226 Chapter 226: Person with a Flaw (2)

[Edward POV]

As the sun rose, the true beauty of the villa by the sea cliff was finally unveiled. The shimmering sea mirrored the breathtaking view, accentuating the pristine white exterior walls and the small garden surrounding the house. 

However, all of this went without my witness. Inside the room, My stomach was growling when I woke up in the morning with disappointment. 

"There's nothing here…" I mumbled as I recounted my memory and found out that there was nothing inside the fridge. 

Slowly, I slid down the mattress, wore a slipper, and went to the dryer to get yesterday's clothes. I had already cleaned it all up and wore them again before wearing a gray hoodie too.

Just as I was preparing to leave, Haley, still groggy, stumbled into the living room and blocked my path.

"Where are you going?" she asked with a yawn, her hair disheveled.

I smiled and replied, "I'm going to the store to get some food."

Her sleepiness vanished instantly, and her face lit up. "I want to go too!"

"What about school? Your mom will be upset if you don't go," I said, trying to reason with her. Haley then held a finger to my face and called out, "Hold on a moment. Robin, can you assist me?"

"Hello, Miss Haley. How can I help you?" Robin responded.

"Play the sounds of a school hallway and make it so that the bell will ring in 2 minutes," Haley instructed.

"What are you... Oh, that's pretty impressive," I said with amazement as I crossed my arms and leaned sideways on the wall. 

Haley smirked and then called her mother. Claire picked it up instantly and reprimanded, "Haley! I've Been CALLING YOU FOR AN HOUR! Are you at school yet?! OR did you play hooky again?"

Haley rolled her eyes in a way that impressed me and retorted, "Of course, I'm playing hooky, Mom! I'm at the mall with Ed! I didn't even put my books in my locker."

She hinted at me with her eyes, and I helped out, "Robin, insert the sound of the locker closing."

*Ker-Blam!* Robin played the sound, which made Claire hesitate as she heard it. With the sounds of students chattering and the lockers sound, Claire was already slightly convinced that Haley was at school.

"Why haven't you answered your phone, then?" Claire asked with a calmer tone, still suspicious.

"It was on silent mode. I put it there when I was taking care of Vanessa. And by the way, Ed told me he asked you to come, but you tricked me into doing it instead!"

"Oh, honey, I have to go. I need to speak with Luke's teacher. Love you, sweetie. Bye!" Claire replied dismissively and abruptly ended the call after being called out. 

Haley smirked triumphantly, looking at me as if to ask, "How was my performance? Can I win an Oscar yet?"

"Perhaps not just yet, but I have no doubt that you'll win one in a few years," I chuckled, before adding, "I'm still unsure whether I should bring you along. I'm not sure how the media will react after last night's event."

Haley rolled her eyes and said, "No one will be at the supermarket on a Monday morning except for the unemployed and the few oddballs!"

"What about moms trying to catch up on groceries after finally sending their children to school?" I questioned.

Haley paused to think and then replied, "Relax! They might be there... But if they're anything like my mom, they'll probably go home and open a bottle of wine to relax before going grocery shopping just in time to pick up their kids. "

"Let's hope they're all like Claire then," I said with a defeated tone, knowing that it would be difficult for me to ask Haley not to come along. 

As we made our way to the car, she smiled and bounced along behind me. My dad's car had been sent for professional cleaning, and since the Ford Dodger convertible was already a part of my identity, there was a black minivan parked in the garage that I had purchased for the purpose of going incognito when needed.

Haley playfully teased, "So lame~!" as we both entered the car, leaving me momentarily bewildered. Her laughter filled the air, and together we embarked on a short drive to the nearest supermarket, just three miles away.

As I parked the car, Haley jokingly asked, "What are you buying? Do you want this older sister to buy it for you?" I chuckled, finding her humor amusing, and replied, "Sure. How much money do you have?"

But Haley quickly backtracked, exclaiming, "No! I take it back! You have WAYYY more money than I do!" 

I playfully protested, "No take backs!" to which she cleverly pointed out, "You didn't say 'No take backs' before I took it back, so it doesn't count!"

Unfazed, I challenged her, speaking with a hint of mischief, "What about your older woman's pride? I'm just a cute, helpless little boy. You should take responsibility for me." 

Haley couldn't believe her ears, responding in disbelief, "Cute? Helpless? You're the richest boy on the planet! Robin! How much money did he make from the beginning of his career until now?!"

