Serana bit her lip, silent.

Straightening up in her chair, Yasmine’s gaze grew colder. “You might not like hearing this, but you knew what you were doing getting into this. So don’t play the victim.”

Casting a glance at the sandwiches left on the table, Yasmine let out a sarcastic chuckle. “To win a man’s heart, you gotta win his stomach first. Have you managed that over all these years?”

The words were blunt, and any pretense of ignorance Serana had maintained was now impossible to continue.

Perhaps Yasmine hit a particularly sore spot, Serana finally met Yasmine’s eyes. “No one knows Boyd better than I do.”

Yasmine raised an eyebrow, resting her chin on her hand as she looked at Serana with feigned interest, as if waiting for a sermon.d2

Serana didn’t disappoint, continuing, “Sure, you knew him before I did, but you left his side for nine years. During those nine years, I was the one by his side.”

The expression on Yasmine’s face grew darker by several degrees. “Are you bragging or giving me a friendly reminder of my place? That it’s about time I stepped aside?”

Shaking her head, Serana clarified, “I’m not bragging, nor reminding you of anything. I’m just laying out the facts to explain that I’ve grown up with him, I know what he wants, and that’s why I’ve come to accept him being with you.”

Yasmine nodded, “It seems I should thank you for being so gracious about us being together.”

“I know you must think I’m a fool, but if I…”

“What’s going on here?”

Boyd’s voice suddenly cut in, interrupting Serana. He placed a plate of spaghetti in front of Yasmine. “You ordered it. You better eat it all.”

“But I didn’t say I wanted two eggs.”

“Just eat it.”

Boyd sat beside her, giving Serana a fleeting glance. “What were you two talking about?”

Serana’s complexion paled slightly as she gently shook her head. “Nothing important.”

Boyd turned to Yasmine, only to hear her say, “It’s not ‘nothing.’ I’m actually quite curious about what you were about to say.”

Serana took a sip of her milk, “I forgot.”

Yasmine only ate half her pancakes before pushing the plate towards Boyd. “Are you full?”

He pulled the plate closer to himself. “I don’t think you want to hear that I am.”

Wiping her mouth with a napkin, Yasmine quipped, “Do I look like someone who forces others?”

“I’m not full.”

Boyd directly took a bite of the half-eaten sunny-side-up egg Yasmine had left.

Yasmine smiled.

After Boyd finished eating, Yasmine’s phone rang. She answered the call without a second’s delay. “I’ll be right down.”

Boyd watched her, “I’ve arranged a ride.”

Standing, Yasmine said, “I won’t be going to school today.”

She brushed her hair back and exited the dining room.

had already called for a driver, there was nothing more

as if nothing had happened. Before getting into the car, she reminded him, “Don’t forget about the term

her close, kissing

Boyd headed to another vehicle. “If you can’t learn to talk to her, then talk less. If you piss her off, I’m the one who has

Serana stood there, a picture of sadness. She

driver beside her prompted

back to reality, took a deep

She told herself not to worry about it, but they always seemed to creep

But what if…

What if what?

pretty sure, given the context of their conversation, it wasn’t anything pleasant. However, such an exchange with Serana could only happen once. The question remained unanswered, fading

issue too,

had grown up

of university, the students’ emotions began to settle down. They were less boisterous, more silent than before, perhaps due to impending farewells, the pressure to advance, embarking on long-awaited journeys,

Boyd, these concerns held little significance. In fact, Boyd’s focus

comfortably. Bryson even suggested she could stay in school

to refuse, seemingly without ambition, which left Bryson

couldn’t fault her, except when it came to

that—play, and the near-death experience as a game gone too far. She couldn’t deny Serana’s present self due to past events or hold onto old prejudices forever,

off. Her intolerance grew day by day, and her displeasure was

month had passed

to pick up Yasmine from school. She instinctively went for the front passenger seat, but the driver opened

sat down, “Mr. Boyd, you’re really stepping up your game, not

hand, “Can’t drive today. Got

Tired of

for you every day of my life

out? I’m actually quite

in. She’s asked

raised an eyebrow, “Thinking about

shook his head without hesitation,

this is why

a reason to celebrate? She probably wants to share her

softly, “A good score and it calls for a celebration? She isn’t some academic slacker, is she? Are we going to throw a party every time

occasionally, though Yasmine had never paid much attention to it, sometimes only responding politely. After all, with all the tests big and small along the way, it was okay

her, but anger coiled in her chest. Were they really having

the shift in her mood, Boyd squeezed her hand,

gaze sliding to the corner of her eyes, looking up at him playfully.

she was at the orphanage, and after you left,

a straightforward answer to what

cold, her words

looked at her for a moment,

touched her eyes was tinged

Boyd’s brows furrowed.

right, can it? So among all those kids who grew up with you at the orphanage, why haven’t you handed out prime real estate

brows lowered, “Why are you so

she perhaps your

“No.”

nearly sacrificed herself trying to save

frost settled over

for another two seconds, then sat up straight, turning to watch the world slide by

rear view mirror, catching sight of Boyd’s dark expression,

sweating. He wasn’t deaf — the argument in the back was loud and clear in the confined space of the

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