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.

Enter title…

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.”

a sip of her

half her pancakes before

“Are you full?”

don’t think you want

napkin, Yasmine quipped, “Do I look

forces others?”

“I’m not full.”

bite of the half-eaten sunny-side-up egg Yasmine

Yasmine smiled.

eating, Yasmine’s phone rang. She answered the

a second’s delay.

her, “I’ve

won’t be going to

back

could see it, but if Yasmine had already called for

nothing

descended the stairs together, Yasmine

she reminded him, “Don’t forget about the

paper.”

kissing her forehead, “As

drive away, Boyd headed to another vehicle.

talk less. If you

sweet-talk her.”

away, Serana stood there, a

Yasmine who couldn’t

driver beside her

snapped back to reality, took a

words from Serana lingered

it, but they always seemed

moments.

But what if…

What if what?

the context of their

an exchange with

question remained unanswered, fading

to avoid the issue too, rarely

had grown up together. The

completely cut.

months of university,

were less boisterous, more silent than before, perhaps

the pressure to advance,

fear of

Yasmine and Boyd, these concerns held little significance. In

had

managing things, played

she could stay in school if she was

the challenges weren’t too

hesitate to refuse, seemingly without ambition,

Bryson at

couldn’t fault her, except when

had felt uneasy around Serana since

that—play, and the

far. She couldn’t deny Serana’s present self due

but as time

didn’t mesh.

couldn’t shake Serana off. Her intolerance grew

her displeasure was no

month had passed since their “unpleasant”

afternoon, Boyd came to pick

the front passenger seat, but the driver opened

the back seat for her.

down, “Mr. Boyd, you’re really stepping up

driving your

took her hand, “Can’t drive today. Got a

of

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