"If a road can be built here, the kids can leave the village and establish a home outside. We can't keep our future generations in this remote place."What the villager said dampened our mood. The stones on our backs threatened to crush them just like how the news crushed our spirit. This wasn't like the sense of suffocation Jasmine made me feel. Compared to the misery here, what Jasmine did was nothing."Why are you so quiet now?" Nico turned to me and asked.Smiling, I poked the ground with a stick. I was trying to hide the upset I was feeling. "I feel bad. I don't know what to say.""Did what the villager say bother you?"I nodded. "Nico, is it impossible to build a road here?""It's not impossible, and I'd love to build a road too. But there are several deterrents here. One, mudslides happen often here. It's very destructive, so the road won't last very long. Two, there might be endangered species in the mountains."Overdeveloping this area might damage the ecosystem here. I
I always respected others as long as they did not offend me. Jasmine had pulled so many dirty tricks, so it was only natural that I viewed her as vermin. She deserved it. I thought she would back off by ignoring her. Alas, she was stubborn, or should I say, shameless.Perhaps she did not know that I was intentionally ignoring her. Perhaps she did, but she ignored it because she had an agenda to fulfill. Before long, her reflection appeared on the glossy elevator doors, inching closer to me.As usual, Gavin was following behind her. Wearing a navy blue uniform, his expression was stoic as he pushed the wheelchair behind me. Jasmine raised her hand, and he immediately helped her stand up.Jasmine walked toward me. I gawked in disbelief as she slowly approached me. Her right leg was slightly limp. Nevertheless, she managed to walk on her own. Perhaps one day, she could regain her full mobility. Suddenly, I felt that the crushing weight on my chest was lifted. What great, wonderful news
Gavin caught Jasmine, his broad hand supporting her waist. A look of pain appeared on his face. I was shocked. Only a man who loved his girlfriend a lot would make that kind of expression. Did that mean he was in love with his employer?Judging from their interaction, Gavin was Jasmine's assistant. To put it bluntly, he was her male nanny in charge of her meals and accompanying her. Perhaps it was only normal for two individuals of the opposite gender to fall in love with each other when they spent so much time together.I couldn't help but wonder if Jasmine knew about his feelings. How would she react if she heard about his feelings? Knowing Jasmine's background, I knew that she wouldn't care. Maybe she would even detest Gavin. She dreamed of being properly acknowledged as one of the Taylors.To that end, she had to find a husband who excelled in nearly everything. Unfortunately for Gavin, he came from a modest background. He could care for Jasmine but she would not marry him. His
However, to Colin and me, it was a serious problem. Colin worked his way up from Lincoln University to Jesselton College. He earned all his achievements through his hard work. If Jasmine truly mobilized the powerful mass media against him, his reputation would be affected, regardless of the outcome.As an artist with a doctorate, the youngest post-graduate lecturer at Jesselton College, and a scholar who devoted himself to academics, his reputation couldn't be smeared—even though the allegation against him was unfounded and false.I reflected upon myself. Did I go overboard this time? If my decision to mock her made her angry and she did something that led to irreversible damage, Colin would have to suffer the consequences. It was not worth it.I took a screenshot of the text message and sent it to Colin. Then, I called him. This was a serious problem. I needed to discuss with Colin to see what we could do to prevent the situation from getting out of control. I would never forgive m
"Oh? You're so strong now, huh? Show your future husband your moves."Eager, I performed a perfect groin kick in front of Colin. When I realized what he just called me, I saw that Colin was staring at me. His dark, bottomless orbs threatened to absorb my entire being. What the heck? Jasmine wasn't a man. Why should I perform a groin kick? I was carried away."Uh, I learned this to fight bad guys.""Right." Colin nodded seriously and smirked. "Train well, but never do that to me. Otherwise, I might not be able to get it up anymore."He wouldn't be able to get it up? I blushed profusely. "Babe, I miss you so much that I'm going crazy. During the day, I see your shy smile everywhere I go. It's worse at night. I see it whether I'm in the bathroom, on the couch, or in bed. I feel empty."I want to hug you and tease you. Baby, do you miss me?"I bit my lip to stop myself from making a noise. Hug me and tease me? Why would he use those words? I was his girlfriend. Shouldn't he dote on m
"Sure," said Nico with a muffled voice as he, too, was chewing on a chunk of meat. "I'll buy something sweet, then. It'll give us energy. Do you want chocolate? It'll keep you full for a while.""I want a lollipop so that I can suck on it and work at the same time.""Let's get some snack bars too. Didn't the ads say that those could keep you full for a long time? I've never had them before. Have you?"As we talked, someone decided to sit next to me without asking for my permission. I was startled and looked up. Then, I saw Jasmine glaring at me. The meat inside my mouth lost its flavor almost immediately.Couldn't she give me a break? Why did she have to appear wherever I went? She should be a policewoman instead because of her exceptional ability to apprehend somebody. My eyes met Nico's teasing eyes. He was enjoying the unfolding drama.What happened to the Nico I looked up to so much? Right now, when he was looking between Jasmine and me, I wanted to punch him in the eyes so ba
An idea came into my mind. Did she just start crushing on Nico? Oh, no. Nico was a decent guy, but he did not owe Jasmine any favor. He had no reason to get involved with her. Dating someone like her would take a few years off his life."What's your name, cutie? You look familiar."I was flabbergasted. Wasn't she supposed to confront me here? Why was she trying to flirt with Nico now? And what a cliché pick-up line. People still used that? Was she going to say "You look like my future boyfriend" next?Nico took another sip of the soup and replied seriously, "We don't need to get acquainted."In other words, he wasn't willing to give her his name. Jasmine gasped, and I chortled out loud. My rudeness was not intentional. The whole situation was just way too funny. A six-foot man just rejected a woman. It was hilarious to me.Jasmine was mortified. Nico did not take her flirtation well, and she wasn't quite sure what he had just said. Wanting to vent all her frustrations, she lashed
I turned in another direction and began jogging while Nico followed behind me with a sly grin. As I ran, I saw Jasmine trying to chase after me too. However, she was far too ambitious for her leg and fell to the floor.Gavin saw the incident and immediately stopped. He looked at me and at Jasmine, who was sitting on the floor with a pale face. He gave up on me and rushed toward Jasmine. Then, he carried her in his arms and left.I let out a sigh of relief. Finally, the nuisance was behind me. But things took another twist. Gavin, worried that Jasmine was injured, left quickly. But Jasmine, like a madwoman, slapped him hard on the face. The smack was so loud that I could hear it clearly from afar.How much force did that slap pack that the sound it produced could be heard by everyone in the restaurant? For a second, my cheek ached. Gavin's cheek must be in a world of pain. A palm print slowly emerged on his face, and he was shocked.Carrying Jasmine, his tall, muscular frame was ste
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