Just a moment ago, I almost thought that I would become that unlucky strawberry."Are you sure? I think you're quite the daring one! Young people nowadays really have no conscience. When they need you, they'll come to you eight times a day, almost begging each time. But once they become successful and famous, they'll kick you away without hesitation."What kind of society is this? Respecting the elders and valuing education has completely become just a meaningless phrase."The professor exaggeratedly pounded his chest and stomped his feet. He even squeezed out two tears from the corners of his eyes. It was as if once I uttered one more word of refusal, I would become the ungrateful student deserving of punishment."I definitely didn't mean that, but you can't just force it on me, right? I'm just thinking about your reputation. "Professor, think about it. I'm your apprentice. If I reluctantly do something uncertain and it goes wrong, both your reputation and ability to judge peopl
"I heard that there are four new tutors in the freshman year, all of them from graduate school. The response toward the other three tutors was mediocre except for you, Ms. Luna. Everyone had high praise for you. It's as if they worship you."This must be the psychological maturity that Professor King talked about. Come on, tell me, how did you brainwash the students? I want to learn too," Winston asked me with a smirk.I rolled my eyes at his remark.What was all this about? Why would I brainwash my own students? Why would I waste my time on something like that? It was useless.If the students said I was good and liked me, it was because of my personal charm and my skills in painting. It was definitely not some calculated strategy!But how could I explain this to him? There was no way to explain it. It was just not in my nature to play games.So, I kept my mouth shut and ignored him."Ms. Luna, I heard that the professor arranged for you to be our psychological counselor. Have y
We talked and bickered for a while until we saw the transparent dome of Crystal House."In fact, when it comes to psychological resilience, your inner personality traits play a significant role. While external influences may have some effect, the progress won't be very noticeable. Overall, it still depends on your self-discipline."If you lack this inner strength, it won't change the nervousness you feel when facing difficult situations."My words made Winston burst into laughter. "Ms. Luna, you really sound like a 60-year-old scholar."Scholar? I was clearly a pretty young woman.But before I could explode in anger, Winston took the opportunity and redirected the conversation. "So, what we need is practical experience, not just theoretical knowledge. We can read up on psychology, but we can't truly empathize without experiencing it ourselves."That was true.I stopped in my tracks to ponder. I couldn't really disregard the professor's arrangement as he had entrusted this matter
I knew many young, handsome men, and they all had their own charm.The 18-year-old Felix was aloof and proud; the Matthew who became the heir of his family was reserved and bold; Andrew was outgoing but possessive; Maxime who taught me weaving was the embodiment of elegance.And Colin, whose face was as mesmerizing as the moon and whose eyes sparkled like the stars, could be gentle yet fearless when needed. The mole next to his eyes added to his allure. If an incubus truly existed in this world, it'd be him.As exceptional as he was, Colin kept a low profile. He focused on his work and me, maintaining a polite distance with everyone or everything. Nevertheless, he was a regular on the Confession Wall. Even I, who barely paid attention to the goings-on on campus, had heard about how popular he was among the ladies.So when he stood on the path leading to Crystal House under the sunlight, it was like gazing at a masterpiece. Inside Crystal House, other than Winston and me who wer
"Come back, Wendy. Mr. White is here to pick Luna up. Don't be a third wheel now," called out a male student, disregarding whether the whole revelation would put Wendy in an awkward situation."Wait, is that true, Mr. White? Luna is your girlfriend?" Wendy covered her mouth in disbelief. Her eyes lit up as if she was surprised and delighted to learn that I was Colin's girlfriend."Yes." Colin nodded and walked toward me, who was standing by the entrance. He tucked a lock of hair behind my ears and grabbed my hand. "I came to pick her up for lunch."Sheesh. Did he have to perform all these romantic gestures in public? Where was his decorum as a lecturer? Everyone would mock him.I blushed uncontrollably and whispered to him that he should stand farther from me. However, he ignored my demands and pulled me into his arms. Several other students screamed loudly, especially Wendy, who nearly confessed to him just now. She was so happy that she was kicking her feet.Seriously? Even the
With Winston's convincing suggestion, Colin lost his right to decide how he wanted to celebrate his 29th birthday. I felt sorry for him but was also relieved that it turned out this way. Thank goodness I hadn't started brainstorming what to do for his birthday. Otherwise, I would've worked for nothing.And now, everyone was eager to throw Colin his birthday party. All I had to do was be there to celebrate the joyous occasion. Colin was new to the college and was already very popular, thanks to his impressive talent and charming personality.At around 1:00 pm, everyone had their fill of good food. Colin went to get the bill while several mischievous students covered their mouths and sniggered as if they were about to pull a prank.The payment went about normally. Noticing my confusion, he gave me the bill. I looked at it and almost had a heart attack. 3,700 dollars? How much did they order?I had nothing to do when I went back. But since everyone had such an eventful morning, to avo
I often heard people complimenting me, and I also knew that I was pretty. But after dressing up, even I was mesmerized by my own beauty in front of the mirror.I left the bedroom. Sitting on the couch, Colin peered at me, and his eyes froze. Amazement briefly shone in his sparkly eyes before it was replaced by a dark void that threatened to consume me. He stood up and sauntered to me, enthralled. His eyes were glossy as his fingers touched my cheeks. They traveled downward toward my neck as his thumbs caressed my clavicles. Licking his parched lips, Colin looked like a hungry beast."You're gorgeous, babe," said Colin in a deep, husky voice. His sound echoed in my ears, allowing me to savor it again and again.The distance between us continued to shorten. The face that made my heart skip a beat leaned closer, and I saw sparks in his beautiful eyes. I knew what those sparks symbolized. I knew what he wanted. I blushed uncontrollably, and my heart raced."I look like this every day
His arms tightened, and I noticed the changes in his body. Things were getting out of hand. If I did not stop it now, it would be impossible to stop it later. But his kisses grew more passionate. I felt the tenderness of his lips and his increasingly ragged breath. It was kindling my world.Like a ferocious beast, he was claiming what was his. But sheesh, he should stop being this rough. What if my lips were too swollen to greet other guests later? And my makeup too. He had ruined it, and I'd need time to fix it. We'd be late.I thrashed and floundered within his arms. I wanted to tell him to let go of me. The party was about to begin too. As the star of the party, he shouldn't be late. While I appreciated his affection, he should focus on his career too.Yet, whatever resistance I offered was rendered futile by Colin. He wouldn't spare me a moment to speak. My speech was muffled under his relentless assault. What should I do? I was too powerless to stop him.Colin's arms were scal
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