atically, from cold and standoffish to a boyish charm that hinted at warmth. She couldn't place her finger on it at first, just a feeling that she had met him somewhe

ry. Those dark brows, that clear gaze that enhanced his youthful charm, yet also brought out a mature manly quality to the shape of his face. She was rendered

heart resurfaced to bruise her, but she couldn't hold back the glimmers breaking in. She was piecing together uneven pieces of a puzzle and t

out if YuZhi Leng was even him. The boy in her mind, eight years ago, was a fleeting fancy and nothing more than a cruel heartbreaker. Who lifted her

giving her heart wings. They had talked all night, danced, connected on a level that made her feel alive and seen. She had been moved to believe in insta-love fo

reet food before he snuck her home and helped her into the window of the hotel she was staying at with her class that night. It ha

ws away in solitude when he never showed up at the bridge they arranged to reunit

laid her secrets bare, and told him how she planned to escape her life. The first time she had ever unburdened her truths to someone she didn’t know. And yet, he hadn't made her feel gross, or unwanted, but kissed away her pain and called her

n in believing anything a man would say to get what he wanted. Weeping in agony before she was forced to leave, abandoning that stupid white lace mask on the that damned walkway and never look

smile.... unsure if he could be the same person but yet, not convinced he wasn't. There weren’t many Chinese men who had green eyes, and they didn’t look

and the tears dried on her cheeks as her skin burned instead. Him or not, he was a player and not worth her residual pain of a nothing night. Maybe Yoonie was a nickname, or maybe it was a

d her lesson when he ripped out her soul way back then and as she flicked her phone one more time, she fixated on the woman at his side. The same girl in every image,

long-term girlfr

the girl’s hair was like, her clothes, her make up, it was definitely the same woman in all of them and was still apparently current. It seeme

ll his end of this bargain. He clearly had a lover, and she looked like someone who wouldn't let go easily. The name Cheng was a known name

pang she felt before and suddenly weird and angsty. Her eyes straying back to his hand in Rhea’s and it almost suff

sn't even him at all. She had only seen him wearing a black mask over a third of his face, she

e in Shanghai. A stupid pressed rose he had worn in his lapel, wrapped in a colored ribbon whic

bookmark so it would never fall apart. She had no idea why she did it. Other than to serve as a reminder to never trust any man, not even one with pretty green eyes, a soft

w was inevitable. She pulled up her tutor's contact with slow motions. Her friend, her mentor, who had welcomed her so openly and made her feel like she was

ied she would have no freedom for fear she would bring shame to his name. She would have to let go of the little dorm room that had become her haven,

dn't expect it either, but at least she would be going b

ly she had ever known and knew that if anything could keep her going, help her through this, then it was Linlin. She was loyal, and kind,

ht and always the life and soul of the party. Linlin would be the one thing th

web with a lost and desolate weight in her chest. She scrolled to her friend's number