"Oh, look, Jasmine. Colin gave me this bracelet when I was at Lincoln University. I cherish it a lot since it was given by someone I love. I've never taken it off. I don't think I'll wear another bracelet no matter how pretty."Jasmine tucked a lock of hair behind her ear and glanced at my bracelet. Then, she uttered gently, "I know, but you don't find a bracelet you like every day. As women, we should rely on ourselves. We can't ask our boyfriends to pay for everything."If you're not financially independent, you'll be extra vulnerable even when you're married."I gritted my teeth, wishing so badly that I could sink my teeth into her. She was implying that I was poor and that I was leeching off Colin's wealth. I was infuriated. But I wasn't going to let my anger take the bait. I wasn't going to give her the satisfaction.When she provoked me, I had to keep my cool. If I lost my cool, I would be giving her what she wanted. So no, I would not give her what she wanted. I'd make her f
Colin and I chatted for a while before ending the conversation reluctantly.Within those three minutes, Jasmine showed expressions of mortification and anger. More and more malice accumulated in her eyes. When we bade farewell, her bodyguards appeared silently again and leaned forward to talk to her. Their gaze kept returning to the bracelet.Too lazy to deal with them, I left the luxury shop. When we arrived at the entrance, Queenie let out the laughter she had been stifling. She gave me a thumbs-up and said that Colin sure doted on me a lot. He and I had become a couple who could read each other's minds.She also complimented me on my expertise in dealing with a hypocrite. According to her, I had learned how to manage the situation better after having been "trained" by Jasmine.As we walked, I felt that someone was staring at me intensely. I turned around and saw that Jasmine was glaring at me. The hatred in her eyes almost manifested as blades, ready to pierce my body. I ignored
I was surprised to hear that from Andrew, who majored in finance. I often relied on others for everything. If I said I wanted to have my own art studio, Colin would be the one establishing it. I'd just join once it was done.But upon hearing Andrew's rally, I was enticed. He truly had what it took to be the family's future scion—he could be very convincing. And I was very convinced. Perhaps deep down, I had always wanted to achieve something on my own.Colin was capable enough to give me a comfortable life where I could pursue what I wanted to do without a care. But presently, I was his girlfriend. And in the future, I would be his wife. I wanted to fight with him instead of being the pampered princess."An art studio doesn't appear magically. I need a place to paint. The mural is only half-finished. I need a conducive environment."Queenie tossed the fish filet that Andrew had given her earlier back onto his plate. Then, she sanitized her cutlery with a tissue paper before grabbin
"Then just bear with it for a while. You like Crystal House, don't you? If you buy a house now, you have to renovate it, furnish it, and air it. That takes a long time. You can't stop painting for a year, can you? And I like that we're living together. Living alone is so boring."I'd love that too. But the issue was Colin."What do you mean you're living alone? You have me. I'll always keep you company. I won't abandon you." Andrew seized the opportunity and confessed his love. His frizzy hair pressed against Queenie's shoulder like a cat asking for pets.I was vexed. Look at the confession and the blatant public display of affection. How was I supposed to eat like this?Queenie rolled her eyes and sneered, "If men can be trusted, pigs will fly."I laughed out loud. What was that? Also, did I hear it correctly? Why did it sound like she was complaining about Andrew's sudden disappearance?I thought Andrew would start defending himself passionately and apologize sincerely about hi
"Oh, Colin, are you almost done with your project? You're back so early today."Colin grinned at me and said, "Well, I want to…"As he spoke, he put his hands into the pockets of his jacket. Suddenly, his smile froze and he left the sentence hanging."What's the matter, Colin?" I asked, confused. I wondered when he became this cryptic.Colin stiffened and proceeded to brush the back of his fingers against my cheeks. "Nothing. Just eat."After he joined us, the dinner became less lively than before. I could now focus on my food. Dad often told me to never speak with my mouth full. It would affect digestion, apparently.Queenie was my good friend and knew her boundaries. The only interaction she had with Colin was a polite greeting. And Andrew was a student. While he wasn't an art student, he was respectful toward every lecturer from the university.So when Colin was home, we'd stop joking around. We only communicated with each other with our eyes. Colin was very tired so after di
Gosh. He kissed my feet.His lips were not going to touch my lips now that they had touched my feet. I would say no to him when he kissed me next time. He didn't mind the hygiene, but I did!"I have things to handle now, so head to the school later. If you need me, call me. If you miss me, text me. I'll reply to you. I'll try to finish everything before noon so that we can hang out in the afternoon."After I heard the soft thud of him closing the door, the make-believe understanding look on my face vanished. There went my date. If he kept doing it, I wouldn't be able to stand it anymore!I'd be lying if I said I wasn't disappointed. I was dejected. For once, he came back early. But the next day, he left very early too. We hardly even talked. What kind of relationship was this? While he promised he'd try to finish everything before noon, the key word here was "try".Knowing him, he would be busy until night.Like an abandoned pet, I woke up alone and took a shower. Then, I spaced
"Queenie, get lost!"…At 8:00 am, Queenie and I left the apartment and parted ways. I mulled about what Andrew told me yesterday and I found myself agreeing to what he said.If Winston wanted to stalk me, he'd follow me wherever I went. Stopping visiting Crystal House would not solve that. Besides, I was part of the team for the competition they had been preparing for. I couldn't quit halfway.Therefore, I decided to continue working at Crystal House. If I had to leave that place one day, I'd find another apartment. If I had done nothing wrong, I had nothing to be afraid of.Ah! Crystal House was closed!I sat under a tree in the courtyard and waited as I looked at the research materials on my phone. It occurred to me that I had to get spare keys from Winston so that I didn't have to wait for someone to unlock it next time.In a heavily edited photo, a lithe forearm was carrying a platinum diamond bracelet. The design and materials of which were very familiar to me. Its infuria
I stared at my phone screen for ten minutes under the tree. When my screen darkened, I'd touch it again until it lit up. Finally, when the photo turned dim once again, I ran.I needed the answer. A lot of unanswered questions were plaguing my love life. I wanted to find the truth. I hailed a cab and went to the luxury boutique. A middle-aged man was walking in, and two rows of beautiful women in uniform greeted him courteously.I made a beeline for the accessories area. The shop attendant glanced at me and recognized me right away. Then, she let out a sigh. "You must be the girl from yesterday. What a shame. A guy bought the bracelet for his girlfriend. I know you must regret it a lot, but I can't do anything about it now."Perhaps to demonstrate how stellar her promotional skill was, the staff member rambled on and gave away the details of the whole transaction, save the personal information of the buyer. I didn't even need to ask her.According to her, a very handsome man came to