Chapter 16: Lusting For Swan Meat.

Titus, Lee and Uncle Brown first went to the registration area to inquire about the location and the existence of the Management's office. The latter was most likely a given and there was a system in place at the base.

Thereafter, the three split up. Uncle went to the management office while Titus stayed near the registration to wander about to scope for some sort of news. Lee was with Titus, for him, what was so fun about going to the management and engage in boring conversations.

Without much aim, the brother duo was walking about near the periphery. Occasionally, they would go near the registration while other times they ventured nearby the newly arrived group of survivors. Titus wasn't shy about talking to strangers, like customers, they were strangers and he wasn't befriending them. Eventually, since they found nothing and they were afraid their actions might arouse suspicion from others, they decided to just go to the management office after lingering for a while.

However fate was really much of a trickster. When they were about to leave, a beauty came down from a truck of newly arrived survivors. She looked shaken up. Titus didn't think much of it initially but Lee stood rooted in place. This made Titus take a second look at the survivors and he saw a somewhat familiar face of a young beauty. She seemed to be the same girl that Lee was drooling about back at the resort. If he were to make a metaphor, then she would've been a beautiful vase worthy of adoration. Unfortunately, unlike the first time he saw her, at this time, despite her beauty still present, this vase seemed to have been broken to pieces. 

The beauty's face was ashen and her complexion wasn't like her former noble aura. She was like a frightened rabbit as she stood trembling in line for registration. Titus thought of nothing of it as her beauty didn't make her an exception during a crisis, and he didn't  even know her in the first place. To him, she just looked like every other survivor. But for Lee who had considered her a goddess, was shocked to see her pitiful state.

'Where is her father? Aren't they rich? She should have bodyguards accompanying her... Why is it that she came with a bunch of random survivors and alone?' Lee thought. 

He was puzzled in this regard. Soon though, he was snapped out of it by Titus who waved at him, signalling it was time to go. Lee was hesitant as he wanted to help... Or at least clear his doubts but thinking about it, he didn't really have the right to do so. What would she even think if a person she didn't know claimed that he was from the class next to hers and suddenly offered to help her when he looked so pitiful himself? In her current state, she would most likely scream at him for being a con man. Sighing, he decided to let it be. He turned around and was preparing to walk with Titus when suddenly a broken voice sounded behind them. Both of them turned to look.

"You-you're from the next class right?" She continued after thinking hard for a bit, "Are you Lee?"

'She knows of himself?' Lee thought in surprise. He regained his composure first and replied, "I am—You know me?"

Her face seemed to regain some colors as her complexion brightened. She nodded like a chicken pecking rice. "Yes... Yes!"

"But how...?"

She flushed red in embarrassment, "Well... My guards saw you staring at me and thought that you might be trying to woo/disturb me. That's why they did a background check on you—"

'Wow,' even Titus who was only listening and watching the scene unfold was surprised. Basically, Lee was an inch close to being beaten to a pulp. Lee shivered at the thought that he barely managed to escape hell.

"*Cough* Ahh that... By the way, where are your guards? Didn't you just say, they were with you?"

Just when the conversation was lightened, after she heard what Lee had just asked, her expression turned downcast again. She started shaking and sobbing while clutching the hems of her skirt. Looking at it now, it seemed that the splashes of stains weren't purely mud but were also mixed with dried blood. Just what had happened?

It was at this time that Titus inquired. He asked Lee in a whisper, "Who is she anyways? You told me that she's your school belle but what's her identity?"

"Ugh... She's Claire Bonaparte. She's the only daughter of the owner/CEO of Moonshine. She's practically a princess..."

"Oh..." Titus got silent again. He was contemplating. 

"How about your dad? Where is he?" Lee asked again, but this time, more cautiously. 

"He was out for a business trip at Silver City. At the time when you saw me at the resort, I was only with my guards and got to our villa before dinner. Mom and dad are divorced so dad was the only family member in the house besides me. While sleeping I got woken up by my guards when the earthquake happened. It was too violent and despite being former soldiers of high caliber, they only managed to save me before the villa collapsed on them."

She looked painful, she clearly still remembered how those men got crushed under the pile of rubbles. Especially the hand that was sticking out of the debris, the same hand that pushed her out of danger.

"You live in a villa right? Are there any housekeepers besides the guards that survived."

She shook her head, "No, they only come from the morning till dinner, to cook and clean, but they go home right after. The guards were guarding outside and I was the only one inside the house."

"Next!" It was at this time when the registration officer called for the next person which was Claire.

"Ahhh, can—can you accompany me? This may be shameless especially when my family just tried to beat you up bu-bu-but, can you please help me?!"

The last line was almost a scream, it attracted the others' attention and stares, however that line seemed to take a huge toll on Claire, and she couldn't be bothered to be embarrassed. She felt like jelly and her strength was sucked out of her just from saying that line. She wasn't really the type to ask for help especially to a stranger but what could she do? 

Lee was shocked, surprised, happy, excited? He was feeling a luster of emotion that made his brain short circuit. Did she just really…?

Titus on the other hand frowned.

Proofread by: @lynn