Chapter 1

Leona Langham and Sebastian Kane are the match made in heaven that's acknowledged by the entire school.

Sebastian is the hottest guy in school. He's tall, lean, and has an extremely handsome face. Oftentimes, he wears a black windbreaker that makes him look like a protagonist from an action comic. Many girls find themselves falling head over heels for him.

Unfortunately for them, Sebastian only has eyes for Leona. They are childhood sweethearts who have grown up together.

They celebrated their first birthdays together. When they turned seven years old, their families betrothed them to each other. When they turned 14, Sebastian gave Leona a love letter. When they turned 16, Sebastian confessed to Leona. When they turned 18, they promised to apply for the same university.

But on their senior year, a new transfer student named Maureen Shadwick joins their class. The homeroom teacher specifically assigns Maureen to Sebastian when she's organizing pairs for the tutor sessions.

She stresses to Sebastian, "If you don't accept this assignment, you can forget about maintaining your relationship with Leona at school."

Chapter 1

Sebastian Kane, who was usually indifferent, reluctantly accepted the task.

What began as mere tutoring and helping Maureen Shadwick navigate the campus slowly evolved into something else entirely.

Maureen wanted the cake from the popular bakery on West Street, the one with the long line, so Sebastian skipped his evening study session to buy it for her. When Maureen posted about feeling down, he spent the entire night on the phone with her. And when she had cramps during her period, he climbed over the campus wall to get her ginger tea.

Leona Langham grew frustrated. Each time, she threatened to break up.

The first time she said it, over the phone, Sebastian was silent for what felt like forever. Then, she heard his breathing grow heavier. That night, it rained heavily, and he stood drenched outside her apartment building while calling her name repeatedly. His voice was hoarse as he begged her to forgive him.

The second time, he skipped class the entire day to wait by her classroom. With bloodshot eyes, he handed her a thick letter filled with heartfelt words, pleading for a second chance.

But as the breakups kept happening, it seemed like Sebastian was learning slowly what her limits were.

He was convinced that she couldn't live without him.

His efforts to reconcile turned mechanical. At first, he'd beg her immediately, then a day later, then three days, then a week…

Until the 99th time.

At the celebration party after their exams, Maureen casually mentioned she wanted watermelon.

Without thinking, Sebastian cut the sweetest, most tender piece from the large fruit and handed it to her, forgetting entirely that Leona, who was sitting right beside them, also loved watermelon with all her heart.

The hurt and betrayal Leona had been quietly holding in burst forth in an instant.

As she stared at the watermelon, Leona spoke in a cold and steady voice. "Sebastian, we're breaking up."

Sebastian paused for a moment. He looked at her lazily with a hint of irritation in his voice. "Are you seriously doing this again?"

Leona didn't argue. She grabbed her bag, stood up, and left the room.

This time, Sebastian didn't chase after her like before.

He figured she was just throwing another tantrum. In a few days, she'd cool down and come back to him like always.

With that thought in mind, he made his way over to Maureen, who was being playfully encouraged by everyone to drink more. He stepped in, helping her fend off a few more shots.

But what he didn't realize was that this time, Leona meant it.

Her heart that had been repeatedly wounded and chipped away over time, had finally given up.

…

That night, Leona's first instinct when she got home was to open her computer. Without hesitation, she changed her college application. The place where she had originally planned to go with Sebastian, Northsea University, was now crossed out and replaced with Southsea University, which was a long distance away.

Then, she began to clear out everything that reminded her of him.

The limited-edition plush toys he'd gifted her, the bracelets, the love letters, and the thick stack of photos…

Each item carried a sweet but painful memory that now felt like a heavy burden.

She packed them all into a giant cardboard box.

The next day, she carried the box to Sebastian's house.

The butler recognized her and led her straight into the living room.

In the spacious room, Sebastian and Maureen were sitting on the soft carpet, engrossed in a video game. They were sitting close while laughing and talking.

"Sebastian, you're so good at this! I've been stuck on this level forever!" Maureen cheered in excitement.

Leona's eyes immediately fell on the oversized black T-shirt Maureen was wearing.

It was a limited edition piece she'd spent hours looking for in several shopping malls, and she had bought it for Sebastian's birthday last year.

When he received it, he had spun her around in excitement and whispered in her ear, his breath warm against her skin. "Nana, thanks for this. I'm going to wear it every day."

So, this was what "wearing it every day" meant. He had just casually lent it to another girl.

Feeling Leona's gaze, Maureen turned around and gave her an innocent smile.

"Leona! You're here. Sebastian invited me to play games, and he even made me pasta! I'm so clumsy, though. I spilled some juice, so he let me borrow his shirt. I hope you're not upset."

