CHAPTER 10

ROHAN woke up that morning with a throbbing head because he couldn’t sleep last night, and it was something caffeine couldn’t fix, so he left the bed and went downstairs to make himself coffee. But on his way to the kitchen, his nose was immediately greeted with the scent of brewing coffee and something fried. Ah, right… he wasn’t alone in the villa. Yvonne was still there… the very bane of his existence.

He let out a sigh and entered the kitchen.

“Good morning,” Yvonne greeted him with a smile.

She seemed happy that morning, as though everything between them was fine. He thought she’d greet him that morning with puffy red eyes and pouted lips and beg him so that he’d let her stay in the villa. But she was far from that. Yvonne looked like someone who got a straight eight-hour sleep accompanied by a sweet dream.

Oh, look how unfair life could be.

Rohan cleared his throat and sat on a stool. He watched her fill a mug with scalding hot coffee straight from the percolator.

Yvonne raised her head and looked at him. “Do you want sugar and cream?”

“Just a little sugar, please.”

She mixed a teaspoon of sugar and served him the coffee.

“Thanks,” he said shortly. Rohan could only close his eyes the moment he took a sip of coffee. For some reason, the coffee Yvonne made tasted different from the one he always makes for himself. After a few moments, he opened his eyes again. “Do you have some secret formulation or brewing technique?”

She just shrugged and showed him the roasted coffee beans from the paper bag above the kitchen counter.

“I just grabbed these from home when I packed my luggage and brought my percolator with me. But I guess it tasted different because my dad planted and grew its seeds with love.”

He smiled before taking another sip of his coffee. Yvonne always tends to romanticize things, maybe because she wrote romance novels.

“Anyway… we’re not done yet,” Rohan said as he put the cup down. His eyes caught Yvonne’s hand shivering as she filled a plate with fried rice.

“E-eh?”

“About you staying here.”

“A-ah… I see.” She heaved a sigh and handed him the plate of fried rice. “Can we just come up with something that’d benefit us both?”

His eyes narrowed. Yvonne would bargain so she could continue her stay in the villa.

“Eddie will be here on Sunday. It’s Tuesday now, so you still have some time.” He looked at her intently. “I hope that’s enough time for you to finish whatever you have to—”

“I can’t leave this Sunday. I need to stay here until the end of the month because that’s what your mother and I agreed.” Yvonne propped her hands to her sides. “And I paid rent.”

“I’ll tell my mother to refund the payment—”

“No. It’s not going to happen, Rohan.”

“This is the best way I know that will benefit us both—”

“It’s not. Believe me.”

“And why do you think so?” He raised a brow.

She propped her hands on the countertop and leaned toward him. “Because I’m not going to let you kick me out of this villa,” she said in a firm tone. “I like it here.”

He pushed her by the forehead with a finger.

“Stop being stubborn, Yvonne. This is my place, so you don’t have the right to insist on what you want.” He let out a sigh.

“Rohan…” she said with pouted lips. “Please….”

And now, she was starting to beg him.

“No.”

“I just can’t leave this place when I finally find what I’ve been searching for.” Yvonne sounded like she was about to cry.

“You found what?”

“My muse.”

Rohan was aware of what she was talking about. Artists seek inspiration from their muses, and writers were one of those artists. Yvonne must’ve found her muse because the island was such a serene and solemn place anyone could dream of.

“I’m sorry, but you came here at the wrong time. You can just come back once I go home—”

“It won’t work that way. I must write now, Rohan… or my muse will leave me again.”

He pressed his lips firmly. No matter what he said, Yvonne would talk back. And it seemed that she’d do everything to win that argument. That was the Yvonne he knew, not the one he encountered back in the hotel a few days ago.

“Look… you got yourself a huge villa with lots of room. I will only take one space most of the time. Right now, it’s the library. You won’t even feel that I’m here,” Yvonne said to convince him more.

But Rohan doubted that. Knowing she was staying with him in the same villa was enough reason for him to feel her entire existence.

“Fine,” he said afterward.

He saw Yvonne’s face light up.

“Are we… good now? I can stay here with you?” she asked, grinning.

“I have one condition.” Rohan raised a finger.

“Name it.”

“Transfer to another room. The room you’re occupying right now is mine, and I can’t sleep in any other room.”

“O-oh! Okay, I’ll transfer to the room across that.” The grin wasn’t leaving her face. She must be happy and feeling triumphant at that moment. “Is there anything else?”

“The cat. I’m allergic to cats.”

“I see. Don’t worry about it. Bean always stays where he can smell my scent, so he’ll most likely stay inside the room.” Yvonne tilted her head to the side. “I’ll clean the room after I transfer all my belongings.”

“Good.” He picked up the cup and sipped the remaining coffee.

“So… why are you here?” Yvonne went to his side of the counter and sat on the stool beside him.

“Because this is our villa.” He turned in her direction.

“I mean, why did you come here all of a sudden?” she asked as she munched her food.

Rohan saw a grain of rice in the corner of her mouth and absent-mindedly took it off for her. She suddenly stopped munching and looked at him with wide eyes. But it was too late for Rohan to realize what he had done.

“I-I… uhm… excuse me, someone’s calling,” he said as he fished his phone out of his pocket. He then briskly walked out of the kitchen. “Yes, Joaquin?”

But no one was calling. And yes, he made himself look like an idiot.

“What am I doing?” he whispered.

***

YVONNE suppressed her laugh when Rohan panicked so suddenly after taking off whatever was in the corner of her mouth. But she must admit that he was quick to make up an alibi just to run away from her. She let him escape because she thought he’d change his mind if she teased him. Yvonne would keep everything to herself and confront him when the time was right.

She finished her meal and didn’t wait for Rohan’s return. It would take him a while, for sure. Knowing Rohan, he’d be too shy about what he did and would try to avoid her in any way possible. But if he thought he could run away from her, he was wrong. Yvonne would make sure to stick with him until she made him fall for her.

“Now I’ve got one month to make him fall in love with me,” she whispered as she took the dishes to the sink.

She was a step closer again to her goal. Maybe the stars were in her favor now…