No More Waiting, She Chooses Love



Brown's idea of fun clearly wasn't a poker night; he was planning something dodgy.

I glared at him, and his distinctly European eyes shifted between me and Ernest. "The dynamics among you four are quite the drama. Jay was Jo's ex, and Jo was your ex, Alex, while Drake is your current flame. So, I'm really curious-who's really in love with whom here?"

"Love anyone you want, but keep your nose out of it," I snapped back.

"Oh, come on, it's not snooping around, it's just some juicy chitchat. Plus, it all looks like a mess, thought I'd help you clear it up," he said, obviously having too much free time on his hands.

"Just spit out what you want," Ernest seemed to have no patience for his nonsense.

Brown pursed his lips. "Want to get to the point, huh? Alright then."

Saying so, he stood up and walked into the house.

Ernest and I didn't move, but his bodyguard immediately approached us, "This way, please."

We were on Brown's turf, clueless about where Conrad and Yolande were, so we had no choice but to follow.

Brown's mansion was massive, and right at the entrance was a painting that caught the eye-a fierce tiger mid-roar, its mouth wide open, showing off sharp teeth, as if ready to pounce. It was the kind of image that sent shivers down your spine.

Back home, my dad always said it's better to decorate with landscapes or flowers rather than animals, especially predators like eagles or tigers. According to him, aggressive animals brought bad vibes into the home, disturbing the peace. But it seemed like Brown either didn't know or didn't

care.

Besides the tiger, there were sculptures of wild beasts everywhere, with a golden python sculpture taking center stage in the living room, sending chills down my spine.

I couldn't fathom his taste, but his preference for these fierce creatures seemed to reflect his own nature.

Now, caught in his web, we could only guess what he had in store for us.

But since we were already here, worrying wouldn't help.

"Do you like them?" Brown asked suddenly, snapping me out of my thoughts.

I shot him a disgusted look, which only made him laugh. "You'll see the real thing soon enough."

At that moment, a chill ran down my spine. I instinctively looked at Ernest, who remained calm. Even though I had lost faith in his protective instincts, his composure was somewhat reassuring.

If things took a turn for the worse, he wouldn't just abandon me, right?

With apprehension, I followed Brown through the living room to his backyard, where a pungent smell hit us. Was this his idea of a zoo?

Just then, a voice called out, "Ernest, I'm here."Còntens bel0ngs to Nô(v)elDr/a/ma.Org

Following the sound, I saw Yolande suspended in mid-air, and Ernest instinctively moved forward.

Frozen in shock, I missed my

chance to react when suddenly a large hand covered my mouth. With no time to fight back, I could only

watch Ernest's figure grow distant.

UMS

Perhaps sensing my gaze or finally realizing the situation, Ernest turned around. Seeing me being taken away, he dashed towards us.

Of course, he wouldn't leave me behind.

But Brown was prepared. He wasn't gonna let Ernest swoop in and save me that easy. As I watched Ernest fight to reach me, I was dragged away into the unknown.