It had been ten minutes since I sent the voice messages. Even until we were done with breakfast, we didn't hear from Jasmine again. I could only imagine the expectant look on her face as she clicked on those three messages and the disappointment she felt when she heard my voice.I admitted that I said those words out of spite. I wanted to hurt her. It wasn't my fault. She had it coming for devising various ways to destroy my relationship. She knew Colin was taken yet she tried to take him away from me. It was only natural that I wanted to give her some payback.Everyone moved on from this unsavory event in the morning very quickly. I was an easygoing person and tended to forget whatever unhappy moments I experienced. As I discussed arts with the students, I promptly forgot about Jasmine's invitation to Colin for her birthday celebration.In the afternoon, I left the teaching faculty after I carried out the lecture Professor King told me to. Then, I saw the workaholic, Colin, standin
I couldn't remember how long it had been since we last held hands and walked freely like this. We worked very hard to build our future, and luckily, our feelings for each other remained the same."We're going to pick a present.""What present? What's the special occasion?"Colin froze and flicked my earlobe with his finger. "Do you have a goldfish memory?"I massaged my tingly earlobe and replayed whatever happened these two days in my mind. The incident this morning quickly resurfaced.Right, I was supposed to buy Jasmine a birthday present. We exchanged voice messages. I totally forgot about it. It was hard to remember when she was an insignificant part of my life. But hey, saying I had a goldfish memory was uncalled for. When did Colin learn to mock me? I had to retaliate.I scrunched my nose and imitated the condescending look on his face. I retorted, "She's a nobody. Why should I remember that?"You, Colin White, however, took it to heart. I guess she must hold a special me
I scooped the yogurt into my mouth. The tangy and sweet flavor filled my mouth, making me feel extra refreshed. "What should we do tomorrow if we can't find a suitable gift?"Colin sipped his soda and leaned against the back of the chair. He was sitting against the light. The dusk light cast an iridescent glow on him. The glare from the sun behind him made him squint when he looked at me. He had one hand above his brow. "We have to be there. And we have to bring a gift.""But we can't find any suitable gifts. I don't want to make you look bad.""It's fine. It's a gift anyway. If we can't get her something she needs, we'll get her something that'll look good on her."Something that looked good on her? I had an idea. I'd have more creative freedom as long as it was something that complemented Jasmine.After we had our drinks, we felt much reinvigorated. I dragged Colin with me into the supermarket and spent ten minutes picking and wrapping the gift I brought. Then, we left the super
"Try this first." Colin pointed at the blue dress that drew his attention in the display window.Blue was my favorite color. Regardless of its hue, I loved it. The salesperson guided me to the dressing room. I looked at my reflection in the waist-length mirror in the cubicle. Then, I tied my ponytail into an elegant bun. I tilted my head left and right. If I had matching earrings, it'd be even more perfect.Many people had told me that when I sat down, I looked like a sophisticated woman in a painting. As I admired myself, my plain makeup and classy bun did make me look like a Renaissance beauty. I walked out of the dressing room and stopped before Colin.Perhaps my dress was a bit tight, or perhaps I was feeling like royalty, my gait changed into that of a noble, dainty princess. They often said the first impression was decided by what one wore. And I couldn't agree more with that sentiment."How gorgeous! It's as if the dress is made for you. Miss, you're the only customer I've s
He walked toward me and kissed my cheek. "You're so pretty, babe. I have a present for you. Close your eyes.""But I want to see you take it out."Colin kissed between my eyes and coaxed, "Be a good girl and close your eyes."I couldn't say no to his cajoling. He smelled so good too. I snuggled in his embrace and closed my eyes obediently. I felt something touching my ears. When I opened my eyes, I found myself wearing a pair of brand-new earrings.Pearls dangled from them. Be it the color or the texture, they looked so good with my dress. I had just thought that matching earrings would look good on me after I put on the dress.And somehow, Colin could read my mind. He had already bought the matching earrings. I didn't even know when or how he got them for me. Urgh, I was so lucky. So many people pampered me, including Colin and my parents."Colin…" I croaked, a catch in my throat. My voice was as sweet as honey, and my eyes turned glossy. I was blushing.He gave me a peck on my
"Colin, your girlfriend is so pretty. She looks rather familiar. You have good taste. Lucky you!""Yes, she's pretty, so much so that I worry constantly if I'm good-looking enough for her." Colin put my hand on his shoulder and flaunted proudly."Come on, Colin. Stop showing off. No need to tell us how single we are." The ones approaching were all men, and they complimented us upon seeing me walking hand in hand with Colin. They looked at me respectfully and admirably without any sense of perversion.They gave genuine compliments, and Colin returned with genuine responses. I, too, felt genuinely happy. Men often needed their men's talk. I didn't want to disturb Colin and his friends, so I took a step back, creating enough space to hear the friendly chit-chat between them.They saw my polite gesture and complimented my sensibility. They also mentioned that Colin was so lucky to have found such a classy woman as his girlfriend. As the recipient of these commendations, he smiled ear t
Confusion appeared on the faces of Colin's friends. They looked at Colin and then back at Jasmine, wondering what their real relationship was.I had heard their conversation just now. All of them were envious of Colin's successes. They respected and almost idolized him. However, Jasmine came and trivialized his achievements by claiming that he was only successful because of her connections.Upon hearing her words, Colin's expression darkened. "Oh, congratulations then, Jasmine. Your dream has come true," an oblivious loudmouth suddenly cracked a joke.The air around Colin turned dangerous. Needless to say, nothing kind was going to come out of his mouth.Jasmine noticed the changes in his mood and realized her mistake. She panicked, knowing that she had fumbled her plan. To avoid embarrassment, she chuckled and grabbed everyone's attention just as Colin's lips parted.She wasn't going to let Colin make her look bad. She uttered, "Come on, Colin is like an art piece. He's to be a
Jasmine thought everyone in this world was like her—that they would go to extreme lengths for money, fame, and glory. But Colin wasn't like her. He held different values. What she was doing only made him detest her more.And he was visibly angered by what she had said. I studied Colin's reaction carefully, afraid that he would get carried away by wrath and make a scene. I couldn't care less if people gossiped about his outburst, but I'd hate to see it ruin Jasmine's party.Jasmine had spent a fortune to organize this party. Most importantly, I hadn't given her my gift yet. I couldn't wait to see her reaction once she received my gift. I could only hope she wouldn't turn crazy.And as I predicted, Colin was furious. He had always been a reserved person in front of everyone else—he barely showed his emotions. His rage, joy, jealousy, and worries only appeared when he was with me.I once asked him why he was so aloof toward everyone. He kissed the tip of my nose and said that his emot
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