Living with the Wagner family over the years has given me a deep understanding of Herschel's character and disposition., He always kept his personal and professional life separate, and even Conrad wasn't spared from punishment if he messed up or made a mistake under Herschel's watchful eye., The recent report I received flashed through my mind, Conrad was still aggressively poaching clients, showing no signs of stopping despite the warnings.

"It seems Herschel's warning fell on deaf ears,

" I couldn't help but remark., Dustin, picking up on the undercurrents in my voice, said,

"Has Rad not backed down yet?

",

"No, he seems determined to run my company into the ground,

" I admitted, my voice trembling with emotion., I couldn't bring myself to be angry., After all, my actions had put the company and even our clients at risk. This was no small misdeed.,

"He's being reckless. I'll talk to my dad about this,

" Dustin said, anger evident in his tone.,

"Maybe I should be the one to talk to him. I've prepared a birthday gift for him, I'll see if he likes it,

" I suggested, lighting up Dustin's eyes., He smiled warmly,

"Great, today then? We could go together.

", Faced with his eagerness, I hesitated,

"Yes, today. But I'll be bringing someone with me.

",

"Who?

" Dustin asked, still smiling,

"A friend?

",

"Uh, my boyfriend,

" I blurted out, watching as Dustin's smile froze., That moment of shattered realization was painful to witness., I knew how he felt about me; Jacqueline had hinted as much. So, bringing pain now, to make him let go of any hopes, was perhaps for the best., It took him a few seconds to find his voice again,

"Felicia...your boyfriend is...?

",

"Ernest!

", Dustin's expression grew even grimmer,

"Felicia...

",

"Dustin, I know what you're trying to say, but I'm not joking about my happiness, nor am I acting out of spite,

" I said, even though the words felt hollow., Dustin's handsome face was etched with a look of heartbreak,

"But I can't believe you'd get over Rad that quickly.

", His words almost made me laugh. If he knew, why did he harbor feelings for me?, But then, I guessed Dustin's feelings for me had developed while he was abroad., Maybe his years away were also because of me., The thought made my chest feel tight; I turned away, needing to avoid his gaze, and said coolly,

"You're mistaken, Dustin. I won't waste my time on someone or something that's not worth it.

" After a brief pause, I added,

"Besides, Ernest is in many ways better than Conrad. What do I have to hold onto?

", I could feel Dustin's gaze on me, tense and unwavering., Finally, he spoke,

"Even if you've moved on from Rad, how well do you know Ernest? You've only met him a few days ago.

", Dustin was trying to persuade me, genuinely not wanting me to be with Ernest, perhaps hoping I wouldn't start a new relationship., Maybe that way he could keep some hope alive, but I just couldn't give him that., I scoffed,

"What's the point of knowing someone? I was with Conrad for ten years. I knew every trivial detail about him, from how long he took in the bathroom to his shower temperature preferences. But where did that get me?

", Saying this, a bitter taste filled my mouth. The memories of my infatuation with Conrad, how even the slightest attention he paid to anything made me care for it too, embarrassed and saddened me., I had truly loved Conrad, loved him to the point of losing myself., Perhaps that's why his betrayal cut so deeply.,

"Rad is an exception, not all men are like him,

" Dustin said, placing his hand on my shoulder, turning me to face him., Search the website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.