Chapter 279: The Eagle
Rafael saw me dodging like a ninja and then sitting all prim and proper, and he just lost it. "Jane, you look like a schoolgirl! Sitting there all straight with your hands behind your back, it's hilarious."
I glanced at myself: back straight, knees together, hands clenched behind me. Yeah, I did look like a kid who just got scolded by the teacher.
Rafael's words took me back to when I was like seven or eight.
Back then, I was this tiny, scrawny kid sitting in the front row, all obedient with my hands behind my back, eyes glued to the blackboard.
Fast forward more than ten years, and here I was, all grown up. Thinking about those days gave me this weird mix of nostalgia and joy.
Rafael's laugh was so loud and contagious, I couldn't help but start grinning too.
The vibe was super chill, and as Rafael and I got to know each other better, we started swapping childhood stories. When we hit the funny stuff, we were laughing so hard that people inside the house were staring at us.
The convo was a blast.
Mostly, he was doing the talking, and I was just soaking it all in.
He told me how he was forced to draw from like age three or four, and he couldn't stop until he finished his work. He even wet his pants a few times because of it. He tried so hard to get good at drawing and won a bunch of awards, but his dad always tore him down, saying he wasn't as good as this or that person, which crushed his confidence more than once.
I got that people like Brad back then and me now made Rafael's life tough.
So yeah, Brad and I kinda made Rafael's life suck.
But hey, you can't really blame us for that.
"I'm really sorry, I didn't think I'd cause you so much trouble. If I knew, I wouldn't have shown up today."
He looked at me all confused and asked why. It was his dad who scolded him, not me.
I teased him, "Getting scolded so much, you must hate me, right? I'm scared that if you knew what I looked like, you'd jump me in some dark alley to vent your anger."
Rafael laughed so hard, calling me cute over and over.
"Cute" isn't exactly what a twenty-three-year-old woman wants to hear. Especially from a guy younger than her, it felt kinda weird and off.
But it was just a joke. Rafael was this cheerful, sunny guy, a total gentleman, and a friend who could light up a room with his chatter.
Unexpectedly, not long after, I did get jumped in a dark alley and had to lay low for a while before I dared to go out again.
Of course, it wasn't him.
Brad and Larry finally put down their wine glasses. After Brad sent Larry and Sofia back to their rooms, he came to the terrace. He put his arm around my neck and planted a kiss on my cheek. "What were you talking about, laughing so hard?"
A kiss on the cheek was no big deal. I casually raised my hand to hold Brad's arm around my neck and told him we were sharing embarrassing childhood stories.
I spilled the beans to Brad about Rafael wetting his pants as a kid. Brad found it hilarious and plopped down on the armrest next to me. His arm slid from my neck to my shoulders, pulling me into a full-on cuddle. His lips were just above my forehead, and with a tiny move, he could've kissed me.
Rafael didn't hold back even with Brad there, but I could sense some anger and bitterness in his words.
Oh, I got it. He didn't hate me; he hated Brad. Probably 'cause Brad gave him more grief and rejection.
The night at Larry's place was a blast.
When we were leaving, Rafael, on behalf of Larry and Sofia, saw us off.
Brad went to grab the car, and I waited on the steps.
Rafael kept a polite smile the whole time. After Brad started the car and drove about ten yards away, I glanced back and saw Rafael still standing there. But his gaze had changed, like a hawk zeroing in on its prey.
His stare was so intense, it gave me chills.
"What's up? Is the AC too low?"
I patted my arms and shook my head.
After we drove a bit, I couldn't help but look back again.
Brad noticed and asked what was up.
I thought for a sec and decided to tell him, "It's nothing, just that Rafael's gaze was kinda scary."
Brad tilted his head, raised his right hand, and pinched my cheek. "You finally noticed, huh? Not too slow."
Huh?
I looked at Brad, confused.
He pursed his lips, his jawline tight, and after a couple minutes of silence, he said, "He likes you. Stay away from him."
"What? No way, Brad, you're overthinking it."
"Guys just get each other. My gut's not wrong."
Alright, fine.
"Stay away from him, got it?" Brad said again, his tone already showing he was pissed.
"Got it, just focus on driving."
Was I really that great, that everyone would like me?
When we got home, Mia was on the couch watching TV, and Yancy was in the kitchen cooking, with a sweet aroma filling the air.
Yancy knew Mia wouldn't forgive him easily, so he was on a relentless mission to win her back.
Don't be fooled by Mia's small stature; she was super stubborn. Once she made up her mind, it was hard to change it.
The day Yancy came back, he escorted her to the company entrance, but Mia didn't even look at him, let alone say a word.
I heard that one day after work, Yancy, fed up, just scooped Mia into his luxury car, locked the doors, and held her shoulders to keep her from kicking, forcing her to listen to his explanation.
Turns out, the Bailey family had some strict rules. Every year, they'd pick one or two members and send them off for training.
Unfortunately, Yancy got picked by the old family head. They took all his communication devices, put him on a plane, and sent him to some secret island in the Pacific for hardcore training.
This training was brutal. Since the island's location was top secret, no one could contact the outside world. They had to rely on their smarts and physical strength to get through, and their test scores directly affected their ranking as heirs.
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