A Rose 442


    Nancy’s face darkened further upon hearing the new voice. She turned toward it. It really was that


    nuisance who sickened her the most!


    “None of your business!” she said harshly, rolling her eyes at him.


    Her dislike of him was obvious.


    Published by N?v''elD/rama.Org.


    “Come on, don’t be so harsh, Nance. We haven’t seen each other for so long. This is a great


    opportunity to catch up with each other…”


    Stanley Jennings’s eyes were fixed obsessively upon her.


    “Don’t call me that! You haven’t earned that right!” Nancy yelled at him, her disgust growing. “Please


    just get as far away from me as you can. I don’t want to see your face!”


    Stanley frowned. “No matter what, we’re still childhood friends. Why are you so put off by me,


    Nance?”


    “Hah! Bullshit!” Nancy rolled her eyes so hard one could only see the whites.


    “Don’t make me sick! We were only neighbors!” she yelled. “Neighbors and childhood friends are


    twopletely unrted things!”


    This nuisance had been trailing behind her like a persistent fly ever since they were kids. He always


    followed after her so he could bully her, which caused many fights between them back then.


    She’d finally managed to shake him off when she went abroad. However, she didn’t think she’d run


    into him again today. How unlucky!


    Nancy had absolutely no desire to say another word to him. She turned to leave, but she had barely


    taken a step before her arm was grabbed tightly.


    “Stanley, you–Let go of me…”


    She tried to shake him off forcefully, but he was stronger than her. Not only did she fail to throw him


    off, he held on even tighter.


    “Nancy, I have something to say to you! You can’t leave!”


    “I don’t want to hear it, so get lost!”


    Nancy struggled with all her might and finally managed to escape his grasp. She quickly attempted


    to return to her private room, but Stanley chased after her desperately.


    Just as it seemed like he would grab her again, a pair of slender hands intercepted him. They


    stopped him from touching a single hair on Nancy’s head.


    “Has nobody ever told you not to force women into doing something they don’t want to?”


    Jacob’s eyes narrowed dangerously beneath his gold–wire sses. He squeezed Stanley’s arm in


    one hand while keeping Nancy safely behind his back with the other.


    “M–Mr. Murray…”


    Recognizing Jacob, Stanley’s expression changed drastically, and he broke out in a cold sweat.


    “Mr. Murray, you’re mistaken. I didn’t force her into anything,” he hurriedly exined. “Me and


    Nance know each other. We’re childhood friends…”


    Childhood friends?


    For some reason, Jacob found that term extremely unpleasant to his ears. His grip on Stanley’s arm


    tightened.


    With a snap, they heard the sound of breaking bone.


    212


    Stanley cried out in pain. Immediately after, he was scared right back into silence by Jacob’s


    imposing air, too afraid to cry out again. He could only bite down the pain and speak up in a small


    voice.


    “Mr. Murray, I just had something to say to her,” he said weakly.


    Jacob’s eyes regained some of their warmth as he turned to look at Nancy. “Do you want to hear


    him out? ” he asked her softly.


    Nancy immediately shook her head. “No.”


    She didn’t want to say a single word more to this nuisance!


    “You hear that? She doesn’t want to hear what you have to say.”


    Jacob’s eyes were cold as ice when he looked at Stanley. His icy tone carried a heavy hint of


    warning.


    “Don’t bother her again in the future.”


    As soon as he was done speaking, Jacob led Nancy away hand in hand. They left Stanley standing


    where he was with a pained face, cradling his broken arm.


    His expression was ugly, a strong sense of crisis rising in his heart. A crisis of love.