Heartbeat of the Ruthless Criminal (English Version)

Chapter 1

Kierra's Point of View

“Baby Kierra…”

"Kierra sweetheart…"

"Princess Kierra..."

I frowned and covered my face with the pillow, pretending to be still asleep, as my third older brother, Renz, began to pester me. Renz was known for his playful and mischievous nature. He had a knack for bothering me until he got what he wanted, and now he was disturbing my precious sleep.

Seriously, he could be so annoying at times.

"Oh come on, sweetheart, get up," he cooed with a hint of sweetness in his voice.

"I'm still sleepy, Renz. Give me a few more minutes, okay?" I replied lazily, keeping my eyes shut.

My brother chuckled. "A few more minutes? You know 'a few' for you can turn into afternoon. I know you too well, sweetheart. But seriously, you need to get up. I'll help you!"

Before I could react, he swiftly lifted me up, causing me to drop the pillow in surprise.

"Renz!" I groaned in annoyance as my legs flailed in the air. Despite my protests, he carried me into the bathroom, and before I knew it, he turned on the shower, the cold water splashing onto my face. "Oh my gosh, Renzo! It's freezing!" I grimaced, feeling the chill run down my spine.

"Be quick, sweetheart," Renz laughed mischievously, gently setting me down before leaving the bathroom. I scowled at him but had no choice but to proceed with the shower.

Oh, right, I almost forgot! Today is my first day at the university. I'm starting college now, and I've chosen Political Science as my course.

After finishing my shower, I dressed in a simple outfit, opting for black faded jeans and a plain yellow t-shirt matched with white sneakers. With my black backpack slung over my shoulder, I headed downstairs.

As I descended the stairs, I spotted my triplets' older brothers, each engrossed in their own activities. Gello was busy wiping his gun with a white towel, Cev was focused on his laptop, and Renz wore a smile while exchanging text messages on his phone, seemingly eager about the conversation.

I couldn't help but roll my eyes at their distinct personalities. Despite looking identical, Renz was extremely playful, while Gello and Cev were more serious and nonchalant, always appearing ready for any challenges or threats.

"Good morning, little Kierra," Brother Gello greeted me when he noticed my presence.

I smiled and took a seat next to Renz, who was still busy with his phone.

"Good morning! By the way, where are Mom and Dad?" I inquired, realizing they weren't around.

"Dad is at the precinct, and Mom left early for the farm. It's the fruit harvest today," Gello informed me as he stood up, securing his gun at his side. "Renz, you'll have to take Kierra to school; I need to head to the precinct right away."

Both Gello and Cev followed in our father's footsteps and became policemen, while Renz pursued a career as a doctor, just like our mother, who is a surgeon. Renz, being a psychiatrist, helps people in a different way.

"But I have a date today! Actually, I'm leaving now, so I can't take her," Renz complained with a sweet smile directed at me. "I'm sorry, sweetheart. Just take a taxi today; our driver Ernest isn't available to drive you."

I smiled back, understanding the situation. "It's okay, Renz, I'll just take a cab—" I didn't get to finish my sentence as Brother Cev's angry voice suddenly filled the house, startling me.

"What's wrong with you, Renz! Are you going to prioritize your date with girls over our sister!"

Gello halted midway through the doorway and turned to look, while Renz and I couldn't believe our eyes as we stared at Cev. He closed his laptop in frustration before looking at me.

"I'll take you. Never, ever ride a cab," Cev said firmly before grabbing his gun and tucking it into his uniform, mimicking Gello's actions.

I noticed a frown forming on Renz's face, but he quickly returned his attention to his cellphone.

"Hey, Cev. Is there a problem?" Gello asked with a furrowed brow, still concerned about his brother's outburst.

"Let's just talk later. I'll take Kierra first," Cev replied, looking at me. "Let's go." I simply nodded and followed him out of the mansion.

As he drove, I couldn't help but notice Cev's unease. He released deep sighs one after another, and his grip on the steering wheel was tight, as if he was holding back frustration or anger. I felt a pang of concern for him and decided to break the silence.

"Cev, are you okay? Is there something wrong?" I inquired gently, hoping to understand what was bothering him. When he heard my question, it was as if he had been lost in thought and my question brought him back to the present. He glanced at me for a moment and managed a smile.

"I'm okay, sweetheart. By the way, after your classes, don't ever leave the school premises, and definitely do not take a taxi. Just wait for me to pick you up, alright?" he said, his tone serious and protective.

I found myself puzzled by his sudden instructions. Until now, it had been fine for me to take a taxi when our driver was unavailable. I couldn't comprehend why Cev was forbidding me from doing so now.

I nodded in response, agreeing to follow his instructions, but the curiosity lingered in my mind. There was definitely more to this and I just didn't understand it at that moment.

Upon my arrival at the university, Cev kindly waited for me to enter the gate before departing. However, before he finally left, he approached the school security guard, engaging in what seemed like a conversation. Unfortunately, I couldn't hear their discussion as I had already moved far away, but I did notice the security guard nodding repeatedly and glancing in my direction, implying they might have been discussing something about me.

Shrugging off the situation, I took in the sight of the vast university grounds. Surrounded by numerous students, I couldn't help but feel like the only one walking alone. Ugh! The first day always makes me feel like a friendless nerd.