Sebastian, hearing this, glanced at Leona as his fingers moved skillfully over the controller. His voice was disinterested as he commented, "What are you doing here? Haven't we broken up?"

Seeing him act so nonchalantly, a wave of self-mockery washed over Leona.

Leona remembered the first time he'd desperately begged her while drenched in rain. She also remembered how, over time, his apologies had become more distant and more perfunctory. Apart from that, she had even remembered the last time, when he texted her saying, "Stop making a scene. I'll take you out to dinner tonight…"

He had tested her over and over, and each time, she gave in. With every forgiveness she offered, he became bolder.

But he didn't understand that this was the final straw for her.

Leona was done by the 99th breakup.

She took a deep breath and swallowed the lump in her throat. "It's precisely because we broke up that there are some of your things I need to return."

Sebastian rubbed his forehead in irritation. "If you're going to make a fuss, you can throw all of that away. There's no need to bring them here."

"Fine."

Leona nodded without hesitation. She walked over to the large trash bin and, without a second thought, dropped the box in.

The box hit the bottom with a dull thud.

Chapter 2

Leona turned to leave.

"Wait," Sebastian called out to her.

"Take your things from my house with you."

He expected her to react like she always did—the wounded look, the glimmer of tears, and that fragile question, "Sebastian, what do you mean?"

Then he would offer his standard peace treaty—"Let's stop arguing"—and they would make up; everything would return to normal.

But Leona said nothing.

She simply turned around, silently beginning to remove every trace of herself from the house she had once considered her second home.

By the hallway, she removed the pair of bear-shaped slippers with her initials, which he had bought just for her. On the kitchen shelf, she took away the mug with the cute strawberry patterns on it, the one that he had reserved for her. On the living room couch, she grabbed the light gray fleece blanket she always covered herself with.

One by one, she collected these items, calmly tossing them into another empty box, as if she were throwing out unimportant rubbish.

Meanwhile, Sebastian and Maureen started another round of their game.

In between, Maureen complained about being thirsty and, without a second thought, grabbed Sebastian's half-finished mug of water and took a sip.

Sebastian had always been obsessive about cleanliness. He had even found Leona taking a sip of his water unbearable in the past. But he merely glanced at Maureen and said nothing.

Then, Maureen pouted and mentioned she was hungry. She craved to have buns from a famous shop far away. Without hesitation, Sebastian stood up, grabbed his car keys, and left.

Leona watched it all unfold, but oddly, her heart no longer ached. Instead, there was only a sense of numb emptiness.

She carried the box up the stairs, heading to Sebastian's room to collect the last few things belonging to her. As soon as she opened the door, a figure blocked her path.

It was Maureen.

Maureen wore a provocative and triumphant smirk. "You've already broken up with Sebastian. Why are you trying to get attention here?"

Leona didn't want to engage and kept her tone neutral. "I'm just here to take back my things so I can fully cut ties with him."

"Cut ties?" Maureen scoffed.

"Do you think that playing hard to get will make Sebastian pay more attention to you? He's already had enough of your attitude. Every time you threaten to break up, you know he'll beg you back. What else do you do except cling to him and nag him?"

She continued, "Listen. I'm going to take everything you like away from you. You want to stay attached to him by enrolling at the same university as him, right? Well, I've been accepted to Northsea University too. Slowly, I'll steal him away from you, and you'll watch as you become nothing but my defeated opponent!"

Leona didn't want to listen to Maureen's delusions. She held the box, trying to get around Maureen.

But Maureen wasn't done. She grabbed Leona's arm, her words turning even more venomous. "What? Did I hit a nerve? Got nothing to say now?

"Leona, don't you have any shame? Your clinginess is disgusting! No wonder Sebastian's sick of you. I bet your parents didn't teach you anything, so that's why you turned out like this—"

The sharp crack of a palm against skin cut Maureen's vitriol short.

Leona, unable to bear it anymore, had raised her hand and slapped Maureen hard across the face.

She could endure humiliation, but she would never allow anyone to insult her parents.

With a hand to her cheek, Maureen stared at Leona in disbelief. Then, her anger flared. She swung her hand, aiming to retaliate with a slap of her own.

Just then, the sound of the door opening and footsteps echoed from downstairs.

Sebastian was back.

Maureen's eyes flickered, and a plan formed in her mind.

In one swift motion, she seized Leona's wrist and threw herself backward, dragging Leona down the stairs with her as she screamed.

Both girls tumbled down the stairs, crashing hard onto the landing below. Leona felt sharp pain shoot through her body as if her bones were shattering. Her forehead slammed into a sharp corner edge of the stairs, and warm blood immediately started dripping.

