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Chapter 3- The Old man
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2026-07-31 05:47:01Following the trail of smoke, I finally saw him.
He sat in silence, dressed in a simple cotton shirt that had long since lost its original color and a pair of faded trousers held together by careful stitches. The tropical sun had weathered both the fabric and the man wearing it, but neither had broken. His posture remained straight, his expression unreadable, and his presence alone was enough to command respect. Without looking at me, he spoke in a firm voice. “I knew you would eventually come.” Fear washed over me. I quickly grabbed a stick from the ground and pointed it at him. “Who are you? And how did you get here?” Before I could react, he casually knocked the stick out of my hand with a single swing. He looked at me with disappointment. “How can a person be this weak… and this unaware? If not a fool.” He sighed before continuing. “Since the day you arrived on this island, you’ve been watched.” My eyes widened. “I’ve been watching you for the past three months, and you’re only just realizing it.” He chuckled. “I know you visit the church once every week. Every Wednesday, you go fishing. And not once have you missed writing ‘SOS’ on the beach, hoping someone will magically appear from the sky to rescue you.” His smile faded. “I doubt anyone is coming. I’ve been here for ten years, and until today, I had never seen another living soul.” I was speechless. How could this man know everything about me when I hadn’t even known he existed? He studied me for a moment before speaking again. “You’re tougher than I expected. Not many people could survive three months alone on this island.” His eyes narrowed. “I also know you’re not a spy…” He paused. “Or are you?” His piercing gaze seemed to look straight into my soul. I immediately shook my head. “N-not at all, sir.” He nodded toward the log beside him. “Come. Sit.” Still trembling, I slowly sat down. “What if I teach you how to fight?” he asked casually while turning the fish roasting over the fire. I stared at him in disbelief. “No, sir… I’m fine the way I am. I’ve always been.” He laughed softly. “My mistake. I haven’t introduced myself.” He extended his hand. “My name is Zeno Vitale, though most people simply call me The Old Man.” He continued roasting the fish and corn before asking, “And what’s your name? Seeing as we’re the only two humans left on this island, I think we might as well get along.” “My name is Tiffany Smith.” He nodded thoughtfully. “Tiffany Smith…” He repeated my name as though testing its weight. “That sounds like the name of a dignified young lady.” He leaned back. “About those fighting skills…” “You should learn.” “As you can see, I’m getting old. My fists aren’t as strong as they used to be. If danger comes, I may not be able to protect either of us.” He pointed toward the forest. “You’re young. Agile. You should know how to defend yourself.” He paused. “Did you really think surviving one hurricane meant this island had nothing else to fear?” He looked directly into my eyes. “There are wild boars…” “…venomous creatures…” “…and perhaps even people far more dangerous than either.” Then he smirked. “The mere fact that I’m here should tell you this island is far more dangerous than you realize.” A strange smile appeared on his face, though it never reached his eyes. “I know what betrayal looks like.” I frowned. “Don’t look so surprised,” he said quietly. “It was written all over your face.” His expression darkened. “I was betrayed too.” “By the person I trusted most.” For a brief moment, silence settled between us. Then he looked at me again. “I suppose that makes us a team.” I lowered my head. What did I have left to lose? Nothing. If I truly wanted to survive… if I ever wanted to leave this island… I needed to become stronger. I lifted my head and met his gaze. “I want to learn.” A faint smile crossed his face. “Good girl.” “Your training begins tomorrow.” Tomorrow? My eyes widened. What on earth did he mean by that? And why did I suddenly have a feeling my life was about to become much harder?
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Where the Tide Returned Chapter 25- Web of lies
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Where the Tide Returned Chapter 24- The first wave
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Where the Tide Returned Chapter 23- The Ripple
Tiffany/Stella P.O.V.I was walking out of the medical laboratory when I noticed the small crowd gathered near the staircase.At first, I didn’t pay much attention.Students gathered everywhere on campus. Some were discussing lectures, others were comparing notes, and a few were probably already complaining about the next test.But then I heard a girl’s voice.“Say it again.”I slowed down.The voice belonged to Celine.She was standing in front of another girl who looked completely different from her. While Celine was dressed in an expensive-looking outfit with perfectly styled hair, the other girl wore a simple blouse and a faded skirt. She had a backpack clutched tightly against her chest.“I—I didn’t mean anything,” the girl whispered.Celine folded her arms.“Then why did you say it?”“I was only answering the question.”A few people around them laughed.I stopped walking.The girl looked like she wanted the ground to swallow her.“Do you think because you’re the professor’s favo
Where the Tide Returned Chapter 22- Quiet Beginning
Tiffany / Stella P.O.V.And just like that, House of Eal was born. Due to Enzo’s influence, it didn’t take long before it became a place where celebrities and dignitaries came for anything fashion-related. We dealt not only in clothes but also in jewelry, shoes, and all kinds of fashion accessories.But the owner of the fashion house remained unknown.In no time, I was also able to get my own apartment, although I still loved staying at Enzo’s place most of the time.…………………The moment I stepped through the university gates, I felt something I hadn’t felt in a very long time.Nervousness.It was strange. I had been a university student before. I knew what lecture halls looked like, how crowded corridors could get, and the familiar sight of students rushing around with bags hanging from their shoulders.But this time felt different.Maybe because I hadn’t been in a classroom for so long.The campus was already alive. Students moved in every direction, some hurrying toward their lecture
Where the Tide Returned Chapter 21- The birth of eal
Chapter 21Tiffany’s POV“Hell no! Why would you say that?” Enzo replied.“So, what happened? I hope it’s not something serious,” I asked.“It’s not that deep. Calm down. The good news is that you now have an identity,” he said, while handing me an identity card with her name oh, I mean, my new name on it. “Stella Teal. The former owner is dead, and she has no relatives. She grew up in an orphanage, so you don’t have anything to worry about,” he said.“So, about the bad news?”“You will not be able to resume medical school this year. I even tried to lobby around, but I think it would be better for you to go through the normal process, sit for the entrance exams, and voilà, you’ll get in. Don’t worry whether your results are good or bad,” he said.“So that’s what you call bad news?” I asked him.“Isn’t it?” he replied.“For future purposes, it is not. Actually, a year’s interval is pretty good for me. I’ll be able to settle down very well before resuming. And thank you. I’ll surely re
Where the Tide Returned Chapter 20- New me
Tiffany’s POV“I helped you get some stuff,” Enzo said while placing a paper bag on the table.He continued, “This is a mobile phone. You know how to use it, right?”“Whattttt? For your information, I was once a young, wealthy, and dignified lady.”“Oops, I forgot. I thought you were a lost stray?”“You know what? I’m already stressed by that maniac today. I’m not ready for any more drama,” I said.“And this is a laptop,” he continued. “The old man said you learnt some hacking skills. You should be able to earn some cool cash with that for now.”“Yeah, the old man. Did you hear anything from him?”There was a brief silence before he said with a stern look, “I already contacted him last night and let him know that we’ve gotten back to Athens. He sent a signal. I think he’s fine.”“I hope he is,” I added.“Don’t worry about the old man. Old soldiers don’t die easily,” he said jokingly, returning to his usual self.“Let’s focus on you right now. So, what’s the plan? Do you want to contin
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