Loving You From Stars

Bittersweet Surprise

Corale had promised herself not to let Victor affect her day.

After all, complaining won't change Victor's course.

Corale closed the topic with a promise to answer Zoe's curiosity later, for now she wanted to focus on spending time together and completing the re-enlistment.

So far it's been fun, although sometimes she accidentally meets Victor and his new friends who turn out to be famous on campus.

Corale ignored Victor's presence as best she could, covering her fear at the tantalizing whistles.

Just a day here, Victor had openly said that she belonged to him.

Corale felt embarrassed and quickened her pace out of the campus building, ignoring Zoe who was left behind quite a bit.

“Corale! Wait!” Zoe screamed in her ragged breaths. Above all, she didn't like chasing after someone.

Corale ignored her, only stopping when she arrived at the main gate to enter the campus. She turned her head with a blush on her cheeks embarrassed, "Sorry you had to see all that."

“You mean the guys flirt like there's no tomorrow?” Zoe asked jokingly, “Corale, it's nothing~” she's already seen worse than that.

Coral just smiled.

"You want to go to the cafe? Have you asked your Uncle's permission?" Zoe asked hopefully.

The smile on Corale's lips disappeared. She wanted to work, but like Vyrion said, Gabriel forbade it because she has to focused on studying. She didn't want to disappoint Zoe for giving her false hopes, but she couldn't, “Gabriel didn't allow it. I'm sorry."

"Oh."

Corale was even more regretful at the disappointed tone of Zoe's response, “Sorry. I've been trying to melt Gabriel's heart, but ...”

"It's okay," Zoe conceded, showing a cheerful smile that didn't reach her eyes, "I understand."

Corale looked down, angry at herself for not trying any harder.

“Oh! Look at the time~ I must go,” Zoe said clapping her hand playfully, “Bye, Corale~!”

Corale watched Zoe leave who was walking quickly away from her.

Zoe was so disappointed that she didn't wait for her to say anything.

Corale decides not to go after Zoe, giving her time with the high hopes they can still be friends. She took a deep breath, just about to take a step, but a familiar deep voice stopped her.

"Corale."

"Gabriel!" Corale approached her uncle immediately, checking more closely if there was anything strange because yesterday she had never heard anything from him, "Are you okay?"

“Yes,” Gabriel answered awkwardly, “I thought something weird happened yesterday.”

"W-what is it?" Corale asked a little nervously if he remembered yesterday's events and slowly suspected Vyrion wasn't human.

Gabriel massaged his dizzy forehead unable to remember anything about his activities yesterday, "I slept all day even though I'm sure I didn't stay up late."

"Maybe you're tired from work?" Corale guessed while she was relieved to know Vyrion hadn't done anything extreme in her heart.

“Perhaps,” Gabriel mumbled, “rather than that, come with me.”

"Where to?" Corale wondered if he remembered hiring a special tutor for her yesterday.

"Your father's house."

***

Her Father's complex house was unexpectedly quite close to the campus area, maybe because this was also the reason Gabriel chose it.

Corale understood why it was better to stay at her Father's house than the further away castle as she had to take a bus to get there.

Gabriel didn't open the door right away but knocked softly as if someone was inside.

Corale wondered if any of her father's other family members lived here. Her mother said her father lived alone, but who knows things have changed.

Her father is no more.

“Welcome home, love~” A beautiful red-haired woman gathered with a flirt soft voice.

Corale could guess what a woman might welcome in nothing but a sexy nightgown—sheer black lingerie was Gabriel's special woman. She felt uncomfortable when that woman's hazel eyes fell on her.

“Oh—you!?” The woman narrowed her eyes displeased. Gabriel still brought another woman into the house even though there was no sign of affection between them. After noticing Corale's face, she only realized it looked familiar to her.

Gabriel nodded, "Introducing, this is my niece, Corale Vincent."

Corale carved a sweet smile, her hand raised intending to shake hands, but she was shocked when the woman slapped her hand with a disgusted look at her.

“Olivia, watch your attitude,” Gabriel warned loudly.

Instead, Olivia didn't reply, looking away with her arms folded across her chest in protest.

Corale gently stroked her hand, which was hot from the woman named Olivia's hard slap. They didn't know each other, but how could she already be hated by Olivia? She was sure that her attitude was not rude.

“Olivia,” Gabriel called out with emphasis, warning loudly.

Olivia remained unmoved, but this time she wanted to comment, "I won't let this leech step on us in our house."

"Leech!?" Corale couldn't believe what she was hearing. She hadn't said anything, didn't look at her hatefully, but how could Olivia think that low of her? She was really offended because she had great respect for Gabriel, she didn't unleash her furry, “I'm sorry, did you mistook me for someone else? I'm positive we just meet here.”

Olivia just clicked her tongue annoyed.

“You really embarrass me with your attitude. We've already talked about this," Gabriel said with a blush, "I suggest you go back to your house to think about your behavior, Olivia."

“You can't be serious,” Olivia stomped her flip-flop feet on the wooden floor, “She's the problem. Don't blame me."

“Olivia, come out. Now," Gabriel couldn't tolerate it anymore, "or do you want me to call security?"

"What!? You prefer her over me?” Olivia screamed with emotion.

Corale was confused about Olivia's problem with her.

Gabriel introduced her as a niece so Olivia didn't think she was his mistress. Then what?

“Uhm … looks like I came in the wrong situation.”

Corale's heart stopped for a moment when she heard a deep voice behind her.

Was she dreaming?

That deep voice shouldn't be here.

But ...

Light footsteps behind her signaled that Corale wasn't dreaming. She slowly turned around to confirm, and her mouth opened wide to see who it was.

“Gael!?”