"Okay," I croaked.Mom had succeeded in making me cry with just a phone call. Then, I heard Dad's voice. "Harper, are we having an omelet today? Because I think you just burnt it."Mom's embarrassed voice sounded from the phone. "Oops, sorry."I smiled with tears. Dad and Mom loved and trusted each other. Surely, Colin and I would be like that, too. I understood my mom's apprehension. She wasn't doubting Colin or holding any prejudice against him because Felix and Aunt Melinda used to hurt me.She was merely worried about me. She didn't want me to get hurt again. I had evidence to prove Colin's commitment, and if I showed Mom that video, her doubt would vanish.However, I couldn't do that. At the beginning of the video, Colin talked about serious matters, but anything beyond that was inappropriate for a child or my parents to watch. I couldn't show it to Mom.I cried a lot, so my eyes were red, and my face was messy. Therefore, I washed my face again and tidied myself before leav
I took another heart-shaped slice of bread and put it on my plate. Then, I took a knife and cut it through the middle into two identical halves. "You see this? This half is Colin. I'll eat it first, so it becomes a part of my body. It will settle and grow in my heart.""And this half is what I just said. I will eat it and turn it into energy so that I have the strength to do what I will be doing. I will wait for Colin's return in tip-top shape." I took the half representing Colin and ate it. I chewed on it carefully before swallowing it.The bread was delicious. I closed my eyes to savor it. In my mind, Colin's affectionate face appeared, which made the bread taste even sweeter. It was so sweet that it was unforgettable.Colin, I would wait for you. I had announced my decision to everyone, so please don't let me down.Queenie put down her cutlery, placing one hand on my forehead and another on hers. When she realized I wasn't having a feverish delirium, she let out a sigh of relief
I saw the photo in the thread, too. It had captured the moment Winston and I were sitting opposite each other and chowing down the kebab.Due to the camera angle, it looked like Winston and I were very close to each other physically, our heads almost touching each other. Winston's head was slightly raised, looking at me tenderly like a loving boyfriend.I replayed the whole lunch in my mind and couldn't recall the time he gazed at me this affectionately. More and more comments piled on, saying that we would be the most perfect couple at Jesselton College.I went through the whole event in my mind again. This time, I figured out the answer. He wasn't looking at me. He was looking at my fries! What a huge misunderstanding!Right when I was racking my brain to come up with a convincing clarification, Winston replied to the thread.As someone who lived without social media, he sure knew how to compose a succinct explanation, but his explanation also annoyed me slightly."Hi, Winston
I gazed at the photo and analyzed it quickly—that little girl represented me. Since I didn't listen to Colin about staying away from Winston, I was about to get punished!The boy in the picture was Colin. He was reprimanding me and exercising his right as my boyfriend. Despite his raised arm, he showed mercy and never whacked me.Of course, Colin would never hit me. I once spilled water on the painting he had spent two months working on, and he still did not hit me. One could even say that pampering me was in his nature.Wait. No.After I went to the bar with Julia and the others, he did spank me. It wasn't a serious smack, of course. It was more like a playful pat. Nevertheless, he did hit me, even though it did not hurt.I cried and cried, but those were tears of joy. An ordinary painting from him concealed a hidden message that Jasmine could not decipher at the moment. Colin was smart enough to find a way to communicate with me without violating the agreement he had with Jasmin
"Truth be told, Professor King, I haven't considered the details. I was planning to fine-tune them until after the project was approved. Sorry. I must have underestimated the size of the undertaking," I said, feeling crestfallen.I had no prior experience in research and development. Professor King's questions revealed the challenges I would face and made me realize how difficult pursuing this path would be. However, I would not be fazed by this adversity. I would not give up easily because the idea remained an interesting one."Must you lead a research team? Do you not want to do something else? 99% of the students I supervised only focused on their art. While their academic performance was nothing to write home about, those pose low risk."Knowing your capability, you can easily get your Master's degree. Pigment is a niche subject, and it is very difficult. If your research bears fruit, you might revolutionize the whole industry. You will leave a legacy, but every legacy is founde
However, this did not mean that I believed there was no future for watercolor. On the contrary, it was my soul and life. I would live and die with it. Comics were merely something that resonated with me and an additional entry into my repertoire of future career paths.Listening to the lecturer's intriguing speech, I wondered if I should establish a small studio to pursue my interest.The afternoon of the next day, Professor King called me. There was a certain excitement in his voice, and it made me giddy. I rushed to his office to talk to him in person."Professor King.""Yes. I have good news and bad news. Which one do you want to hear first?""The good news first, then the bad one. That way, I can ease into the bad news.""Alright. After an internal discussion, your project has been approved."I was so happy that I almost squealed."Calm down now. I still have bad news for you. You can celebrate after you hear the bad news."I calmed down and uttered, "What is the bad news,
Upon mentioning Jasmine's name, my mind went blank, and everything instantly made sense. It was unheard of for a college to approve a research project without funding it. Could it be… I looked at Professor King in shock. The latter nodded with a smile.My hypothesis had been affirmed, and rage immediately overtook me. Jasmine was such a bitch!"If their research projects were approved, all post-grad students at the college are required to sign a contract, in which the patent ownership, thesis authorship, and profit distribution would be specified. Make sure you have that in mind. You're my student, so there's nothing much I can do."Find yourself an experienced lawyer so you won't find yourself at a disadvantage legally. If your research succeeds, many people will want a part of the gold mine you discover. When that happens, the contract will be the only thing protecting you. Do you understand?"The challenges Professor King enumerated were difficult but not insurmountable. If Jasm
That said, due to Colin's pampering, my social circle was small. I hung out with the same people, and I wasn't sure who I could trust and who would stick it till the end with me. What a conundrum.I sauntered to the square and sat on the bench, trying to think of a suitable candidate. At my wit's end, I missed Colin even more than before. If only he were here with me, he would have given me the best advice. I depended on him so much that he had become irreplaceable in my life.I let out a sigh."What could possibly be so puzzling that my dear junior is sighing in defeat here?" A smug voice came from behind, startling me. It was a familiar voice, but I couldn't remember whose.I turned around and saw my senior, Nico Smith, in the third year of his post-grad study. He was the graphic design student from Professor King's office who delivered a message previously. At the same time, he was also a popular figure on campus.I stood up, smiled, and greeted him politely. I looked up to him
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