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
I told Nico about the important and intriguing part of my research project before sincerely inviting him to join me. I assumed he had to think about it since he studied graphic design. Paints were definitely out of his comfort zone. To my surprise, Nico said yes almost immediately.I had to swallow back the persuasive words I was about to utter, and it almost made me choke. It was as if I brought cannons to conquer a land but the people surrendered immediately before I could whip my weapons out. The surprising outcome made me reevaluate my own assumptions and prejudices.Did I just convince a smart guy to join my team without any persuasion? How anti-climatic. But I loved the outcome."Nico." Originally, I didn't want to tell him about the lack of funding. But since he agreed to join my team this easily, I'd feel bad if I didn't tell him the whole picture. Besides, in a team, teammates should be open about themselves. Otherwise, there'd be no teamwork. "I need to tell you something.
"Hey, Nico, don't leave first. I still have things to tell you." Nico left in broad strides, and I chased behind him while yelling. He was unusually calm about it. Any ordinary person would be apprehensive when asked to invest or participate in a project without clear future prospects.Not only that, Nico didn't even ask any questions before deciding to support my initiative. Did he trust me that much or was money something inconsequential to him? In addition, other than several academic conversations, we never really talked to each other much.Why did he agree to work with me that quickly? Why was he willing to fund my project right away? Because he liked my project?"Just text me. I have to go now."Nico was very tall, and his long legs could easily cover a lot of ground. I ran, but I couldn't catch up at all. Noticing that he didn't want to talk further, I gave up on making him stay. Based on my observation, Nico was a kind person. But that was a conclusion drawn by my inexperie
That wasn't true. Colin, my boyfriend, was one of the two men who loved me the most in this world. He wouldn't want to steal my light or want me to rely on him forever. In the past, my presence was barely noticeable because I was complacent.I hid under Colin's wings and didn't have to worry about a thing. I could do whatever I wanted. But now, I was no longer the sheltered Luna. I wanted to be an eagle who could soar through the sky. I wanted to be independent and support Colin, not burden him.Several days ago, I was still resenting Jasmine. But not anymore. Thanks to her dirty tricks, I learned to be mature, to defend the ones I held dear, and to stand my ground.She reaffirmed my determination to become stronger and fight with Colin. In a sense, I should thank Jasmine. Her relentless assault forced me to grow up. "Colin is the sun, and I'm the moon. Without the sun, I won't be able to shine no matter how hard I try. Love is a mutual commitment. Colin gave me his heart, so I'll
Queenie's reaction told me that she was hiding something from me. Something must have happened between them.Since it was impossible to get an answer from Queenie, I decided to ask Andrew instead. However, judging from Queenie's avoidant attitude and aloofness, it was quite likely that Andrew's confession failed.Andrew did not give up nevertheless. He continued to indulge in Queenie and take good care of her. Even though he failed to win her over with his confession, they still hung out together. It sucked being an outsider who couldn't get an answer.A dinner without alcohol was a quick one. Within 20 minutes, I finished my meal. I volunteered to wash the dishes, and Queenie was keeping me company."Luna, check the college's forum. You're going viral again," shouted Andrew, startling me and almost making me drop the plate I just washed.What? I went viral again? Queenie reacted much quicker than I did. Before I knew it, she grabbed my phone on the countertop, unlocked it in one
"Sorry, Nico. I'm the reason you went viral." I snatched my phone back and sent a simple apology.Queenie knew all my social contacts by heart. When she saw that I was texting someone with a profile picture she had never seen before, she squinted her eyes and interrogated me, "Is it a guy? Who is he? Come clean now."Stunned, I looked at the phone in my hands instinctively. This felt odd because the way she interrogated me didn't sound like she was a good friend of mine but a jealous husband. Queenie wasn't bisexual, was she? Was I the reason why she rejected Andrew? Why didn't I know anything about it?Huh, no! She was straight. Very straight. Anyway, if she was straight, why was she glaring at me? Why was she doubting me? She was my best friend. Shouldn't she trust me?"It's none of your business. You should mind your business with Andrew." I grabbed her hands and put them inside the washing liquid. I decided to walk past her and left her alone in the kitchen washing dishes. "N
I looked at the forum, where the users had quickly forgotten me, and the increasing posts about Nico's girlfriend. I felt a mix of amusement and frustration. I wondered if Nico could handle the relentless questions. Our collaboration hadn't even taken off, yet I had already caused him a big problem. I felt guilty.Everyone at Jesselton College knew that Nico was devoted to his academics and had been single for what seemed like an eternity. He had never officially announced having a girlfriend. It wasn't until later that I found out that Nico was not the ascetic he appeared to be but rather a cultured rogue. Queenie's offhand remark had ruined Nico's reputation, almost akin to spreading a terrible rumor. Ultimately, it was my fault. As such, I could only apologize again.I picked up my phone and typed out a message, "I'm sorry, Nico. I didn't say that, I swear."Nico responded quickly, "My reputation is already ruined. What good is an apology? How about you introduce me to a girl
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