The White Crescents

I woke up from a hangover, expecting the person beside me to be the charming young man I met at the bar.

To my shock, it turned out to be my ex-boyfriend who had disappeared four years ago without a word!

"Mr. White, where did you get the nerve to take advantage of a lawyer while she's drunk? Do you think I'm still the same naive person I was ten years ago?"

1

"Did you ever love me?"

The boy with a delicate yet youthful face asked me cautiously.

I gently swirled the wine in my glass and said, "Do you see the mint in the drink? It doesn't serve much of a purpose, but it's indispensable nonetheless."

His bright eyes dimmed, and in them, I saw a reflection of my past self.

I finally understood why Karl White never loved me.

The year I met Karl, I had just turned 20-a prime age.

I was interning at a law firm under the Whites when Karl came for an inspection meeting. I was assigned to host him.

When Karl saw me, his eyes showed a clear sign of amazement.

I was used to such looks and simply lowered my head slightly, leading him to the conference room.

Mr. Smoke, the savvy and diplomatic manager of the law firm, noticed everything and arranged for me to attend the evening banquet.

Standing in front of the large round table, I felt somewhat nervous. I was unfamiliar with occasions like this and didn't even know where to take a seat.

After Karl took his seat at the head of the table, Mr. Smoke pointed to the seat on his right, "Dina, you sit there."

Upon hearing this, I gratefully took the seat.

Mr. Smoke, sitting on Karl's left, introduced me, "This is our new intern, Dina White."

Karl's gaze swept over me. He was dressed casually, wearing a white cotton-linen T-shirt, black pants, and black cloth shoes.

Yet, his gaze, framed by his sharp features, was intensely compelling.

I quickly greeted him, "Nice to meet you, Mr. White."

His stern face suddenly broke into a smile, "You have the same surname as me?"

I was taken aback, nodded, and lowered my head without speaking.

Despite sharing the same surname, there was a world of difference between us.

He was a favored son of heaven, the head of a family, while I was just a girl whose tuition was painstakingly saved by my mother working as a cleaner.

Faced with a table full of gourmet dishes, I lost my appetite due to nervousness.

A pair of fork reached over, placing a piece of meat on my plate, "The beef here is quite good."

I thanked him gratefully and took a bite.

The meat was rich yet not greasy, leaving a fragrant taste in my mouth-it was indeed delicious.

Seeing my satisfied expression, Karl placed another piece on my plate, "If you like it, have more."

His tone carried a hint of indulgence.

Throughout the meal, everyone kept toasting him, always including me.

At that time, I didn't know how to refuse and wasn't good with alcohol, so I ended up getting drunk.

When I woke up again, I found myself on a soft bed.

Struggling to sit up, I felt a splitting headache.

"Awake?"

A voice came from the darkness. Following the sound, I saw Karl lying beside me.

I was extremely shocked, and before I could react, he pulled me into his arms.

His embrace was warm, carrying a scent reminiscent of a forest.

I found myself somehow want to stay, allowing his next step. He whispered in my ear, "What's your name again?"

"Dina White."

"Dina, stay with me from now on. I'll treat you well."

What was done was done, and I didn't want to resist, letting him lead me into the intimate depths.

2

The next morning, he held me as he slept soundly.

From such a close distance, I could finally see him clearly.

His eyebrows were thick, eyelashes long, and his nose was straight. Even in sleep, his thin lips were tightly pressed.

Sensing my gaze, he slowly opened his eyes.

I quickly lowered my eyes, not daring to look at him again.

He chuckled softly, kissing my forehead, "So, do I measure up?"

His words made my cheeks flush with embarrassment, and I buried my head in his chest.

His hand gently caressed my back, gradually wandering downward, filling the air with an affectionate atmosphere.

He seemed to have a cleanliness obsession, always rushing to shower after our intimacy.

Listening to the sound of water from the bathroom, I suddenly felt lost.

I had never been in a romantic relationship before, and now I'd even had sex with him. What was I supposed to do?

I waited anxiously for him, wanting to know how he viewed our relationship.

Soon, he came out wrapped in a towel, his wet hair still dripping.

He ignored me and went straight to get dressed.

Seeing me staring at him, he buttoned his shirt while walking towards me.

Sitting on the edge of the bed, he leaned down to gently stroke my face, "Have a shower."

I hesitated, but in the end, said nothing.

Watching him fully dressed, I suddenly felt awkward, "Turn around, don't look."

"Why being so shy? There's nothing on you I haven't touched."

Despite his words, he turned around.

When I came out, he was already dressed, his hair meticulously combed.

He was seated at the desk beside the window, looking at me with the light behind him. All I could see was a dazzling brightness, and I wasn't able to make out his facial features.

His voice was clear and cold, "Will you come with me?"

"Where to?"

"Texas, the company's headquarters is there."

"What about my job?"

"I'll arrange a good one for you."

And so, in a rush, I followed him to Texas

I stayed there for ten years.

Ten years, during which I gave all my youth, innocence, ignorance, and... love to this city and that man.

In the end, all I got was a heart full of scars and a soul left cold.

I downed the wine in my hand, and the boy refilled my glass thoughtfully, "Miss, drink less, you'll get drunk."

The boy's name was Ryan, whether it was real or not, I didn't know, nor did I care.

He was like I once was, a canary I kept in a cage.

But no matter how beautiful or cute a pet was, all it could receive was affection, not love.

With mismatched identities and experiences, this game of love was doomed to fail from the start.

When Ryan met me, my heart had already been broken by Karl.

And when I met Karl?

He had been navigating the business world for so long, he probably had no feelings left.

To whom did he sacrifice his love?

"Ryan, let's end this."