"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
When I awoke, the hardworking Andrew had prepared a hearty breakfast. He was checking Queenie's luggage to see if anything was missing.I had no idea where Colin went. Perhaps he returned to college to continue his never-ending work.I stood in the middle of the living room, feeling abandoned and aggrieved enough to cry.My luggage was still in the same position. Colin was nowhere to be seen, leaving me alone and forcing me to watch others' lovey-dovey scenes.I didn't want to watch that. I just wanted to have breakfast.Colin coaxed me and felt sorry for me last night. However, he was nowhere to be seen the next day. What a terrible boyfriend."Why do you look like this? You look like an abandoned puppy. Mr. White has already checked your luggage. He's out for a jog and will be back in less than ten minutes."What's wrong with you? He has only been away for a while, but you're already going to cry. If that's the case, you'd better stay. I won't be able to get him to you if you
Queenie and I hauled our small suitcases through the security check. Colin and Andrew stood outside, watching us sullenly as if they were our abandoned spouses.My heart softened. I set my suitcase down and hurried over, hugging Colin through the safety rail. My eyes reddened.Parting was always sad, regardless of the distance or reason.Colin had doted on me for over a year, making me weak for him. I couldn't bear the sudden separation from him."Colin." My voice was laced with sobs.He felt distressed, caressing my face and saying hoarsely, "Don't cry. You'll be back in a few days. I'll video chat with you and pick you up when you return. Be good, baby. I can't bear seeing you cry.""Hmm." I grabbed Colin's hand to wipe my tears.Queenie thought for a while before walking back and standing in front of Andrew. She lowered her head, chuckled, and said, "Andrew, I forgive you. But I only forgive you this time."He was stunned for a moment before his eyes widened in disbelief. He
We were in Harveyton. It was the place where Queenie buried her youth and love, causing her pain and despair.Julia nudged my hand and shook her head secretly. I instantly put away my thoughts and chatted happily with them.After dinner, Julia expressed an interest in shopping with us, letting Henry return first.Queenie and I felt we were being 'heartless' to separate a couple after seeing Henry leave reluctantly.We only went for a walk because we had to get up early to apply makeup the next day. We decided to shop after the wedding.We were in a bustling area of the city center. We had nothing to do and didn't want to go far. So, we strolled on the street and chatted about what had happened over the last year.When we mentioned houses, Julia pointed to the right and stated, "House prices in Harveyton are high. I've heard that a villa area like this costs tens of millions. The smallest one is 200 square meters and costs 150 thousand dollars. How can we, an ordinary person, af
On the wedding day, the bride had to wake up early and have her skincare, makeup, and hair done by a stylist.As bridesmaids, Queenie and I stood beside the altar. We stared at the aisle, waiting for Julia to appear.Henry was already at the altar. I could tell he was nervous but pleased.When Julia's father escorted her down the aisle, the guests stood up for her.Julia showed a beaming smile as she walked toward Henry. The wedding ceremony officially commenced. The priest held the Bible solemnly and asked, "Mr. Cook, do you take Ms. Taylor to be your lawfully wedded wife? To have and to hold, from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, until death do you part?" "I do!" Henry declared. The priest nodded, then turned to Julia, asking, "Ms. Taylor, do you take Mr. Cook to be your lawfully wedded husband? To have and to hold, from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, unti
I then thought about it. Despite Harveyton being big, we were in the city center. So, it was normal for us to meet Flynn. The bride's name displayed in front of the hotel was enough to attract him.It was just that I didn't want him to approach Queenie again.It took so much effort for her to get herself out of the quagmire. His appearance might cause her to fall into the abyss again.That was what worried me the most and what I didn't want to see. I couldn't bear watching Queenie in grief again.Throughout the second half of the wedding party, I was occasionally distracted by searching for Flynn in the crowd. It would be best to find and warn him not to appear in front of Queenie.Unfortunately, I never found him again. That made me uneasy.After the wedding party, Julia requested someone to send Queenie and me back to the hotel to rest before Henry took her away.We got up at 4:00 am and were busy most of the day, not even having time to sit down. We were indeed exhausted. Aft
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