Also, I ended the lucky bracelet with a square knot while the one on the hand in the photo was tied with a bowline knot. Even the color of the bracelet was slightly different.Jasmine truly did not think it through when she was pulling the trick. She must have assumed that I couldn't distinguish the differences and tried to fool me with a counterfeit. She thought she was smart, but her arrogance had just backfired on her. I wish I could be there to expose her embarrassing trick.Perhaps in her eyes, I was a foolish girl who relied on Colin for everything. She assumed that I knew nothing other than being possessive.After I posted my comment, people stopped commenting. Both Jasmine and I studied at Lincoln University, so we had many mutual friends. Those who commented knew that Jasmine had had a crush on Colin for many years.They were misled by Jasmine's post and offered their word of congratulations. Now, they had found out that it was just an elaborate scheme. I wondered what Jas
"It's a good citizen's responsibility to humble a scheming bitch." I shook hands with Zara, showing my solidarity. She laughed for a while before asking me a serious question, "Jasmine is rich and powerful. She might not be as beautiful as you, but she's above average."Those who date her won't have to work as hard to achieve a bright future. All men have their ambitions. No one in this world would turn a shortcut down. Colin is already a promising man. With Jasmine's help, he'll become successful almost immediately."Lulu, what makes you so sure he'll remain loyal to you forever?"Listening to her concerns, I was nearly moved to tears. Zara was right. Jasmine was a great catch, and many men would want to marry her. Yet Colin would never be one of those men.Why? Because Colin had integrity and humility. He craved success, but he preferred to earn it with his bare hands. He knew what he wanted and what he needed to do to achieve his goals. Most importantly, he loved me. A love th
Zara looked at me in shock for a while. Then, sadness briefly appeared on her face as she mumbled, "Urgh, I shouldn't have asked you that question because you're just going to flaunt your love with Colin in front of me. As someone who was recently dumped, I definitely didn't ask for this."If I catch myself running my mouth again, I should slap myself."The world was dark outside. And without sun, the wintry night was cold. Yet I felt warm because my heart was full of love. Recalling the moments I shared with Colin and the love he gave me, my heart was filled with tenderness.Oh, Colin. He loved me so much, and I loved him deeply too. We were fighting for our future together, so how could it ever fail? The hardships and setbacks would pass eventually. We would overcome them all. That was what I told myself.At night, I lay on the bed and scrolled my phone. I saw Colin's photo and learned that he was safe and sound. I felt triumphant after that fight with Jasmine because I had defen
My heart ached. Flynn had suffered the ordeal once and didn't want Colin and me to suffer it. His words also made me believe that he was still the arrogant lad who was in love with Queenie. Yet amidst the vicissitudes of life and the various temptations, he lost himself."Thank you.""Hang in there. If you need me, call me. I'm available 24/7.""Okay."It felt assuring to know that many people wanted to help me in this predicament. We'd all face a bumpy journey here and there. But by persevering and clinging to our roots, we would survive it no matter how daunting it looked.I fell asleep soundly, and the next morning, I felt revitalized. The sky outside was extra sunny too. My breakfast was on the table, alongside a small note, "Lulu, I've gone to my training. I'll let you know when it's over. Take care of yourself when I'm not around."If you encounter any danger, call the police or contact Winston. Also, you must do your squats for at least an hour every day!"I understood wh
Even if my calls or texts couldn't reach Colin, he might see my posts. If he saw that I was happy and not sad, he wouldn't have to worry about me. Then, he could focus on getting rid of Jasmine.After the lecture, I went to Crystal House to gather my painting tools. My Tudor-style mural project had been completed. It was a milestone in my career. After this, I would stop visiting Crystal House so that I could focus on my thesis.The question about pigments proved to be quite challenging, and it was time to work on it. If I wanted to score well, I had to work very hard. As soon as I arrived at Crystal House, Winston appeared behind me as if he had been tailing me.By right, he should be in a lecture. Why was he here? Even though we only started painting together recently, I was familiar with his timetable. Furthermore, I subbed for his lecture too, so I had his timetable memorized by heart. "Did you skip your lecture?" I asked him with a frown.He was about to talk to me, but my s
"So why are you throwing a fit here, then? I didn't do anything to you, did I? You don't have to help me if you don't want to. No one's forcing you."Winston gritted his teeth. He was visibly on the verge of a violent outburst. "What's wrong with you? If it weren't because—never mind. You won't understand anyway. Fine, I'm here to be your slave. Once we're done packing everything up, I'll send you back."Well, far be it from me to reject free labor. I accepted his gratuitous help. It took us two trips to finish moving everything. When we were done, it was already afternoon. Winston wanted to buy me lunch, but I turned him down. What Colin told me was ingrained in my mind.I then ran toward the cafeteria, praying that there would be a slice of pizza left for me. My hard work was rewarded because when I rushed to the cafeteria, the kitchen helper was wondering if she should keep the last slice to herself or sell it.The owner of the stall was a pizza expert. His dough was so fluffy,
Back then, I thought Colin was being dramatic. It was just pineapple. Did he have to make a philosophy lesson out of it? And now, I realized that he wasn't talking about pineapple. He was using it to allude to our relationship.He had already foreseen back then that I might have trouble accepting his feelings. So, he used his own way to tell me to get used to him and accept him. In exchange, I would have the best boyfriend in the world and lead a happy life.It was exactly like the feeling one had when eating pizza with pineapple. One's taste buds would be stimulated in such a different way that no other food could ever come close to it. That day, I had pizza with pineapple for the first time. The sweet and savory combo was addictive.Before I knew it, I already finished the whole pizza. Since then, I fell in love with it. When I was studying at Lincoln University, I had to eat it twice per month. Otherwise, my craving could not be quelled. Initially, I merely loved how it tasted. T
Hannah sat down, accepted the cutlery, and ate the pizza. After chewing it, she pouted. "It tastes weird."Weird? She was eating the best pizza there was. Had she not eaten pizza with pineapple before? How ignorant.She put down the cutlery and eyed the remaining pizza. Then, she mumbled, "Luna, the pizza will leave a bad breath in your mouth. Make sure you get a mint later."I chuckled out loud. Of course, Hannah couldn't take it. No one could understand the love and bond between Colin and me. Regardless, I would make sure that I bought mints later. I couldn't possibly ask others to put up with my stinky breath because of my alimentary preferences.Hannah ordered a plate of penne with arrabbiata sauce. She added extra chili flakes on top. As she ate, her eyes turned watery from the spiciness, but she never stopped eating. It was as if she was doing it to vent something."Hannah, your face is going to break out with the amount of chili flakes you just ingested. Don't do that to yo
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