No More Waiting, She Chooses Love

Chapter 167



Herschel froze in his tracks so suddenly I thought he might stumble.

I quickly reached out to steady him. "Herschel..."

He turned to me, a shadow crossing his face. "Felicia, why would you ask something like that out of the blue?"

I wanted to mention what Ernest had told me but couldn't bring myself to share it with Herschel. I brushed it off, "Just a random question, that's all." The usual warmth had drained from Herschel's face, leaving him solemn and, quite frankly, a bit intimidating.

"Felicia, your parents' accident was just that—an accident. I was there, I saw it all. There are police reports and everything to prove it," Herschel said heavily.

I hadn't been to the scene of the accident. Herschel had spared me from it, not wanting me to see something so grim. But that choice had left me with a lifetime of unanswered questions.

"If you're having doubts, or you don't believe me, you can check the records for yourself," Herschel's complexion turned ashen, the joviality gone from his voice.

I knew how close he had been to my father, almost like brothers. Bringing up my parents' death must have reminded him of the tragedy, causing him pain.

"No need, I

my eyes, searching for something. For a moment, I thought he might

said, "Felicia, why don't you go on ahead?

to come downstairs with me but suddenly changed his mind. My heart

Herschel gestured for me to

wall, lost in thought. Something about Herschel's reaction didn't sit right with me, though he spoke with such

took me a while to finally

al

Ernest. I had worried they might not get. alongor that Jacqueline might give Ernest a hard time, but

said something amusing to have even

descended the

hear Jacqueline reminiscing Felicia was such a handful as a child. She would run up to me and call me 'mom.' I used to say how wonderful it would be if she

I'd heard why I was betrothed to Conrad, not

suggested it, Felicia immediately said she'd marry young Conrad

making her laugh; it was her

to carry her on their backs,"

surprised. His comment sounded as if