My reaction was any other woman's reaction in this situation.As for what Colin would do… That was his decision. I couldn't tell him what to do. However, his decision would affect the way I approached our relationship. Jasmine came to take him away. I foresaw that there would be more in the future. I needed reassurance from him.He squeezed my palm and turned to me. "Yeah, I can't make a girl cry. Maybe I'll say yes to her?"What the heck? I immediately fought back, saying, "If you hug her, I'll… I'll…""What will you do?" Colin glanced at me with a cheeky grin. He was waiting for me to finish my sentence."I'll break your leg!" I hollered, trying to make my threat as scary as possible.Perhaps I was too loud. Colin ten
"She's not free in the afternoon," Colin finished my sentence impatiently before I could continue.Not one to make my boyfriend look bad in public, I said wryly that I would be busy in the afternoon and that we could take the discussion tomorrow.Colin's attitude told me sufficiently that I might not be able to visit Crystal House as frequently as before anymore. Therefore, I wanted to go there as much as possible before the ban came into effect. After all, I truly loved that place.Winston only smiled and left when he heard that I wouldn't be there in the afternoon. However, there was a hint of anger beneath his smile.He respected Colin a lot, like a student who admired his teacher. Perhaps I was overthinking it, but I felt that under the reverence was contempt that he hid masterfully. Colin must have sensed it too because he stared at Winston's silhouette disdainfully.When we arrived home, it was around 11:00 am. Laura wasn't there. Queenie and Andrew were eating. When they le
I didn't walk in on my tip-toes, so I was sure that he heard me. I stood next to him, and my shadow was slightly above his shoes. There was no way he didn't notice my obvious presence. That said, he sat upright and focused on his work. He wasn't distracted at all.I admired his work for a while before returning to my seat. I flipped over the cover and finished up Rise of Glory, most of which I had completed before I returned to Southsville.It was a painting with a strong, dimensional presence. Other than the women, there were lakes, corridors, houses, and rocks—everything. I composed the whole framework after I studied Tudor paintings and their cultural-sociological settings.To accentuate the aesthetics, I used a different kind of drawing technique so that the details could pop out. The person in charge of Dreamlight placed extra emphasis on this painting as it would be displayed in the showcase room. That was why the timing was a bit rushed.Returning to Southsville took a few d
Still, deep down, I hoped that he would stay to keep me company. Ever since I began painting in Crystal House, he had never once stayed with me here.Colin headed toward the exit and looked like he was about to leave without saying anything. I felt slightly disappointed. He had never been this obedient before.Right when his silhouette was about to disappear and I could focus on my work, Colin grabbed a stool near the door and walked back toward me. He then sat next to me.Smirking, he rubbed my neck when he saw me staring at him. "Paint. I'll keep you company."The gloom in my mind vanished immediately. I blushed and planted a peck on his cheek to reward him. He, however, seized my head and kissed my lips instead.My heart pounded faster as I allowed myself to be carried away by the sensation. When he let go of me, I saw my reflection in his eyes. My eyes were glossy, and my cheeks were scarlet. I was so timid."You can kiss me later when we're back. Do your work now," teased Co
Colin liked lighter food. He didn't like greasy food at all. That small plate of pasta he was eating was just the excuse he used to put himself between Winston and me. Otherwise, he wouldn't even have touched it at all.That said, he only took two bites before he stopped eating. He already had dinner, so he was full. He just wanted to sit between Winston and me. In other words, he didn't want Winston and me to hang out alone.I was surprised that the reliable Colin would pull off something childish like this. But I could understand why he did that. Winston wasn't dumb either. As a man, he knew what Colin was doing to him. And he wasn't too pleased to be on the receiving end.After all, he did go out to buy me a sumptuous meal. But now, the mood was ruined because of Colin. I ate a lot of food until I felt bloated. Then, I returned to my easel stand to continue painting.When I was done, the moon and the stars had already come out to greet me. I looked at my phone and saw that it wa
Queenie saw that I was irritated, so she sat up and asked me what happened. Before I could begin my rant, the door to the apartment flung wide open once more. Colin walked in with an air of nonchalance. The jealousy and grumpiness from before were all gone.What? So he acted like a child before me, and when there were others around, he would act like a gentleman. How cunning! I was even more annoyed now.Andrew went to the kitchen to prepare our food. Colin said no need for the hassle since he had already eaten. Then, he sat next to me like nothing had happened. Didn't he just give me the cold shoulder on our way back? It made me look like I was angry for no reason at all.Oh, boy. Look at him. He really knew how to act like the victim. He should be an actor instead. I knew how to act mean too.So, I approached Andrew and asked if it was okay that he didn't go to the office. He said that he took leave. Plus, he was a contracted worker. Since the school would reopen soon and he had
Colin had been exercising all year round. So, his muscle lines were perfect, especially his abdominal muscles, which were nice to touch.I felt his scorching skin and shrank, subconsciously wanting to withdraw my hand. As a result, I was too weak to do so despite struggling.I finally understood why some people claimed that men in the early morning were untouchable."Baby, I miss you so much. I almost went crazy," Colin said hoarsely. His voice was so pleasant to hear that my heart raced."What are you doing? Let me go," I complained lowly, struggling to withdraw my hand.However, his strength was beyond me, not to mention what he intended to do with me. It was tough for me to take back my hand."Be good, baby. Help me. I've been waiting for you for so long. You should reward me with something. Kiss me, baby." Colin panted, his breath hot.My blood instantly heated. I forgot I initially wanted to deal with him. I felt drunk under his passionate kiss and gradually became engrosse
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