Maureen wasn't unscathed either, but she quickly forced herself to sit up, clutching her face where the mark from Leona's slap was already visible. Tears flooded her eyes as she began to cry loudly, looking up at Sebastian with tear-streaked cheeks. "Sebastian... Leona suddenly came at me and pushed me down the stairs... I'm in so much pain..."

Sebastian, surveying the mess, immediately grew angry.

He strode over to them, glancing first at Maureen's pitiful face, then his gaze turned cold as it landed on Leona, who was trying to get up. His voice was icily furious. "Leona! What's wrong with you? This is my home. Who gave you the right to hit my guest?"

Leona, biting back pain and dizziness, tried to explain. "She insulted my parents. I just—"

"Enough!" Sebastian interrupted, his voice irritated and filled with disappointment. "I don't want to hear any excuses! Ryan! Escort her out!"

Ryan Hudson, the butler, hesitated but stepped forward, gesturing for Leona to leave.

Leona watched as Sebastian turned away without a second glance, gently helping Maureen up. He escorted her to the couch with great care, tenderly cleaning her wounds as if she were a fragile treasure.

In that moment, Leona felt like her heart had been ripped out, the pain so sharp that she could hardly breathe.

There was a time when he used to treat her like that. Once, after she scraped her knee in gym class, he had panicked, his face drained of color. He picked her up wordlessly and rushed her to the nurse's office, comforting her nonstop with "Nana, don't be scared. It won't hurt soon enough."

Back then, all his care and affection were for her.

But now, it was all directed at another girl.

The words she wanted to say got stuck in her throat, and her pain turned into cold, empty despair.

Without saying a word, she walked away, her body heavy with exhaustion and pain.

Alone, she went to the hospital.

The diagnosis was a mild concussion and several bruises, so the doctor recommended she stay overnight for observation.

While she was hospitalized, her phone buzzed constantly.

It was Maureen, sending taunting messages along with photos and videos of Sebastian caring for her. Sebastian fed her food, peeled apples for her, and even strolled with her in the garden.

Leona stared blankly at the screen, not responding to a single message.

Her love for Sebastian had died, so these taunts no longer had the power to hurt her.

Chapter 3

After Leona was discharged from the hospital, the class organized a graduation party. Leona didn't want to attend, but she couldn't resist her friends' persuasion.

As soon as she entered the private room, she saw Sebastian and Maureen sitting close together. Maureen was feeding him a piece of fruit, and he didn't refuse.

The moment their classmates saw Leona, they all looked a little awkward. They gathered around her, whispering, "Leona, what happened? Did you and Sebastian argue again?"

Leona shook her head calmly. Her voice was soft, but clear enough for everyone to hear. "We didn't argue. We broke up."

"What? You broke up?"

They were all shocked. "Why? Sebastian treated you so well!"

"Yeah! In the third year, when you got sick, he almost fought with the homeroom teacher just to get you a long leave!"

"And we were all so jealous of the surprise gifts he got you every holiday!"

"You two were the perfect couple that everyone believed would last forever and eventually get married after graduation. Why did you break up right before graduation?"

As she listened to them recount all the good things Sebastian had done for her, Leona felt her heart sink.

Yes, he had treated her so well before, so well that she thought he would be hers forever.

But it was precisely because he had once done all those things for her that his later coldness toward her and favoritism toward Maureen felt all the more hurtful.

She was silent for a moment before speaking softly. "If it doesn't work out, it's better to break up. No one is indispensable."

Her gaze swept over to Sebastian, who was pouring drinks for Maureen not far away. "Besides, he seems to be doing just fine with her now."

Sebastian, who had overheard, frowned and glanced at her with a complex expression.

For the rest of the evening, he seemed to intentionally provoke her, showering Maureen with even more attention, being overly considerate, and hardly ever leaving her side.

He expected Leona to be jealous, angry, or, like before, come over and interrupt them.

But she didn't.

She simply sat quietly in the corner, speaking occasionally to the people around her. Her gaze remained calm, as though he were a complete stranger with no relevance to her.

Her indifference stirred an unfamiliar and uneasy panic in Sebastian.

He instinctively wanted to walk over to her, but was stopped by Maureen, who grabbed his arm.

Maureen stood on tiptoe and whispered something in his ear. Sebastian's footsteps faltered as his brow furrowed deeply, and he finally sat back down.

Soon, someone suggested playing a game of Truth or Dare.

After a few rounds, Maureen lost and drew the dare card. She had to kiss the tallest guy in the room for three minutes.

All eyes immediately turned to Sebastian.

Maureen's face flushed red, but her gaze was provocative as she walked straight up to Sebastian.

