CHAPTER III: Randy Winheart I

White ceiling. Light grey walls. The smell of newly furnished furniture. A room well-lit by the huge glass pane. Everything looked modern and expensive, making Alise sit up from the unfamiliar space. Where was she? She didn’t know.

Her bed was soft, unlike back at her old house. Everything and everywhere was clean. Not a single dust could be seen. And her body felt like a feather. Was it because of the comfortable bed? They were soft and could be used like a trampoline.

“Get a hold of yourself,” Alise told herself as she slipped her foot into the slippers on the floor near her bed.

Confused, Alise walked towards the huge glass pane only to see a huge pool, and the outer walls were surrounded by trees. Only a few houses were to be seen. As if this house or mansion was on an isolated island.

“You’ve awaken.”

Alise gasped and turned her back immediately, hearing a man’s voice. She gulped as their eyes met each other. The man chuckled as he used one hand to close the door, and the other held a tray filled with snacks. Her stomach growled, seeing the snacks, which she covered her stomach.

But to say this man was beautiful is weird. He had long, light brown hair that looked like silk. His hair was in a better condition than Alises, which embarrassed herself, a woman who is supposed to know how to take care of her own hair.

“You don’t have to look afraid. I’m not going to hurt you,” the beautiful man chuckled, setting the tray on the bedside. The beautiful man walked to the corner of the room and unfolded the bedtable. “Come, I’m sure you’re starving. This is the only thing I can give you now since dinner is approaching.”

Though he sounded and looked gentle, Alise was afraid to trust this man. After all, they are strangers. The incident from early morning still scared her. Right, then, what about the three young men she saw earlier. They were the ones who brought her here.

“I know you don’t trust me, at least for now. But you’ll need to trust me. I can’t even hurt a fly or, worse, an ant.”

“Really?” Unsure, Alise asked, not moving a single inch from where she stood. “But it isn’t hard to kill an ant unless you’re afraid of them.”

“My name is Randy Winheart. You’ll see me often from now on. Well, with other more boys.”

With other boys? Does that mean there are other more? Alise was confused, but she didn’t question Randy further. She had been staring at the snacks he brought.

Randy took a piece of cookie from the tray and chewed a few times before swallowing. His arms spread open, trying to prove to Alise that it wasn’t poisoned.

“Now, it’s your turn. I wouldn’t want the young miss to starve.”

Alise carefully walked to his side, took a piece of cookie, and placed it into her mouth. Her eyes grew wide from the milky flavor.

“Delicious, aren’t they? I made them. I’m glad you like it.”

“You should share your recipe,” stated Alise, making Randy chuckle again.

“It’s nice to get complimented. The boys never said these kinds of things.”

Again with the boys. All the more, Alise was curious about them. It doesn’t feel like there were one or two of them, but a lot more.

“The boys?” Asked Alise as she took another cookie into her mouth.

“You’ll meet them during dinner. They’re currently in training.”

“Training?” Muttered Alise, which Randy did not answer her any longer. It was as if he wanted to stall some time for them or keep it a surprise for her. “Then what about you?”

“Oh…I don’t train. Well, in terms of physical fighting, I can’t do much. But enough to protect you.”

“Wait…” paused Alise as she stumbles around the room to find her phone. “What about my grandmother?” Alise gazes at Randy, who looks away from her. His brows furrowed with lips pressed. “Did she really die?”

A big mansion. Protect. Training. Young miss. This was a property of her family. The Ambroise family. Why was she brought here? This kind of place did not fit her. She loved her simple house and simple life.

Her grandmother died, yet no one seems to want to answer her. There. What is the truth? It felt like everyone was hiding something from her. But Alise didn’t want to ask them. Afraid of answers. The truth.

“I know you are afraid. But answers will be told later on,” Randy tries to comfort Alise, but she doesn’t buy it.

“No one is going to tell me anything. I know that.”

As much as she loved her grandmother. Her grandmother didn’t reveal much about the Ambroise family. She kept telling the same stories all over and over. It’s as if her grandmother didn’t want to tell her the truth about some things.

Ambroise enterprise. There is something more to them. They weren’t a normal enterprise. There was something more. Something that Alise couldn’t explain because she didn’t know anything about it.

“My grandmother, where is she? Why aren’t my parents doing anything about it?”

“She…I cannot say anything about her,” said Randy with a dazed face.

“So you do know something,” Alise bit her lip and sat on the edge of the bed. “Tell me, are my parents ever going to see me?”

Randy stood silent. He did not know what to tell her because the last time he received orders from her parents was just a few hours ago. He had to listen to their orders. Since their orders are absolute.

“You know what? Don’t bother even. Please get out. I want to be alone,” Alise asked Randy, who listened to her without questioning.

“Then I’ll be back to call you for dinner.”

“I won’t come out,” Alise muttered, staring out the window. Her eyes focused on the skies that had begun changing colors.

In the end, she couldn’t escape her peaceful and simple life. She had to come back to where she belonged. But to say these kinds of things. Alise doesn’t know anything at all. It began to frustrate her because she wanted to be part of something.

Alise brought out a bracelet from the pocket of her jeans and stared at it. The funny thing about this bracelet is that she doesn’t know who it belongs to. It was hers, according to her grandmother. But she doesn’t remember as she was too young.

“I hate getting depressed about my lost memories!” Alise shouted out loud, but her shoulders felt lighter, which she needed.