Chapter 17
Chapter 17
Quinlyn took in the whole scene and thought to herself, ‘Being a random guy is just the best! See? If you don’t want to talk to someone, you don’t even have to bother pretending.
‘But not me. I can’t stand staying at the Guzman residence any longer, yet I still have to grind through this damn process.
Yasin couldn’t shake the feeling that someone was watching him. Looking down slightly, he saw Quinlyn staring at him with an inexplicable look of envy. ‘She must’ve been worn down by everything, he thought. ‘She probably gets overwhelmed just by having someone close to her.’
Having worked alongside Graham and managed the company for years, Chancey had seen all kinds of people. Yasin’s attitude rubbed him the wrong way at first.
But then again, he thought young men with status and resources often carried an air of arrogance. It only proved Yasin had solid backing.
Without saying another word, Chancey made a mental note to conduct a thorough background check on Yasin.
Then Chancey excused himself, leaving only Yasin and Quinlyn.
Quinlyn looked up at Yasin, and the word “A Random Guy” was glowing above his head. Just as she was about to speak, the title above him suddenly flickered. Then it changed to “Supporting Male #N.”
Quinlyn’s dumbstruck expression made Yasin smirk. “Had enough staring, Missy?” he teased.
Quinlyn’s mind was reeling. She could barely keep her expression in check, frantically screaming for the aloof Narrator in her head.
The Narrator remained as aloof as ever, completely ignoring Quinlyn’s desperate mental calls.
Yasin rubbed his face. ‘Am I really that intimidating?’ he wondered.
From his spot in the corner, Timothy watched as Quinlyn, the recently returned Guzman family’s heiress, pulled Yasin toward another secluded spot. To his surprise, Yasin simply raised an eyebrow and followed her without the slightest hint of reluctance, looking completely at ease.
Timothy thought, ‘Wait… You two just met, right? Why are you acting like you’re already practically married?’
Every move they made was noticed by the sharp-eyed observers in the room. Logan cast a sidelong glance, and Graham, the shrewd old fox, caught it, too, but he deliberately offered no explanation. Even if Logan brought it up, Graham was determined not to engage.
Graham hadn’t noticed it before, but the more he considered it now, the more he realized Quinlyn wasn’t an easy daughter to manage. As for that arrangement with the Fletcher family, it would definitely require reconsideration.
Logan observed everything from his commanding position at the head of the table.
After Graham briefly stepped out, he shot a sidelong glance at his good-for-nothing grandson, Zachary, who was still sulking like a moody teenager. “What happened to all the composure and wisdom I taught you?” Logan demanded.
Zachary had also noticed Quinlyn getting cozy with that unfamiliar man and slipping off to the side. He was about to say something, but after a warning glance from Logan, he swallowed his words and muttered, “Quinlyn and I would never be a couple.”
Logan chuckled dryly. “Is that so?” He glanced at Quinlyn, the striking figure in red not far away, and then at Yalena, who had just emerged with Evelyn after composing herself.
Logan could understand how a man’s protective instinct might be stirred by Yalena’s fragility. It was a pity that people were
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Chapter 17
always prone to comparison.
He thought, ‘If the Guzman family’s long-lost heiress, Quinlyn, is completely unremarkable and fails to catch Zachary’s eye, then the two of them will never work out. But clearly, she’s already caught his attention, hasn’t she?’
Noticing Logan’s sarcastic tone, Zachary glanced at that striking figure in red. Still smarting from the humiliation, he insisted, “Absolutely.”
Logan said no more, merely casting a knowing glance with a faint smile at Zachary.
That single glance made Zachary bristle instantly. He knew his grandfather all too well. Whenever he was at a crossroads and made the wrong choice, Logan would always fix him with that same inscrutable look.
Zachary gritted his teeth and kept quiet. He watched as Yalena, whose eyes were still a little red from crying, walked right over to his side and greeted Logan.
Logan talked to Yalena in his usual composed manner.
Yalena bowed her head. “I’m sorry, Mr. Fletcher.”
Logan looked at her thoughtfully and said, “Well, what are you apologizing to me for?”
“I’m sorry if I’ve upset you, Mr. Fletcher. I know you’re fond of Quinlyn, but the truth is the two of them just don’t have feelings for each other…” Yalena explained.
Before Yalena could finish, Logan gave a light cough. Yalena froze, meeting Logan’s gaze. Those eyes, though clouded with age, seemed to see right through everything.
With his grandson right beside him, Logan held back from saying anything too harsh that might dampen the young man’s hero complex. He simply nodded slightly and said, “Yeah, I think so, too.”
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Yalena’s eyes gleamed. “But feelings grow through spending time together. And as it happens, there’s an outdoor event next week.”
Hearing that, Zachary was about to blow a fuse. This outdoor event was meant to promote Fletcher Group’s brand-new island resort project. It was originally booked for celebrity reality shows. Once the buzz picked up, visitors would come flocking.
Zachary thought, ‘How did this suddenly become a private family affair? And now they’re even dragging Quinlyn along?’
With composed ease, Logan added, “There’ll be plenty of young people there. You two sisters should both come along as well.”
Yalena gently gripped Zachary’s arm and demurely replied, “Okay.” Even as she spoke, Evelyn’s earlier words echoed in her mind, and a clear strategy was already taking shape.
Meanwhile, Quinlyn led Yasin straight out onto the spacious outdoor terrace.
Dusk hadn’t fully settled yet. In the distance, faint streaks of red still bled through the afterglow. The moon had already climbed high into the sky, creating a scene that felt both disorienting and ethereal.
Quinlyn cornered Yasin, approaching him step by step.
As she drew near, Yasin caught the subtle scent of her. It wasn’t the sickly sweet fragrance for young girls. Instead, it began with a hint of bitterness, unfolded into a mellow richness, and finally left the faintest whisper of sweetness lingering in the
air.
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For a moment, Yasin wondered if the girl was wearing some luxurious perfume.
However, Quinlyn’s big eyes locked onto Yasin. After quickly scanning her surroundings and making sure no one was around, she suddenly leaned closer. “Who are you?” she asked.
As she moved closer, the bitter smell faded, giving way to a creamy sweetness that drifted from her neck.
Yasin only had to lower his head slightly to catch a wisp of her softly curled brown hair resting against her pale neck.
The classic clash of red, brown, and white was striking. When he lifted his gaze just a bit, he saw her eyelashes quivering. Unconsciously, his brows drew together.
Quinlyn belatedly realized they were standing way too close, but her burning curiosity easily overpowered any sense of awkwardness.
Ever since she found out the truth, she had always felt like she was the only real person in this world.
But then, out of nowhere, she could write her own script and change a minor role to a supporting male. She was dying to figure out what was really going on.
Quinlyn took half a step back, but she pressed on, “Who are you? And how did you…” She pointed uncertainly at the top of Yasin’s head, afraid she might be making a mistake.
Yasin rubbed the top of his head, puzzled, but he quickly composed himself. ‘No way I’m letting some girl get the drop on me and spill all my secrets first, he thought.
Yasin also took a step back, but they were still way too close. Her lingering fragrance wrapped around him, leaving him oddly off-balance. Meeting Quinlyn’s clear, innocent gaze, he thought, ‘Damn, why do I feel like a creep?’
