We talked about the dirty tricks Jasmine pulled and lamented the powerlessness of ordinary folks like us.After we ranted, we swore to study hard so that we'd be capable of changing fate. That way, we and our children wouldn't have to suffer the injustices inflicted by others. After half an hour, Queenie and I felt tired. We sat on a bench next to a woody area.As soon as we sat down, we heard a familiar female and male voice. "Just move on already. I'm not going to marry you. Given our history, I won't do anything to you, so take care and stop pestering me. From now on, we don't know each other, and we don't even have to greet each other.""No! How can you give up on years of love just like that? You can't do this to me. Have you forgotten what I've gone through for you?""You always mention what you've done for me. But what about what I've done for you? Has it ever moved you? You're the most heartless woman I've ever met." The man seemed to be sick of the whole relationship. His
Lilac did not cherish it when she was loved, and thus, no one came to give her love when she was abandoned. Both of us fell silent. We merely passed by each other like strangers."She had it coming. Karma finally caught up to her." Queenie had always been a vindictive woman. She could not stand a lying, cheating woman like Lilac. Flynn was the only liar she had tolerated the most. Not only did he blind her, but he also broke her heart.Fortunately, she got rid of him herself. The process might've been painful, but once he was gone, clarity returned."Shawn is a decent guy. If she had been loyal to him, she would've found herself a good lover.""A gold digger like her must've been using Shawn to look for richer suitors. For all you know, no one knows who her baby's father is. It was only a matter of time before Shawn dumped her."Not too long ago, I heard that Lilac's college found out that she had an abortion. They did an investigation and uncovered something nasty. In the end, Li
It was eerily silent in the vast living room.I tried to control my breathing, but its pace was picking up. I so wanted to be there when Andrew got on his knee to confess. The only way he could protect Queenie 24/7 was by… I didn't have it in me to see Queenie getting ensnared so naively by a man, so I lowered my head to stare at my toes.Zara told me that one had to focus during training and avoid all distractions. She was right. I needed to be still and focused. I ignored what was happening outside and diverted my attention to my squats."Wait. Andrew, you…" Queenie blushed, and her eyes avoided Andrew's gaze.Andrew grinned devilishly. Following a loud thud, he knelt before Queenie and whipped out a square velvet box from his front pocket. When he opened it, a rainbow shine blinded me. My thighs felt numb, and I almost fell on the floor. Gosh! He knelt down! He truly knew how to seize the opportunity when it presented itself. What a cunning man."Queenie, I fell in love with
The wait was dreadful."Open the door," said Professor King all of a sudden. I livened up and rushed to the door. Felix's tired face appeared before me."You're back. Professor King has been waiting for you." I moved to the side to make way. Carrying a backpack, he entered the room and relieved himself of the bag by placing it on an empty desk. Then, he grabbed a water bottle and poured the water down his throat."Come here and rest up," beckoned Professor King. So, Felix truly left school for Colin. No wonder Hannah refused to tell me anything. Felix must have instructed her not to tell me so that I wouldn't overthink and take risky actions that might complicate the situation further."I sent Felix to Lagado. Since Colin's matter involves the school and the Taylor family, I won't use my family power unless it's absolutely necessary. We don't know Colin's situation, and you're simply too impatient for an answer. Therefore, we said we could reconvene after three days."Then, I sent
"You met with Colin? How was he? Did he lose a lot of weight? Does he have enough clothes to wear? It's very cold over there. What did Jasmine do to him? Is he injured?"I lost my rationality when I heard Felix had met Colin. I grabbed Felix's sleeves from across the table, and words of concern flowed out of my mouth naturally. Felix looked at the sleeves I was grabbing and smiled mirthlessly. It was a bitter and sad smile.Noticing how inappropriate my behavior was, I withdrew my hands and apologized profusely."He has lost some weight, but he's in good spirits. His eyes are vibrant, and he's covered in warm clothes. Jasmine is merely restricting his movements. It's not her intention to freeze him to death. He lost some weight because of his busy work.It wasn't funny, but I smiled brightly. If Colin was safe, so was I. "What else did Colin say?" I probed earnestly. "Enough, Felix. Tell her all you know. Stop toying with her. She's a fragile kid, and it'll be troublesome to cons
What an evil woman! I had never found someone as despicable as I found Jasmine at the moment. Felix did not continue because the rest could be easily inferred. The Colin I knew would take up on Jasmine's proposal for our shared future.In other words, ever since that day he went on the business trip, we were destined to not be able to meet or speak with each other for two years. And this was just an elaborate trap Jasmine devised to steal Colin from me.From now on, Jasmine was my most hated enemy. I loathed her. But I would work hard to improve myself. One day, I would return many times the humiliation she had subjected Colin to. I would make her miserable.Just like that, I stopped crying. There was nothing I could do to change the predicament. What did tears do other than being the symbol of weakness? I needed to be stronger and more powerful. I wanted to fight bravely with Colin. When he returned, I would greet him in tip-top form.We still had a long future ahead of us. A temp
"Truth be told, Professor King, I hate to give in just like that. But at this point, I'm sure Colin is looking for a solution, and I cannot think of a better alternative. Let's see where it leads now. Jasmine may be evil, but she did injure her legs to save Colin."By right, we owe her a favor. As long as she does not do anything outrageous, I'm willing to put up with her unreasonable arrangement. I'll just pretend that this is the repayment she asked for."Professor King nodded contentedly and patted my shoulder. Then, he turned to Felix."Felix, explain to your parents later so they won't get worried. Lulu, this will be a huge trial for you and Colin. But I have faith in your character and your resilience. Hang in there. Don't let me down. If you encounter a problem you cannot solve, you can turn to me.""Thank you, Professor King.""Oh, Xavier heard your plight and was so mad that he couldn't sleep at all. He kept saying he wanted to reason with the Taylors. If it's inappropria
I cheered up almost immediately. I was sure Colin would also feel better if he knew I was in their company. It was only by living a happier life that he wouldn't worry so much about me.Oh, I was so worried about Colin that I forgot to ask Queenie if she had accepted Andrew's confession and the beautiful ring.Now that I knew Colin was safe, it was time to talk to my best friend."Why are you waiting here? You could have come inside," I asked her, amused. Andrew was a student at the college. She could enter the campus with him. "Why should I? There are so many entries here. How would I know which one you picked? If we missed each other, we would waste time trying to look for each other. Also, can't you pick up your phone? Is your phone just a prop? I was worried sick about you because I thought you were in danger!"Queenie slapped my arm and protested. I seized the opportunity to look at her fingers—there was no ring. I raised my brows and looked at Andrew. Did he fail?However,
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