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.

but if Yasmine had already called for a driver, there was

happened. Before getting into the car, she reminded him, “Don’t

close, kissing her forehead,

drive away, Boyd headed to another vehicle. “If you can’t learn to talk to

a picture of sadness. She knew it was Yasmine

the driver

reality, took a deep breath, and got into the

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

But what if…

What if what?

their conversation, it wasn’t anything pleasant. However, such an exchange with Serana could

the issue

not absent. After all, they had grown up together. The

university, the students’ emotions began to settle down. They were less boisterous, more silent than before, perhaps due to impending farewells, the pressure

held little significance. In

quite comfortably. Bryson even suggested she could stay in school if she was

hesitate to refuse, seemingly without ambition, which left Bryson

fault her, except when

just 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

she couldn’t shake Serana off. Her intolerance grew

had passed since their

from school. She instinctively went for the front passenger seat, but the driver opened the door and

Boyd, you’re really stepping up your game, not even driving your own car

her hand, “Can’t drive today.

of playing

could cook for you every day of my life and never

eat out? I’m actually quite a fan of your

in. She’s asked us to dinner.

an eyebrow, “Thinking about studying

head

why you

it a reason to celebrate? She probably

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

meals together, Boyd did indeed celebrate Serana’s achievements occasionally, though Yasmine had never paid much attention to it, sometimes only responding politely. After all,

commemorating these occasions. A cold chuckle escaped her, but anger coiled in her chest. Were

her mood, Boyd squeezed her

looking up at him playfully.

“Why do you ask? Before you left, she was at the orphanage, and after you left,

a straightforward answer

her words

her for a moment, “We grew up

up together.” She repeated, seemingly accepting the answer, though the smile that touched her eyes was tinged with chill, “So, the orphanage was left with just the two of you

Boyd’s brows furrowed.

up with you at the orphanage, why haven’t you handed out prime real estate to each of them, or pulled strings to get them into Summit Ridge University, or joined them for a celebratory

are you so

she perhaps your long-lost

“No.”

and she nearly sacrificed herself trying to save

a layer of frost settled over Boyd’s

turning to watch the

driver glanced in the rear view mirror, catching sight of Boyd’s dark expression, and

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

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