The classmates around them gasped and whispered amongst themselves."This isn't appropriate. Leona's still here…"

But Maureen deliberately looked at Leona in the corner, her voice sweet as she asked, "Leona, you and Sebastian broke up, right? So, I guess it's fine if I play this game and kiss him, right?"

Her best friend chimed in immediately, "Exactly! You're his ex. What right do you have to stop him from kissing anyone else?"

In an instant, everyone's attention was on Leona as their gazes locked onto her, including Sebastian's.

His eyes were deep, and there was a strange, oppressive force in his gaze, as if he were waiting for her reaction.

Leona lowered her head, her long eyelashes hiding the emotion in her eyes. Her voice was so soft it could barely be heard, yet it sounded clear to everyone. "Indeed, this has nothing to do with me."

Her words drew a firm line between her and Sebastian.

Sebastian's face darkened instantly, his eyes flashing with anger and fierce resentment.

He gave a cold sneer before suddenly pulling Maureen into his arms, kissing her passionately in front of everyone.

The room quickly filled with muffled gasps before settling into an unsettling, suffocating silence.

Leona stood frozen, her heart hammering in her chest as she watched them kiss under the light, with Maureen's hands wrapping around Sebastian's neck.

Her heart felt as if it were being tightly squeezed, the pain so intense it almost made her collapse. She dug her nails into her palm, forcing herself to suppress the overwhelming anguish and despair that threatened to destroy her sanity.

After what felt like forever, the long kiss ended.

Maureen's best friend deliberately spoke loudly. "How did it feel, Sebastian? Is kissing Maureen better than kissing someone else?"

Sebastian's eyes flicked over to the pale-faced Leona, a cold smirk curling at the corners of his lips.

His voice was low but cruel and clear. "There's no comparison. Maureen wins hands down."

Chapter 4

Maureen's smugness was practically radiating off her.

After a few more rounds of the game, she lost again.

This time, the dare was to sit on a guy's lap and complete a designated task.

Without thinking, Maureen once again looked toward Sebastian.

Leona could no longer stay in that suffocating room. She suddenly stood up, whispered to a friend beside her, "I'm going to the restroom," and quickly fled the room.

Inside the restroom, she splashed cold water on her face over and over again, but her tears still flowed down uncontrollably. After what felt like an eternity, she finally managed to calm herself down. She decided to leave early and head home.

Just as she reached the corner of the hallway, she heard familiar voices from the terrace. It was Sebastian with his best friends.

"Seb." One of them spoke up.

"Didn't you go overboard earlier? I saw Leona's face turn so pale. Aren't you going to comfort her?"

Sebastian's voice was cold as he scoffed. "Comfort her? A few days later, she's going to break up with me again. Am I supposed to keep putting up with that?"

"Yeah… It's your fault. You spoiled her too much before, so she's always bringing that up. Maybe it's time to take this opportunity and teach her a lesson."

"That's true. When she gets to Northsea University and doesn't know anyone there, she'll definitely come crawling back to you. At that point, you can throw her a bone and make her beg to get back together with you. Having experienced that, I'm sure she'll never use breakups to threaten you again. It'll be a perfect plan."

Leona's blood seemed to freeze in her veins, and her limbs turned cold when she heard that.

To Sebastian, all the breakups she had initiated out of pain and disappointment were just "tantrums" that were "mere attempts to threaten him".

As for his idea of "teaching her a lesson", it was to publicly humiliate her by kissing another girl!

She silently turned and went downstairs alone.

The summer night breeze blew against her, yet it was cold enough to make her shiver.

As she walked, memories from the past replayed in her mind like a silent film.

There was a time when all it took was for her to furrow her brow, and he would instantly ask if she was okay.

Back then, when other girls gave him love letters, he would reject them and proudly come to her, saying, "Nana, I rejected another one today. Praise me."

She had long grown accustomed to his affection and the feeling of being cherished as his only treasure.

When had it all changed?

It all started when Maureen appeared.

He had broken his own principles for her and even repeatedly neglected Leona's feelings.

Leona wasn't blind to the way Maureen looked at him, nor was she oblivious to the way he treated Maureen differently. But she had clung to the last shred of hope by testing him with breakups and trying to hold onto him, only to be met with his annoyance and dismissal.

It dawned on her that when she was no longer his only priority, even her tears seemed to be an inconvenience.

Somehow, she found herself standing outside her apartment building. Her eyes locked on a familiar figure standing by the mailbox. It was the mailman.

It seemed her college acceptance letter had finally arrived.

She drew in a steadying breath and was about to move forward when she saw another familiar silhouette standing in front of the mailman.

It was Sebastian!

