No More Waiting, She Chooses Love



She really had the nerve to say it. Facing her beaming smile, I returned a polite one, "I disagree."

"Don't like Allen?" She asked boldly.

I replied just as openly, "Right, I don't. Besides... if I were to marry Allen, I'd have to call you and Ernest 'junior' which would be like lowering my own status."

"Ha!" Yolande laughed heartily again, "True that."

"If I were ever to consider marrying into the Clark family, I'd rather go for your brother. Sure, he's a bit on the older side, but the man's loaded. Plus, he won't outlive me, so all his wealth would end up mine. And the best part, you and Ernest would have to call me 'senior'," I laid my petty thoughts bare.

"Love the way you think, but first you'd have to deal with my sister-in-law, and then get past Shirley Travis," Yolande was surprisingly well-informed about her brother's complicated affairs.

I didn't want to continue this pointless banter, so I got straight to the point, "Ms. Clark, I know you mean well trying to set me up, but Felicia's life doesn't need managing by others."

"Then go after what you want. Like, if you still have feelings for Ernest, why not fight for him?" Yolande seemed genuinely interested in my love life. "He's not worth the fight," I clarified my stance.

Yolande's smile faded, and she grew silent, "Felicia, I feel like you're not really in love with Ernest. If I were you, and I loved him, I wouldn't care about any damn reason he had. I'd cling to him for life."

"But I'm not you. I don't want that kind of desperate love," I stood firm on my principles.

Yolande looked at me for a few seconds, "Felicia, if Ernest leaving had a valid reason, if it was all an act for my sake, could you understand and forgive him?"

I suddenly remembered overhearing a conversation between her and Ernest before the competition. Could there have been a misunderstanding?

I knew I shouldn't pry, as it would reveal my true feelings, but I couldn't help myself, "What kind of valid reason could he possibly have?"

Yolande pursed her lips. "I think it's best to let him explain everything once it's all settled."

Always with the suspense.Nôvel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive © material.

I was irked and stood up, "Enjoy your own company, Ms. Clark."

Heading upstairs to get some fresh air on the balcony, I passed by Dustin's room and noticed his door was ajar.

I went over to close it for him and saw the cupboard door hadn't been shut either.

While closing the cupboard, I moved aside two empty tie boxes and discovered a notebook.

Curiosity got the better of me, and I picked it up and opened it.

It was a diary nearly a decade old, with entries spanning a long time. The first page mentioned the day arrived at the Wagner family's home, with just one line: "A new girl came to our house today, quite pretty."

Entries were sparse, often months apart, and always brief.

Even so, I couldn't read in detail, just skimmed through. Besides his

feelings for me, it contained his

grievances towards his parents, believing they favored Conrad over

him.

The last entry, dated a month ago, read: "Go for what you want, this time it must work."

I didn't quite grasp the meaning and was about to flip back for context when something felt off. I quickly returned to the last page.

The dates didn't add up.

Since Dustin had returned to China, he had stayed there without leaving. How could he have written in this

diary a month ago, especially when the diary was here in Houston?

BUMS

There was only one explanation: he had been to Houston.

But what for? To check on things, feed his fish? It didn't make sense, and he never mentioned it.

Flipping back, an entry from three months ago caught my eye, right after he had returned home. "The first step to success has been taken." What step had he taken?