I glanced at Robin, remaining silent, and with a teasing glance at Haley, I remarked, "She will not divulge my personal information unless she has my permission." Haley grumbled in frustration, and I couldn't help but laugh. To conceal my identity, I playfully hid my face with a baseball cap and pulled up the hoodie.

Amidst our banter, we entered the sparsely visited store and headed straight to the fresh produce section. I picked up a few pumpkins and cucumbers, while Haley surprised me by grabbing some jelly beans. I questioned her, "Wait, jelly beans? Where did you even get those?"

Haley pointed to the candy containers nearby and exclaimed, "There! Let's go pick some out!" Initially reluctant, I found myself unable to resist her enthusiasm as she started putting the candy in the bag. I pushed the trolley towards her and playfully intervened, "Hey– Don't get the cola ones. And no need for more marshmallows! You already have a bag full!"

Unbeknownst to us, our playful interaction caught the attention of some housewives nearby. Instead of recognizing me, they smiled kindly and whispered amongst themselves, "They must be newlyweds." Another housewife remarked, "Look at them, so excited at the beginning of their marriage." Yet another, slightly pessimistic, housewife added, "They must still be in their honeymoon phase. Wait until she knows what he is really like."

The other two housewives turned to the pessimistic ones before slightly patting her pitifully on the shoulder. 

With our candy selection complete, we placed over ten different variations into our trolley, satisfying both of our sweet tooth cravings. Haley, with a mischievous twinkle in her eyes, suggested, "We need to get chips too!" Attempting to steer us back on track, I intervened, "Wait! We need actual food! We'll get chips when we reach the snack aisle!"

Excitement brimming in her voice, Haley asked, "What other things do you need?" Catching her infectious enthusiasm, I replied with equal excitement, "I need towels, soap, face wash, and shampoos." Spotting a knife set nearby, Haley grabbed it and inquired, "Do you need some knives?"

"Oh, I think I do. Grab the stainless steel ones." I replied.

She wore a giant sun hat and said, "We need this too, right? OH, and these sunglasses!" She gleefully wore a white frame big sunglasses before pulling her hat brim down and posing. I laughed and said, "Well I am living right next to the beach. So why not?"

"Great. Let's pick one out for you too!" She said before she placed a gaudy looking fedora on my head, on top of my baseball hat, and then laughed. 

We began filling the trolley with various items, and before long, one trolley was already packed to the brim. Recognizing the need for another, I remarked, "We need another one. We haven't even reached the snack aisle yet."

Haley, munching on some shoplifted jelly beans she had sneakily stashed in her pockets, nonchalantly declared, "I'll let the staff bring this to the cashier." 

An elderly staff member kindly offered assistance as we went to retrieve another trolley. To my surprise, Haley climbed inside the empty trolley and sat there, leaving me puzzled. Sensing my confusion, she explained, "I'm too lazy to walk back over there. Onwards, my chariot!"

Amused by her playful declaration, I teased, "A chariot needs to be pulled from the front. This is a rickshaw at best. Or…. you can call it by its own name." 

Haley, undeterred, proclaimed cheerfully, "Onwards, my trolley!" Our laughter filled the supermarket aisles as I exclaimed, "Hold on tight!" before breaking into a run. With the trolley's momentum stable, I hopped onto the back, placing my feet on top of the back wheel, and we slid our way to the snack aisle.

Filled with exhilaration, Haley couldn't contain her excitement and exclaimed, "WOOO!" while I joined in the laughter.

Then, both of us got scolded by a staff member. After giving a short apology, we went to the snacks aisle. Haley suddenly said, "Hey. What about throwing a Halloween party 🎃 👻 !?!"

I grimaced instantly, "Nah. I want to do something else."

"Why not? You have a new house! We have a lot of chips. It'll be great! A Halloween party!" Her eyes were glittering as she tried to convince me.

I had to cover her face with my hand, but she kept moving around it to show her pleading eyes. "I don't want to~" I replied before pushing the trolley away.

"Come on! You haven't made your highschool debut yet. You need to hold a party so that you can be popular!"

I stopped the trolley, looked her directly in the eye, and asked teasingly, "Really? I… need to hold a party to become popular?...Me?"

"Right." Haley was taken aback and accepted it instantly. Then, she shook it off and said, "You're already popular, that's why you have to throw the party! It's our duty as the hot and popular kids. Besides, think about your friends. You haven't met them in so long."

Her argument started to chip away at my defences. I considered it and said, "I'm sure one of them will hold a party. We can just go there."

