Chapter 5: Suitor

Trina's POV

I froze, my breath hitching. What the hell is happening? Zep's father stood in front of us, his presence so overpowering that I felt suffocated. His eyes burned with fury, and for a second, I wished the ground would just swallow me whole.

Zep pushed himself up from the floor, wiping the blood off his split lip. He didn't look scared, but I sure as hell was. When his father's sharp gaze landed on me, my stomach twisted into knots.

"And you actually brought that girl here?"

Shit. Wrong move. Very wrong move. Can I just vanish?

"She's the girl in that video, isn't she?" His voice was dangerously calm. "The reason our enemies found you?"

What video? Was he talking about the one from earlier?

"Dad, this isn't the time for—"

"Answer me, Zep."

Tension hung thick in the air, and I felt like I was suffocating under his gaze.

Zep sighed, exasperated. "We'll talk about this later."

His father didn't like that answer. Not one bit.

He turned back to me, his cold eyes scanning me from head to toe, like I was some dirt on his shoe.

"What business does your family have?"

What? The hell kind of question is that?

"N-None, sir," I managed to say.

His lips curled into a knowing smirk before he looked back at Zep.

"Escort her out."

I tensed. My mind screamed at Zep to get me out of here before things got worse, but the idiot wasn't moving.

"No."

Silence.

His father's expression darkened. "Are you disobeying me now?"

Zep straightened, standing his ground. "Dad, she's my girlfriend."

I choked.

What the fuck did he just say?!

"S-Sir, I am not his girlfriend!" I blurted out, horrified.

His father's eyes narrowed slightly, scrutinizing me as if I were some inconvenience.

"You should be."

That was it. That was the last straw.

I clenched my fists. I've been insulted plenty of times before, but this? This was another level.

"I know we're not wealthy, sir," I said, forcing my voice to stay steady. "But even if I were Zep's girlfriend, you have no right to control his life."

Silence.

Both of them stared at me like I had just done the impossible.

Then Zep reached for my hand, his grip warm and secure. That's when I felt the first tear roll down my cheek.

His father's voice cut through the moment.

"And who the hell do you think you are to talk back to me?"

I swallowed hard. Every fiber of my being was telling me to walk away.

"You have no right to talk to me like that either," I shot back, my voice trembling slightly, but I refused to back down. "I'll leave, sir. Don't worry. I never wanted anything to do with your family in the first place. I'm not some gold-digger, and I'm definitely not desperate."

His smirk deepened.

I turned on my heel and stormed out of that damn mansion. My vision was blurry with unshed tears, but I didn't stop walking. I didn't even care how I'd get home—I just needed to get the hell away.

On the Street

"Trina!"

I heard Zep calling, but I didn't stop.

"Trina, wait!"

Footsteps quickened behind me, and before I knew it, his hand wrapped around my wrist, forcing me to stop.

I turned to him, my cheeks damp with tears.

"I-I'm sorry."

I let out a bitter laugh.

"This is all your fault! If I hadn't met you, I wouldn't be feeling like this!" I snapped.

The pain in my chest only deepened. His family thought I was worthless. Like I was nothing.

"Dad was just angry—he didn't mean what he said," Zep tried to explain. "He's a good man, I swear."

I scoffed. "Oh yeah? He's so good that he made me cry. Fantastic."

I shook my head and stepped back. "Just… leave me alone for now, Zep."

And this time, I didn't look back.

At Home

By the time I got home, I was exhausted—physically and emotionally. I was sweaty, hungry, and still on the verge of breaking down.

"Ma, I'm home!"

I pushed open the door, expecting a quiet house, but instead, I found something unexpected.

Romeo.

He was sitting in the living room, laughing with my mom like they were old friends.

The moment she saw me, my mom stood up. "Oh, honey! You look like you just went through hell!"

Behind her, Romeo chuckled.

I shot him a glare. What is with this guy always laughing at me?!

But then, something caught my eye—his clothes. He looked like he had stepped out of some fancy 18th-century party. What the hell?

"Romeo, what's with the outfit?"

He simply grinned. "Just felt like dressing up."

Weird. But whatever.

"Have you eaten? Romeo brought dinner," my mom said cheerfully.

I turned toward the dining table and nearly gasped.

A whole damn tuna.

Surrounded by an array of sashimi, fresh lettuce, and other fancy dishes. The table was full.

"What is this, a feast?" I asked in disbelief.

"A chef even came earlier to prepare it," my mom added, as if that were normal.

I turned to Romeo, narrowing my eyes. "Okay, what is going on? Why all this?"

He leaned back, looking unbothered. "I was craving sashimi and thought I'd share."

Okay, what?

First, he dresses like some Victorian prince. Now, he casually orders a private chef for a random dinner?

There's something really off about him.

After Dinner

Mom left us alone in the living room, giving us time to talk.

"So," I started, crossing my arms. "What happened at the meeting about the event?"

Romeo sighed. "I actually couldn't make it."

"Why not?"

He hesitated. Just for a split second.

"There was… an emergency at home."

I raised an eyebrow. "What kind of emergency?"

Something flickered in his eyes. He was nervous.

"Just… family matters," he said vaguely.

I wasn't convinced, but before I could push further, he exhaled sharply and turned to me with an unusually serious expression.

"Trina, there's actually something I need to tell you."

His tone made my stomach tighten.

"Okay… What is it?"

His gaze locked onto mine. "I want to court you."

I blinked.

Wait. What?

"Did I just hear you right?"

"Trina," he said, firmer this time. "I want to court you."

My brain short-circuited.

What the actual fuck?

I mean, sure, Romeo was nice. And weirdly charming. But I never once thought of him that way.

Then again… Zep's father did just humiliate me. And Romeo? He was offering me something different.

I hesitated. But in the end, I found myself saying—

"Alright, Romeo. You can court me."

A wide smile broke across his face, his braces glinting under the light. "You have no idea how happy that makes me."

I smiled back, but deep down, something didn't sit right.

"Romeo," I murmured, watching his reaction carefully. "Do you know anyone named Zephyr?"