He was holding the letter clearly marked with the logo of Southsea University, and he was just about to open it…

Chapter 5

Leona's heart skipped a beat. Almost instinctively, she stepped forward and snatched the letter from Sebastian's hand.

"What are you doing?"

Her voice trembled just slightly, but it was mostly cold and wary.

Sebastian's hand froze in mid-air as he was clearly taken aback by her sudden reaction.

Then his gaze turned icy. "The mailman said there was no one at your house. Your emergency contact is me, so he gave it to me to sign for you."

Emergency contact…

Leona's chest tightened, and a dull ache spread through her at that.

She had set him to be her emergency contact a long time ago. It was so long ago that she had almost forgotten about it. Back when he was her whole world, she had naturally entrusted such an important thing to him.

Leona lowered her gaze, hiding the turmoil in her eyes. "I forgot to change the emergency contact. I'll update it later."

She didn't look at him again and quickly grabbed a pen from a nearby table. With deliberate precision, she signed her name on the receipt—Leona Langham.

From now on, she would have nothing to do with him.

After signing, she turned to go home.

But then she heard Sebastian ask the mailman behind her, "Is this the only letter? There's no letter for me? We're going to the same university, so they should've arrived together."

The mailman confirmed, "Yes, this is the only one."

Sebastian furrowed his brow and called out to Leona, who had already taken a few steps away. "Leona, open yours and check. Maybe my letter is with yours."

Leona stopped, but she didn't turn around. Her voice was firm with no hesitation. "It's not here."

Her certainty caught Sebastian off guard, leaving him uneasy. "How can you be so sure?"

Leona took a deep breath, ready to reveal the decision she had kept buried for so long. Just as she was about to speak, Sebastian's phone rang.

It was Maureen.

As soon as he answered, Maureen's tearful voice came through. "Sebastian, where are you? I'm scared… I think someone's following me…"

Sebastian's expression instantly changed, his focus immediately shifting to Maureen. His voice was filled with the urgency and worry Leona used to hear so many times. "Don't be scared. Stay where you are and don't move. Send me your location. I'm coming now!"

Without sparing Leona another glance, he turned and quickly walked toward his car. He didn't even hear her quietly say, "I changed my college application, so we didn't apply to the same university."

Soon, the engine roared to life, and the car sped away.

Leona stood still, watching the car disappear into the night, and the last ripple of emotion in her heart finally faded into silence.

In the days that followed, Leona quietly made preparations for her journey.

Southsea University was a long way from here, so she knew she would need to start everything from scratch.

On the other hand, Sebastian's social media was unusually active.

Every day, she saw updates with photos and videos of him, and he always had Maureen by his side. They hiked together at sunrise, with Maureen resting her head on his shoulder as the clouds rolled beneath them. They went camping and sat by a bonfire, while Maureen fed him skewers of grilled food. They checked off countless popular tourist spots, posing for intimate photos at each landmark…

In every photo, Sebastian's gaze was relaxed, and his smile was warm.

Their classmates commented on his posts.

"Seb, is this official now?"

"Please be together forever!"

"Maureen, you're so cool to win Seb over!"

Leona swiped through the screen, looking at those vibrant but blinding images. A heaviness settled in her chest, like a rock weighing her down, but strangely, the sharp pain that had once taken her breath away did not arrive as expected.

This was what it felt like when her feelings had completely shut down.

The sun was shining brightly the day she went back to the school to pick up her documents.

As soon as she entered the gates, she saw Maureen, arm-in-arm with Sebastian, posing for photos in front of the bulletin board and making cute faces for the camera.

Sebastian still wore a slightly aloof expression as usual, but his lips were curved into a small smile as he went along with her antics.

Leona stood at a distance, and at that moment, she was flooded with memories of herself and Sebastian.

They had walked hand-in-hand down every tree-lined path in this very school. He had once pinned her against a wall for a secret kiss. They would spend hours lying on desks, making plans for the future, swearing to go to Northsea University together, and getting married after graduating from there…

Those beautiful moments seemed like a distant, blurry dream to her now.

Since Maureen appeared, everything had changed.

As for Leona and Sebastian, they no longer shared a future.

Chapter 6

Leona quietly turned and walked away from them, heading toward the school's back garden.

There, an old banyan tree stood, its trunk once carved with Sebastian's name and hers, accompanied by a small heart.

It was during their first year of high school when Sebastian had pulled her close, carefully etching their names into the bark with a pocketknife. He said this meant they were carved into each other's lives forever.

Now, Leona took out the key she always carried, found the names, and started to scrape them away with force, little by little.

Just as she finished scraping and was preparing to leave, Maureen's playful voice and footsteps echoed from behind.

