Chapter 15

Hansel sped off in his car.

Winter, furious, stomped her feet. "Look at him! What a jerk! Scumbag! A piece of trash! How frustrating!" she raged. Grabbing Marshall's collar, she declared, "I'm telling you, Mimi will never, ever return to him. Never!"

Marshall frantically tried to calm her. "Yes, of course. You should calm down"

But was that possible? Hansel had seemed so confident and determined. He must have had a reason for his actions.

Marshall glanced at Winter. If only she were as loyal to men as she was to her best friend… He stopped himself. That thought was far-fetched.

Hansel received a call while driving. In a foul mood, he answered coldly, "What is it?"

"Dear, I found a hidden gem! They have amazing crabs. It's Saturday tomorrow; let's go, shall we?" Ingrid's cheerful voice chirped.

She knew Hansel loved seafood. Besides, they hadn't spoken since last night, and her anxiety had led her to call him first. Usually, Hansel planned their dates; she'd only hesitantly declined a few times before agreeing. Lately, however, he'd been less communicative, sending short, infrequent texts, sometimes not replying at all.

He'd said he was busy when she'd asked why.

"Saturday? I'm busy."

Ingrid's grip tightened, her lips paling. "It's fine if you're busy tomorrow. We can go Sunday."

"I said I'm busy. I'm hanging up," Hansel said, ending the call.

Ingrid stared at her phone, anxiety returning. No way! She'd finally become his official girlfriend after so much effort. She couldn't give up so easily!

As the sun set, Paul and Miranda said goodbye to Christine.

"How can the day be so short?" Christine sighed, reluctant to part. "Perhaps you two could have dinner with me before you go?"

"Perhaps not," Paul replied. "I have to go to the lab."

Miranda agreed. "We can always do that another day."

"Alright. Goodbye, then. Be careful driving," Christine said, turning to Miranda. "Come visit me more often when you're free, okay?"

"Sure!" Miranda replied.

"Oh, right," Christine continued. "There are two documents and several books on the table. You left them here."

Miranda had majored in bioinformatics and worked on a thesis for submission to the SCI Journal before graduation. To think Christine had kept it all these years…

Miranda was touched. "Dr. Young, I…"

"Alright, now. You should go. Oh, and don't forget the food container on the table. I washed it."

Miranda was stunned.

Christine added, with displeasure, "You didn't even visit me in the hospital, even though you were already there. All you left was a food container. I was bloated from the meal."

Miranda blushed. "I won't do that again."

On the way back, feeling embarrassed to ask Paul to drop her off at her apartment, Miranda suggested getting off at Bedford College's entrance. It wasn't far; a short walk.

Paul nodded. "Alright."

Seeing a figure at his mansion's entrance, Hansel held his breath, then relaxed. "Ingy."

"Hans, you're back?" Ingrid exclaimed, her eyes sparkling. "What are you doing here?"

"I was waiting for you," she explained nervously. "You said you were busy, so I came after work. Am I bothering you?"

"Not at all," Hansel shook his head.

"That's great!" Her smile faltered. "Hans, I'm hungry…" Bashfully, she lowered her head.

"Come on, I'll take you out to dinner."

"Sure!"

They went to a Jovanian restaurant. Hansel ate little, but Ingrid enjoyed the meal. Ingrid nodded and hummed in agreement.

"Let's go. I'll take you back to your dorm."

"Okay."

The restaurant was near the National University of Technology. They arrived in under ten minutes.

Ingrid paused before getting out. "Aren't you going to see me off?"

"Sure," Hansel agreed.

Night classes had just ended. Students poured out of the college. Ingrid, known as the campus belle, attracted curious glances, especially with her handsome companion.

Unaware of the whispers, Ingrid smiled charmingly at Hansel. "Perhaps I should introduce you to my roommates someday? They're really eager to meet you."

That was an understatement; the entire college was curious about her boyfriend. Before, when Miranda was with Hansel and Ingrid wasn't his girlfriend, Ingrid hadn't dared to show him off. Now, things were different. He'd promised to make their relationship public, and he had.

Hansel didn't answer; he wasn't interested in meeting her roommates. Ingrid, however, seemed oblivious. Smiling, she said, "This is great, Hans. Every minute with you feels joyful."

She turned to him and kissed him.

There was an uproar.

"The rumors are true! Ingrid has a boyfriend!" "Oh gosh! It's like a movie scene!" "Ingrid is so beautiful, and her boyfriend is so handsome." "They're perfect! I'm rooting for them!"

Miranda, passing by, overheard the commotion. What a coincidence.

Hansel stared at Ingrid's smile. Suddenly, he remembered another woman's dazzling eyes at Bedford College's graduation ceremony years ago. Her sparkling eyes and bright smile. "Hansel, I choose you, and I won't regret it."

The memory, long buried, resurfaced, striking his heart. He instinctively stepped back.

"Hans? You…" Ingrid asked, puzzled.

Hansel said, "It's late. You should go in now."