No More Waiting, She Chooses Love

He'd switched to a T-shirt and cargo pants. It seemed he dug this look, rocking it like a secret agent, looking handsome. Besides his built physique, I guessed his regular workouts played a part. I remembered catching him doing push-ups in the wee hours last night. I must admit his form was impeccable.

"What are you staring at? Let's eat." Ernest caught my gaze, nudging me back to the present.

I sipped the beef stew Ernest cooked and couldn't resist probing, "Hit the gym much?"

He served me the side dish. "Nah, I train solo."

"No wonder your push-ups are so on point," I blurted out before I could catch myself.

Ernest paused, then looked down. I figured he'd be embarrassed about getting caught, but instead he just casually asked, "You saw that?"

It was my turn to clam up, so I focused on my stew.

Ernest's cooking skills were top-notch. I wasn't usually a stew person. But the beef stew had me reevaluating my life choices.

"Ernest, if engineering doesn't work out, you've got a future as a chef," I praised him. After saying that, I chuckled and added, "Either way, you're master-level."

Ernest nodded. "Deal."

I laughed. “Ernest, you're okay with anything I say, huh?"

"A man should always listen to his girl," Ernest's response caught me off guard, my cheeks flushing.

Ernest chuckled softly, and I playfully punched him, only to hear him whisper, "Licia, you look cute when you blush."

"Oh, please stop it," I reached to cover his mouth.

But Ernest dodged, teasing me further, "But it's true."

"Come on, cut me some slack..." I protested in mock annoyance.

Right in the middle of our playful banter, my phone rang. I had realized phones were a blessing and a curse when they interrupt moments like these.

I pulled my phone from Ernest's embrace, seeing the name Conrad flash on the screen.

Thank goodness I had changed

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Conrad's contact name from "Honey to his name. Otherwise, Ernest might get the wrong idea seeing it.

"Go ahead. Take the call," Ernest let me go and started clearing the table.

Watching Ernest bustling around, I answered the call, “Hello."

The cold word seemed to stun Conrad on the other end.

I knew he had heard me, probably taken aback by my frosty greeting.

"Mr. Wagner, if you need anything, just say it," I prompted again.

"Did we ever buy an insurance policy together?" Conrad finally spoke up.

His question reminded me of an event four years ago, a promotional stunt by an insurance companyè offering love insurance" for couples. If the couple got married, the payout doubled. If they broke up, the policy was void.

Now that Conrad and I were divorced, the policy was as good as dead. I wasn't sure why he was bringing it up.

I didn't question him but just stated the facts. "We did, but it's void now."

"Void?" Conrad sounded genuinely surprised.

I was about to explain why when Ernest called out, "Licia, I got some milk for you. Wanna take it for the road or have it now?"

I wasn't sure if Ernest did that on purpose, but Conrad must have overheard because he asked, “You're living with Ernest?"C0pyright © 2024 Nôv)(elDrama.Org.

His tone was a mix of shock and

anger,

keep which I retorted, "You c

keep your mistresses, and why can't

I live with my boyfriend?"

WY

Conrad fell silent and hung up.

I stood there, dazed, before heading outside, where Ernest was holding the milk, suggesting, "Maybe you can have it on the way."

Considering how his earlier comment must have hit Conrad, I called out to him, “Ernest.”

"Yeah?" He looked at me.

I stepped closer, right in front of him.