"Sebastian, come look! I heard that if we carve our names into trees in this grove, our future will be bright! Let's carve our names too, okay?"

Leona didn't turn around, but she could imagine Sebastian nodding in agreement.

Sure enough, she heard his deep voice. "Okay."

Then, she heard the faint scraping sound of a knife against the tree bark.

Right beside the tree where Leona had just removed their names, the two of them had chosen another one and carved the names "Sebastian" and "Maureen" side by side.

Leona kept her back to them, remaining silent.

After completing her task, she put the key back into her pocket and turned to leave.

But just as she reached the lake at the edge of the garden, Maureen caught up with her from behind.

"Leona, wait!" Maureen called out, holding a small hairpin in her hand.

"You dropped something."

Leona recognized it as the hairpin she had accidentally left behind earlier. She reached out to take it.

But Maureen withdrew her hand slightly, smiling with a mix of mockery and amusement. "Leona, from now on, the only person who will be with Sebastian is me. You'll never have the right to be with him again. I'll prove to you that in his heart, I'm a thousand, no, a million times more important than you."

Leona, tired of engaging in useless verbal battles, just wanted to take the hairpin and leave quickly.

"Give it back," she said, her tone dismissive.

Her complete disregard infuriated Maureen.

With a tight grip, Maureen yanked Leona's wrist, her voice rising in frustration. "What's with the act? Just because you two grew up together, does that make you so special? Do you even know what they say about childhood sweethearts being no match for fate? Sebastian and I are meant to be! You'll always just be a background figure in his life!"

"Let go!"

Leona's wrist ached, and she struggled to break free.

"I won't!"

The two girls tugged at each other by the lake. In their heated struggle, one of them slipped.

With two loud splashes, both of them fell into the water, the force of the impact sending waves splashing everywhere.

Leona knew how to swim, but the sudden shock of the cold lake water surrounding her body made her calves seize up.

She was cramping.

Her legs went numb, and her body started to sink uncontrollably. Water rushed into her nose as panic surged through her.

Just as she felt the darkness closing in, she saw Sebastian diving into the lake without hesitation.

In that moment, the small flame in her heart that was nearly extinguished weakly flickered to life.

But in the next instant, that flicker of hope was snuffed out as she watched him swim straight toward Maureen and grab her waist, pulling her to safety without sparing a single glance back at Leona.

While Sebastian helped Maureen back onto solid ground, she clung to his arm and coughed loudly. Then, in a deliberate tone, she shouted, "Sebastian, Leona is still in the water!"

Sebastian looked back at Leona, who was struggling in the water, barely holding on. His voice, cutting through the water, extinguished the last flicker of hope within her.

"We've broken up. She has nothing to do with me."

Chapter 7

With that, Sebastian helped the shaken Maureen to her feet and turned to leave, leaving Leona in the increasingly cold water, who was slowly losing all her strength.

When Leona finally regained consciousness, she found herself staring at the sterile white ceiling of a hospital room.

A few classmates were gathered around her bed. They were visibly relieved when they saw her awake. "Leona, you're awake! Thank goodness! You scared us to death!"

It turned out that those classmates had happened to pass by the lake and saw her unconscious body being washed ashore. They quickly called for help and got her to the hospital.

"We tried calling your parents, but the call didn't go through... So we, um, we took the liberty of calling Sebastian…" one of the classmates explained awkwardly.

Another added, his tone tinged with disbelief and anger, "We told him you were in the hospital and asked him to come. But he said that you two had broken up, and you have nothing to do with him!"

Leona quietly listened, her expression unreadable. When she heard the words "nothing to do with him," a faint, almost imperceptible sneer tugged at her lips.

Look at that. That was the very same guy she had loved for so many years.

When he didn't love her anymore, his heart was harder than the rocks at the bottom of the lake.

Her classmates saw the look on her face and felt both uncomfortable and sorry for her. They began offering words of comfort.

Leona propped herself up and gave them a reassuring smile.

"Sebastian's right. We've broken up. From now on, I don't have anything to do with him," she said softly.

Her classmates exchanged uneasy glances, still not believing it. "How is that possible? Didn't you two make plans to go to Northsea University together?"

Leona lowered her gaze and quietly replied, "No, he and Maureen are going to Northsea University. I applied to…"

Before she could finish, the door to the room was suddenly flung open.

Leona's parents rushed in, their faces full of worry. "Nana! What happened? How did you fall into the lake? You scared us half to death!"

Her parents surrounded her, asking about her condition and making sure she was okay. Leona reassured them, but her mind wandered.

In a daze, she thought she saw a familiar tall figure by the door, wearing that black jacket she knew so well.

But when she looked again, the doorway was empty, and the only people passing by were medical staff and patients.

