LOGINBy the time Renee and Leia arrived at the lake, Jovan was already there.He had always had a wide range of interests, and fishing was something he'd picked up recently. Not only was his gear fully stocked, but he had even chummed the water early, picked out a flat spot, and set up a tent. He was clearly planning to settle in for the long haul."Wow, Jovan, not bad. This looks like a professional set-up. You must be a veteran."Leia couldn't resist teasing him as she looked at the rows of fishing rods laid out in front of him. They were all of different models and sizes."I'm not a veteran. I just take things more seriously."Jovan sat calmly on a small folding stool and watched the lake. He turned around to smile at the two women who had arrived late, but his gaze naturally landed on Renee. There was something loaded in his tone as he added, "When it comes to getting what I want, I don't miss."Almost as soon as he finished speaking, the float bobbed. He reeled it in smoothly,
For the past two days, Renee and Leia had been staying together.Two girls who had once been in stable relationships, then drained by love, found themselves single again. Looking back, they realized that none of it was really that big of a deal.You didn't die without a man. If anything, you slowly found yourself again.Because of Sadler, Renee had uncovered the mastermind who had been working against Azure Group all along. It turned out to be Jovan, who had disappeared for years.Jovan openly stated that he was willing to offer Renee his absolute loyalty, even if it meant standing against the Hunt family and Stefan.At first, Renee refused. She looked down on beating Stefan in that way. But as she watched Azure Group's market performance weaken day by day, and saw product after product being overtaken by Hunt Enterprise, her resolve began to waver."Forget it. Business is a battlefield. If there's a way to win, you shouldn't care about sentiments."After days of hesitation, Ren
"Nothing. It's finally over between Xavier and me," Leia said gloomily after curling up on the couch.Renee walked over and thoughtfully handed Leia a glass of warm water. She then sat down beside Leia. "Weren't you two doing just fine? How did things take such a sharp turn all of a sudden?""That was just an illusion."Leia took the water and sipped silently. She still looked gloomy.Although she was clear-headed now and had made up her mind to break up with Xavier, the thought of it still made her stomach turn.Heartbreak, after all, was like catching a bad cold. The process was bound to be unpleasant, but eventually, one's immune system would get them through it.What Leia needed right now was to clench her jaw and endure the most painful stage. Once she got past it, she would truly be free."You still can't let go, can you? In that case, why not try a different solution?" Renee asked carefully."A different solution?" Leia turned to look at Renee curiously."If breaking up
"Uh, I didn't see anything. Please continue!"Renee covered her eyes and backed into the bedroom.Only then did Xavier let go of Leia. He looked a little embarrassed. "Why is she here, too? You could've told me.""I would have, if you gave me the chance," Leia replied with a frown.She was getting worked up a little, but she forced herself to stay calm.After all this time with Xavier, and even when he had professed his love countless times, she still felt that his feelings for her weren't the same as for Renee or Shirley.One was natural affection, while the other was just out of convenience.The more she thought about it, the more she realized that staying apart was the wisest choice. It would at least stop the emotional drain."I'm not joking. I really chose to break up with you, and I want you to take it seriously. Respect me. Don't make me hate you," Leia said firmly after taking a deep breath."Are you sure?" Xavier's expression returned to normal, but his gaze turned sl
"Cut it out. I'm not your girlfriend. Please respect my boundaries!"This time, Leia's tone was calm. It was cool, distant, and unmistakably firm.For her, some things could be said in jest and taken back the next day, but others were spoken only after serious thought. For the latter, once she said them, they were final."I'm going back to sleep. Please leave."She finished speaking and moved to close the door.Xavier shamelessly stretched out his arm and braced it against the door. "Come on, don't be so cold. Even if you're not my girlfriend, we're still friends, right? And even if we broke up, I still have the right to pursue you. Let me come in and sit for a bit. At least have breakfast before you go back to sleep. How about that?"Leia hesitated for a second when she saw how sincere he looked.That single second was all Xavier needed. He seized the moment and slipped right past her."Hey! What do you think you're doing? I didn't say you could come in. Get out!" Leia shout
Xavier froze for a moment. There was a lot he wanted to say, but he didn't know where to start.From an outsider's perspective, he and Leia seemed perfect for each other, but only he truly understood the problems between them.Regardless of what happened, he knew he had to try to fight for this relationship."Whether she's right for me, I'll decide for myself. I'll figure out our problems. I'm not like you, hiding behind the idea of true love because you’re too afraid to act!"After saying all that, Xavier stormed off. He was still seething.He didn't even know what exactly he was angry about. Maybe, deep down, he had projected too much of his own feelings onto Stefan and Renee, seeing in their relationship a mirror of what his future with Leia might look like.They were happy and complete, and that gave him hope that he could be happy too.However, every relationship was unique. He couldn't compare his feelings or project them onto someone else. He had to fight for his own rela







