Derrek peered at the woman's back, his eyebrows twisting. "Who is she?" he asked as he approached Yasmin.
"She is…" Yasmin paused at the right moment and shifted her gaze to the person beside her. A flicker of annoyance rose in her heart when she realized it was none other than Derrek.
"Why are you here?" she asked, a frown appearing on his face. She wondered why he had to come to her college every day.
"Why are you always barking at me?" He quirked his lips into a wicked grin. "Don't you want to ride in my Bugatti? Which car model do you prefer? Tell me, and I will bring it."
Yasmin walked away, shaking her head. She was too lazy to talk to him.
"Hey…" Derrek rushed after her and blocked her path.
Yasmin scowled at him and snapped, "Step away."
"What?" Derrek wrinkled his nose, hands on his hips, irritated by her arrogance. "Do you know that a lot of women crave me? They seek my attention. Some want to click selfies with me, while others want to date me. And you are walking away from me."
"Because I am not like those women who cling to you. Now move away." She signaled him to step aside with a motion of her index finger.
"Don't be stubborn." His annoyed expression changed to one of helplessness. Without her, his motive to annoy Declan couldn't be fulfilled. He had a long list of plans, and he needed to persuade her to hang out with him.
"Are you not going to pick up your lenses? Allow me to drive you to the clinic."
"I don't need you. The driver must be waiting for me." She tried to walk past him.
Derrek moved fast in front of her. "There is no driver. I have sent him back."
"Why?" Yasmin exclaimed, her eyes ablaze. She was so enraged that she wanted to strangle him to death.
Derrek grinned slyly, enjoying her pissed look. He took his time staring at her before saying, "Do you believe me?"
"Hah…" Yasmin laughed and rolled her eyes. Her fists on the sides trembled, ready to slam into him.
"Don't underestimate me. I am the only one who can help you in winning Declan. Come with me." He nodded towards his car. "I have got something important to tell you."
Yasmin squinted at him as she studied him. Despite her reservations about him, she was eager to learn how he could assist her in winning Declan's heart. She decided to accompany him after some deliberation.
Derrek drove away soon after they got into the car. He kept his mouth shut as Yasmin waited for him to speak.
She twisted her mouth when she didn't hear from him. 'Both brothers are the same when it comes to maintaining silence. Humph… I made a mistake riding in his car.'
She peered outside through the window. She decided not to say a word until he spoke. However, her disobedient mind couldn't stay quiet anymore.
"What was the most important thing you wanted to say?" she finally started the conversation.
"I am thinking if you trust me." Derrek sighed exaggeratedly.
Yasmin truly regretted coming with him. She clutched her bag, wishing to slam it on his head. "It depends on what you say."
"Yeah!" He arched his eyebrows, casting a passing glance at her. "Then listen carefully, and don't get angry," he said in a warning tone as if he was about to reveal something awful.
"Get to the point, Derrek," she snapped, annoyed and anxious at the same time.
"You know why Declan is like this… cold and unapproachable… Have you ever wondered why he has never dated?"
"Didn't you say it was because of Grace?" She widened her eyes, perplexed as to whether someone other than Grace had hurt him.
"Yes…" He nodded. "That was undoubtedly a traumatic incident in his early life. It has a significant impact on how he perceives women. However, it was not the trigger incident that prevented him from dating."
"You are saying he has gone through another trauma!" She frowned, her restlessness growing.
"He liked Tina when he was in school."
Boom…
Her brain blew up.
"Tina?" Yasmin exclaimed, almost jumping off the seat.
She had assumed Declan was in love with someone else. It turned out that it was not her assumption, but the reality. Her heart trembled with melancholy.
"He started avoiding her all of a sudden," Derrek continued.
"Why?" A glimmer of hope flickered in her mind. She believed Declan didn't love Tina any more.
Derrek shrugged. "I have no idea. Declan never dated again after that. He avoided women like they were plagues. Something must have gone wrong between them. But Tina had always wished to marry Declan. Our family felt the same way. Amber, my older sister…" he glanced at her and added, "used to call her sister-in-law. She and Tina are good friends, you know."
Derrek smirked when he noticed her flustered appearance. He knew from the beginning that Yasmin would be anxious after learning about Tina. This was his chance to make her believe in him. In this way, he would use her to provoke Declan.
"I see," Yasmin muttered dejectedly, her gaze falling to her hands on her lap. "He agreed to this marriage because of the business deal."
"To be honest, we were all taken aback by this marriage proposal. We never thought Dad would set such conditions." He sighed, feigning helplessness. "You have no idea how angry Declan was. But I like you. Dad likes you." He gave a quick look at her before returning his attention to the road.
"I believe the rest of the family will start liking you as well," he added as he leaned in closer to her, "especially Declan." A mischievous smile crossed his face. "For that, you have to follow my instructions."
"What do I have to do?" She asked, curious.
"Let's surprise him after collecting your lenses." Derrek stepped on the throttle and accelerated the speed of the car.
Yasmin dropped her head back onto the seat as she peered out the window in a trance. Tina's name kept coming up in the back of her mind, making her increasingly agitated.
Tina had never given up her desire to be Declan's wife, even after he avoided her. It showed how crazy she was for him. It was quite possible that she was still thinking about getting him back.
And what about Declan? What if he still had feelings for her deep down?
The more Yasmin thought about it, the more uneasy she became. She feared that Tina would come between herself and Declan and wreck her marriage.