Chapter 1 Chapter 1

On the day we took our college graduation photos, a chubby girl holding a bouquet of roses stepped in front of me. Her voice was trembling with nervousness, "Alex Quinn, I like you!" I stopped in my tracks and gave her a smile. "Thank you for liking me, but I'm not interested in dating." I glanced at my reflection in the glass door. Tall and slender, with a fair complexion and smooth features, I was dressed in a gray tracksuit and sneakers. My short black hair, a little overgrown, was almost covering my eyes. My delicate face made it hard for people to tell if I was a guy or a girl. Because of this face, countless girls had confessed to me since I was young. But the thing was, I was actually a girl, so I could not accept their confessions. Besides, I already have a crush on a guy. It was just that my family situation was too complicated, and we were not meant to be together. Upon hearing my rejection, the chubby girl's eyes welled up with tears. Her face flushed, and she looked heartbroken. “I knew I’d get rejected…” She lowered her head, and tears fell onto the back of her hand one by one. “Alex, did you know? I’ve liked you since high school. Back then, I weighed over 300 pounds, and everyone made fun of me, but you were the only one who stood up for me. “I studied hard and I worked to lose weight. All just so I could catch up to you!” She looked at me through her teary eyes. “I know I’m not thin enough, not good enough yet, but I’m just afraid that once we graduate, I’ll never see you again. So, even if you don’t like me, can I at least have your contact information?” I pulled out a tissue from my bag and gently wiped away her tears. “Let me tell you a secret, but you have to promise to keep it to yourself, okay?” …… The girl blinked, her face serious. “I promise I won’t tell anyone!” I smiled. “I’m planning to go abroad for further studies. I probably won’t be coming back.” She stared at me, stunned, her mouth slightly open in disbelief. I leaned in and hugged her, gently ruffling her hair. “You’re amazing. I wish you all the best. “Goodbye.” I released her and turned to leave. Her voice, choked with sobs, called out from behind me, “Alex…” As soon as I walked into the building, someone suddenly grabbed my wrist, making me stumble a bit. I looked up and met a pair of domineering eyes. “Felix…” I was momentarily lost for words. “What are you doing here?” Felix Smith was my crush and also my roommate in the boys’ dormitory. Yesterday, I had messaged him, asking if he wanted to come and take graduation photos together, but he had not replied. Felix came from a prominent family and was exceptionally accomplished himself. When we were still naive freshmen, he had already started his own business. He was always busy, so I didn’t expect him to come today. He narrowed his eyes slightly at me, a hint of frustration flickering in them, as if he were holding back. “I just got here.” I pulled out my phone and smiled. “Well, since you’re here, let’s take a few photos together as a memento.” We probably wouldn’t see each other again, so having a few photos as keepsakes would be nice. He pushed down the hand I had raised with the phone, his voice cold. “What are your plans after graduation?” I was at a loss for words I nervously rubbed my nose. “Of course, I’ll find a job and start working.” He shot me a cold glance and turned to leave. “Felix!” I sighed and ruffled my bangs, deciding not to chase after him. What else could I do? We wouldn’t see each other again anyway.

Chapter 2 Chapter 2

As soon as I put the key in the lock, the door swung open. I could hear the exhaust fan buzzing loudly in the kitchen, and my mom's face lit up with joy. That expression could only mean one thing. William Quinn was here. William was my biological father. But he had a family of his own. He was married to a wealthy woman. My mom wasn’t his ex-wife. She was his secret lover. William grew up with old-fashioned values, believing that a family wasn’t complete without a son. However, his wife only wanted one child, and after having a daughter, she decided to have a tubal ligation. He felt powerless at home, and shortly after his wife’s decision, he turned to my mom. My mom was madly in love with him. She was willing to stay hidden in the background for his sake, even making me pretend to be a boy to keep him around. When I was younger, I thought she would eventually let me be myself and break things off with him. But as I grew older, I realized that day might never come. So, I decided

Chapter 3 Chapter 3

He couldn’t stay the night. By a little after seven, he was gone. My mom cleaned up the dining table and tidied the mess he had left in the living room. Before long, she came over and knocked on my door, holding the gift box in her hand. “Look how much your dad cares about you. He spent tens of thousands on this watch without even thinking twice. Try it on and see if it fits!” I took it from her and set it on the desk as I walked into my room. “Mom, there’s something I need to talk to you about.”“Go ahead,” she said, patting my hand and looking at me expectantly. “Come abroad with me,” I said seriously, holding her hand, which was slightly damp with sweat. Her brows furrowed instantly. My heart sank. “For what? And what about your dad? What’s he supposed to do if we leave?” Her expression turned impatient, as if she couldn’t grasp what I was saying. I let go of her hand and tried to keep my voice steady. “Mom… we can’t keep living like this forever.” She had spent her life b