Soon, the food arrived, and Uncle Austin began encouraging everyone to eat. We all listened and started to eat.All four parents had different expressions on their faces as they ate quietly. Even Uncle Austin and my dad, who would often drink together, were exceptionally quiet as they looked at their food."Lili, the fish and chips here are delicious. Have a bite." Felix broke the silence and gave Lilac some of his broccoli.He told her about the fish and chips here. Yet he gave her broccoli instead.It looked like Felix wasn't as calm as he appeared to be.Lilac didn't eat the food on her plate. Instead, she was staring at Colin. "Felix, is this your big brother?"Felix's hands froze as he looked at Colin. Then, he said, "That's right. He's my brother. He graduated from Lincoln University. It's the same school that Lulu goes to. Don't you know my brother?"Lulu, didn't you bring Lili to meet Colin when she went to your university?"I paused. I felt awful and couldn't swallow t
"You were busy with your studies. It wasn't a big deal, so I didn't tell you about it. You just need to focus on yourself and take good care of Lulu. "You don't need to worry about anything else. Me and your dad are still here. There's no need for you to worry about our family." Aunt Melida had just finished cutting her steak. Although she sat far away from me, she passed a slice to my plate and gestured for me to eat it. Uncle Austin looked at the plate and said to Aunt Melina, "Melina, you can cut a few more slices for Lulu. She likes to eat steak."Also, Colin, we've watched Lulu grow up. You must take good care of her there. You don't need to come home anymore if anything happens to her.""Alright. I'm still cutting the steak. You could help if you think I'm too slow.""It's alright. Mom, Dad, you two can eat. I'll cut it."The three of them began to discuss who would cut the steak for me. As the center of attention, I felt happy and worried.Lilac had already been wary
However, it made sense why Lilac had suspected me. Only I knew about what she did at Lincoln University.The atmosphere around the table was heavy and tense. It was uncomfortable. I wouldn't have come if I knew things would turn out like these. The whole dinner felt meaningless.I talked to Uncle Austin and Aunt Melinda before I left.Lilac could think whatever she wanted. I didn't do anything, so I was not afraid she would misunderstand me.The restaurant had a cozy vibe. There was even a garden behind the restaurant. The garden had a small stream, dividing it in two. Vegetables were growing on the left side. The weather was cooler now, so the vegetables looked healthy.There was a small table and chairs on the right side. The chairs were made of stone. There was even a well with a wooden bucket. The whole garden felt cozy.I was bored and sat on the chair, looking through my phone. I just wanted to stay away from that table.After a while, I saw something move as someone s
"Where were you? Wait, you look upset. Did someone piss you off?" I ran into Colin on my way to the bathroom. He dragged my elbow and asked me the question."Yes, I met a jerk," I scrunched my nose and ranted.Colin's expression darkened as he proceeded to scan my body. "Did he bully you?"I shook my head. It wasn't that he bullied me per se. I just couldn't stand the way he talked. It was no wonder he was cheated on. Hmph."Then?"I kicked the wall out of frustration and said, "He's a prick."Colin understood who I was referring to right away. He walked past me and took a quick peek at the garden before patting me on the shoulder. "Didn't I tell you this would happen? Kindness is not necessarily repaid with kindness."I didn't know what happened after I left the party, nor did I know how Lilac left or why Felix sat on his lonesome in the garden for a long time. The gathering ended on a sour note.Back home, Mom and Dad whispered among themselves, making sure I couldn't eavesdr
"So this is what you want to tell me? Lilac, the cat will eventually be out of the bag. So count your blessings now.""Lulu, we're classmates. You should know that Shawn is just a good friend of mine. We have a platonic friendship. Also, I was supposed to tell Felix everything. But I changed my mind because it isn't something that will affect my relationship with him."Felix and I will be together in the future. No one can change that."Lilac's shameless excuse rendered me speechless. If being platonic friends meant they could make out or she could yank out Shawn's shirt, then going to a love hotel must be a staycation too according to her logic.Talking to somebody like her was such a waste of time. "Save your explanation for Felix, Lilac. Yes, Felix will be yours in the future. No one can change that. I hope you'll keep your promise and never make a decision you regret."I got up to leave, not wanting to deal with her anymore. "Luna!"I stopped in my tracks. "Yeah?""I'm spend
We told Aunt Mel that we were spending Christmas abroad a week before Christmas. She cried a lot, so much so that she had to cover her mouth.Mom was very upset too. She kept Aunt Mel company for the whole morning, and her eyes were all puffy.Aunt Mel went on about how disappointed she was regarding Felix. She couldn't understand why he became so inconsiderate about his family's feelings. She also mentioned that Lilac looked like a cunning woman, and that she feared that she might hurt Felix.There was nothing much Mom could do except offer words of consolation. She could empathize with Aunt Mel very well. After all, we had been neighbors for 20 years—we were like a family now.We treated each other like a part of our lives, but Mom couldn't do anything about Lilac's visit. For the first time in 20 years, we had our Sunday roast separately. I didn't know how the Whites coped with that, but my family was enjoying ourselves.Mom cooked a delicious meal, and Dad opened a bottle of r
Admiring Colin's soft hair, I had the urge to pet him the way he petted me."What are you doing?" Before I could raise my hand, Colin held my head in place, stopping me from advancing.I struggled and broke free from Colin's paws before leaning in. "Nothing. I just want to know what you mean."Colin gazed at me for a while. Then, he grabbed my chin before closing in. A shadow flashed before my eyes. His handsome face was inches away from mine. With this distance, I could see his long eyelashes and cupid bow. His Adam's apple rolled in place, as if he was suppressing something.I sniffed. Ah. It was the wonderful scent of alcohol again. I had never been this close to a guy, not even with Felix. My heart was racing, and I began to panic. My head jerked backward, but I overdid it and hit the bookshelves behind me. "Ow!" I cried out.Colin sat back in his seat. Unable to deal with my tearful expression, Colin gave the back of my head a gentle massage. Then, he cooed, "Should've been m
When I left all the fun reluctantly and returned to my room, it was already 9:00 pm. Looking at the fireworks and festive lights outside the ceiling-to-floor windows, I felt oddly at peace.Suddenly, I received a video call. Needless to say, it was from Colin. He was lying on his bed gloomily, one hand cushioning his head while the other holding the phone to talk to me.He wished me Merry Christmas and asked if I had any wishes. I told him that I wanted everyone to be happy, to attend a concert for once, to earn more money for my parents, and that he would become more and more handsome next year.Colin chuckled and doted on me. He then told me to come back as soon as possible because Lilac was such an eyesore. He even said that if we didn't come back sooner, he would move out and sleep on the street.It was a joke, of course. And I laughed out loud. He then lamented how dull the Christmas dinner was. Lilac was rude during the dinner. Other than Felix, no one wanted to talk to her.
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