After confirming that Leona was fine, her parents completed the discharge paperwork.

Leona thanked her classmates and bade them goodbye.

For the next week, Leona focused on resting at home while she connected with a senior from Southsea University in her new student group chat, learning about the campus as well as booking her flight.

Her parents, watching her busy, seemed hesitant but eventually spoke up. "Nana, Sebastian's family is holding a celebration party for his college admission, and they've invited our family. What do you think?"

Leona stopped packing for a moment, then nodded quietly. "Okay, I'll go."

On the day of the party, Leona and her parents arrived on time with their gifts.

When she saw Sebastian, they merely nodded at each other without exchanging a single word.

Their parents immediately noticed the awkwardness and assumed their kids must have had some kind of disagreement.

Trying to smooth things over, Sebastian's mother, Olivia Walters, grabbed Leona's hand and laughed. "Nana, come over and sit here. Seb's just a little obstinate. You two will be going to university together soon, so make sure to be more considerate of each other, okay?"

Henry Kane, Sebastian's father, also patted Sebastian on the shoulder. "You should give in to Nana."

Sebastian silently stood to the side, his expression as cold as ever. He didn't even glance at Leona.

Leona took a deep breath, about to tell them she and Sebastian had broken up, when suddenly, the door opened with a commotion.

Holding a huge bouquet of bright sunflowers, Maureen walked in looking gorgeous and radiant. She greeted Henry and Olivia politely. "Hi, Mr. and Mrs. Kane! Sebastian, I've come to congratulate you!"

As soon as Sebastian saw Maureen, his cold expression melted away, and his eyes softened. Without waiting for a response from his parents, he naturally said, "You're here. Come in."

He completely ignored Leona and her parents, walking straight past them as he led Maureen in.

Henry's and Olivia's smiles turned awkward as they quickly ushered Leona's family inside. "Oh, come in, come in, please sit…"

The entire evening, Leona's parents couldn't take their eyes off Sebastian and Maureen.

They watched how Sebastian served Maureen food, how he drank on her behalf when others offered her, and how they whispered intimately to each other.

Gradually, their expressions shifted from confusion to understanding, and then to a deep sorrow for their daughter.

When Leona went to the restroom, her parents pulled her aside. Her mother, Teresa Burton, whispered, "Nana, tell me honestly, what's going on with you and Sebastian? Is he deliberately trying to make you jealous with that girl? You two have been childhood sweethearts for so long. Don't let something insignificant get between you."

Leona thought about the countless breakups and reconciliations over the years. Each time they briefly made up, it was always followed by him becoming even more hurtful toward her.

She shook her head, her voice tired but resolute. "Mom, this isn't something insignificant. I'm really ending things with him for good."

Then, she took a deep breath and finally revealed the decision she had kept buried for so long. "Actually, I changed my college application. I'm not going to Northsea University. I'm going to Southsea University."

Her parents were shocked, unable to speak as they stared at her.

Southsea University? That was a thousand miles away from Northsea University!

Before they could say anything, a loud gasp followed by a sudden crash echoed through the center of the hall.

Chapter 8

Above them, a massive crystal chandelier suddenly plummeted from the ceiling, and right underneath it stood Sebastian and Maureen, laughing together.

In a split second, Sebastian's reflexes kicked in. He spun around, wrapping his body tightly around Maureen to shield her from the falling chandelier.

As the heavy chandelier struck his back and head, the impact sent shards of glass skittering across the floor with a bone-jarring crash.

Sebastian groaned, and blood quickly began to flow from his forehead and back. He staggered for a moment, then collapsed to the ground, losing consciousness.

The scene erupted into chaos. Screams, cries, and calls for help filled the room.

Soon, an ambulance arrived, promptly rushing the bloodied and unconscious Sebastian to the hospital.

Leona, her face pale, followed behind with her parents.

The lights in the surgery room remained on for a long time, and it wasn't until the doctor came out to announce that the surgery was successful and Sebastian was no longer in danger that everyone breathed a sigh of relief.

Leona's parents, seeing how hollow and dazed their daughter looked, sighed deeply but didn't say anything more. They quietly took her home.

The drive back was quiet, filled with the weight of things left unsaid.

After a long while, Teresa finally spoke softly. "Nana, have you really thought this through? Are you sure you want to break up with Sebastian?"

Leona stared out the window, watching the night scenery pass by her. Slowly, a faint, weary smile spread across her face, as if a great weight had been lifted from her shoulders. "Yes, I've made up my mind."

She added, "Mom, you saw for yourself today. The person he cares about is no longer me."

Leona's parents exchanged a look through the rearview mirror, their hearts aching for their daughter.