"That's not the point!" Haley said frustratingly, which made me chuckle. With an obsessive look, she said, "It'd be a party by the beach! With no supervision! That's the event of the year right there!"

"Ah, so you just want to have no supervision." I said teasingly. She pouted and said, "We can't all do whatever we want and get away with it!"

I laughed and said, "Alright."

"Really? We're going to hold a party?" Haley widened her eyes in anticipation. I chuckled and said, "I'll think about it."

"For real? Yes!" She celebrated loudly, which made a lot of people stare at us. I pull down my cap before pushing the trolley away. Haley was apologetic and said, "Sorry. Ah, by the way, you said you want to do something else. What do you want to do during Halloween?"

I smirked and said seriously, "I want to go Trick or Treating."

Haley was in disbelief and said, "Really? That's a kid's thing."

"Yeah. I really do want to go. I've never done it, you see. Just go to a random house, ring the doorbell, and get a lot of FREE candy!"

Haley was taken aback and then looked at me sympathetically, "Not to kill your dream or anything. But like I said, it's for kids."

"Hmm?" I turned towards her, and she added, "You are already 6 feet tall. Do you think that people will still give you candy?"

A thunderbolt exploded inside my brain as the revelation shocked me. 

"Ed? Ed?" Haley waved her hands in front of my face as I stood frozen in the middle of the aisle. 

After bringing in all the groceries and arriving home, I embarked on cooking breakfast, although it was more like brunch due to the time. Utilizing the available kitchen appliances, I decided to make some delicious Danish waffles. Additionally, I prepared a side dish of shredded Brussels sprouts, complemented by hash browns and eggs.

The enticing aroma wafting from the kitchen caught Vanessa's attention, prompting her to cautiously and slowly make her way towards the source. Her hunger was palpable, having not eaten since the previous day and having experienced 'assisted stomach emptying'. 

"Good morning. Take a seat." I said calmly as I placed an empty plate next to Haley's seat on the kitchen island. Haley smiled and said, "Hurry up! Or you won't get the waffles."

Vanessa approached cautiously, casting a wary glance in my direction before settling into her seat. She couldn't comprehend why my demeanor had shifted from anger to kindness, but she decided to hold back her questions for the moment. I served her two thick, golden-brown Danish waffles onto her plate and then asked, "Do you want some eggs as well? There's juice and milk. Which one do you want?"

A mix of disbelief and confusion overwhelmed Vanessa, causing her to blurt out, "Didn't you hate me? Why are you being so nice now?"

Both Haley and I were taken aback by her question, but Haley quickly smiled and reassured her, saying, "He won't ever get mad at someone when they're trying to eat something. So just eat."

I nodded, agreeing with Haley's words and said, "Well, nothing came out this morning besides some rumors and news about a drug lord being captured by some vigilantes. So I guess we're fine."

"Well, about… last night." Vanessa hesitated. I stopped her and said, "You should fill up first. We can talk about it later."

…

[General POV]

Sitting together on the living room couch, Vanessa and Edward faced each other, with Haley seated next to Vanessa. Edward spoke up, addressing Haley, "Haley, could you please give us some privacy?"

Haley responded, "Um, the air here is pretty weird anyway, so I'm going to go hang by the pool." She walked away, mouthing an apology to Vanessa, who looked at her with disbelief.

After Haley left, Edward turned his attention back to Vanessa and asked, "Alright, Vanessa. Do you have anything to say to me?"

Vanessa hesitated for a moment, fiddling with her fingers and falling into silence. Edward patiently waited, but as the silence lingered, he spoke up, "You know, I'm not your therapist, and I don't need to know every detail about your life. I just want to understand the part that involves me."

He chuckled lightly and added, "Maybe start with a 'thank you'?"

Vanessa's tense body relaxed slightly, and she looked at Edward. "Thank you for coming to pick me up," she said, her voice filled with sincerity. "And thank you for caring about me, even though we're strangers."

"You're welcome," Edward replied with a kind smile. He had achieved what he wanted and was satisfied with that alone.

Unaware of Edward's intentions, Vanessa continued, "No, I really mean it. I know that if I had accidentally called anyone else... no one would have come to save me. So I truly appreciate it."

"I understand. You don't have to—" Edward began, but Vanessa's emotions overwhelmed her, and she burst into tears. Her eyes welled up, and she continued, "I have no one else. My career has hit rock bottom, my relationship is in shambles, my mom won't answer my calls. I have no friends, no prospects, and I don't know what I'm going to do with my life right now."

