Onshore, Evangeline and Lilybe found Eric sleeping under thefort of arge canopy while Satele and Asher were nowhere to be seen.


    Both approached Eric, one with a passionate face, while the other had a curious look. Eric''s face had a softness when it came to rest as ifcking the stress the others had. His hair was swept to the side, and hisshes and thin lips pulled Lilybe to look closer. To discover the beauty hidden within his disguise.


    An inch was enough, and Lilybe would kiss Eric''s lips when Evangeline smacked her palms against her face.


    "What are you doing?" Evangeline hissed, fingers tightened around Lilybe''s squishy cheeks.


    "Ehehehe. T-teacher. Lilybe just wanted to get close to Eric––urk!"


    Lilybe groaned in pain when Evangeline''s fingers squeeze her skin, causing her eyes to water.


    "T-teacher! Lilybe is wrong! S-she just wanted to check on Eric if he''s okay."


    Evangeline retrieved her hands, but her voice was thick with threat. "Try that shit again, and I''ll pull all that shining hairs on your head. Now scram!"


    Lilybe quickly stood on her feet and dashed away to findfort in Daniel''s presence.


    After searching for minutes, Lilybe found Daniel in the heart of the forest, sitting under the enormous roots of a tree.


    "Your Highness! Your Highness! Let''s go y in theke!"


    Daniel was fiddling with his phone, thinking hard whether to contact Sisley or not until he heard that overly excited voice. He sighed, stood to his feet, and pocketed his phone.


    He went into the direction of the cabin when Lilybe blocked his way.


    "Your Highness! Let''s go and explore theke. Didn''t you say that you wanted to take a swim?"


    "I''m not in the mood anymore," Daniel said with a wry sigh and circled Lilybe.


    "But your highness! We''re in the forest with ake, and it''s summer! We should enjoy it!" Lilybe kept saying, following behind Daniel.


    Daniel faced Lilybe when he realized that she wouldn''t let him off. "Listen, if you want to go swimming, then go. Can you please just let me be for once? Just for this day?"


    "But your Highness, this is such a rare opportunity for us to get to know each other," she said. Then she tapped her fingers together, eyes shifting to the ground.


    "And his Highness already saw Lilybe''s breasts so . . ."


    "Stop. Just stop," Daniel snapped. "ME seeing your breasts didn''t mean anything. I saw tons of breasts, and yours are ordinary as they can get. So don''t tter yourself and leave me alone."


    Daniel took a side step and walked towards the cabin in long strides.


    . . .


    . . .


    Lilybe eyes reflected Daniel''s retreating figure as her lips mped between her teeth, repressing the quivering of her chin.


    She shook her head, and her smile was on her face once more.


    "His Highness is just in a bad mood. Don''t worry, once he tried Lilybe''s special grilled steak, he''ll be asking for more," she murmured to herself and skipped back to the grilling station.


    But then she skidded to a stop when her line of sight caught someone.


    Before, while Evangeline, Lilybe, and Daniel were out in theke and Eric was busy in the grilling stand, Asher was peeking at Satele.


    She was sitting on a chair, reading her notes. Her expression was so far away, and this made his mood at ease. Her hair was straight and ck, some strands falling on her face while she kept most of it at bay with a hand as she read.


    Asher chuckled and rolled his eyes. Just tie it up already.


    Then her violet eyes shifted and finally acknowledged his presence, and a surge of warmth enveloped him, feeling ufortable at the same time. And before he knew it, he was standing in front of her.


    "Reading? Really? You even brought your notes all the way here?"


    Satele wrinkled her nose like she smelt rotten fish. "It''s my life. I get to decide how I live it," she said, eyes on her notes.


    "Hey!" Satele snarled when Asher snatched them from her hands.


    She stood and tiptoed to reach her book from him.


    "Give it back to me!"


    "I''ll think about it if you join me for a swim," Asher grinned. He was enjoying Satele on her toes to reach him as he made his way towards theke.


    "I''m not in the mood to y games with you! Give it back!" Satele screamed and chased Asher around.


    "You can have it if you can reach it."


    Satele stomped her feet when Asher went into theke while dangling her notes from his hands. She red at him and turned, stomping her way back into the cabin.


    "Hey! Where are you going? Don''t want your notes anymore?" Asher asked, but Satele just ignored him.


    As Satele''s silhouettes disappeared into the forest, Asher released an irritating sigh. "Party pooper!"


    He dragged his body out of theke and chased after her.


    "Hey! Hey! I said, wait!" Asher continued to call at the nonresponsive Satele, who just kept walking without looking back.


    "I said wait," Asher said and snatched Satele''s hand. But his following words were stuck in his throat at her ring eyes and the anger from her down curved mouth.


    "Why are you so angry?" he asked instead.


    Satele''s expression changed into a scowl under an increasingly arched brow. "Really? You''re asking me that after what you did?"


    "I''m just trying to get you into theke. What so wrong with me wanting to enjoy this day with my woman?"


    Satele drylyughed and snatched her arms back from Asher''s hold. "You know, you being clueless doesn''t surprise me at all. You''ve always been self-centered, and it''s always been about you. You. You!"


    Satele crossed her arms, and her voice increased in volume the more she spoke.


    "You brought me here against my will. Made me clean a house. Wanting me to tolerate all these people. And now you want me to entertain you! Have you ever asked what I want for once?"


    ". . . What do you want then?" Asher asked after a short silence.


    "I want to get out of here and study for the final exams because I don''t have the money nor the resources to retake another year. Unlike you guys, I have to juggle my work, studies, and family, and I don''t have the time to be in here pretending to enjoy yourpany! Nor I have the time to babysit you nor tolerate your childish behavior!"


    ". . ."


    Something shed beneath the surface of Asher''s stern expression, and Satele would be dammed if she wanted to find out what it was.


    "I just brought you here because I wanted you to forget all your worries and enjoy yourself for one day. That''s all. But I think it''s a mistake since that''s not how you see it."


    He then walked away, back into the cabin as he said, "Pack your things. I''ll send you back, then"


    And he was gone.


    Satele blinked. She should be happy and excited to go back home and be a good student and daughter. But all she felt was a ball ofplicated emotions.


    She sighed and followed Asher back when she caught Lilybe in her line of sight.