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