No More Waiting, She Chooses Love

Conrad's face froze, his eyes wide with shock as he looked at me. Then, his gaze fell on the intertwined hands of Ernest and me. He didn't speak, and neither did I. It was Ernest who broke the silence first, "Mr. Wagner, good morning."

And it was indeed morning-though the sun had yet to rise.

Conrad seemed to snap out of his daze at Ernest's greeting, clenching his jaw as his gaze fixed on me. "Felicia, we need to talk."

I could have refused, but I didn't.

Some conversations are inevitable. Better to have them and get it over with, so they don't linger unspoken.

"Ernest, you go ahead. I'd like a glass of milk," I said, adopting the casual tone of a wife speaking to her husband.

Ernest hummed in acknowledgment, pulling my coat around me tighter. "It's chilly in the morning."

He headed for the elevator, leaving Conrad and me behind. Conrad didn't lead me away but instead watched the elevator numbers climb. Only when the elevator stopped did he turn to me. "When did you buy the apartment?"

I had initially thought Conrad had bought Haley an apartment above mine just to spite me. But seeing his reaction earlier made me realize I had misunderstood.

"Probably before you," I replied, noticing his eyes narrow, a deeper shadow crossing his face.

"I hope Haley didn't make you buy it," I ventured.

silent, confirming

flaunt her relationship with Conrad or to make him witness my happiness with Ernest, hoping to sever

was one step ahead in uncovering

Should

in his eyes. "Let's

slowing his pace, probably

a day and a

understood his hint; he wanted my

had something

a look of pained disappointment crossed Conrad's face, followed by a low mutter, "So, you won't even share a meal with

big deal, but I didn't want to give him the impression that I still

Conrad suggested,

by the flowerbed," I countered, heading that

weight of his jacket on my shoulders,

coat. "You're not going

ahead. I looked down at the jacket enveloping me, feeling a lump in

his clothes

his scent would fill