My progress came to a halt when my stomach let out an embarrassingly loud growl, causing two passing female students to chuckle at my expense. Oh gosh, how embarrassing!

It dawned on me that I haven't had breakfast yet. It's so annoying that my brother was in such a hurry to drop me off that he didn't even let me have breakfast. Ugh!

I was about to continue walking when suddenly someone appeared in front of me, eliciting a surprised gasp from me.

"I heard that! You're hungry, right?"

Embarrassed, I glanced at the chubby girl in front of me. She chuckled while pointing at my stomach. I assumed she was also a student at the university.

Without giving me a chance to respond, she unexpectedly hugged one of my arms.

"My name is Amie, and I think we'll be classmates. I saw you during enrollment last week; you were with a very handsome police officer, right?"

Her statement brought a smile to my face. Indeed, last week during enrollment, I was accompanied by my brother Gello, who happened to be wearing his police uniform and attracted quite a bit of attention from fellow students.

"Ah, yes, he's my brother, the police officer you're referring to," I replied.

Amie's eyes widened, and she grinned even wider.

"Oh my goodness! So, does that mean I can get to see him every day if we become friends?"

I found myself unsure of how to respond to her question, so I simply smiled in return.

Amie couldn't contain her excitement and playfully slapped my arm, exclaiming, "Alright, starting today, we're officially BFFs! So, what's your name, miss beautiful?"

I beamed with a wider smile. "My name is Kierra. Kierra Celestina Ellie Gabriel."

"Okay! Let's go, Kierra! Let's eat. I know you're hungry because I heard your stomach growling earlier!" Amie laughed.

Before I could object, Amie tugged at my arm, leading me towards the cafeteria. I couldn't help but smile and went along with her until we reached the inside.

"Wait, Amie. We might be late for class. We can eat during break time."

"Mmm…" Amie shrugged and guided me to sit down. "Just sit there, I'll order the food. Don't worry about being late; it's the first day of class, so it's okay."

I just nodded. The truth was, I was really hungry. I had only eaten a little last night and skipped breakfast today due to my brothers' rush.

When Amie returned, she had a food tray with two white bowls.

"What kind of food is this?" I asked, curiously inspecting the contents of the bowl.

Amie laughed and playfully tapped my arm. "Come on, Kierra! Don't you watch k-dramas?"

I shook my head. "No."

Amie frowned. "Oh... You should watch them so you'll know the name of this food. It's called tteokbokki. They only added it to the menu at the university this year. I was surprised when I saw it, so I decided to order it. I'm sure you'll love it."

I nodded, eyeing the tteokbokki she was referring to. It indeed looked delicious.

As I looked back at Amie, she had already picked up her chopsticks and started eating. I glanced at the chopsticks in my bowl. The truth was, I still didn't know how to use chopsticks.

"Amie, don't they have a fork?"

Amie paused mid-bite and looked up at me. Before she could respond, a hand reached out and offered a fork in front of me.

"Here, you can use this."

I looked up at the person who spoke and offered me a fork. My lips involuntarily opened in awe when I saw the handsome face of a guy wearing a white polo shirt, with rolled-up sleevesmda up to his elbows, with three buttons undone. He had an earring on his left ear and a slight stubble on his cheeks that made him even more attractive. He looked so manly, and I think… his age is not far from my triplets' brother. In fact, he was even more handsome and hot than the models I see in magazines and shows.

Unconsciously, I found myself entranced by the guy standing before me. When I didn't make a move, he gently took one of my hands and placed the fork in it.

I snapped out of my trance and shyly smiled at him. "T-thank you," I stammered, causing Amie to giggle beside me.

"You're welcome," he replied with a warm smile. His unexpected smile revealed perfectly white and even teeth, causing my heart to race even faster, especially when our gazes met.

After handing me the fork, he walked away and took a seat at a nearby table.

"Hey, Kierra! Wake up!" Amie playfully jabbed my arm, and when I looked at her, she was grinning mischievously.

"You fell in love at first sight, huh? Am I right?" Amie laughed and tapped my arm. "Oh my gosh! He's so handsome, right, girl!"

I blushed, and we both giggled before continuing to enjoy our tteokbokki.

"Do you think he could be a professor here at the university?" Amie whispered to me while chewing.

I stole a glance at the guy's table, only to find that he was looking back at me, and our gazes met once again. My heart skipped a beat, so I quickly looked away.

"I hope he becomes our professor; that would be fun. Oh my gosh!" Amie whispered with enthusiasm. She was just as excited about the good-looking guy as I was.

"But wait, look at the way he gazes at you, girl. Could he be interested in you?" Amie nudged my arm playfully.

I discreetly glanced in his direction while he was eating, but my breath caught in my throat when our gazes met for the third time. I couldn't quite discern any specific emotion on his face; he seemed serious while looking at me, as if he had something profound on his mind. I also noticed his tight grip on the glass of water on his table.

For some inexplicable reason, I suddenly felt intense nervousness, and my heart pounded even faster. I decided to avoid looking at him again until Amie and I finished our meal.

"Wait, where did the handsome guy go?" Amie asked, standing up from her chair and scanning the now quieter cafeteria.

Indeed, the guy was no longer at his table, and Amie and I were the only ones left in the cafeteria.

It appeared that he had vanished without us even noticing.