No More Waiting, She Chooses Love



My heart skipped a beat, and instinctively, I asked, "What happened?"

Conrad's face was grim as he responded, "A fight."

Fighting abroad, especially right before a competition, was a bad sign. "Did he ask you to come?"

Conrad hesitated. "He's been detained."

I was stunned. "Is it that serious?"

"Yeah, it could even lead to a long-term imprisonment," Conrad's words made me hold my breath for a few seconds.

Seeing my anxiety, Conrad added, "I'm not entirely sure about the details. One of his teammates called me. I'm going to find out more."

I nodded slightly, "Let me know if..."

"Do

you want to come with me?" Conrad looked at me.

I hadn't expected him to suggest this. I moved my lips, and then Conrad said, "Jefferson's teammate mentioned he's really upset, acting out. You being there might calm him down."

Jefferson was a friend, almost like family who looked after me.

Now that he was in trouble in a foreign country, I was worried and felt I should go. But going with Conrad made me wary of upsetting Ernest Collins. Conrad had hurt me before by being with another woman without regard for my feelings. I didn't want Ernest to go through that.

"You go ahead. I need to pack," I declined Conrad's offer.

"We can buy whatever you need there," Conrad's response showed a lack of tact.

When I mentioned packing, it was more of a polite excuse.

He wasn't dumb; he should've understood, but he kept pushing for us to go together.

I just couldn't do it, though.

I pursed my lips, about to say something, when he pulled out a red booklet from his bag. "I brought your passport."

I had actually forgotten about it amidst our breakup. Before we split, we had traveled abroad together, and since our passports were together, he had just put them in his bag.

After our fallout, I took all my belongings but forgot the passport.

I reached out to take it, but he didn't let go immediately.

After a few seconds, realizing my intention, he finally spoke, "Can't even step out the door with me now?"

I gave a small, resigned smile, then

i

looked up at him. "It's not that I can't. I just don't want Ernest to worry owe him that sense of security vas his girlfriend."

My words visibly stiffened Conrad's expression before he let go,

added with self-mockery, "Seene

you really care about him."

Wasn't that obvious?

Conrad gave a bitter smile, adding, "But when we were together, you never seemed to care this much about me."

Was he bringing up old grievances?

"Did I?" I asked with a smile.

Conrad's gaze was deep. "Felicia, you always felt I didn't care enough about you, but did you ever truly care about me?"Original from NôvelDrama.Org.

His accusation was absurd.

When had I not cared for him?

Was he referring to my friendship with Jefferson making him uncomfortable?

I let the topic drop. Conrad and I were on different paths now, and there was no point in digging up the past.

"I'll get ready and head over. We'll be in touch," I concluded our conversation and left with my passport.

Ernest had asked me not to go to the office, but I went anyway.

When I knocked, he was busy and just said to come in, without even turning to look at me.

I didn't speak right away, instead, I watched him, absorbed in his work.

Seeing someone so engrossed, I understood the meaning of being lost in one's work.

It was only when he reached for something out of reach and I helped him that he thanked me and then realized something was off, finally looking up at me.