I headed to Colin's office after class to prepare for the next day's lesson. Finding it hard to concentrate, I set the mouse aside and sat at his desk to daydream.Suddenly, the sound of a cup being placed on the table brought me back to reality. Mr. Walker smiled and offered me a sip of water.Without thinking, I took a huge gulp, only to realize the water was warm. It settled in my stomach, instantly clearing my mind.I recalled my poor performance in the earlier class and felt utterly ashamed. I failed in my duties as a lecturer. If Colin had been there, he would have done a much better job than I did.My parents and Colin would be disappointed to learn that I failed at such a simple task. It seemed like I had much to learn. After finally making it through the day, I had no appetite for dinner or interest in going to Crystal House. All I could think about was Colin's safety. When I returned to the apartment, I collapsed onto the bed, unable to move. I stared at my phone, looking a
"I'm... fine... don't cry... not hurt... I'm really fine, baby." The last sentence came through the clearest. I finally heaved a sigh of relief. Just as I wanted to say more, the call abruptly ended. I found the line unreachable when I tried to call back.Nevertheless, at least Colin had responded and reassured me of his well-being. However, this sense of assurance was fleeting.Jasmine remained like a thorn lodged in my throat, causing me anguish with every thought. While Colin remained loyal to me, who knew what Jasmine would do to him after facing rejection? She harbored deep resentment and malicious intentions. Now that Colin was in Jasmine's territory, what obstacles orembarrassments might she throw in his way? Alone and isolated, Colin would have no one to turn to for advice or support. It must be incredibly tough for him.Jasmine was bound to take action; otherwise, she wouldn't have established such an elaborate scheme. My emotions worsened with each passing thought. I felt
I forced myself to focus on productive matters, unwilling to engage in pointless conversation with Winston. I didn't feel like talking, so I bent down to pick up the things from the ground and handed them to him. Quietly, I went to my easel, lifted the canvas draped over it, and sat down to gather my thoughts."Say, Ms. Luna, you look disheartened. You don't look too good. What happened?" Winston seemed to notice my unusual state of mind as he followed me back into the room. He stood beside me, watching me pick up my paintbrush, puzzled.Perhaps everyone was accustomed to my carefree demeanor. So, my sudden dejection and exhaustion surprised him. My hand, already holding the brush, paused momentarily. When I left, I had only tidied my hair without washing my face. The telltale traces of traces must have been too obvious for Winston to miss. Rubbing my face with my left hand, I firmly massaged my neck. I tried to appear more composed. "It's nothing. I'm just hungry," I replied
"I'll walk you back. We can talk along the way." Felix walked and took the lead. His hands habitually tucked in his pockets, relaxed and carefree."No need. I'm fine on my own." I rejected Felix without hesitation.Walking alone on campus at this late hour indeed posed a danger, but Felix himself was the embodiment of danger. I'd rather run back home than have him escort me, as he seemed scarier than any unknown peril.He stopped in his tracks, half-turning to face me. He smiled defeatedly. "So you really can't forget that incident, huh?"If it were you, could you forget?I took a step back, intending to walk around him. "I have a good memory. I can't help it."He pinched the bridge of his nose, clicked his tongue, and then looked at me briefly before speaking again. "I sincerely want to escort you back. Don't overthink it. The fact that you will be my sister-in-law is set in stone. We're destined to be family. So, my dearest sister-in-law, do you plan to treat me this way for
His words made me very happy. I couldn't help but laugh out loud. I sent Colin a voice message since I was in a good mood."Colin, I miss you very much. Come back soon if you're done with business. You have to take good care of yourself. Don't let others defile you."I didn't know how he would react when he heard that, but I was already guffawing. That night, I slept very well.…There was a joint lecture the following morning, but that was basically it for the day. That gave me plenty of time to help Zara settle down. After the lecture, I returned to my new home and cleared out a guest room for her. Then, I went to the supermarket downstairs to buy some food and necessities. After I had finished preparing everything, I set off to bring her back.For some reason, I was queued at the 17th spot on the ride-hailing app. I had to wait for about 20 minutes before it was my turn.My phone notified me that it was 1:55 pm. Zara's flight would be landing at 2:50 pm. I would not make i
I felt anxious. What was Zara thinking? Did her heart soften because he showed up in person? That wouldn't do. I would never allow it."Zara, come out here quickly. I'll take you out for a good meal later."Zara shifted her gaze and smiled at me as she walked over to me, dragging her suitcase behind her. I quickly ran over to hold her hand and drag her outside. "Don't even look at that bastard. He's an eye sore."She followed me with docility without saying a word while she picked up her pace. I could tell she was holding back her grief. Her eyes were teary."Zara, why are you doing this? It's only a tiny hiccup during the discussion for our engagement, right? Do you really have to hold on to that so stubbornly? "I promise we can set up another meeting and discuss things again. What do you want? What does your family want? I'll agree to your terms as long as they are reasonable, okay?"Chris stood in Zara's path and reached out to grab her suitcase. He was talking very quick
"Chris, if you're having trouble remembering, I'll remind you again. We've already broken up. That meeting was the final straw. It was over between us the moment you left the meeting for another woman."I think I've made myself very clear. You have no right to ask anything of me. I will not obey your every command like I used to for the past six months."So, I don't care if you're in the right or if you're at fault. I don't care if you want another meeting to discuss an engagement. None of that has anything to do with me anymore. "Let's just go our separate ways. I will never contact you again, so you should stop bothering me. It's very unbecoming. Lastly, have some respect for yourself, and do not try to cling to me. It's very disgusting."Chris' expression darkened visibly, and his eyes narrowed. He grabbed Zara's wrist angrily and said, "Zara, do you know what you're saying? You'd better—"Zara gave him a resounding slap. The sound of that slap was so satisfying. "I'd better
Winston left after he brought us back. Before he left, he opened his mouth hesitantly several times but didn't say anything.Didn't he say he wanted to blow up the airport? But he only fought with Chris for a bit when he got there. He didn't even say much.It was as if he went there just to beat Chris up.I wanted to ask him why he went but realized there was no need to do so. I wasn't anyone to him. I was in no position to ask him about his business. I provided the car, and he drove us to and from the airport. We both got what we wanted. There was no reason to delve deeper. Zara felt much better sleeping. She also had a smile on her face. I invited Queenie over, and the three of us went out for a barbecue. The winter temperature in Jinovy was higher than the temperature in the northern region of the country. We didn't really need to eat barbecue to warm ourselves up. But barbeque places are always very lively. I was also able to suppress my fear and resistance against barbe
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