Chapter 1 Mr. Right 1

Vivian ran and panted across the large campus of University X, holding a large, hot box of pizza in her hand. The old tennis shoes on her feet were fortunately sturdy, so she ran so fast.

"Sorry," Vivian asked a random student, breathing heavily. "Do you know where the economics department is located?"

"Over there." The skinny male student pointed to the North - where she had just passed by. "Corridor of row A."

"Thank." She nodded to the other person and quickly walked towards area A.

It was Thursday afternoon, and a group of students from the economics club called the Domino's Pizza store - where she was working - to place an order. She was chosen to deliver the goods. Within half an hour, she ran through busy, traffic-filled streets. She finally arrived but got lost on campus.

"It's strange, I've run back and forth to this place five times but still can't see it. Probably because I wasn't paying attention." She muttered as she rushed up the two stairs before reaching the arched doors. She felt tired and almost exhausted.

In front of her were winding gray hallways that smelled of dust and human footsteps. Looking around, she slowly walked down the hallway and stopped to look at the students with club invitations, activities, and announcements. The flyers come in different vibrant colors. Vivian curiously passed by and then stopped in front of the classrooms down the hall, peeking through the windows to see if they were finished.

"It's only four o'clock, they're still learning." She spoke to herself before hearing a voice from behind.

"Over here." A girl waved at Vivian.

Rushing over, Vivian asked. "The Economic Club orders pizza, right?"

"Yes, we've been waiting for you all this time."

"Sorry." Vivian laughed. "I'm lost. It's fifty dollars total."

After receiving the money, Vivian walked out of area A, exhausted from running.

"Maybe I should exercise more." She said sarcastically to herself.

Suddenly, a male student bumped into her as he went down the stairs. "Hey." She yelled at the other guy, who was holding the phone to his ear, listening attentively to the person on the other end of the line as if he was no longer aware of his surroundings. "Are your eyes under your butt?" She mumbled and walked towards the stone benches not far away.

Sitting down on one of the stone benches, she pulled out her phone and texted Amity, the long-haired girl who lived in the room across from hers. When Vivian first arrives at this poor apartment complex, she runs into Amity, who also moves in on the same day as her. As the only two girls on the twelfth floor, they bonded very closely, sometimes even sharing late-night meals together.

Amity is currently a second-year student studying business management at X University on a scholarship, hoping to get into one of the very few large companies. She dreams of one day winning the jackpot, which in this case means a man of high status. Vivian thought this was very funny, it sounded like she was filming a love movie, Amity even announced for fun that she would definitely become the main character in the film.

A second later, Amity replied that class had just ended and would come out to meet her immediately. Putting down her cell phone, Vivian looked up at the sky and took a deep breath. A few minutes later, she watched all the students go out to the yard, everyone rushing and hurrying as if they were taking advantage of every moment.

After getting married, her brother told her to go back to school or pursue her own passion. He expected her to return to school after earning her GED through a short course because she missed half of high school, but she chose to go to work over all else.

In this world, she learned, that education is nothing if money is everything. She wants money. She wants to shop without looking at prices and shop until she gets bored. She wants to buy jewelry, and designer clothes and live like a classy woman. She wants to become rich because being rich means she can live comfortably. However, it is impossible to achieve those things without money.

Right now, she is still living but struggling. Although the apartment rent is not much, there are countless things that need to be paid. Water bills, electricity bills, daily living expenses... every time she thinks about it, she sighs in frustration.

"Vivian!" She turned around, seeing her familiar friend waving with her hair flowing over her shoulder as she ran over. "I didn't know you were coming. You should have told me sooner."

Vivian stood up. "I'm here making a delivery so I came by to visit you."

Smiling brightly, her friend nodded, wrapping his arm around her shoulders. "Uhm. I just received my allowance from my parents this morning. Let's go have lunch together. I'll pay."

~~~~~

Rushing out into the street, Jaime Miro urgently spoke into the phone. "How's Dad, Mom? What happened?" Opening the back door of the taxi, Jaime sat in, urged the driver to drive quickly, and continued talking to the woman on the other end of the line. "Has the doctor come yet?"

"I called, the maid is waiting at the door to pick up the doctor. Where are you?" His mother's soothing voice came through the phone, calm and soft as she always spoke.

"I'm on my way home."

The woman reminded. "You shouldn't do that, stay in class. Your father will be distraught if your friend misses class."

"I'm going home soon," Jaime said then instructed the driver. "Turn right then left at the next red light."

"Jaime." His mother called.

"I'm hanging up now." He said, turning off his phone and looking out the window, his eyes scanning the buildings, and the cars.

Within minutes, they were on a quiet private neighborhood street with high brick walls bordering both sides of the street. Paying the driver, he opened the gate, rushed up the steps to the black steel door, and rushed through the beautiful lawn planted with marigolds and poppies alive with spring bunnies and summer.

Finally reaching the two-story modern house, he pulled open the door. While he was taking off his shoes, he heard soft footsteps, and a few seconds later, his four-year-old nephew ran into his arms.

"Hey, boy." Jaime bent down to hug Juke.

“Uncle, what are you doing at home?” The boy questioned as Jaime carried him to the living room. "I'm going to visit my grandfather."

"Uh." He patted Juke's head and put him down. "Let's go play."

After watching Juke run away, he started walking towards the bedroom of his father, the elderly man lying in bed with a dripping water bottle pinned to his arm. His heart became weak after a stroke.

The doctor said his father would pass away at any moment because his illness was very serious. Over the past few weeks, the family lawyer has come to finalize Mr. Miro.