I would eagerly wait for such a moment.Previously, even if I had brief doubts about Jasmine saving Colin, there was no reason to question something he personally confirmed. I couldn't let my suspicions put him in a difficult position, so I had to silently swallow all my doubts.But now, after hearing Tom's words, I couldn't help but question again whether Jasmine really did save Colin and if there were any unknown details. After all, apart from her, only those few children would know what happened while Colin was unconscious.This was the consequence of not seeking to understand something thoroughly. Dad taught me from a young age that no matter what the issue was, one had to look beyond the surface to understand the essence.As a child, I would think deeply about this. I would read a book repeatedly to grasp its main ideas or appreciate a painting many times to fully understand the mood it conveyed.Somehow, as I grew up, I had forgotten about this habit."Wasn't there another
Any decent person with a conscience wouldn't have done such a thing."What happened next? How did Mr. White regain consciousness? Was she the one who saved him?""Of course not! After she got buried, she started crying and screaming like she was dying, asking us to save her. None of us were crying, but she cried so hard that I think Mr. White woke up because of her. Her voice was so loud that it was terrifying." Tom shivered and hugged himself. He was clearly traumatized by the memory.It seemed Jasmine had left a deep negative impression on him.I couldn't help but find it a little amusing that Colin, who fainted, was awakened by her cries."After Mr. White woke up for a while, the landslide stopped. Adam and Jim were badly injured. After treating their wounds, Mr. White went to dig her out. I helped too, and my fingers bled from all the digging."But she kept crying and saying things like, 'As long as you're okay, I don't care about myself.' She kept saying not to worry about
Why should we show mercy to someone who was determined to harm us?Jasmine Taylor, just you wait. This time, I would use the method you used to hurt us to turn the tables on you!You've committed so many wrongdoings, so it was time for you to pay the price. Justice would be served in due time.Mr. Miller noticed my unpleasantness and hurriedly asked if I had a fever again. He quickly called out to his wife to take my temperature."I'm fine, Mr. Miller. I'm not having a fever. I just remembered something unpleasant and felt a little upset.""Miss, is something wrong? Is it related to Mr. White?" Tom was such a pure-hearted teenager. He could read people's expressions although he couldn't fully grasp the depth of situations.Jasmine's malicious posts had already caused significant damage to Colin and me. Given the influence of these prestigious institutions in society, the issue was bound to escalate and spread widely.If we didn't act quickly and clarify things, our future could
Tom, being very sensible, patted my hand and spoke like an adult, "Miss, is that woman doing something bad to Mr. White? Whatever you need me to do, just tell me. I'll do it well."I was surprised at his sharpness and intelligence. He saw through things more clearly than most adults. He got to the crux of the matter in one sentence."How did you know?" I asked, puzzled.A teenager like him correctly guessing Jasmine's actions was truly impressive.Tom gave me a proud smile. Then, he said mischievously, "Of course, I know. That woman is a terrible person, and we hate her. She always complained about us being dirty. Once, I asked her what a bar in the city was like, but she pinched her nose and told me to stay away from her. It made me cry."She told Grandpa she wanted to help develop our village, but she didn't do anything. She just followed Mr. White around all day, bringing him water and even cooking for him, but he never accepted anything he gave her. "There was even one time
Was becoming a mistress really that great? So much so that she didn't even care about her reputation? Jasmine was such a morally corrupt person."Mr. Miller, I hope Tom could become our witness. As long as he can prove that Jasmine wasn't the one who saved Colin, we could expose her disguise and clear his name. Otherwise, he might lose his qualifications as a lecturer." I added the last sentence deliberately, a little strategy to elicit some sympathy.Mr. and Mrs. Miller were supportive of this idea. When Tom heard that his testimony could help Colin, he was so excited that he almost jumped up. He patted his chest proudly and agreed to become our witness, even saying that he would bring along the others who were trapped with him to repay Colin's kindness.Of course, I couldn't be happier than that.Before I knew it, it was already noon. Mr. Miller invited me to stay for lunch, but I was eager to get back and discuss things with Colin, so I politely declined.On the way back, I
However, it was pointless to think about all that now.The most urgent task on hand was to clarify the situation and see justice for ourselves.When Jessie and Nico returned, I briefly told them what I had learned today.After Jasmine's post on the forum, the two had firmly stood by us, trusting us completely. Naturally, I didn't hide anything from them. With them around, I could also discuss our next steps.Nico was so angry that he turned pale. He cursed Jasmine, calling her shameless and despicable. He said that she would have to face her karma someday. It was quite a scholarly insult, reflecting the limits of his vocabulary as a top student.Despite the outburst, he was fundamentally an upright person with strong morals and values.Jessie was much calmer. She told me that if I needed to return to the city, she could arrange for a car immediately.I called Colin again, and he agreed to my suggestion to bring Tom back to the city with us.The next morning, I went to see Mr. M
Compared to the lies about saving a life, disrespecting a profession and failing to maintain a company's image was a more damaging mistake.Once all the evidence was gathered, Colin directly posted it to the alumni group of Lincoln University, Jesselton College's forum, and all social media platforms such as Instagram and Facebook. Colin's outstanding and refined appearance made his solemn and serious demeanor on camera even more impactful. As he analyzed and summarized the points for each incident, his disapproval of Jasmine's actions and his deep regret over her loss of basic human decency were palpable. This moved the viewers and invoked a strong emotional response. This was indeed the best tool to dispel all the rumors.Within half an hour of posting the video, there was a massive uproar online. Almost everyone who had previously insulted us turned against Jasmine, cursing her mercilessly. As the facts were presented clearly and the evidence was irrefutable, it left Jasmine
Right. We exposed Jasmine yesterday. After one whole night, the scandal must have snowballed. It was time to assess the situation. I switched on my phone and saw that the alumni group of Lincoln University and Jesselton College Forum were abuzz with creative comments that cracked me up."Yikes. What's wrong with Jasmine? Not only did she lie about saving Colin, but she even took advantage of his kindness. She's shameless and immoral.""What a scumbag. It's disgusting to know that one of my ex-schoolmates is someone like that.""Sorry, Luna. I misunderstood you. Please don't take it to heart.""I knew it. Colin would never do those things, but people wouldn't believe me and left nasty comments here. Those people should make a public apology!" "Colin, I never believed in Jasmine. I've always believed in you. You'll trust your dearest junior, right?"There were more than 3,000 comments, and it showed no sign of stopping. I wanted to locate the first comment to read it and find out
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