My Ruthless Stepbrother (Completed)

CHAPTER 19

NINETEEN: "Totally a babe and innocently beautiful!" ✍️

I was still trying to recognize the familiar face of the guy but he already seemed to have read my mind and he answered my unsaid question.

"I am Vandyke. Remember? I am one of your stepbrothers' friends who had been with you just this last summer on vacation at their beach in Gensan."

And it was because of what he said that I remembered him. I had actually met him before, on the beach while on summer break, which explained why he looked so familiar.

I smiled with friendliness and nodded. "I can remember you now."

"What are you doing here, anyway? You're a Grade 12 student, right?"

I nodded.

"You're looking for your stepbrother Zack?"

I immediately shook my head because my heart drove abnormally at the name he just mentioned.

"No. I am not looking for him."

"Okay. So, what are you doing here on the college building?"

"I was with my classmates awhile ago but I suddenly got lost and I don't know where to find them now."

"Is that so? Let me send you back then to your classroom. Will that be fine to you?"

"Really?" I suddenly felt happy and hopeful. "Don't you have any class right now? I am worrying I might disturb you or what."

He smiled and shook his head. "If I still had classes, I certainly would not be here. In all honesty, today's teacher at this time is absent, therefore I have nothing to do for the next hour. In any case, you won't be troubling me because you're the sister of a good friend of mine, so I'll be glad to help you."

I smiled and nodded at him. "Thank you, Vandyke."

"No problem, Irryn. By the way, before I bring you back to your classroom, let me get my coffee latte order at the cafeteria. Okay?"

"Sure."

We were on the same floor of the building, so I walked with him to the cafeteria where he had his coffee.

A gasp escaped my lips at the sight before me. The cafeteria is spacious and modern. In the style of a college cafeteria. Several students are drinking coffee and conversing with their peers; perhaps this is the best use of their free time. Some are enjoying tasty treats, while others are busy with academic pursuits such as reading, writing, and reviewing. Since this is the College of Engineering's building, I would wager that the majority of those present are engineering majors.

I stood in the corner and waited for Vandyke while he completed his order at the counter. While scoping around the cafeteria, my gaze wandered inadvertently and rested on a person who was quite known to me, setting off a chain reaction of emotions in my heart.

Zack is the one seated at the glass table with a female companion. He is making light conversation with her, clearly enjoying themselves, as evidenced by his husky laughter and broad grin. The woman must be his girlfriend.

"Ryn..." Only then I have noticed Vandyke was already standing beside me.

He offered me his coffee. "Want?"

I just slightly shook my head. What I really wanna do right now is to get out of this building and go back to my class.

"Vandyke dude, who's that huh? New chick?" one of his colleagues suddenly teased him.

"She looks so young, bro! You never mentioned to us that you actually like baby girls!" followed by another guy.

"Introduce her to us, bro!"

Zack looked in our direction, where I and Vandyke were waiting, because they were so loud.

At first, I could see he was shocked to see me here, but then I noticed that the amazement quickly gave way to contempt and disgust, and his face went grim, dark, and serious, and his smile vanished entirely.

This is why I've been wanting to get out of here for a while now.

Vandyke, on the other side, just chuckled with his friends. "Shut up, a$$holes! She's Zack's stepsister."

From that, they all seemed to be intrigued.

"Stepsister? Why? Did your dad remarry, Zack?" Now, all of their attention diverted to him.

"Zack, you're here!" Vandyke was surprised, didn't expect to see my stepbrother to be here at this hour, too.

"You didn't tell us, Zack! You, actually, have a stepsister that's totally a babe and innocently beautiful!"

"True. Introduce her to us, dude!"

Zack, though, didn't appear to pay attention to or care about the ideas of his buddies. Instead, he kept his gaze fixed on me, and the ominous quality of his presence was palpable.

I sincerely regret ever visiting this place! I should not have followed my students into this building, and I certainly do not appreciate being abandoned here. What a mistake it was for me to be here!

When he started walking here and immediately cut our distance, my knees turned jelly. I truly wish getaway from the danger I could sense from him since I was feeling frightened and anxious but no, though my feet were shaking still, they couldn't seem to move even a bit.

Upon reaching us, he seized my arm without so much as a word or a hint of tenderness, and the way he was holding me was so painful that I was sure it would leave marks.

"Zack!" Vandyke tried to cool and calm him down.

He didn't seem to hear and see anyone at all!

I was hauled out of the cafeteria by him angrily and without a word. They were all shocked and seemed speechless after seeing Zack treat me with such cruelty.

"Zack! Zack, you don't have to be rude to Irryn!" Vandyke tried to follow us and save me.

Zack, though, only glared fiercely at him. "It's a family matter. Don't dictate me what to do and don't you dare follow us!"

"Wait, Zack! Where are you going?! Are you just gonna leave me here– Zack!" Even the girl he was with a while ago, he didn't seem to care about her anymore.

After leaving the cafeteria, he continued to cruelly drag me off.

There was nothing I could do except bear the ache of his tight grip. Yeah, he's really dangerous, and I probably shouldn't have come here in the first place.