Her tears flowed freely, and Edward looked at her sympathetically. But then his expression turned cold as she continued to cry.

"So?" he muttered, startling Vanessa.

"What?" she turned toward him, her disbelief evident.

"You heard me. So. Fucking. What?" Edward repeated. Vanessa became angry and exclaimed, "You asshole! I thought you were nice—"

Edward scoffed and walked in front of her. He grabbed her shoulders, making eye contact, and mocked, "I'll ask again. So. Fucking. What?"

Her tears halted, and her expression froze as Edward continued, "So what if you were abandoned by the world? So what if everything feels like it's going to shit? So what if you're alone? Are you just going to sit here and cry?"

"Because if I were you, I'd rather set the entire world on fire than beg for them to take me back," Edward said coldly. Vanessa was taken aback, and her tears subsided. "I'm going to make everyone who abandoned me regret it."

Edward released his grip on Vanessa and returned to his seat, while she processed his words. Her eyes trembled hesitantly, and she bit her lower lip, fiddling with her fingers and gripping the edge of her shirt. Finally, she asked, "How are you going to make them regret it?"

Edward smirked and said, "What? Do you want me to teach you that for free?"

Vanessa lowered her head, grinding her teeth in anger. She considered what she had left to barter with and said, "I'll... pay you..."

"High School Musical" is a 4 billion dollar IP. But you have less than 400 bucks to your name right now. Only 183 bucks in your bank account, to be exact. I guess paying people to scrub away your picture on the internet took a lot of money huh. So I don't think you have the money to pay me," Edward pointed out.

"Then what do you want? My body!? Do you want me to sleep with you?!" Vanessa asked angrily.

"Nah, I have no interest in power abuse," Edward replied casually with a shrug.

"Then what the fuck do you want?! My soul!?" Vanessa stood up and shouted. Edward smiled as Vanessa huffed and puffed.

She was taken aback when Edward responded, "That sounds interesting."

"You really want my soul!?" Vanessa asked, disbelief in her voice.

Edward chuckled, crossed his legs, and leaned back on the couch. He looked at her and said, "Yeah, I want your soul. I want the soul that's so angry, she'd rather shout at the guy who could be her last chance than cling to his legs and refuse to let go."

Edward raised his hands toward her and said, "Come to Entertain, Vanessa. Let's seek revenge on the world that abandoned you... together."

Vanessa opened her mouth, but no words could come out. She looked at the tempting sight in front of her, but she was scared to take his hands. She was scared that she would be thrown away again.

Edward waited there silently for Vanessa to make a decision. At the risk of falling back to his old ways, even though he wanted to make some changes at the part of his personality, he still wanted her to take his offer. 

'So in the end, I didn't change that much huh.' He thought inwardly. 

A short time passed by, and Vanessa finally came to a decision. With a determined look on her face, she grabbed Edward's hand and said, "I accept your conditions."

"Great." Edward smirked villainously before saying, "Now, for the first step you need to take to get your revenge…"

Vanessa waited anxiously for Edward to finish his words. His next words made her feel shaken to her core. 

Edward stood up from the couch and whispered to Vanessa's ears."First…You need… to get sober." 

…

In front of Edward's house, a pretty long haired redhead got out of her shabby car. Maggie (His cousin) slowly pulled down her glasses as she scanned the surroundings. 

She pouted and said, "He bought a new house, and he forgot to invite me to come! Did he even remember that I moved to LA?"

She already got the key from Ted– who hoped that Maggie's presence there could give Edward some surprise. "Hehe~ I'm going to scare him." Maggie muttered as she unlocked the door.

Suddenly, the alarm rang and Robin announced, "Intruder alert! Intruder alert!"

"What–?" Maggie was astonished and she turned around in shock, only to see a steel net falling on top of her. "AHHH!!" She screamed in horror as she fall down to the ground.

Edward rushed to the front door immediately and asked, "Robin. Who's the intruder– Wait. Maggie?"

Struggling with the metal net, Maggie said, "Get this thing off me!"

Edward instead stood on one leg and leaned against the wall as he observed her trying to get out of there. "Robin, didn't I electrify that net? Shouldn't she be convulsing on the ground right now, wetting herself."

"I cut off the function because she has a key copy sir. Should I electrify it right now?" Robin asked.

Maggie desperately shouted, "NOOOOOOOO!!!"