No More Waiting, She Chooses Love

I froze. "What the heck was that all about?"

How come he'd been on the phone with Ernest all this time?

Conrad, having just ended the call, looked at me and said, "Ernest called me just now. I thought he had hung up, but it seems he didn't because he was worried."

"Do you think I'm an idiot?" I retorted sarcastically.

It was clear as day that Conrad had intentionally not ended the call, and deliberately asked me if I still wanted Ernest in my life.

Caught out, Conrad didn't try to deny it. Instead, he admitted, "Call it my selfishness, if you will. It just so happened to let Ernest know where you stand, to show him... that Felicia isn't someone who comes and goes at someone else's beck and call." Honestly, I wasn't afraid of Ernest knowing how I feel. In fact, it was better this way; it saved me the effort of explaining myself.

"Thanks for your thoughtfulness'," I said mockingly before getting out of the car.

Conrad followed, starting to fill me in on Dustin's living situation, "This place, Dustin bought it with his own money. He's lived here all four years he's been abroad. You see these flowers and plants? He's been taking care of them all by himself, never once hired a maid or a gardener."

This was all news to me. Dustin had never mentioned it, and even when I was living with the Wagner family, they barely talked about Dustin. On the rare occasions they did, it was just to say that he'd called and was doing fine over here.

was less like a son and more like

was how Dustin had spent

anyone to maintain such a big house, all on his own. Besides his nature of doing things himself, it was

was his way of passing those

also Dustin's own design," Conrad's words surprised me

fast-way better than me, as

for Dustin was undeniable. Thinking about Dustin's ambitions, it seemed

said something but

smart

thrived in the business world for years, he wasn't the type

turn a blind eye for the sake of brotherhood, to keep peace

You've gone quiet,"

villa, "it seems Dustin did

He has other investments," Conrad said

wealth and education, he had no reason to

used to be fiercely competitive, unwilling to