This had troubled me for a long time. I'd like to know the answer.If I were seriously injured, my parents would be so anxious that they would fly from another country and stay with me all day. They wouldn't be absent.Jasmine was either an orphan or her identity was mysterious, and she didn't want us to know."She kept her identity secret. I also contacted people at Lincoln University to retrieve her files, but the person in charge had family affairs to attend to and hasn't responded to me."Colin and I took advantage of the opportunity and had an in-depth talk about Jasmine.I had always wanted to speak with him to better understand his feelings toward her.It was important for the future of the three of us. I must make it clear.Colin didn't hide anything and told me his thoughts. He and Jasmine were merely friends and had no secret romance. What we had to do was to take care of her and let her recover as soon as possible.With the confidence he gave me, I knew how to deal w
When I saw Lilac's state, I looked at Felix with disdain. She looked very similar to Queenie that day. Had he injured her?I couldn't figure it out. How could he still sleep with Lilac after how she treated him?Did he get less picky? I had no idea what I should say to him.After what he had done, he should treat Lilac properly. After all, she was carrying his child in her belly. Why did he have to get rid of his child? He was so cruel!Winston wasn't present. I wondered how he knew that Felix was in trouble and informed us. That was odd.I asked Colin. He shook his head, indicating that he didn't know either.Judging from his gloomy expression, the situation might have surprised and troubled him.Hannah and I had been getting along for a while. She was cheerful and lively. I had a certain understanding of her character.Lilac must have known Hannah had a crush on Felix and specially invited her over to cause trouble. As a result, Felix found out. The duel between the two grew
If that person were Felix, I would rather be alone for the rest of my life than seduce him.Besides, I had my wonderful boyfriend, Colin. How could I fall in love with Felix again? I'd only lose more than I gain.I wouldn't do such a stupid thing. And I would never accept Lilac's slanderous accusation against me.I gathered strength and wanted to slap her face to make her shut her stinky mouth, which was spouting rubbish.However, the pool of blood under her body was so striking that I came to a halt.My eyes stung as I remembered Queenie lying lifeless in a pool of blood.Lilac was hateful and deserved a lesson, but her life was at stake. I couldn't ignore her.I looked at Colin. He was putting away the phone, nodding and assuring me that he had called an ambulance.The ambulance arrived soon. After carrying Lilac, the doctor asked us who was following.Felix entered the ambulance silently. Hannah wanted to follow but didn't dare, so she held my hand firmly.I reluctantly fo
I was shocked. A four-month-old child?I stared at Felix and wondered if he realized he had become a cuckold. I was even amazed to know that he still accepted her despite the truth.I had underestimated him.He happened to look over and noticed my surprise. He gritted his teeth and glared at me coldly. "Don't look at me like this. That's not my child. I wanted to retaliate against her at first. But when I saw her, I felt sick and couldn't touch her at all. So I gave up my idea."I didn't have to care about such rubbish. She's the one who keeps pestering me and wants to get back together with me. She caused what happened today. I only care about her out of humanitarianism."It turned out this was the truth. I nearly assumed he'd be a father. It was a good thing he wasn't stupid or hopeless enough to clean up someone else's mess.Lilac's already downcast expression became even worse when she heard that. Her dead-like eyes were like a puddle about to dry up, and her body was motionl
Lilac was crying uncontrollably and was unable to continue speaking.Her following words should be something unbearable for all of us and also something she didn't want to face. It was perhaps what led her to become like this today."You were pampered by everyone, so how could you understand the suffering I've endured? You stand on a moral high ground and accuse me, but do I deserve that? I'm just a girl. I just want to be beautiful and for someone to love me, is that wrong?" Lilac was crying so hard that she could barely catch her breath. But she still intermittently accused me as if I was the cause of all the suffering she endured.How deep was her pain and despair for her to cry like that?I had to admit that what she said deeply moved me.She said I stood on a moral high ground, but was I wrong? Shouldn't she be blamed for what she did? If she wanted to be beautiful and loved, then she should stay true to herself and be the best that she could so that she was the brilliant l
When it was time for lunch, Colin suggested that we have a meal together since we had bumped into each other.Since it was still the holiday season, it was a good chance to get together.Felix said he had to go back to school for something and asked Hannah if she would go back with him. She rubbed her stomach but followed him into a cab without hesitation.Just before getting into the car, she glanced back at me. I gave her an encouraging smile. She returned the smile knowingly and nodded solemnly at me.I hoped that Hannah's innocence and brightness could bring the old bright and upright Felix back."Young people really grow up very fast."I sighed, earning a smile and a sidelong glance from Colin."Why are you worrying about them like a mother? Let's go to eat. What do you want?""Anything's fine. I'm not too hungry."Colin chose a small but clean-looking restaurant. The waiter got us a relatively quiet booth. As we sat facing each other, waiting for our meal, I realized I h
"I accidentally pressed the mute button. Sorry to trouble you. Did something happen?" Colin clenched his fist in front of his nose, suppressing the laughter in his throat.The young man finally caught his breath. He looked at the two dishes already on the table and swallowed his saliva. "Mr. White, is it possible to talk while we eat? I've been running around for over an hour, and my stomach is rumbling like the drums at a rock concert."His humorous words made us laugh. So, Colin rang the bell to ask the waiter for another set of cutlery.It turned out that someone from the new collaborative project had suddenly decided to come for an inspection in the afternoon. As head of the project, Colin had to be there. Moreover, there was some preparatory work that needed Colin's participation and supervision.Everything was really over this time.I knew it wouldn't be so easy to return to Southsville.It was supposed to be a good meal, but all the food tasted bland to me due to the disap
"Wow, a Prince Charming and a queen. That's the ultimate pairing.""Girls shouldn't be vulgar.""Wiston, 'wow' isn't vulgar. It's an exclamation."I walked away and didn't hear his response. I only heard the young woman exclaim, then there was silence.As I opened the canvas, I couldn't help but smile. She was such a lively young woman that she could even stun a carefree guy like Winston. It was good to be young.He only seemed energetic when he was with this kind of young woman.As expected, once Colin got busy, he would forget what we had planned before.At five in the evening, I received a call from him. "Sorry, darling. I'll be busy for a little longer, so I won't be able to have dinner with you. What do you want to eat? I'll order it to be delivered home."Fortunately, he remembered to feed me and didn't just forget about me completely.To say that I wasn't disappointed would be a lie. It had been a long time since we had a proper dinner together. It wasn't surprising at
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