Women were always the ones to initiate conversations. Upon hearing this, Jasmine subtly glanced in Colin's and my direction, only to quickly look away. She tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and somewhat shyly replied, "It's almost ten full months now. The due date is just a few days away. After the baby is born, I'll invite you all. Whatever you want to eat, I'll have the best arranged for you." People around her immediately responded. It was so awkward it was painful.Meanwhile, I felt as if a heavy, wet blanket was smothering my chest, making it difficult to breathe. I struggled to move my gaze away from her large belly."Did she get married?" Queenie asked me."I haven't heard anything.""Neither have I. So, where did this baby come from?""No idea."I had no experience with what a full-term pregnancy looked like, but judging by Jasmine's waistline, it was evident she was quite far along. Based on Jasmine's claim of being ten months pregnant, the baby must have been
He secretly messaged Colin, explaining that he hadn't informed Jasmine and hadn't expected her to come, let alone know how she managed to arrive."Colt, if I had known that damn woman would come, I wouldn't have hosted the gathering. What kind of bullshit luck is this?"Colin glanced at the message and handed me his phone. "Baby, I need to discuss something. Can you talk to him?" he asked.I took the phone and quickly typed a response, "That's how shameless people are. It doesn't matter if others feel awkward as long as she doesn't feel it." "Haha, Lulu, you're really something. You're cursing without saying any vulgar words. This situation is my fault. If that woman dares to do anything, Flynn will be the first to shut her down. Enjoy your food without worries.""Thanks, Wesley."I ate happily without worries. Suddenly, Jasmine, who must have had a mental breakdown, exclaimed in surprise, "Oh, Colin, you're here too! I just noticed you. Sorry for not greeting you earlier. Lon
If she dared touch what was mine, she had to be prepared to face the consequences.I took a sip of juice and suppressed the churning feeling in my stomach. Just as I was about to speak, Queenie couldn't hold it in any longer. The moment she opened her mouth, her sharp tongue lashed out like a knife."There's some truth to that. Even if Lulu doesn't care, she won't stoop to arguing with a dog. What's the saying again? Right! You don't bite the dog that bites you. It makes sense, no?"Flynn, who had been lounging lazily since the beginning of the meal, was taken aback by Queenie's words. His eyes quickly flashed with surprise before darkening to an unfathomable depth.This was probably his first time seeing this side of Queenie."Queenie, this has nothing to do with you. Don't get involved. You're the dog!" Jasmine, finally losing her fake smile, was infuriated after being insulted.Being called a dog in front of so many people was indeed humiliating.The few people who had been t
She should go ahead and keep glaring at me. It would be great if her eyes popped out. I'd stomp on them like bubbles.The tall man who had been standing beside Jasmine saw her being humiliated and quickly stepped forward to support her.He whispered a few words of comfort, then raised his head and announced, "Ms. Jasmine is pregnant and not in the best emotional state. If she has offended anyone, we seek your understanding. I also ask everyone to be mindful of their words. It's not honorable for so many to gang up on a pregnant woman."This remark was undoubtedly a challenge to Flynn and the others.I couldn't help but admire the tall man's loyalty and courage in defending Jasmine, even when facing someone as influential as Flynn. Standing up for the person he liked, despite the power imbalance, made him a man of principle. However, it was a pity he chose to be with Jasmine.Typical of Jasmine, she saw the man as just a servant and didn't truly care about him. Given this, I felt s
The heavy smell of smoke clung to Flynn, making it hard to breathe.Startled, Queenie turned and saw it was Flynn. She wasn't particularly surprised and instead smiled politely, nodding. "Goodbye.""Why won't you take the money I offered?" Flynn refused to leave and questioned bitterly.It was a dumb question. Queenie had already ended things with him, so naturally, she had no reason to accept his money.Queenie replied, "Mr. Hayes, we have no ties. I'm in no position to take your money, and there's no reason for me to do so either. Besides, if I need money, I can earn it myself."The words "right" and "reason" brought a hint of desolation to Flynn's dark eyes. He slightly arched his back and placed a hand on a nearby column for support. "I owe you too much. That money is my way of compensating you. It's what you deserve."Flynn's voice was low and dejected. He stood there, his lanky frame huddled like a stray dog battered by a relentless storm.Gazing out the window, Queenie ca
Christmas Eve was anything but quiet. The streets were adorned with lights and decorations, making them look like a scene from a fairy tale.Holding my hand, Colin asked softly, "What are you looking at?"I turned to him with a smile. "Just the people on the street. It's nice to be young.""You do know you're still very young, right?" he replied."Yes, but when I was their age, I never got to go out like this," I said, feeling a bit melancholic.This was a regret from my childhood. My parents were conservative and didn't allow me to go out at night when I was young. They felt it wasn't safe for a young girl to be out after dark. I was pretty obedient back then and followed my parents' words to the letter—a real mommy's girl.I never got to experience the freedom and excitement of going out at night like my friends did. Watching them dress up and have fun while I was stuck in the study doing homework, I would shed tears of sadness.However, that was all in the past now. I grew up
The queue of children eyed us warily, and I realized that if I actually attempted to squeeze into one of those tiny carts behind the little monkeys, the feasibility aside, the accusatory glances from the kids alone would be enough to make me shrink in embarrassment. This was hardly comforting. It was more like adding to my stress even though I had never ridden the monkey carts before.That day, Colin and I wandered around the amusement park without trying a single ride because the lines were too long.In the end, he bought me a stick of cotton candy, which cheered me up a bit as I savored it on the way home.When we entered the house, Colin took off my coat without a word and whisked me into the bathroom. His actions startled me so much that I reflexively wrapped my arms around his neck and screamed, "Let go! What are you doing?""Baby, you must be exhausted. I'm going to give you a bath and a massage. It's free, and satisfaction is guaranteed," Colin said as he earnestly began p
"But Colin, I haven't earned enough money to support you yet," I said, running my fingers through his thick hair.Colin replied, "It's okay. I can take care of you. I'll make lots of money and hand it all to you. You just need to wait for me at home while I face all the storms outside."I had no intention of being the woman behind Colin. What I wanted was to walk alongside him instead of being an idle housewife."Colin, are you asking me to give up on my dreams?" I asked.Colin paused for a moment before murmuring, "No, I just want to hide you away so that no one else can see you.""Did something happen?" I asked, confused."Not really. It's just that I don't like the way other people look at you. Baby, I'm jealous," Colin admitted.I couldn't help but chuckle softly at his sulking. Colin's jealousy was quite cute."Don't worry. My feelings for you will never change," I said, patting his head as if comforting a large, lovable golden retriever that had been wronged.After a lon
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