Romance with the Cursed Siren

CHAPTER 3. Charming Stalker

Gabriel immediately climbed the steel ladder attached to the extended platform at the back of the yacht, his wet shoes clanging softly against the metal steps. The sea beneath him continued to surge restlessly against the rocks, though the violence of the typhoon had finally weakened into rough rolling waves.

Christian followed closely behind, carefully stepping onto the luxurious vessel while silently inspecting its condition.

The moment he stepped onto the deck, he realized just how expensive the yacht truly was.

It was far larger and far more elegant than the modest yacht he owned on the opposite side of the island. The polished mahogany deck gleamed beneath the morning sunlight despite the seawater covering it, while the leather couches surrounding the cockpit spoke of wealth and sophistication. Chrome railings reflected the ocean light beautifully, and even the smallest details of the vessel screamed luxury.

Unfortunately, the storm had not spared it.

Several pieces of furniture had shifted violently during the typhoon, and broken glass glittered across parts of the deck. Seawater still pooled in the corners while ropes, tools, and personal belongings remained scattered everywhere.

Christian silently hoped the damage was only external.

If the engine had been destroyed, the young man would remain stranded on the island far longer than he wanted.

And that thought alone already exhausted him.

“Check the engine first,” Christian ordered calmly.

Gabriel, who had been staring mournfully at his soaked cellphone, immediately nodded.

“Yes, sir.”

He slipped the useless phone into his pocket before walking toward the control panel at the flybridge.

For a moment, only the sound of the waves and distant seabirds filled the air.

Then, the engine roared to life.

Gabriel released a deep breath of relief and laughed softly to himself.

“Well,” he muttered while running a hand through his damp hair, “I guess fate still decided to spare me a little hope.”

Christian crossed his arms while watching the younger man carefully.

“You must be some kind of prince,” he suddenly remarked.

Gabriel blinked in surprise before chuckling awkwardly.

“Not exactly, sir.”

But his shy reaction alone confirmed Christian’s suspicion.

“You said your family name is Anderson, correct?” Christian inquired as he continued inspecting the yacht.

“Ye-Yes Sir.” Gabriel answered in an almost whispering voice.

Christian nodded before speaking again. “How exactly did you end up here?”

Gabriel leaned casually against the control panel, though exhaustion still lingered in his expression.

“To be honest, sir, I didn’t even know this island existed.” He glanced toward the horizon thoughtfully. “I was traveling alone for a few days… just trying to get away from the city for a while. Then the weather suddenly changed, and the waves dragged me here before I could escape.”

Christian nodded quietly.

And before he could speak again, a horrible metallic screech suddenly echoed beneath the yacht.

Both men immediately stiffened.

The entire deck shook violently.

Gabriel nearly lost his balance as the vessel tilted slightly against the rocks.

He quickly shut the engine off.

“It’s probably the propeller,” Christian said immediately.

Gabriel turned toward him in surprise. “You know a lot about yachts, sir.”

Christian shrugged casually. “I own one myself.”

Gabriel blinked.

“You do?”

“It’s docked on the other side of the island.”

Christian slowly began removing his shirt, revealing the lean but powerful physique built from years of physical labor. Despite his age, strength still radiated from every movement he made.

Gabriel watched as the older man paused briefly to glance toward the ocean horizon.

The sun was climbing higher.

Christian sighed quietly.

‘It looks like our guest will be staying longer than expected’ he thought tiredly.

Without another word, he dove straight into the water.

Gabriel stepped toward the edge of the yacht, preparing to follow, when something suddenly caught his attention.

Farther away near a cluster of large rocks, he noticed a shadowy figure peeking from behind a boulder.

Because of the bright sunlight reflecting across the water, he couldn’t clearly see the figure’s face. But something about it felt familiar.

Before he could focus further, Christian resurfaced nearby.

“What is it?” Christian asked sharply, immediately noticing Gabriel’s distracted expression.

Gabriel hesitated.

For a brief second, he almost thought he had seen Crystal.

“Nothing,” Gabriel replied eventually. “I thought I saw something moving.”

Christian narrowed his eyes suspiciously before speaking again.

“There’s a rope tangled around the propeller. It also got stuck beneath one of the rocks.” He wiped seawater from his face. “We’ll need to remove it first and wait for high tide before moving the yacht back into deeper water.”

Gabriel nodded thoughtfully before leaning slightly against the railing.

“Well…” he admitted quietly, “I honestly don’t mind staying here longer.”

Christian immediately looked at him.

“I’m not exactly in a hurry to go home.” There was unexpected sadness in his voice.

Christian noticed it instantly.

“So this little adventure of yours is actually an escape,” he remarked knowingly while climbing back onto the yacht.

Gabriel laughed weakly.

“Something like that.” He stared down at the water for a moment before continuing. “I just needed time alone.”

Christian silently slipped his shirt back on.

“Well, in that case, I’ll leave you to your peace and solitude,” he replied dryly. “I still have a farm to repair thanks to last night’s storm.”

He stepped onto a nearby boulder before pausing suddenly.

“Oh, and one more thing.”

Gabriel looked up.

Christian pointed toward the shore where empty soda cans, wrappers, ropes, and broken supplies from the yacht were scattered everywhere.

“I don’t want to see any of that garbage lying around when I return.”

Gabriel immediately straightened.

“Yes, sir.”

“Especially those soda cans,” Christian added firmly. “Pick everything up and keep them inside your precious boat.”

Gabriel nodded obediently. “Understood.”

Christian smirked faintly to himself before finally leaving. The young man seemed polite enough. But Christian refused to lower his guard.

