At that moment, I felt utterly powerless.Meanwhile, Colin was in the same predicament as well. He reluctantly agreed to this urgent assignment since he couldn't refuse Jasmine's and the college's demands.With Jasmine being the client, no matter how furious or indignant he was, he couldn't let his personal feelings affect their collaboration.If he were to refuse, it wouldn't only cause significant financial losses for the college but also thrust Colin into the public eye, potentially tarnishing his reputation as a lecturer at Jesselton College and within the industry. After that, Colin initiated another video call with Jasmine. At that moment, his overall presence exuded an air of coldness and aloofness, completely unlike his usual self. "The college has already informed me about the urgent business trip. I'll handle my own packing. As for you, Ms. Jasmine, considering your distinguished status, I suggest that you bring along a personal assistant." After receiving the call f
Colin gazed at the pile on the floor, massaged his temples between chuckles and sighs, and took matters into his own hands by sorting through the items. In the end, he managed to fit everything into half of the baggage.I eyed the dozen of underwear that had been placed on the couch, and seizing the opportunity while Colin wasn't looking, I discreetly stuffed it into the bottom of his baggage. When he returned from washing his hands, Colin noticed my covert actions. He chuckled as he affectionately ruffled my hair and then closed the lid of his baggage.Colin had always been both understanding and indulgent toward me."What's so funny? I'm being serious here. If you need anything, buy it yourself or tell me to send it over to you. Whatever you do, don't wear anything she packed for you, especially—" My voice faltered, and I couldn't bring myself to utter the word "underwear" as it sounded somewhat too intimate.Despite sleeping together for so long, Colin and I have only ever s
After saying that, Colin personally opened the front passenger door and settled into the seat.While it was a seemingly insignificant action, Colin's behavior spoke volumes and instilled an unwavering sense of security in me.Perhaps accustomed to Colin's rejections, Jasmine remained unfazed, sitting upright with a practiced smile plastered on her face. A hint of smugness flickered beneath the surface, subtle yet undeniable.After all, she had successfully whisked him away for the business trip, so why let trivial matters dampen her spirits?As the sedan moved forward, I stood by the roadside, waving incessantly. Although I was already prepared for it, when the moment of parting finally arrived, I found myself at a loss for words. I could only watch with a bittersweet smile as my beloved drove away into the distance.Colin lowered the car window, extended his arm outside the sedan, and waved. As he waved, his eyes were filled with affection, and his face radiated a gentle smile
With my left hand holding the phone, I opened the camera app, raised my right hand to my cheek, and flashed a peace sign. With a click of the shutter, I captured my freshly showered, makeup-free face and sent the photo to Colin.In a flash, he replied with an emoji with heart eyes popping out and drool hanging from the corners of its mouth. "Are you trying to seduce me, you cheeky rascal?"Although Colin sounded so sleazy, I found it quite charming."Oh, weren't you the one asking me if I was asleep? I was just letting you know that I'm going to sleep now."As I sent that, I playfully stuck out my tongue to look cute, but then I realized that I was facing my phone screen, not Colin's burning gaze. With that realization, my shoulders slumped in disappointment. My playful expression was all for naught.Before boarding, Colin sent me another message, telling me he would turn off his phone. Moreover, he also told me that his destination for the business trip was Lagado.When I saw
Seeing Jasmine's effort, I decided to screenshot the post and save it in my gallery.Due to her current status, it was inappropriate for me to comment on her post directly. Despite that, I still couldn't let it slide, so I followed suit and posted a new photo on my Instagram. It was a selfie of Colin and I holding hands while walking on campus, with the caption, "Colin told me that once you fall in love, it's for a lifetime. I'm so lucky to have him in my life!"Since she pettily made it so that I could only see her post, I decided to be the bigger person and let everyone see my post. Despite knowing that she wouldn't see the post during her flight, I couldn't resist picturing her gnashing her teeth in anger upon seeing it, and I reveled in the satisfaction for a while.It turned out that fighting with a scheming temptress like her could be so much fun!I was about to call it a night, but Jasmine's post effectively roused me from my sleepy state. It was really boring living alo
Women typically were the nurturers in relationships. However, in my case, my boyfriend, Colin, was the epitome of consideration. He could intuitively understand my thoughts and soothe my anxieties. I felt incredibly fortunate to have a boyfriend like him. He was the one I could trust completely. Colin truly adored me and could even decipher my mood from a simple social media post. There was no doubt in my mind that I wanted to spend the rest of my life with him. "I love you too, Colin. Work hard. I'll be waiting for you to return," I texted, feeling a wave of calmness wash over me. His words had helped me forget the unhappiness from the previous night.Expressing my love for Colin made me realize how wonderful it felt to be open with the person you care about. To further brighten Colin's day, I decided to make a habit of showering him with sweet words.Scrolling through my Instagram feed, I noticed that several people had liked my first post from last night. The first like surpri
That evening, I was chatting with Zara while we had dinner.She seemed to be putting on a brave face. While she laughed a few times, it lacked the genuine joy I'd seen in her hearty laughter before. It was clear Chris' actions had deeply affected her.Thinking a change of scenery might help, I impulsively invited her to visit me in Jinovy. With Colin away, I was feeling a bit lonely myself, and her company would be welcome. Plus, a break from her usual environment might lift her spirits.I'd extended the invitation before, but she always declined, worried about being a third wheel. Deep down, I knew it was more than that; she likely found leaving Chris unbearable.Admittedly, I didn't have high hopes for her acceptance. To my surprise, she readily agreed and even booked a flight for the day after tomorrow! She playfully mentioned that since I invited her, I should take care of her basic needs while she's in Jinovy.I wasn't the same person I used to be. While I might not be rollin
Colin told me Lagado was just a part of the Taylors' current collaboration with the college and that the previous run-in with Jasmine had only happened because she was here to lay the groundwork.The Taylors were planning to turn the mountainside into a villa area. They had specially picked out a village within a reasonable distance of the city that boasted fine countryside views for surveillance purposes.This was the village where the mudslide had happened.The project was centered on creating a neighborhood of colonial-style villas and thus included the development and reconstruction of the village. The design proposal was already underway, but a development like this required forcing out the current occupants of the village. The villagers did not want to leave behind the place where generations of their family had lived, and relocating them would be a challenge. Jasmine had bravely volunteered to take on the task. She had her reasons. The head of the Taylor family had pr