Chapter 14 Howard Zimmer

• “Mr. Warren, are we just going to stand here?”
• Gavin chuckled and said, “You know, if you can't handle something as simple as this, how are you going to manage a relationship? Just keep an eye on the entrance, and when a student comes out of the building, ask them to help you find Rosalie. It's that simple!”
• “But... would someone be willing to help?” I asked, giving a sheepish smile.
• Gavin pulled out a hundred bucks from his pocket and handed it to me.
• “Here, there's no problem money can't solve. If there is, it just means you're not using enough money!”
• A twitch tugged at the corner of my mouth as I took the money. Despite Gavin's eccentricity, his words surprisingly made a fair amount of sense!
• Holding the money, I made my way to the entrance of the dormitory building, where I saw a plump woman emerging.
• I quickly stepped in front of her, smiling as I said, “Hello, pretty miss.”
• The woman scrutinized me before asking, “Do you need something?”
• “Um, I was hoping you could do me a favor. Could you help me find Rosalie Willow?”
• “From which room?”
• “Well... I don't know either!” With that awkward response, I handed her the hundred-dollar bill, adding, “Please help me!”
• The woman glanced at the money, her expression changing instantly. She smiled so widely her eyes disappeared.
• “All right, I'm always happy to help. You wait here while I ask the dorm supervisor!”
• After the woman finished speaking, she turned around and entered the building. I returned to Gavin, excitedly saying, “Mr. Warren, money really does make the world go round!”
• Gavin curled his lips, his face full of disdain.
• “Couldn't you have asked someone more respectable? That woman just now was built like a tank!”
• “You're not even dating her, so what are you being so picky about?” I retorted, then continued to smoke with Gavin.
• Unfortunately, it seemed I was too naive when it came to people. Gavin and I went through half a pack of cigarettes, waiting in the freezing cold for an hour, yet that plump woman never showed up again!
• Tossing his cigarette butt, Gavin cursed angrily, “D*mn it, where's the trust between people? That chubby woman actually played us!”
• Great! Not only did I fail to see Rosalie, but I even wasted a hundred bucks. I sighed, feeling disheartened.
• “Enough, Mr. Warren. It seems we're not fated to be together. Let's go!”
• After I finished speaking, I turned around, only to freeze on the spot. Coincidentally, Rosalie was walking toward me.
• She was taken aback when she saw me, but my gaze quickly shifted to the handsome man accompanying her.
• When I looked back to Rosalie, my lips and hands were trembling. I wasn't sure if it was the cold weather that was causing it or the sight of Rosalie that was making me nervous.
• “Theros! W-Why are you here?”
• Rosalie wore an expression of disbelief. Clearly, she hadn't expected to see me standing outside her dorm.
• “Rosalie, long time no see...”
• I had imagined countless scenarios of meeting Rosalie, my heart brimming with words I had been holding back. Yet, when we finally met, all I could muster was a simple “long time no see.”
• “Who is he, Rosalie?”
• The man beside Rosalie spoke up. The guy was roughly around 1.75 meters tall, a good head shorter than me. However, his skin was incredibly fair, almost like a woman's.
• Rosalie's gaze flickered, her lips parting slightly.
• “He was a classmate of mine in high school...”
• Upon hearing these words, I chuckled in disbelief, yet before I even had time to feel hurt, Rosalie added, “He's also my boyfriend!”
• Before I could even react, Rosalie suddenly rushed toward me, hurling herself into my arms and beginning to sob uncontrollably.
• “Theros, you're finally out! After your aunt moved, I couldn't find her, let alone know which prison you were locked up in! I thought I'd never see you again!”
• Standing there in the icy weather, I reached up to wipe away the scorching tears rolling down Rosalie's cheeks. It seemed I had been worried for nothing.
• She hadn't changed, and neither had I. Our youth remained unaltered. This woman had actually waited for me for three years!
• “I'm back, and this time, we're never going to part ways again!”
• I held the sobbing figure in my arms tightly, whispering gentle words of love.
• Before I could fully savor the fleeting sweetness of the moment, it was abruptly interrupted by that blasted man.
• “So, you're the one Rosalie was involved with before you went to jail?” The man shot me a sidelong glance, then continued, “And here I thought you were some exceptional character, worthy of Rosalie waiting for you for three years!”
• “Excuse me, but how does this concern you?” I retorted, clearly displeased.
• The person involved, Rosalie, hadn't said a word, so who did he think he was, acting so high and mighty?
• Seeing that my words carried a hint of hostility, Rosalie immediately stepped in to mediate.
• “Theros, he's my senior, Howard Zimmer!”
• Howard sneered dismissively, his face full of arrogance as he said, “Rosalie, I've been pursuing you for three years, and you've barely given me a second glance. Yet, you waited three years for a man who just got out of prison, a former convict. What could you possibly see in him?”
• Upon hearing this, I understood immediately. It turned out that this guy was nursing an unrequited love, making him my love rival.
• I tightened my grip on Rosalie, blatantly asserting my claim on her.