Not when Crystal was involved. Because whether Gabriel realized it or not, the way he looked at his daughter was becoming painfully obvious and that worried him. A lot.

The moment Christian disappeared into the forest trail, another figure slowly emerged from beneath the water.

Crystal.

She surfaced silently behind a large rock near the shore, carefully keeping herself hidden while watching Gabriel collect the scattered trash.

Soft laughter escaped her lips.

For some reason, seeing the wealthy city boy obediently cleaning the shoreline amused her greatly.

Her silver-blue eyes sparkled mischievously beneath the sunlight.

Crystal quietly swam closer before hiding behind a smaller boulder. From there, she could see Gabriel clearly.

His dark hair remained slightly damp from seawater while the sunlight highlighted the sharpness of his features beautifully. Even with rolled sleeves and messy clothes, he still looked annoyingly handsome.

“Gabe!”

Gabriel immediately froze. He looked around quickly.

The voice was soft, sweet and captivating.

And he would recognize it anywhere now.

“Crystal?” he called.

She giggled.

“Gabe!”

Finally, he spotted her peeking from behind the rock.

And for a moment…

Gabriel forgot how to breathe again.

Under the bright morning sun, Crystal looked even more breathtaking than she had the previous night.

Her wet black hair shimmered beautifully against her olive skin while tiny water droplets glowed like crystals across her shoulders. Her silver-blue eyes sparkled brightly beneath the sunlight, almost resembling the ocean itself.

Gabriel stared helplessly.

She looked less like a human girl and more like something magical born directly from the sea.

“Are you leaving already?” Crystal asked while resting both elbows against the rock and cupping her face in her hands.

Below the water, her shimmering tail swayed gently beneath the waves.

Gabriel swallowed hard before forcing himself to answer normally.

“Not yet. Your Dad said the yacht’s stuck until high tide.”

Crystal smiled softly.

“Oh.”

Gabriel suddenly felt an overwhelming urge to move closer to her. But the moment he stepped forward, Crystal quickly raised her hand.

“Stay there.”

Gabriel stopped immediately.

“Why?”

Crystal hesitated nervously. Because if he came any closer, he might see her tail beneath the clear water.

“I just…” she stammered awkwardly. “Don’t come near me right now.”

Gabriel tilted his head slightly before smiling.

“But I want to see your beautiful face up close.” Crystal’s eyes widened instantly.

Heat rushed into her cheeks so quickly she thought the ocean itself might start boiling around her. Her parents had complimented her beauty countless times before. But hearing it from Gabriel felt completely different.

Dangerously different.

Gabriel noticed her blush immediately and smirked slightly.

Crystal panicked.

“I-I should go.”

Before he could respond, she suddenly pointed behind him dramatically.

“Gabe, look!”

Gabriel instinctively turned.

“What?”

The second he looked away, Crystal disappeared beneath the water.

When Gabriel turned back again, she was completely gone.

Confused, he immediately walked toward the rock where she had been moments earlier but there's nothing. Not even a trace. He even crouched near the water, searching carefully beneath the waves.

Gabriel laughed softly in disbelief.

“Well,” he murmured to himself, “I guess mysterious girls really do belong on mysterious islands.”

Despite her sudden disappearance, he found himself smiling like an i***t afterward.

Because even a short conversation with Crystal somehow made the entire day brighter.

Hours passed slowly afterward.

Gabriel spent most of the afternoon cleaning the yacht and organizing the damaged interior.

The inside looked terrible. Furniture had shifted violently during the storm while seawater soaked nearly everything inside the galley and lounge area. Several food supplies had been ruined entirely.

Fortunately, the emergency storage beneath his bed remained dry.

At least he still had bottled water and canned food.

But aside from cleaning and occasional repairs, there was nothing else to do.

No internet. No laptop. No working phone. Only endless ocean waves surrounding him from every direction.

The island felt strangely peaceful. And somehow, that peace constantly reminded him of Crystal.

Eventually, as the afternoon faded into evening, Gabriel used his emergency walkie-talkie to contact his closest friend.

“Gabriel?” Axel’s relieved voice crackled through the device. “You’re alive!"

“Barely.”

“Where the hell are you?”

Gabriel leaned against the yacht railing while staring toward the distant shoreline.

“On an island.”

Axel sighed heavily.

“Do you need rescue?”

Gabriel hesitated. Then his eyes drifted unconsciously toward the ocean again.

“…No.”

“What?”

“I’m staying a little longer.”

Axel groaned loudly.

“You’re unbelievable.”

Gabriel smiled faintly.

Maybe he was. Because deep down, he knew the real reason he wanted to stay.

Crystal.

Meanwhile, on the opposite side of Caro Island, Christian and Aya spent the entire day repairing storm damage around their home.

Christian rebuilt broken fences while gathering frightened livestock before they wandered deeper into the forest. Aya collected surviving fruits and vegetables from the ruined gardens.

By sunset, both looked exhausted.

Finally, they headed toward the shore closest to their home to pick up their daughter.

Crystal surfaced immediately when she saw them.

Christian crouched beside the water.

“Listen carefully,” he said seriously. “Avoid the rocky coast for now.”

Crystal blinked innocently.

“Why?”

“Because the young man’s yacht is still there,” Aya answered softly.

Christian nodded.

“If he sees your tail, we’ll have a serious problem.”

Crystal lowered her gaze slightly before nodding obediently.

“Okay.”

Aya sighed deeply.

The presence of Gabriel Anderson on the island worried both parents far more than they wanted to admit.

But while they feared danger…

Crystal secretly smiled to herself.

Because tonight she already had a very silly plan in mind.