Island Diaries: My Life with Ten Beauties

Chapter 2

Regaining my composure, I sidestepped her slap. I glared at Stella coldly and issued a stern warning, "If you try anything else, I might just throw you into the sea!"

Stella's eyes widened. She was shocked that I, who was typically docile at work, could speak to her so aggressively.

Taking advantage of Stella's momentary shock, I carried her to the makeshift shelter and dropped her a bit roughly onto the ground.

She landed with a painful gasp, her eyes brimming with tears as she stared at me angrily. "Couldn't you have been gentler?"

"Don't make me regret helping you," I said as I threw some more branches into the fire, watching the flames grow.

Stella, noting my grave expression, held her tongue.

Suddenly, I felt the hard object in my pocket—it was my phone.

With a deep breath, I clung to a faint hope and tried to power it on, but as expected, it failed. Dejected, I cradled my head in silence.

Despite the campfire's warmth, Stella was still shivering and edged closer to me instinctively. Surprised, I looked over at her.

Her cheeks reddened as she defiantly met my gaze. "I'm cold. What's wrong with that? Why do you glare at me?"

'Glaring at her? This woman makes no sense!'

Stella's voice had a touch of vulnerability, which I found oddly endearing, so I let it slide.

"Do you think it's just us who survived the shipwreck?" Stella initiated a conversation, unable to hold back.

"I'm not sure," I replied, shaking my head. "All I remember is passing out after the boat capsized, and when I woke up, only you were there."

"What do we do now? If the others are dead, how will we get back?" Stella asked, her eyes quickly filling with tears. It was utterly heart-wrenching.

I felt an unexpected sympathy for her. I comforted her, "Don't worry. With so many people on that ship, the accident must have caused a sensation. We just need to hold on; rescue should be coming soon!" I managed a reassuring smile.

I kept my new suspicions to myself.

Our journey had begun on a Thai island, and we hadn't traveled far before the disaster occurred. The tsunami must have been brief; otherwise, neither of us would have survived. Strangely, I noted that the island was covered with coniferous forests, typical of colder, temperate zones, not the expected tropical setting.

The chill here was unsettling. I had a foreboding feeling.

Stella, apparently less concerned, stopped crying. Soon after, she clutched her smooth stomach and lamented, "I'm really hungry, Zack. Do you have anything to eat?"

Her words made me realize I was starving too. "Not really," I said, shaking my head in resignation.

However, raised in the countryside and having served in the military, my rural life and army survival training had endowed me with many skills. Honestly, barring any natural catastrophes, I could manage in the wilderness.

I reassured Stella, "Don't worry, I won't let you go hungry. I'll find us some food after the rain stops."

But my reassurance failed to lift her spirits this time. She looked at me skeptically, clearly doubting my words.

"Stop bragging. We might starve to death before any help arrives," Stella remarked, despairing as she clutched her belly.

I chose not to reply and simply closed my eyes to save some energy.

As the sun dipped lower and the rain persisted, our stockpile of dry wood was almost depleted. I looked at the sky, concerned.

Finally, the light rain ceased! I scrambled from the shelter and ran towards the beach.

Given the season, it was time for the tide to recede, presenting an opportunity to gather plenty of seafood if one knew how.

Stella was alarmed by my abrupt departure and shouted, "Don't leave! I'm scared! I can’t stay here alone!"

Ignoring her pleas, I focused on the suitcases bobbing in the distance on the waves, likely containing supplies.

Thrilled and anxious that the sea might reclaim them, I sprinted to the water's edge, kicked off powerfully, and dove into the sea. The icy water instantly enveloped me, but I swam forward vigorously and quickly secured the suitcases.

Worried they might drift away, I twisted my clothes into ropes and tied the suitcases together, pulling them as I swam back.

Upon returning to the shelter with the suitcases, I noticed that Stella's cheeks were puffed in annoyance. She was clearly unwilling to engage with me. Yet, the sight of the suitcases I returned with aroused her curiosity, and she couldn't help but sneak glances at me. Her demeanor was so comical that I nearly laughed.

Stella, known at the company as the aloof Ice Queen, always carried a stern face. If it weren't for being stranded on this desolate island, when would I have seen such a tender side to her?

I eagerly opened one of the suitcases and found it packed with wet clothes. Relieved, I smiled.

With the evening approaching and the sea's chill deepening, drying these clothes by the fire would ensure a cozy sleep.

What surprised me even more was that, besides the wet clothes, the other suitcases contained quite a lot of snacks! Although it was just some chips, dried fruit, and similar items, for us who were starving, it felt like we had found a treasure! I had initially planned to look for seafood along the shore, but now we could conserve our energy.

Coincidentally, I also found passports in two of the cases. I inadvertently stumbled upon the belongings of Quinn and Leo. The notorious couple had unwittingly come to our aid one last time.

Without hesitation, I tore open a bag of chips and started sharing it with Stella. The satisfaction of a full stomach was truly incomparable!

I stowed the remaining food deep within our shelter. Consuming everything at once would be foolish, given the uncertainty of rescue.

Stella appeared to heed my advice this time without any protest.

I disdainfully tossed Quinn and Leo's passports into the fire, intending to burn them with the gathered branches.

As we finished organizing everything from the suitcases, the night had completely fallen.

Stella, clearly more relaxed yet still uneasy, spoke up, "Zack, if you keep it together on this island and follow my lead, I'll give you a large sum—$30,000. How does that sound?"

I sneered, "Save your empty promises. Follow your lead? We're not even sure if we'll make it through the night! Besides, your father is the Chairman of Zenith Enterprises, a billionaire. Offering me just $30,000 seems rather stingy."

I turned away from Stella, focusing instead on our resources. The snacks we found were not substantial or nutritious enough. Luckily, if there was one abundant resource on an island shore, it was fish. However, lacking proper fishing tools, how would we catch any?

Surveying my surroundings, my gaze landed on my own pants. The light, breathable beach pants were perfect for making a makeshift fishing net. I stood up, swiftly unfastened my belt, and stripped down.

"Zack!" Stella shrieked, "I'll give you $100,000! That should settle it, right? Just keep your distance!" Stella panicked and clutched her chest like a frightened deer, watching me warily.