Rebirth Of The Forgotten Heiress - Chapter 42: Chapter 42

Quinlyn studied Yasin—his poker face flawless, miles ahead of Zachary's. Not a single tell.
Just then, Elsie hurried over and hugged Yarden tightly, scolding, "What were you thinking, going in so deep? If it weren't for Yasin, you'd be a goner."
Hearing this, Quinlyn froze. She hadn't expected Yasin to be the one who rescued Yarden. She glanced at Yasin.
Yasin caught Quinlyn's gaze and responded with nothing more than a slight tilt of his chin.
Under normal circumstances, Quinlyn wouldn't have given it a second thought. But his cocky little gesture now practically screamed suspicion.
Lying on the ground, Yarden's head was still spinning. He had wanted to prove himself by catching some fish in the water, but he didn't expect to fall into the water. Hearing Elsie's words, his gaze shifted to Yasin.
Yasin shot Yarden a sideways glance and gave a smirk that made Yarden want to disappear. His eyes looked like a beast sizing up its prey.
Yarden shrank back a little and responded to Elsie, "Yeah. I was just being careless. I slipped, that's all."
Elsie's eyes flickered as she kept comforting Yarden. While others might not have noticed, she saw it all.
Yarden slipped and fell into the water. Yasin rushed over to help. But when Yasin got close, his movements slowed down. Almost deliberately, he let Yarden bob up and down and swallow a lot of seawater.
By the time Yarden was finally pulled out, he was barely breathing. Yet, technically, it was still Yasin who got Yarden out.
Elsie looked down, choosing to keep it to herself. She thought, 'No one else seems to care—and really, what is the point?'
Only Quinlyn suspected there was more to the story. She pondered, 'Yarden is scrappy. He grew up poor, and even if Beatrice tried to spoil him, he spent his childhood climbing trees to catch birds and diving into rivers to fish.
'Logically, even if he slipped, he shouldn't have nearly drowned.' She kept watching Yasin—no proof, just a gut instinct that he'd had a hand in Yarden's near-drowning.
Yasin's mind was blank—no room for anything but the hunt. He sighted, aimed, and dropped each catch into the bucket without a wasted motion.
To outsiders, his movements appeared perfectly clean and efficient, like he'd done this a thousand times.
The fluid, practiced way Yasin worked had Xavier and the other three staring in awe, clearly on their way to becoming his full-fledged fans.
As for Yarden, who had nearly drowned, perhaps it was his first real brush with death; his usual peacock strut had completely vanished.
Withdrawn, he trudged silently at the back of the group, with Elsie beside him just as quiet. Their uncharacteristic behavior was unsettling to everyone.
Favorable weather and abundant food kept the group out until the last light faded. Darkness swallowed the horizon as they turned homeward, arms heavy with the day's catch.
Unlike when they first arrived, apart from the six who still seemed normal, the other four were like they'd lost their souls.
Xavier kept drifting in and out, fully present one moment, completely spaced out the next. Watching him, Hannah mirrored his state, zoning in and out herself.
After sizing up the group of teenagers, Quinlyn shook her head slightly and thought to herself, 'The follies of youth. Well, all except Yarden, of course.'
Once the group was back in the building, they each got to work, ready to feast on some real meat. They hadn't planned anything fancy. A simple stew or some steamed dishes would have done the trick.
Xavier might not be good at much else, but he was a pro at scavenging. He managed to dig up a barbecue grill and even unearthed two bottles of red wine from the basement. His previously lifeless face instantly lit up with excitement.
He muttered, "No wonder everyone loves scavenging for treasure. This feels even better than finding cash on the street."
With the grill set up and some charcoal scrounged up, everyone pooled their carefully rationed supplies—instant ham, marinated beef, and all sorts of treats they'd been saving. No one held anything back.
Seeing this, Yasin grabbed a flashlight, slung on his backpack, and headed out again. When he returned, his pack was stuffed to the brim with foraged goods: wild mushrooms, fresh basil, a few coconuts, and even a handful of wild mint.
Other young men were thrilled by the sight.
Yasin said, "I checked the kitchen. Whoever stocked it wasn't completely heartless. They even left us a bunch of seasonings. See what you guys can whip up with those."
There was something distinctly paternal in his tone, like an adult humoring a bunch of kids.
Xavier had felt a bit awkward around Yasin at first, but after just one day, he was completely won over. He followed Yasin like a little tail, constantly calling out his name.
Quinlyn couldn't help but shiver. She thought, 'Seriously? Where's your cool demeanor? Weren't you just spaced out a minute ago?' But she didn't want to ruin everyone's mood, so she kept quiet.
Meanwhile, Zachary and Yalena were trying to blend in with the group, but their stiff, forced attempts made it obvious to everyone that something was off.
Zachary watched as the group bustled around the barbecue, cheerful banter filling the air, every face relaxed with enjoyment. Only now did the true vacation vibe emerge.
Yet he felt it had nothing to do with him. As the host, he could only shuffle awkwardly to the periphery, silently observing, feeling like an outsider.
His fists clenched tightly. Back when Logan lectured him, he'd barely listened to half of it. Most of the time, he just brushed it off. He thought, 'I'm the sole heir of the Fletcher family. Why should I care what others think?
'Why should I accommodate people I don't even care about?' That was why, after Quinlyn appeared, he simply acted on impulse, without a second thought.
But at this moment, Zachary felt every word Logan had ever said to him come rushing back, each one stinging like a slap across the face.
Quinlyn juggled a plate of freshly grilled scallops, practically dancing to avoid burning her hands. Her bright, striking features and perky bun exuded youthful energy as she approached Yasin.
Zachary glanced over at Quinlyn and then dropped his head slightly.
Kevin appeared at Zachary's side without warning and handed him a freshly steamed crab. He said, "What's going on between you and Yalena? Your grandpa never approved of your relationship.
"If you keep this up, do you think you two can make it? Come on, you know how much she likes you."
Back then, Zachary was certain about Yalena's feelings for him. But after that night, doubt crept in. He thought, 'Does she love me, or just the Fletcher family?
'If someone from a family as wealthy as the Fletcher family, or even wealthier, showed up, what would she choose?'
Meanwhile, Quinlyn went back inside and found Yasin.
Yasin slumped against the second-floor balcony railing, a scavenged cigarette dangling from his fingers.