Prologue
Jaden Meyers sat at the edge of the Travis Pool Preserve that was created thousands of years ago after an eroded underground stream of the Travis river, which is a small distributary of the Colorado river, collapsed. Travis Springs, his hometown in Hays County, Texas derived its name from this place.
His dad Christopher Meyers was a famous retired lawyer in the town. His older brother Jayson Meyers was the most wanted criminal lawyer in the whole of Texas. He handled their family law firm in which Jaden had no interest whatsoever. His sister Juliette was married and expecting her first baby while his younger sister Jade was still studying.
He was a CPA (Certified Public Accountant) having completed his studies last year. Currently he was employed with M S Financial Solutions in Austin for his internship.
His family wanted him to return to Travis Springs and handle their company's finances but he wanted some experience before that.
He returned for the weekend as Karen, Jayson's wife had delivered twins last night and he wanted to see his nephew, Raydon Meyers and niece, Valerie Meyers today.
After visiting them at the hospital, he went to his room in his dad's house. It'd been a year since he'd left this room which overlooked his neighbours house.
There was a time when the love of his life Rosalie Edwards used to stay in that very house. Since childhood they had been best friends, going to school and returning home together. When he was fifteen, he realised that he loved her immensely. They had confessed their feelings to one another after a year. The next six months were the most precious time of his life being together with the girl he loved. He was contemplating how to get his first kiss from her when she and her family left Travis Springs forever without a goodbye, without a forwarding address.
He was devastated. He asked all their neighbours about her family but no one knew where they went. He asked all their friends but Rosalie didn't keep in touch with anyone. She just disappeared from his life forever.
He couldn't stay in his room anymore. He rode in his motorcycle to his favourite place in the whole world, the Travis Pool Preserve, where he had confessed his love for his Rosie.
He sat there quietly thinking about the time when he had sworn to pursue her.
Flashback
3 years back
The moment his sister, Juliette, who was a year older than him, announced her marriage to her long time classmate Xavion, he was depressed. His older brother Jayson already married the love of his life, Karen. That only left his younger sister Jade and himself. Jade was too young to marry but he wasn't too young to at least have a girlfriend. But he didn't want anyone. He only wanted his Rosie.
The night before Xavion and Juliette's wedding, Jaden accompanied Jayson, Xavion and his friend Damian to a pub in Austin for Xavion's bachelorette get-together. He didn't want to accompany them. They were all happy with their girls and only pulled each other's legs and he felt out of place. So he sat dejectedly in one corner.
"What happened? Remembering your girlfriend?" Asked Xavion in a joke.
"Everyone's not so lucky dude. I don't have anyone," he said with a grimace.
"What are you saying? A handsome dude like you don't have a girl? I could introduce you to a few at my office," he said with a wink.
"I don't want anyone else. I just want my Rosalie," said Jaden.
"Who's Rosalie? You can tell me if you want?" Said Xavion.
"She used to live in the house next door. We used to go to school together. We started developing feelings for each other. I realised I was in love with her when I turned 15. A year later, we confessed our feelings for one another. It was the happiest moment of our lives. Her parents took her away after six months and I lost touch with her. There has been no one since, Xavion. I can't forget her," said Jaden with pain etched in his handsome face.
"Go to her house and meet her," suggested Xavion.
"I don't know where she went. She never contacted me after that. She changed her number too," he said, unhappily.
"Hire a PI. Hunt her down man. If you really love her so much, why give up?" Said Xavion.
"I'm not so lucky dude," said Jaden as Damian and Jayson came back with their drinks.
"No one's lucky man. I pursued Juliette like a madman for four years. I didn't give up. I went through hell and that too all alone. You have such a loving family with you. Only one thing kept me going. My love for Juliette and my confidence that I would win her. So don't give up. We have only one life. True love doesn't happen to everyone. If you're lucky to feel it, don't let her go," said Xavion with such fierce passion that it ignited a determination in Jaden.
"Yes, you're right. Let me finish my studies. I'll make myself capable enough for her and pursue her," he said.
"It might be too late by then. Hire a PI and find out if she's available or not. If she is, take your time," advised Xavion.
"Dude, you're really something. I'll do just that. Thanks for the motivation, " said Jaden.
Jaden got the number of a trustworthy PI from his brother Jayson and wasted no time contacting him. He called Robert Harrison, the Private investigator and asked him the whereabouts of Rosalie Edwards. He also sent him an old photograph of Rosalie that he had saved in his wallet and mobile phone.
The next day after the wedding ceremony was over and the reception party was in full swing, Jaden couldn't stay back and watch everyone enjoying with their loved ones any more. He walked outside the party venue to breathe in the fresh air. Last night after that pep talk with Xavion, he was on a mission.
Staring at the evening sky, he yearned to be able to see Rosalie, to hold her in his arms. He sighed and thought about getting a drink to drown his sorrow when his phone buzzed with an SMS.
Checking, he found a message from his PI.
The Edwards family has been traced to Houston. They have been living in 23B Baker park, Houston for the last six years. Mr Edwards works as a financial advisor to McAllister and Sons, a finance company based in Houston.
Jaden read and reread the message. There was no information about Rosalie. He wanted to know whether she was seeing anyone or not. He just wanted to know whether she was still available or not.
He wrote back,
Thanks for the prompt reply Mr Harrison. Please can you find out about their daughter Rosalie Edwards? I want to know about her love life.
Mr Harrison answered,
Sure, sir.
Jaden waited the whole evening as the party progressed. Xavion and Juliette left to go to Xavion's house in Austin for their wedding night. While the rest of the guests stayed back to enjoy the party, Jaden left the party and went up to his room. He stared at his mobile, waiting for the information upon which his life depended.
It was around midnight when his mobile phone vibrated. Checking it he sighed with relief at the message.
Rosalie Edwards is single. She doesn't have any boyfriend. She's a grade A student, studying Agricultural Practices and Research at the University of Austin.
Jaden grinned happily. He would complete his studies and make himself eligible for her and then pursue her. In the meantime he would just keep track of her.
His mission to get Rosalie Edwards had already started.
"Just wait and watch Rosie, I'm coming to get you," he whispered as he dozed off to sleep.
The next three years he studied hard towards his goal. He kept track of Rosalie too. She was very serious about her studies and he knew she didn't have a boyfriend. He stalked her many times. She had grown too beautiful, much more than he had ever imagined. He wanted to show himself to her but was scared. What if she had forgotten him? What if she didn't love her anymore?
End of flashback
So ultimately three years passed by and still he hadn't found the courage to make her his. She completed her studies and started working with an organic farm based in Houston.
Things were going at its own monotonous pace when a single message from his PI, disrupted his peace of mind.
Rosalie Edwards is engaged to Mr Allen McAllister, the owner of McAllister and Sons, where her father works.
Jaden's world crashed around him. He googled Allen McAllister and found him to be a 36 year old billionaire, who was 11 years older than Rosalie. How could she marry him? What did she see in him? Jealous and devastated, Jaden decided to take things in his own hands.
He got up from the Travis Pool Preserve and went back to Austin to his two bedroom apartment. He would resign at his office tomorrow and shift to Houston. He would find work there and then start his mission till he won Rosalie over.
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Featured Picture: Lucy Hale as Rosalie Edwards
