Yzabelle.
“Yzabelle,” he greeted me with a warm smile.
Gosh! That was really Corbin!
What was he doing here? And how did he find my place?
He looked behind me and I found relief from his handsome face.
“Good thing you aren't with your shadow,” he teasingly commented.
I scrunched my forehead but quickly understood what he meant.
He must be referring to Killian.
I shook my head as I laughed. “Killian would not like it, calling him my shadow,” I said with a hint of warning.
“But he was like your shadow, following you around,” Corbin argued.
“Right. But not like a shadow. He seemed to want to show he was marking his territory,” I shook my head thinking Killian used to act like that.
Normally, I would be pissed. But that was not what I was feeling right now. It was something like acceptance and submission.
“Marking? Did he mark you already?” Corbin suddenly pursed his lips together—tightly.
I didn’t understand what he meant by ‘mark’ but I could perfectly understand he didn’t like the idea.
“I wasn’t sure what you are talking about,” I answered, making him understand that I need a proper explanation about it.
He scanned me. And after he was satisfied, he finally answered.
“Oh, I don’t think he will do that without you understanding the thing,” he said, relieved.
I shook my confusion away. “Nah, Killian would not like it when someone is talking about him without his knowledge.”
He just shrugged it off. “He wasn't near here. I don't think he could hear me.”
“Is that why you were here?” I crossed my arms above my chest. “Tell me, how did you know my place?”
“Nah, I have my ways,” he looked around. “It's pretty damn good here. The prince really has a knack for finding the best investments.”
“Huh?”
“He owned this place, don't you know?” he announced.
“Wait, what?” I couldn't process it immediately.
The first time he set foot here, he stayed in my place because he didn't have any place to go. And now, Corbin was telling me Killian owned this tower building?
Was this some kind of a joke?
“I heard from my source that he bought it a week ago,” Corbin explained.
And who the hell was that source he was talking about? He must have got it wrong. It's impossible for Killian to…
I suddenly realized one thing.
The next day, he acquired the unit across from mine. There's someone living there but he still managed to get it quickly.
There was only one reason for that–because he certainly owned this place!
Gosh! How foolish was I, not to realize it?
Or maybe it was because I was too overwhelmed with everything that happened that same day.
Even right now, my head was in chaos, trying to understand every preposterous thing that happened to me.
“Wait? It was just a week ago, right?” I asked for confirmation.
Corbin nodded, confused. “More or less,” he said.
If it was a week ago, then it was probably the same day we became neighbors.
No, that was the same day I started to live in his place.
Then, he just bought this tower building for him to be able to live across mine. And unexpected things happened.
But why? Why did he have to do that?
He didn’t need to do that if his main reason was to work with me in breaking the arrangements our families made.
There must be other reasons. Besides, he wasn’t a normal human being. He must have aimed for something.
But what was it?
“Hey? Care to share your thoughts with me?”
I glanced back at Corbin.
“Nothing. Don’t mind me,” I said, forcing a smile. “So, what brought you here?”
He looked at me again, studying me. “Are you going somewhere?”
“I don’t have a plan yet,” I said shortly.
That was the least I could tell him. I couldn’t say anything more. I couldn’t tell him I was killing time and trying to find distraction so I could get rid of thinking Killian.
I couldn’t risk telling him that or Killian would find out about it.
Damn!
“Well, since you didn’t have a plan yet, my offer to Louvre Town still stands. Would you like to come? My pack—I mean my family is going to throw a party tonight and you might want to come as my plus one,” he smiled, tempting me to come.
I studied his invitation. Didn’t Killian warn me not to go anywhere aside from school and Kate’s place?
I knew his reason was to still be able to barricade me even though he wasn’t around. And I kind of felt rebellious about it. Especially that he did not give any explanation about his actions.
And he wasn’t answering my question. He constantly threw me into deep confusion and I hated it.
I wanted answers and I knew Corbin was the only person who could give me that.
“Would it take us long to get there? I mean can we go back tomorrow morning? I have class at nine and…” I sighed, I was still in between coming and not coming with him.
Corbin’s handsome face suddenly lit up with happiness and excitement.
“Does that mean you are coming with me to Louvre Town?” he asked, trying to confirm what he heard.
“Well, I have this feeling that I need to come.”
And that was true. There was this magical pull, urging me to come. Deep down in me, I wanted to meet his grandma. The name brought this stinging feeling in me. I don’t know what that means but I wanted to find out. I badly wanted to.
And for me to do that, I should come with Corbin.
“Just promise me you’ll bring me back tomorrow morning. I don’t want to skip class since I was a graduating student. Dad would definitely not like it,”
“Of course, of course,” he exclaimed. “You're a graduating highschool student right?”
I nodded. Did I forget to mention that Brockton University has a high school department and catered advanced lessons? That's why I chose to study there. The professors even required us to do case study and research papers that turned out to be a baby thesis, before graduating high school. And those should be done in college.
“Wait, I’ll just make a call and get things ready for our trip.”
I nodded at him and took the lobby couch near me.
I was still skeptical. I didn’t know why.
I knew Killian would not like it if he found out I disobeyed him.
Yet, he didn’t own me. No one did.
“I am the master of myself, I will do what I think is right,” I tried to appease my worry.
I glanced towards Corbin’s direction who seemed too busy with a conversation from someone on his phone.
He seemed nice. I shouldn’t worry, right?
Oddly, I felt Corbin was as trustworthy as how I felt about Killian.
I was never a person who easily trusted a stranger. But the moment I laid eyes on both men, they seemed to summon me into trusting them, deeply.
As much as I tried to convince myself, Killian’s image kept on appearing across my eyes.
I worried deeply that he might get angry at me for disobeying him. But the craving for answers was stronger than my worry.
I should do this.