No More Waiting, She Chooses Love

Chapter 88



"Ernest, what's your game here? Blackmailing me with our past and last night's events, is that it?" I confronted him.

"No," he muttered, avoiding my gaze.

His evasion was a clear indication of his guilt. I clenched my fists, feeling a sudden urge to give him a piece of my mind, physically.

"I'm a stranger in these parts, what's wrong with asking for a little help? I've had your back before," Ernest spoke up again, his voice tinged with vulnerability.

It felt as though by not helping him, I'd be the one betraying a debt of gratitude.

Debts, whether of money or of favors, always come due.

I sighed. "Alright, Mr. Collins, where would you like to go today? Got any shopping to do? Just tell me, and we'll head out."

"I was thinking of apartment hunting," he said, catching me off guard.

"Apartment hunting? I thought you were just here temporarily?" I asked, puzzled.

"I might not be going back, so I thought I'd look around in advance," Ernest's words felt like a punch to the gut.

place the feeling, but it

isn't even here," I reminded

resign!" he

I was speechless.

rent. I can't afford to buy right now," Ernest confessed without a hint of

world where so many guys put on a show, flaunting what they don't have to keep up appearances, Ernest was an open book about

considering quitting your job?" I mumbled, more to

didn't respond, probably lost in

stirred my sympathy, and before I knew it, I was driving

the downtown area. The rent here must be through the

cheaper, but the commute is a killer. For an engineer like you, aiming to work in this area, finding a

fell silent, and thinking of his financial situation, I added, "I could lend

arrangement with me?" Ernest's reply took me by surprise, leaving me momentarily

glared at him, thinking about

that he might have considered marrying me once,4 scoffed, "Wishful thinking.

the car, I suggested,

arrived at a real estate

the call and turned to Ernest, "You go ahead and look around. I've

a plumbing disaster at home. Need to get it

my downstairs neighbor, informing me that water was flooding the