They remained silent for a long time, as if making up their minds.

Her father, Eric Langham, finally spoke. "Nana, since you've made your decision, your mother and I will support you."

He continued, "Actually, I've been planning to expand the company's business to the south. So, we'll be moving the company and our home there. That way, we'll be closer to you when you start your university term."

Leona froze, her eyes welling with tears as she looked at her parents, who were full of unconditional love and support for her. Her throat tightened before she nodded heavily, choking out, "Okay."

It seemed that in the future, she and Sebastian would never meet again.

For the next two weeks, Leona's family quietly prepared for the move.

It wasn't until the day they were to leave that they went to the Kane residence to say goodbye.

When Henry and Olivia heard that Leona and her family were moving and that Leona had definitively ended things with Sebastian, they were shocked and deeply regretful.

"Nana, we've always thought of you as our daughter-in-law… Seb is just confused right now…" Olivia grabbed Leona's hand, her eyes reddening.

Leona shook her head calmly, her voice soft but distant. "Mrs. Kane, puppy love doesn't last. We'll both find better partners in the future."

Henry and Olivia tried to persuade her, but when they realized she was firm in her decision, they could only sigh in disappointment.

Seeing that time was running out, Olivia pulled out her phone. "I'm going to call Seb right now! He needs to come back and see you off! That brat's nowhere to be found after he got better…"

The phone rang for a long time before being answered. Olivia hurriedly said, "Seb, where are you? Come back quickly! Nana's heading to the airport to go to her university today! She…"

On the other end, Sebastian cut her off. "She's leaving today? Oh. Maureen and I are going tomorrow. If she's leaving now, she can go on her own. I don't have time to see her off. Bye now."

Before Olivia could respond, the line went dead.

Chapter 9

Olivia stood there holding the phone, her face turning pale and then red with embarrassment.

Leona, seeing this, stepped forward and gently took Olivia's arm. "Mrs. Kane, it's alright. The plane's about to take off. Thank you for your kindness. If he's busy, it's fine. Whether he comes or not, it doesn't really matter."

Her parents quickly stepped in, trying to ease the tension.

In the end, amidst the awkwardness, Leona's family said their goodbyes to the Kane family and headed to the airport.

The plane soared into the sky, and through the window, Leona watched as the city she had lived in for 18 years grew smaller and more blurry until it was covered by clouds. Strangely, her heart felt calm.

She slowly closed her eyes.

Her relationship with Sebastian was truly in the past now.

Meanwhile, Sebastian kept his promise and accompanied Maureen to Northsea University to complete her registration.

He helped her with her luggage, went with her to her dormitory, and made sure everything was in order.

"Sebastian, are you done? Let's go eat together!"

Maureen, now settled in, smiled brightly at him.

"No, I'm tired. I want to go back and rest," Sebastian replied in a detached tone while rubbing his temples.

For some reason, ever since receiving his mother's call yesterday, there had been a vague, inexplicable irritation lingering in his chest.

"Well, okay then…" Maureen said, a little disappointed but not pressing him further.

Sebastian left the women's dorm and stood under a tree, the afternoon sun harsh in his eyes.

He instinctively took out his phone and opened the long-silent chat with Leona.

They had been at odds for so long, and he felt that her anger should have passed by now.

He had given her the cold shoulder for so long and even kissed Maureen in front of her. That should've been enough of a lesson.

It was time to offer her a way back and to suggest they get back together.

He imagined her expression when she saw him, the mix of hurt and hope in her eyes. A faint, self-assured smile tugged at his lips.

In the future, she would never dare to threaten him with breakups again.

But then, he realized he didn't know which dormitory Leona had been assigned to.

He quickly put his phone away and walked straight toward the student registration area.

"Hello, could you check something for me? Which dormitory is Leona Langham from the dance major assigned to?"

The senior student at the desk checked the computer for a moment before looking up with a confused expression. "Sorry, I couldn't find that name in the new student list."

Sebastian's faint smile faltered immediately.

He frowned and said, "What do you mean? She's definitely a new student this year. Check again."

The senior student carefully checked the list again, even pulling up the lists for other majors, before shaking her head firmly. "There's no Leona Langham, not even in other majors. I'm sure of it."

A sudden, overwhelming sense of unease gripped Sebastian's heart.

He remembered her snatching the acceptance letter from his hand that day, and her words that were interrupted by Maureen's call. Words he hadn't heard clearly…

An absurd thought that chilled him to the bone suddenly struck him.

He yanked his phone out of his pocket, his fingertips trembling without him realizing it as he dialed the familiar number.

But all that came through the speaker was a cold, automated voice.

"Sorry, the number you've dialed is no longer in service…"