THE BILLIONAIRE'S FORBIDDEN OBSESSION

THE HUMAN HOME -PART 2

Shantal scrambled into the kitchen to pivot her menu. She opened the freezer, pulled out a thick cut of beef, and hastily threw together a makeshift beef steak.An hour later, the savory, garlicky aroma of seared meat filled the floating house.

Shantal set down a massive plate of hot beef steak alongside a huge bowl of white rice.This time, the mermaid’s eyes lit up with pure curiosity rather than rage. She didn't use a fork, nor did she care about the rice. She aggressively grabbed the juicy strips of steak, devouring the meat with an insatiable appetite while leaving the rice completely untouched.

Shantal sat across from her, leaning her chin on her hand, watching the magical creature tear into the beef like a tiny, golden lioness.

Shantal Vance’s grand quest to uncover the deep, spiritual secrets of her ancient identity had officially taken a back seat to discovering her new roommate's culinary preferences, she was a hardcore carnivore.

The sudden rush of protein hit the mermaid's system like a lightning bolt. Her eyes flashed, her posture straightened, and she practically vibrated with a massive burst of newfound energy.

Before Shantal could even offer her a napkin, the girl leaped up from the table, completely bypassing the rice. She sprinted to the wide balcony doors and pointed a greasy, steak-stained finger out the window toward the pitch-black ocean.

"Gabriel," she said, her voice was some kind with urgency. She jabbed her finger toward the horizon again, making it very clear that dinner time was over and the rescue mission was officially on.

She turned back to Shantal, her expression softening into something resembling gratitude. She stepped closer, her bare feet making soft thuds on the wooden floor. Opening her mouth, she tried to thank Shantal, but the sound that came out was that same broken, glass-chime whisper and beautiful, but fractured.

"Tha... nk... Shan... tal," she chimed, struggling with the human syllables.

Then, she reached into the small, hidden fold of the oversized tie-dye shirt Shantal had managed to drape over her earlier. She pulled out a small metallic object and held it out in her palm. It was a sleek, silver device, etched with faint glowing lines that pulsed like a slow heartbeat.

"Fire-bringer, Gabriel. " the girl whispered, her chime-like voice dropping to a serious tone.

The girl suddenly lunged forward, her greasy, steak-stained fingers clamping around Shantal’s wrist with surprising, superhuman strength. She dragged Shantal toward the edge of the sprawling balcony, clearly intending to launch both of them straight into the pitch-black Siargao sea.

"Whoa, whoa! Hold on, Aquagirl! No diving!" Shantal yelled, planting her bare feet firmly against the wooden floorboards, bracing her weight against the railing.

"I am a human! I have lungs! If I jump in there right now, I will become shark bait!"

The blonde girl stopped right at the precipice, the ocean wind whipping her golden hair across her face. She blinked at Shantal’s panicked expression, finally realizing that her new roommate didn't possess gill-power.

Shantal stared at the lighter, her heart doing a nervous flip.

Slowly, the girl let go of Shantal's wrist. She looked out at the rolling waves, her expression turning deeply solemn. She held up the "Fire-bringer" letting its faint light illuminate her face as she began to speak.

Using her fractured, glass-chime voice and animated hand gestures, she pieced together a short story of what had happened to Gabriel.

"Storm, Gabriel boat." the blonde girl whispered, slamming her hands together to mimic crashing waves.

She pointed down into the dark water, her face contorting into panic as she re-enacted the rescue. She swam her arms through the air, showing how she dove into the churning depths for three days, to find Shantal's brother.

"Gabriel... no breath. Sinking," she chimed softly.

"Me... grab. Swim fast." She pointed far out past the horizon, past the known tourist spots of Siargao, toward the open Pacific. "Not here. Secret land. No maps. Hidden island."

The blonde girl cradled her arms as if holding a sleeping person. She explained that she had dragged Gabriel's half-drowned body onto the shore of this mysterious, uncharted island to save his life.

He was alive, but he couldn't leave without saying "goodbye" to her. He only left her the "Fire-bringer" trusting her to find him, and to confirm if he was safely finding his way back home .

Shantal listened, her jaw slightly slack, the comedic chaos of the night instantly melting into high-stakes reality. Her annoying, unpredictable brother wasn't dead. He was playing castaway on a magical, invisible island, waiting for a rescue squad consisting of a human girl in pajamas and a carnivorous mermaid.

This innocent mermaid desperately wanted to meet her brother again, all because of that pulsing lighter device she called "Fire-bringer"

As Shantal stared at the eager sea creature, a brilliant, petty idea sparked in her mind. This was the perfect opportunity to finally get some revenge on her brother for all the grief he had caused her. She was going to use this mermaid to teach him a lesson he would never forget and finally shock some sense into him.

Shantal quickly realized that this mermaid was far from foolish. She was incredibly sharp, but she was also impatient and short-tempered. If she was going to live on land, she needed intense training in personal development. Most importantly, she needed to learn and master the human language.

To pull this off without raising suspicion, Shantal hired a highly discreet private tutor. She lied to the agency, claiming her "friend" was a special needs individual who required a unique, gentle approach. To fast-track the entire process. Shantal paid for two separate languages and social coaches. Her goal was to shape the sea creature into a proper human being, ensuring she became fully adept at socializing with regular crowds.