Honestly, Queenie struggled to support herself by working every day.It would be good if she accepted Flynn's money to improve her current living situation. It could ensure that she wouldn't suffer too much in the future.He gave her money without asking for anything in return. If she didn't take it, it meant she had wasted her youth.However, Queenie had her pride. If she accepted the money, it would be like selling her five years to Flynn.That was a sacrilege against the years she had spent with him. She had the right to decide whether to accept it.Colin called me about half an hour later.We had just exchanged good night messages on WhatsApp.Now that he'd called me, I assumed it had something to do with Flynn."Can we talk about that money?" I asked Queenie.She glanced at my phone's caller ID and smiled lightly. "Go ahead."The strange thing was that after I connected the video call, Colin didn't take the initiative to bring up that matter. He only told me a few trivia
"That man seems to be Colin." Queenie pointed to the right side of the photo.That was a half-profile. If she hadn't mentioned it to me, I wouldn't have realized.I looked carefully and saw the tear mole at the corner of his eyes and the deep eyebrows. That was indeed Colin.I suddenly remembered the corridor of the rehabilitation hospital where Jasmine was staying. Wasn't that the same path Colin took just now?In other words, he once again visited her alone at midnight and brought her a bowl of ravioli.I was only away for two days, and he went to see her. Did he intend to cheat? I called him without hesitation.After the buzzer rang a dozen times, Colin answered, "Do you miss me so much?"I pouted. That wasn't the case. I was thinking that he shouldn't cheat on me."Colin, what does Jasmine's WhatsApp story mean?"He frowned with confusion. "What WhatsApp story? I didn't see it. Is it related to me?"He was quite self-aware. If it had nothing to do with him, I wouldn't hav
Colin looked unpleasant and muttered in dissatisfaction, "You're so heartless. Didn't I always bring you snacks? Don't you know whether I'm busy? We agreed to bring everything to the surface. Why did you talk to me in such a snarky tone? Who did you learn it from?"Before I could respond, he ended the video call.It was the first time he proactively cut off my call.I stared at the phone screen speechlessly until the screen automatically went black. I gritted my teeth in frustration.That was a big misunderstanding. He took the initiative to cut off my phone call, indicating that he was indeed angry.When did Colin learn to get angry with me? Who did he learn that from?As expected, the brother and probation period boyfriend were in two completely different positions with different rights.Being angry with me was one of his rights as a boyfriend.When I treated him like a brother, he never hung up on me, let alone spoke harshly to me.I couldn't help but think about whether a
"Forget it. You seem exhausted. We rarely get together. Don't waste time waiting for meals. Let's order takeout. We can talk while eating."Julia looked at her husband shyly and agreed with us.As a result, the three girls who used to live in the same room started having fun.Henry was always on guard against us going too far and hurting his wife. His cautiousness and affection for Julia dazzled us.Despite our best efforts, the three of us cried as we parted ways.After graduation, we parted ways. It was difficult for us to spend every day together like when we were studying. Thus, our regular gatherings were precious. We were reluctant to bid farewell.Colin drove to pick us up from the airport. Andrew also came with him.I took the passenger seat and left the back seat for the potential couple, who hadn't seen each other for two days.Colin might still be angry. After putting my suitcase in the trunk, he stopped talking or looking at me and focused on driving.I wasn't sure
Colin appeared slightly relaxed but annoyed. He adjusted his tie and glanced at Winston in disgust.Then, he looked at me coolly. He seemed to be conveying that Winston was here to see me, so I should ask Winston what brought him here.I rubbed my nose awkwardly. Alright, I would ask Winston."Wins..."Unexpectedly, Winston ignored me and handed a package to Colin. "Mr. White, this is a specialty brought by Mr. Walker's relatives from his hometown. He requested me to send it over and let you have a try."I assumed Mr. Walker was the one who asked Colin for help sending something to the rehabilitation hospital last night.It turned out Winston wasn't looking for me. Didn't that mean I was being nervous for nothing?Colin also hadn't expected Winston to be waiting for him. As the plot abruptly shifted, he was unsure how to react, and his expression changed several times.He felt embarrassed, but he still pretended to be serious. I never realized he was such a fantastic actor.I
Colin was pissed off but amused. He started tickling me. "You naughty girl! I'd like to give myself to her, but I'm afraid you'll cry and break up with me.""Tsk. Who would cry? You are overthinking it."We were having fun when Professor King called us, ruining the lovely atmosphere.I wondered if he was an expert on love distractions.I calmed myself down after laughing so hard from being tickled and picked up the call.Professor King's excited voice came over. "Luna, Dreamlight's sample room design has come out. The publicity effect is perfect. The pre-sale is particularly popular."Several prospective homebuyers have expressed interest in the stunning murals. That's only a sample image. When the house is officially completed, the overall effect will probably be better.""Really? Then my work these days has not been in vain." That was indeed good news."That's right. You have to hold on and not give up on the rest. Dreamlight's advertising team is particularly good. As a proj
Colin's phone rang beside the bed before I had finished wiping his hair thoroughly.Sometimes, I hated the ubiquitous high-tech products like cell phones, which ruined the atmosphere at critical moments.Of course, even if I hated it, it provided numerous benefits. I couldn't live without it.His phone was by the bed, about three feet away from where Colin and I were. As I had good eyesight, I could easily see the number on the phone screen with a glance. The number was unfamiliar, and I had no idea who the caller was.I didn't know many of Colin's colleagues' phone numbers, mainly because I hadn't had much contact with them. I didn't like their lively events and had never attended their gatherings.When someone contacted him at this hour, I automatically thought it was his colleague or the lecturer Colin had helped.I took the phone, picked it up, and placed it near his ear. His big hand held mine, moistening my hand.Before Colin said a few words, I could feel his muscles stif
He was Gavin, one of Jasmine's followers."Mr. White, you're finally here. Please go and see Ms. Jasmine—"Gavin probably wanted to grab Colin's arm and walk straight in. Unexpectedly, Colin turned around and helped me out of the car.Gavin instantly swallowed his unfinished words, hesitating to speak and looking at us in surprise. I felt a little happy to see him speechless."Let's go in." Colin took my hand, greeted Gavin, and led me up the steps.When I passed Gavin, I noticed his eyes were filled with broken faith.There should be something wrong with Jasmine's injury.Colin learned from his previous experience to take precautions before anything happened. He had become smarter.As we walked down the long corridor, I noticed a nurse writing something at the nurse station. There was an unopened bag of late-night snacks on the table. It was a round container that likely held soup. When I looked at the logo on the bag, I felt it was familiar.Colin was tall and appeared power
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