Chapter 18
Chapter 18
However, as Yasin stepped back, Quinlyn’s mind instantly cleared.
Quinlyn had backed Yasin all the way to the edge of the terrace. His lower back was pinned against a column. Instinctively, she looked back, only to find that a few gossipy onlookers were already gawking at them.
She cleared her throat twice, running a hand through her hair to mask her embarrassment.
Yasin leaned back slightly. A playful smirk tugged at his lips as he watched Quinlyn. “What’s wrong? Not going to keep asking?”
He leaned back, half his body arching away. The strong terrace wind whipped his brown hair wildly across his face, hiding those piercing eyes.
With that teasing, playful tone in his voice, Quinlyn couldn’t help but feel like she was paying for some kind of NSFW, pay- per-view content.
Quinlyn clenched her jaw, banishing those improper thoughts from her mind. Composed and unruffled, she fixed her big eyes on him, as if trying to discern something.
Yasin was no stranger to being stared at by girls, but their gazes always carried a mix of admiration and shyness, like those typical girlish emotions.
However, Quinlyn frowned thoughtfully as she studied him, looking like she was at a farmer’s market debating whether to buy some cheaper groceries.
After a moment, Quinlyn took a step back. “You’re probably not the one,” she said evenly.
Yasin just stared at her, momentarily speechless.
‘If he truly shared my experience, his reaction would be evasive, surprised, or calm. It wouldn’t have been like this,’ Quinlyn thought.
Yasin was wild from head to toe, with every strand of his hair radiating that bold vibe. He was arrogant and striking. It was clear that life’s struggles had never humbled him. He was the kind of guy one couldn’t help but envy and resent.
Quinlyn exhaled deeply and gave Yasin a slight, polite bow. “That was rather forward of me just now,” she said, pausing briefly. “Also, thank you for stepping in earlier.”
With that, she took a step back, ready to turn and leave. After all, the real show performance awaited her inside.
Just as Quinlyn turned to leave, a sudden gust of wind swept through. In the blink of an eye, their positions were reversed. Now it was Quinlyn pinned against the terrace railing.
By now, the wind had picked up. Quinlyn’s long hair was loose on her shoulders, and her red dress fluttered freely in the breeze, like petals unfolding, gently swaying with the wind.
Just as Quinlyn braced herself for being exposed, Yasin stepped forward and pressed his right leg against hers to pin down the hem of her dress. But in that instant, they were suddenly close again.
“What on earth are you doing?!” Quinlyn frowned, her eyes flashing with anger and just a hint of embarrassment.
Yasin bent down slightly, his thin lips curving into a faint smirk. “Just returning the favor,” he murmured, his voice light and teasing. The howling wind carried his words right into Quinlyn’s ear, sending an inexplicable tingle down her spine.
Quinlyn instantly got what he was doing. She thought, ‘I just cornered him and said something out of line, and now he’s throwing it right back at me.
1/3
Chapter 18
‘What a petty brat, clearly never suffering hardships. But this time, I’m wrong, so I’ll just have to suck it up.
“So, are we even now, Mr. James? Can you let me go?” Quinlyn asked.
The wind was so strong that it raised goosebumps on Quinlyn’s skin. Yasin was standing far too close, and his subtle warmth radiated through their minimal contact, making her feel strangely uneasy.
Yasin’s overwhelming presence left Quinlyn no chance to retaliate. All she could think about was putting some distance between them.
Seeing how intimately close they were, she thought anxiously, ‘If anyone sees us like this, my reputation will be ruined. Maybe it will be even worse than in my previous life.’
Yasin remained still, ceasing his teasing as he circled back to her earlier words. “Why did you ask who I am? And you didn’t finish your question. Explain it clearly, and I’ll let you go.”
Yasin’s words made Quinlyn freeze. He found that it was no trivial matter.
Quinlyn suddenly looked up, her face dead serious, and she said, “Oh, actually, that’s just a song. ‘Who are you, and how did you find the way to my heart?’ Ever heard it?”
Yasin arched a brow, his expression clearly saying, “Do I look like a fucking moron to you?”
Quinlyn instantly got the message and nodded solemnly. In her mind, she thought, ‘Yup, that’s exactly what you look like.’
Yasin let out a hum and nodded, a sly smile playing on his lips. “So what you’re saying is I’ve found my way to your heart, huh?”
He spoke slowly, his naturally husky voice deliberately drawn out. It was rough yet strangely intimate.
“Exactly,” she replied briskly. Then she added with a playful grin, “You’re welcome to move into my heart anytime. You know that song. ‘I wanted to live in your heart, and it turned out to be a safe haven.””
Yasin paused for a moment and then suddenly burst into hearty laughter. His sharp eyes crinkled into crescent moons, making him look like a tiger whose usual ferocity had completely melted away.
“What’s the rent for this safe haven? I’ll take the whole place,” Yasin declared.
“For rent only, not for sale,” Quinlyn quipped.
When Timothy came, he found that Yasin was leaning against a column with a cigarette dangling from his fingers. He looked completely spent, as if he’d just been thoroughly wrung out.
“Boss,” Timothy said, rushing forward.
“Did that girl from the Guzman family get physical with you?” Timothy teased. He’d just seen her strutting back inside with her head held high and chest out.
However, his own boss, Yasin, looked a mess with his collar askew, hair tousled, and eyes dazed. Timothy thought something definitely went down.
Yasin exhaled a puff of white smoke, ground out the cigarette butt with force, and shot Timothy a cold glare. “Get lost,” he snapped.
Timothy let out a low groan and then nimbly scurried away. He didn’t forget to stay by the terrace entrance, ensuring no one else got in.
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Chapter 18
He couldn’t figure out why Yasin had suddenly come to Albion. This wasn’t even their usual turf. To make things even stranger, Yasin had gone out of his way to track down the Guzman family’s long-lost heiress.
Timothy couldn’t help but wonder if Yasin was like a pregnant woman having one of those prophetic dreams. He thought maybe Yasin had dreamed his soulmate was in Albion, so he traveled all this way just to find her.
But he didn’t dare say it out loud, afraid Yasin would have his head for it.
Yasin stubbed out his cigarette, lingered in the night breeze for a few more minutes, then finally rolled his shoulders and headed back inside.
The glass door to the terrace framed a striking contrast. Inside, the room blazed with warm light and the mellow strains of piano music, while outside, the night wind whispered cold through the darkness.
Yasin strode in, his gaze shifting left to meet his reflection in the glass door. Then, a faint glow slowly emanated from above his head. It was so subtle that it would likely be invisible in stronger sunlight.
At first, Yasin thought his eyes were playing tricks on him. But after he stared intently for a few more seconds, his nonchalant expression melted away.
