All Chapters of A Lab Rat for His Love: Chapter 1 - Chapter 9

9 Chapters

Chapter 1

I'd been in love with Howard Chapman for 20 years. In the week leading up to our graduation, we slept together every night and went through ten boxes of condoms in seven days. After he turned me away when I offered him the 11th box, I bought him some supplements instead. As I stood outside, waiting to hand them over, I saw him poking holes in his condoms while his friends looked on, cackling. Listening as he explained how he'd only slept with me so that I could test out birth control pills for his "Lizzy"—full name Melissa Lane—I cried. After all, he'd just proposed to me in front of the entire college yesterday. Inside the room, Howard continued speaking. Eight hours ago, he'd gone down on one knee and promised to love me forever. Now, less than a day later, I felt as though his mocking words were stabbing me. Goosebumps rose all over my body. His friends clinked glasses with him and said, "Rehearsing your proposal in front of the whole college is something only you could come

Chapter 2

Melissa had sent me a video. It was Howard, playing "Truth or Dare" while tipsy. His roommate, Pierce Milett asked, "Who's your favorite girl?" Without hesitation, Howard replied, "Melissa, of course." He lost three games in a row, being drunk. "What's the most memorable night you can think of?" "Three days ago." That was the day he told me he was busy handling paperwork in preparation for graduation. Turned out he was keeping his beloved company. Melissa blushed, and everyone laughed. In the next round, he chose to do a dare.Pierce hollered, "Kiss! It's got to be a French kiss!" The video focused on their lips. I could see spit glimmering while they moved against each other. They kissed for five minutes. Initially, the crowd cheered. However, they soon held Howard back, terrified that he'd cross a line in his excitable state."Howard, don't take it too far. Even if you like Lizzy, there's no need to behave like this, right? The rest of us are single. Stop subjec

Chapter 3

Melissa's lips were ringed red from her smeared lipstick. When our eyes met, she grinned. Glee sparkled in her eyes. If Howard was what she wanted, I'd give him to her. A man who'd cheated was like rotten food. Holding on to it would only cause disgust. My thoughts were a humbled mess as I caught a cab home. Lying back onto the couch, my brain functioned sluggishly. I scrolled through my chat records with Howard. Throughout our four years at college, I'd enjoyed how Howard took care of me and expressed his adoration. I spoiled him with gifts, and he took me on dates. I helped him with his thesis, and he took me to the movies in return.I tried to find out whether he liked me, and he let me do whatever I wanted, even going as far as to reciprocate. This gave me hope. Even though he'd never confessed or confirmed my status as his girlfriend, I allowed him to bed me in the hotel. How cheap of me. I had no idea what I was doing and thought it was the passion of true love. Time

Chapter 4

Forcing that sentence out—saying I didn't need Howard—had drained me. Howard stiffened, his expression growing cold. "What are you getting at? What do you mean you don't need me?" "That's exactly what it means. I don't need your help. Who are you to fetch me to the hospital? My boyfriend? My fiancé? If I'm not mistaken, you haven't even informed your parents of our engagement, have you? Well, the engagement doesn't count if none of our parents were present." The vein by Howard's temple throbbed. "Is this really the time to throw a tantrum? I'm not your parents. I don't have an obligation to bend to your every whim. If you don't want me to touch you, that's fine. Get up. I'll drive you to the hospital." Weak from my cold, I couldn't resist, and Howard successfully yanked me into his car. On the way to the hospital, his expression was stony, and I wasn't in the mood to talk either. The car rolled to a stop in front of the hospital. We were about to head in when his phone buzz

Chapter 5

On my way to the airport, Howard realized I'd blocked him. Using his spam account, he texted me, complaining, "What's going on with you now? Is this ever going to end? Weren't you alright a few days ago?"How can I marry you now if you keep behaving like this? Wasn't it just that I didn't bring you with me to a gathering with my roommates? Why are you so mad? "Alright. Fine. I'm sorry, babe. Can you unblock me? Melissa's still waiting for her internship. Speak to the secretary and make sure her application isn't held up. She's just a girl trying to find her way in the big city. It's not easy for her." Howard had texted me more in a few minutes than he had in the past two decades we'd known each other. It was the first time he'd called me something as sweet as "babe". However, he'd only done so to secure a job for his beloved.The irony wasn't lost on me. In fact, I found it funny and giggled audibly in the car. However, tears streamed down my face.Howard only noticed Melissa'

Chapter 6

I dozed off on the plane out of exhaustion. When I woke up, the plane had landed. I was already overseas. The cold air sent shivers through me. However, I smiled.A world without Howard wasn't as scary as I'd expected it to be. It was easier to leave him than I'd thought. From the airport, I took a cab to the apartment my parents had booked for me. When I turned my phone on, I was bombarded with a slew of messages. Most of them were from Howard's friends. He used their numbers to contact me.He thought I was giving him the silent treatment after what happened at the party. In the beginning, the messages were sweet and generous. However, they quickly morphed into impatient threats.It had only taken three hours. His patience for me lasted just 180 minutes. I deleted all of them—except for the messages Mary, his mom, sent me. She was sincere in her concern, as always. "Selena, have you gotten into a spat with Howard? Did he bully you? Tell me what happened, and I'll teach him

Chapter 7

Completing all the necessary paperwork for enrollment took a day. During that time, I made a new friend who hailed from the same place—Eric Bieber. Apparently, he was a transfer from one of the top universities in the country. Eric was completely different from Howard. He was humble, quiet, and a perfect gentleman. He took me on a campus tour.On the way, we ran into three couples who were kissing on the streets, bathed in sunlight. Blushing, Eric led me away from them. However, the attraction he harbored for me didn't escape my notice. After my failed relationship, I didn't want to start anything with someone new. Studying overseas was my way of improving myself. So, when he offered to walk me home, I turned him down. Under the warm glow of the street lamps, I looked up at Eric and said, "Thank you for your help. However, we're studying different majors and probably won't see each other frequently. If you'd like, I can treat you to a meal as thanks for the tour." We were both

Chapter 8

Howard's expression was grim, and there was an obsessive glint in his eye. "Did you come here for him? When did you meet him? When did you decide to study overseas? Why didn't you tell me? What does my proposal mean to you, then? What do I mean to you? Are you playing me like a fiddle?" I turned to the senior beside me and politely asked him to leave. "You're overthinking it. I left for myself. It has nothing to do with anyone else. Besides, I don't think you're in any position to question me. Which of the things you've done isn't worse than this?" Howard froze. "What have I done?"Clearly, he didn't want to think of what he'd done. I said coldly, "I know everything about what happened with you and Melissa. If you like her that much, then find her an internship elsewhere. Even if she can't land anything, you're the heir to the Chapman fortune."You're rich enough to support her. Why are you trying to dump her in our company? Do you think the Reed Corporation is a trash coll

Chapter 9

The landlord said Howard had paid ten times more than the market price for the apartment, so the original tenant agreed to give the spot to him.With a bouquet of roses in hand, Howard knocked on my door. When I opened it, he smiled bitterly and said, "I know you won't believe me when I say I can't bear to let you go, but I'm not a rock. I can feel your love for me. If you can't accept me, I can wait for you. I'll stay here for as long as you are. If I have to get married, I hope you'll be the one I marry." Before I could turn him down, he stuffed the flowers into my hand and turned back into the apartment. After that night, I began receiving packages every day—new product releases from luxury brands and limited-edition jewelry.The more he sent, the more it pissed me off. Even after two decades, he hadn't bothered to find out what I liked. I never wore jewelry. Eventually, I refused to accept the packages. However, he still knocked on my door every night. Not once did I open i

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