Deborah teased,

"Hey, Felicia, you did that on purpose, didn't you?

", I couldn't believe the words coming out of Deborah's mouth. My side was throbbing with pain, a bruise blossoming beneath my clothes. I wanted to lift my shirt to clear my name. Risk injury for a bit of attention? I wasn't that desperate., I rolled my eyes at Deborah, but it didn't stop her from prying,

"So, Felicia, what's it like being in Mr. Collins' arms? Strong, huh? Did it feel...

",

"Deborah!

" I cut her off,

"Do you ever think about anything... normal?

", Realizing she had pushed too far, Deborah stuck out her tongue and mumbled something under her breath, too soft for me to catch., Nursing my sore side, I was the first to leave the control room., Then, I remembered Ernest had called for me, only to leave her embarrassed and in pain without so much as a question., I thought, 'I need to keep my distance from that guy and stay sharp, just treat him like any other client.', After all, it was just a brief encounter, nothing more., When Deborah handed off some items to Ernest and caught up, she said,

"Felicia, Mr. Collins wants us to head to the control site first. He'll join us in a bit.

", I nodded and headed off with Deborah when my phone rang. It was Jefferson.

"Where are you? Left me hanging, huh?

", I was stunned. Had Jefferson not left? Had he managed to explore the entire park already?,

"I thought you'd left,

" I admitted.,

"Where are you?

" Jefferson pressed., After I shared my location, Jefferson said he'd come to find me. Yet, it took him nearly an hour to show up.,

"Did you get lost or something?

" I teased upon his arrival., Twirling a beach ball from the water park, Jefferson didn't miss a beat.

"Me? Get lost? I've navigated mazes around the world. Your little park is nothing,

" boasted the former snooker champion, who seemed to have a thing for anything spherical., Conrad had told me about Jefferson's passion for exploring mazes, having conquered all known ones and setting his sights on geological labyrinths., People were diverse, and so were their hobbies.,

"Even in the most confusing maze, there's always a way home,

" Jefferson suddenly said, thoughtful., I paused and got his meaning. He told me it was okay to feel lost as long as I remembered where I wanted to go. He had reminded me before figuring out what I truly wanted., Despite his carefree appearance, Jefferson had clarity about life. Most importantly, he cared about me, and I could see why he made the trip. He didn't come to convince me to forgive Conrad but to encourage me to let go of the past and look to the future., I felt a tug at my heart.

"Thanks, Jefferson.

", He handed me the ball.

"Anytime. Remember, no matter what happens with Conrad, I'm here for you as your friend, Jefferson.

",

"Thanks,

" I said, taking the ball., The next moment, I felt a gentle pat on my head.

"You're a great girl. Someone out there will cherish you for who you are.

", After saying that, Jefferson walked away., Holding the ball that was still warm from his touch, I watched him leave, feeling a whirlwind of emotions., I had thought cutting ties with Conrad would distance me from everything related. Yet, it seemed some connections weren't so easily severed. Some relationships started because of someone but didn't necessarily end with him., Search the website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.