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.

already called for

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

close, kissing her forehead,

can’t learn to talk to her,

away, Serana stood there, a picture of sadness. She knew it was Yasmine who couldn’t let

the driver beside

back to reality, took a

lingered in Yasmine’s mind. She told herself not to worry about it, but they always seemed to creep into

But what if…

What if what?

the context of their conversation, it wasn’t anything pleasant. However, such

to avoid the issue

had grown

few months of university, the students’ emotions began to settle down. They were less boisterous, more silent than before, perhaps due

Yasmine and Boyd, these concerns held little significance. In

Bryson managing things, played the hands-off boss quite comfortably. Bryson even suggested she could stay in school if she was bored, as the

hesitate to refuse, seemingly without ambition, which

her, except

She dismissed their childhood play as 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

Serana off. Her intolerance grew day by day, and

had passed since their

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

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

hand, “Can’t drive today.

Tired of playing

day of my

out? I’m

test score came in. She’s asked

raised an eyebrow, “Thinking about studying

shook his head without hesitation,

this is why you

it a reason to celebrate? She probably wants to share her

and it calls for a celebration? She isn’t some academic slacker, is she? Are we going

celebrate Serana’s achievements occasionally, though Yasmine had never paid much attention to it, sometimes only responding politely. After all, with all the tests big and

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

in her mood, Boyd squeezed her hand, “What’s

eyes, looking up at him playfully. “I’m curious,

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

straightforward answer to what your relationship

was cold, her

at her for a moment, “We

that touched her eyes was tinged with chill, “So, the orphanage was left with

Boyd’s brows furrowed.

can’t be 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 to each of them, or pulled strings to get them into Summit Ridge University, or joined them for a

are you

perhaps

“No.”

you were kidnapped and she nearly sacrificed herself trying to save

settled over Boyd’s

another two seconds, then sat up straight, turning to watch the

catching sight of Boyd’s dark expression, and

continued at a steady pace, his palms sweating. He wasn’t deaf — the argument in the back

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