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
"So you two broke up for real? And I thought you two would see this perfect love story to the end. What a shame that you were the first to break up," lamented an ex-classmate.I shook my hand. "You're mistaken. Felix and I have never dated each other, so how could we break up? We were classmates and neighbors. That's all. Now can you please stop teasing us? We're all adults here now, and I don't want any misunderstanding."The rest cracked a few jokes and brushed the whole thing aside. As I explained, Felix's right hand on the table suddenly curled into a tight fist. His aloofness turned into an air of danger as his expression darkened.Everyone found a new topic and livened up the atmosphere. Only Felix continued to sulk. After the party was over, they wanted to have an after-party for our reunion, so they decided to head to a karaoke joint.I wasn't a fan of loud music, and it was late, almost 9:00 pm. Colin texted me, asking me when I'd be done so that he could pick me up. I tol
Extreme fear struck me again. My vision went black, and I began to tremble. My legs were so weak that I nearly collapsed.Felix didn't notice anything strange about me. Instead, he stared at the coat in his hand and smiled self-deprecatingly. "Don't be afraid. I just don't want you getting a cold. After all, getting medicine is costly."Getting medicine?I instantly recalled the scene of that car accident in the heavy rain. The brake lines appeared endless. Felix was on the ground, covered in red. The rain had diluted his blood, causing it to flow everywhere...My vision darkened, and my body swayed.Wasn't it all over? Wasn't everything back to normal? Why had he brought it up again? Why was he continuously torturing me?I squatted down helplessly and hugged myself. A voice in my mind told me not to listen or think about it. It was all over. It was nothing. However, my fear and nausea couldn't help but surge up, making me dizzy. The tinnitus almost pierced my eardrums."Lulu,
Previously, Shawn had knocked Felix to the ground because of Lilac, leaving him bruised all over. I was the one who helped him up and wiped away his blood.Tonight, Colin knocked Felix to the ground because of me. Felix was covered with bruises, the same as the last time. However, the person who helped wipe his blood off became Lilac.Fate was unpredictable, whether it was love or hatred. Bad fate was also fate.On the way back, relaxing music played in the car. Colin observed the changes in my expression from time to time. He even told some jokes to get me to talk.After that blackout incident, he realized that I was emotionally unstable. That was why he rented the current house. With his comfort, I hadn't experienced any nightmares for a long time. What happened today not only shocked me but also frightened him.Colin was afraid that I would return to my previous depressed state.I closed my eyes to calm my mind and avoid recalling the awful memories from the past. Gradually, I
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