Colin would be inevitably dethroned from his position as an exceptional young painter, becoming a cautionary tale of moral corruption and ingratitude.It wasn't important how others viewed the situation, but Lincoln University was bound to react. If things got worse, our former corporate partners might be affected, leading to substantial financial compensation claims against us.Moreover, the watercolor industry represented thousands of years of cultural heritage and was revered by many. There was no way such a prestigious field would accept anyone deemed morally corrupt.Would Colin be able to keep his teaching credentials? Would I be able to graduate as planned? Would we still have the opportunity to create art in the future?The answer seemed obvious.Jasmine's actions were a calculated attempt to destroy our future. Her maliciousness was a lesson in the depths of cruelty a woman's heart could reach. It seemed that if she couldn't have Colin, she would rather see our lives cr
"No. Listen to me, Luna Lawson," Colin interjected sternly, using my full name for the first time. "You won't be able to help by returning, and I'd only be distracted by worrying about you. So stay there and don't move. I forbid you to return right now."Colin had raised his voice, and his tone was firm. His dark eyes fixed on my face with a severity that left no room for argument. It was the first time he had ever spoken to me so harshly, and it made me feel both hurt and too scared to say anything more.Nonetheless, I understood Colin's intentions. He wanted to shield me from the storm and handle the challenges himself for my sake. However, my longing to stay by his side was overwhelming, and I didn't want to let go.We stared at each other through the phone screen, locked in a silent standoff.In the end, I conceded."I have a lot of messages, pictures, and recordings of conversations with Jasmine saved on my phone. I'll send them to you. Maybe they'll be useful," I muttered.
I had to say that the selfishness and malice of human nature were truly astonishing.I didn't know if those spreading the rumors online were internet trolls hired by Jasmine, but if they were, she wouldn't have just let things be like that.Based on my understanding of her, she must have another trick up her sleeve, and that would be the most vicious one.Dinner was prepared by Mrs. Miller, the village chief's wife. When we returned, it was served to us piping hot. Everyone who was cold, tired, and hungry cheered as they rushed to the table, gulping down the hot soup while exclaiming how delicious it was and thanking Mrs. Miller.I had no appetite, but to keep up my strength, I forced down a bowl of soup and a multigrain bun.After getting back in my room, I sat at the table organizing some data, copying each record into another notebook. The rows of numbers made my eyes spin, and I found myself missing my laptop immensely.Due to the poor signal in the mountainous area, we could
In Jasmine's post, I was not only depicted as a scoundrel but also a promiscuous woman. Several photos of me working with Nico were uploaded as well. But due to the angles, it looked like we were quite close even though we were, in fact, innocent. The photos were taken in a way to let those who saw them speculate about what was going on.This caused a huge stir online.By the time I logged into the forum, Jasmine's post had already accumulated nearly 2,000 replies.Unlike the frenzy at Lincoln University, Jesselton College's forum was lively yet rational. Most people didn't resort to personal attacks against Colin and me but discussed the matter and expressed their views. They mostly posted their suspicions or confusing points for everyone to debate.However, those wild speculations were no less damaging to Colin and me than direct attacks."Who posted this? I couldn't find any trace of her on campus. She isn't from our college, is she?" Jessie asked me.She had been in Jesselt
Nico knew why I had fallen ill and tried to call Colin several times, but I stopped him.Colin already had enough on his plate, so I didn't want to cause him any more trouble. It was just a small fever. I would get through it.Jessie and Nico stood at the far end of the room, debating whether to notify Colin. My fever was getting worse, and we were quite far from a proper hospital. They were worried if something were to happen to me, they wouldn't be able to explain it to Colin.They decided to wait until the next morning. If my fever didn't break, they would take me back to the city and ignore my pleas.At around 10:00 pm, I was burning up like hot coal. A freshman who was traveling with us was looking at me lying in bed silently. Suddenly, she slapped her forehead and ran out of the room.After a while, she returned with a small rectangular box and handed it to Jessie before saying, "Jessie, my mom prepared this for me. Please see if there's anything in there that can help Luna.
This was exactly what was happening now in Lincoln University's alumni group and Jesselton College's forum.After a long time without any response from the people involved, the onlookers started to find it boring and gradually dispersed. The few who were still around, defending Jasmine and claiming she had been wronged, were likely hired by her through some means.In the evening, Nico and Jessie discussed with me why there hadn't been any response from Colin for the past two days. They questioned if he was just accepting it or if he was gathering evidence and waiting for the right moment to strike back."If he's waiting for things to calm down on their own and pretending nothing happened, I'll be disappointed in him. He must give the public an explanation. Otherwise, the misunderstandings will deepen, and it'll be hard to reverse the damage." Jessie spoke in a slightly disappointed tone as she sat at the foot of my bed. She was hugging her knees to her chest.Nico rubbed his chin
"Even if we assume that Jasmine had a crush on Mr. White when she was at Lincoln University, do you see anything in her actions that shows genuine love for him rather than possessiveness?"Nico's words were like a hammer, knocking and waking me up.Previously, I had my doubts about Jasmine saving Colin, but since he acknowledged it, I chose to trust him and didn't speculate further.However, Nico's words now magnified the doubts I had buried deep inside.When Colin came out carrying the barely conscious Jasmine, I was too worried about him to think about how exactly Jasmine had saved him. After that, one thing after another happened, and I never got around to ask about it.I had to find the other students who were trapped with them that day and figure out what really happened. How did Jasmine save Colin?The entanglement between the three of us ultimately stemmed from this unverified act of her saving Colin's life.Perhaps this was the key to resolving everything.If we could p
It was important to be humble when necessary, and this was also what I truly believed in. No matter how excellent a teacher was, if they encountered unmotivated students, there wouldn't be any good results.That child who got into the middle school in the city must have had both talent and diligence. Colin just played a role in encouraging and teaching him according to his abilities."Oh, no. Mr. White is very attentive when he's teaching the children. There's not a single child in the village who doesn't like him," Mr. Miller said as he sat down on a stool. Then, he lit a cigarette and took a puff, squinting his eyes contentedly.Mrs. Miller came into the house carrying a large basket. As she put it on the table, I saw that it was filled with bright red apples. They were freshly washed and still glistening with water droplets. These apples looked fresher than the ones I had seen in supermarkets and smelled wonderfully fragrant."Go ahead and take one. These are from our own apple
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