No More Waiting, She Chooses Love



I lowered my gaze, staring at the tips of my sneakers. "Let's go."

Jefferson, with the patience of a saint, loaded my bags into the trunk, held the car door open for me, and after ensuring I was comfortably seated, shut it gently before taking the wheel.

"Jefferson, how did things spiral out of control? It was just a game of basketball..." I wasn't blaming him, just pondering aloud.

What seemed like a trivial matter had somehow ruffled the feathers of Henrik and then Brown, plunging everyone into a state of paranoia. It felt as if danger lurked around every corner.

Conrad's words echoed in my mind, "Who do you think is pulling the strings? Why target you specifically?"

"I've been wrestling with that question myself. The real puzzle is figuring out what the mastermind hopes to achieve," Jefferson chimed in, picking up where I left off.

Thinking about everyone involved, I couldn't help but let out a bitter laugh. "It's like they're trying to catch us all in one fell swoop."

"Especially the men connected to you," Jefferson added, providing a moment of clarity.

Indeed, Conrad, Jefferson, and Ernest-all had ties to me.

"Guess this mystery person has a thing for you. They think by kicking us three out of the way, they'll have a free run," Jefferson joked.

But his words sent a chill down my spine, bringing Dustin's diary to mind.

"Has Dustin been in Houston recently?" I asked.

Mentioning Dustin seemed to catch Jefferson off guard. He glanced at me through the rearview mirror. "I'm not sure. Why, you think we're missing him in this equation?"

I ignored his teasing, my voice tight. "He spent four years here in Houston."

Four years was enough time to build awork and a circle of influence.

And if Jefferson was right-if all this chaos was indeed about me-then Dustin was the only piece that fit.

The dates in his diary were suspicious. He claimed to be abroad, yet his entries were found in a drawer stateside.Còntens bel0ngs to Nô(v)elDr/a/ma.Org

It pointed to one thing: he had returned in secret.

But for what? Surely not just to pen a few words.

His diary mentioned fighting for what he wanted, taking the first step.

"Felicia?" Jefferson's voice snapped me back to reality. "You onto something?"

I felt cold all over. "Could it be Dustin?"

Jefferson looked stunned. "Why him?"

As I recounted the details from Dustin's diary, Jefferson fell silent, his expression growing serious.

After a while, he finally spoke,

"Felicia, we need proof. Don't jump

to conclusions without evidence, especially don't confront Dustin about this."

"I'm not that reckless," I murmured.

"If he's set up all this stuff for you, his kind of love is no good. You better watch out," Jefferson advised.

The thought weighed heavily on me. If all this chaos stemmed from my connections, the guilt was mine to bear. Especially Jefferson, who was merely a friend and now unwittingly involved.

This was his last competitive match, and it ended in turmoil.

"Don't stress too much. Ernest is capable. He'll sort this out," Jefferson reassured me.

His words made it clear-he knew

much more about Ernest than I did.

They weren't close before, but this ordeal had forged an alliance

open them.

"Jefferson, what exactly is Ernest's deal?" I knew there was more to Ernest than the simple military man I thought I knew.

Before Jefferson could answer, the car jerked suddenly. Then, cars from all directions charged towards us.

"Damn it," Jefferson cursed under his breath, "Brown's pulled a fast one on us."