Rebate System: From Poor Student To Billionaire Playboy

Chapter 27. Melissa’s Roommate

The whole weird exchange with Clara finally ended, leaving Harry standing there, still not sure if she’d just been flirting or just being nice. Honestly, he hoped it was the latter. There was something about her, this mix of confidence and warmth, that pulled him in without even trying. And maybe that was the problem. People like her were exactly the kind he needed to keep at arm’s length.

He checked his phone to distract himself and saw a new message from Melissa. It had come in a few minutes ago. One line.

[[Hey, here’s a crazy idea, want to come over?]]

Short. Simple. Loaded.

Harry stared at the message for a few seconds, wondering if he was reading too much into it. Maybe it was innocent. Or maybe it wasn’t. The first thought that crossed his mind was sex, obviously. What else could it mean? But then again, maybe she just wanted company. Maybe she was bored. Or maybe she was testing him.

Either way, it wasn’t something he could ignore.

He let out a quiet sigh. He already had one woman in his life who was a little too complicated, and the last thing he needed was another one playing games. But curiosity always won with him. And honestly, what did he have to lose?

He threw on a clean shirt, jeans, grabbed his keys, and decided to find out. The idea of just sitting around overthinking it sounded worse than whatever could be waiting for him at her place. Still, he made sure to slip out quietly so he wouldn’t bump into Clara again. That whole towel incident had been awkward enough.

Usually, it was her husband who came around when something broke in the building. The fact that she’d come instead made him wonder. Maybe she just didn’t want to wait. Or maybe she was curious about him. Maybe she’d realized he wasn’t just some broke guy renting a small apartment and wanted a piece of him.

He shook the thought off before it could spiral. No use reading too deep into things. He had somewhere else to be.

Harry started the car, typed out a quick text to Melissa letting her know he was on his way, and pulled out of the driveway.

Right then, he remembered Mila and called the number she gave him that day, but she didn't answer. So he sent her text, a simple [[Hi, Mila. I would like to buy more clothes. Get back to me as soon as you can.]]

*****

The drive didn’t take long. He didn’t rush, but there was an easy confidence in how he handled the wheel, steady, smooth, like he knew the road would move for him if it had to.

He remembered Melissa mentioning she lived with a roommate, but she’d never said much more than that. He wasn’t sure if it was a guy or a girl. When he’d been over last time, there hadn’t been any sign of a man. No clothes, no smell, nothing. Harry was observant, he would’ve noticed if a man lived there with her.

He parked in front of her building. The lights inside were already on, so she clearly knew he was there. He was about to text her again when he noticed movement by the window, someone peeking through the blinds before snapping them shut.

Inside, Melissa’s heart was pounding like crazy.

“HE’S HERE!” she squealed, spinning around to face her roommate.

Rhianon didn’t even glance up right away. She just sighed, closing her book with a soft thud. Melissa’s excitement was almost contagious, like a teenager before a first date, and that was exactly what worried her.

This Harry guy, whoever he was, had her friend wrapped around his finger. Rhianon didn’t trust men who could do that so easily. She’d seen it before, her friends falling too fast, too hard, only to end up broken and crying on her shoulder.

“Relax, Mel,” Rhianon said finally, setting the book aside. “Go fix your hair or something. I’ll get the door.”

Melissa didn’t argue, she just dashed off toward her room, leaving Rhianon standing there, half amused, half concerned.

Rhianon wasn’t the kind of girl who got easily impressed. She knew what she looked like. She had the kind of beauty that drew stares, red hair, bold eyeliner, and that hippy aesthetic that people either found fascinating or intimidating. Guys always claimed they were into “hippy girls,” but most of them just liked the idea, not the reality.

So when the doorbell rang, she took her time standing up, straightened her top, and walked to the door. She wasn’t trying to look hot, but she also wasn’t trying not to. She just wanted to see what kind of man had her friend acting like she’d won the lottery.

When she opened the door, she froze for half a second.

He was taller than she expected, lean but built, with that easy kind of confidence you didn’t have to fake. His smile was calm, practiced, but not forced.

“You must be Melissa’s roommate,” he said, voice smooth, eyes steady. “Hi, I’m Harry.”

Of course he was. Rhianon could tell before he said it. That tone, half polite, half knowing, gave him away. Guys like him always had a way of owning a room the second they walked in.

“Hello, Harry,” she said, leaning lightly against the doorframe. “I’ve heard quite a lot about you.”

He grinned, not missing a beat. “That’s funny. I haven’t heard anything about you.”

That made her laugh. It wasn’t forced, just soft, natural. “Touché. I can see why she likes you already.”

She stepped aside and let him in. He gave her a polite nod as he walked past, trying not to make it obvious that he was taking in every detail, the place, her expression, the tone in her voice. He could already tell Rhianon wasn’t like Melissa. She was sharper, quieter, maybe even a little dangerous in her own way.

And that meant he had to be careful.

Roommates like her could either make things easier, or completely ruin them. He wasn’t taking any chances. The small leather bag he carried wasn’t for show; it had something inside that could smooth things over if things got awkward.

Still, one thought wouldn’t leave his mind:

Why invite me over if her roommate’s home?

He sat down on the couch as Rhianon made herself comfortable in the chair opposite him. She crossed one leg over the other, and for a second, Harry’s eyes wandered before he caught himself and looked back up at her face.

Her top clung to her in all the right places, and her shorts showed off smooth legs that made it hard not to notice. But the thing that really got him was her eyes, sharp, steady, like she could see right through him.

“Melissa! Your boyfriend’s here!” Rhianon called out suddenly, voice bright and teasing.

Harry couldn’t help but chuckle, shaking his head. So that was her game. She was testing him.

A moment later, Melissa appeared from the hallway, practically glowing and looking like she’d just run a marathon. Her hair was messy in that cute way, her cheeks flushed, and her crop top and short skirt didn’t exactly help with subtlety.

“Hey, beautiful,” Harry said, that same easy smile on his lips.

Melissa froze halfway across the room, caught between embarrassment and excitement. Her face turned red enough to match the color of her skirt.

The air in the room shifted for a moment. It was quiet, just the hum of the AC, the soft buzz of something unspoken hanging there.

Rhianon looked between the two of them, her expression calm but her mind racing. Harry wasn’t just some smooth-talking guy. There was something else there, something she couldn’t quite figure out yet.

Harry leaned back into the couch, hands resting in his lap, acting completely at ease. But in his head, he was already working out his next move.