"Besides, I didn't know you bought the bracelet. How could I steal it from you? Bracelets are common accessories. There must be more than one bracelet around. What makes you think that this bracelet is yours? Do you have any proof?"I know you like Lulu a lot, so you take her side. I get it, and I've never resented you for it. I met you too late, that's all. Just let me love you unrequitedly. There's no need to make fun of or question my integrity. I like you, and that's not my fault." Jasmine sobbed pitifully.What a glorious spectacle of playing the victim. And integrity? If she had integrity, she wouldn't have pulled so many nefarious tricks. The integrity she mentioned was nothing but a joke.Another woman spoke up. I wasn't sure if it was the Lorraine Jasmine mentioned earlier. "Mr. White, you got the wrong idea. I was there when Ms. Taylor bought the bracelet. I swear."Colin chuckled disdainfully and added, "I don't need your testimony here. This is between Ms. Taylor and me
Tears were Jasmine's go-to weapon. When she found herself in a situation she couldn't wiggle out of, she cried to divert the focus and escape. Just like this time, she cried loudly to make herself the brokenhearted woman who was throwing a fit.That was a decent strategy. But over-relying on tears was very annoying. Colin clenched his right fist. Frustration and annoyance were written all over his face.He rubbed his temples and took a deep breath. When he had calmed down sufficiently, he said, "Jasmine, I believe I've made myself very clear, in the past and in present. I've also never led you on, so why won't you give up on me?"You said you're in love with me. Is this how you treat the one you love? Because this is scaring me.""But you never respond to my love. Why else would I do those things? Do you think I love my current self now? I've studied enough to know I'm better than this. But I want your attention. I can't help it. You never notice me. Your cold shoulder is the reaso
I was a compassionate person. If I wasn't involved, perhaps I would have felt bad for Jasmine's unrequited love. However, I was part of the whole situation, and I knew the full picture. I knew the vicious plans and thoughts she had, so I hated her.There was no right or wrong when it came to love. But it could be harmful when a twisted sense of love was imposed on someone who didn't want it, causing the person pain and suffering.Her love came from the wrong place, and it was destined to meet a sad ending. If she had seen through this and stopped whatever she was doing in time, she could have a happy life for herself.But if she enabled her obsession and allowed it to fester, bad things could happen and she might end up in a bad place.Urgh. What a headache. Felix's obsession had given me enough headaches. Now, it was Jasmine's turn. She was even harder to deal with than Felix. Why? Because Felix's target was me and I knew I'd never fall for her. But Jasmine's target was Colin.As
Deep down, I was quite pissed. It wasn't about the money because it wasn't my money anyway. If Jasmine loved the bracelet that much, she could have told us frankly. Colin and I would've bought it for her as a present. She could pick something more expensive too as long as we could afford it.After all, she did save Colin's life. And that was a favor no money could repay. 30-something thousand dollars could hardly convey the gratitude we had for her.However, she shouldn't have stolen the bracelet from Colin. This was unethical. It could never be condoned or tolerated. Presently, Jasmine was like the odd puzzle piece that could never fit into our picture. Her favor constrained our options, forcing us to act passively despite being the victims.If it were someone else, we could've brought this to the police and let the law decide who was right and wrong. But Jasmine was special to us. We couldn't possibly send our savior to jail.I supposed this was why Colin was so mad. He would hav
In the afternoon, he texted me and told me to put my mind at ease as Jasmine had sent the bracelet to him.I felt better, but I would never wear what Jasmine had worn. I asked Colin what he was going to do with it, and he told me he might give it to his mother. That was a good idea.I wasn't someone petty, and Colin thought he had done everything to punish Jasmine. We decided to turn over a new page. I could only hope that Jasmine had learned her lesson and would stop devising another vicious plan.…Time flew, and it was the end of September. Plane tickets were in high demand during the holiday season, so Queenie and I bought return tickets to Harveyton in advance.Dad and Mom weren't thrilled when they heard that I wasn't coming back. They complained that I had grown up and abandoned them. Especially Mom, who found a handkerchief and began using it to wipe her teary eyes. She protested that I had forgotten about my roots and only cared about having fun.I could only console and
Helen smiled when she heard what I said. But as she smiled, tears suddenly came gushing out of her eyes. She rubbed her eyes and protested, "Sheesh, do you have to say those corny lines? You're even more sentimental than my mom. And look, you made me cry."Thank you, Lulu. I fell for Matthew when I was a teenage girl, and I confessed to him. He was so cold back then. He never looked me in the eye. He told me that he already had a girl he liked and asked me to stop wasting time on him."He told me about you and showed me the art pieces you did. I saw your result slips and even what you looked like when you painted on your table. Every little piece of you was so charming. You were like the rising sun whose light blinds everyone."I found myself feeling drawn to you too, much less Matthew. I was so devastated back then, thinking that Matthew and I could never be together. As a result, I began to resent you, to hate you. Your decision to date Matthew was the worst period in my life."T
Matthew was stunned to see Felix and I appearing together by the hotel entrance. Helen looked at Matthew in confusion for a while before glaring at me accusingly. I rubbed my nose awkwardly, wondering if I should explain everything to her.But today was Matthew's and her big day. Many guests were flocking in. Knowing how important Matthew's and Helen's families were in Jinovy, certain standards needed to be upheld. I swallowed whatever explanation I was about to offer and decided to clarify later.I congratulated Matthew and Helen and walked past them. After I left them, Helen was still glaring at Felix. I supposed everyone shared the same thought—how dare Felix show up after what he had done?Matthew reacted swiftly enough and ushered Felix and me to the table reserved for high school classmates. His disgruntled look suggested that he didn't want to see Felix in the party too. There was nothing much he could do now that Felix was there. It wasn't right to kick a guest out.Several
I couldn't say that out loud, of course. Flaunting one's achievement was the quickest way to lose friends. The ex-classmate did not whisper, so Felix, sitting next to me, overheard everything.If this had happened in the past when he was dating Lilac, he would have retorted right away and drawn the line between him and me. But things had changed. He was no longer the lovesick boy, and his relationship with Lilac had already turned into a joke.Likewise, I was no longer the meek girl who was insulted in public for her unrequited love for him. When such an embarrassing past was brought up, I assumed Felix would jump in to save face. Or he could just stand up and leave.Alas, time not only healed the pain from the past but also changed a person. Felix's eyes froze when he heard what our ex-classmate said, and his expression darkened.Right when I thought he was about to throw a tantrum, the rage on him vanished. His slender fingers reached out to the glass, and he took a sip. Then, he