I was so embarrassed that if there was a hole to crawl into right then, I would have seriously considered jumping in., But there wasn't., And I knew, the less I dared to face this issue head-on, the more Ernest would overthink it., Plus, Ernest had a way of being so straightforward with me, not mincing his words, whether it was time to act or speak his mind., It's like I wasn't even a stranger to him., With that thought, I tried to lift my head naturally,

"Oh really? Talk is cheap.

",

"Hmm,

" Ernest took a sip from his glass,

"I could...

", Hearing those words set off alarm bells in my head,

"Ernest, zip it.

", But I ended up losing this battle.,

"I mean, if you need proof, I could go to the hospital,

" Ernest went on anyway., Even though it wasn't exactly a hard pill to swallow, his words still made one's mind wander., Why would I need him to prove anything? I'm not his anything.,

"Mr. Collins, you should save your proofs for your future wife,

" I said, getting up and making my escape towards the restroom., But just as I turned the corner, my arm was caught, and the familiar scent told me who it was without looking., Conrad was holding my arm,

"Felicia, do you think it's appropriate to dine here with a mere lighting technician?

", His face was full of jealousy, a clear sign of anger, and I couldn't help but laugh,

"Are we not allowed to eat here? Did Mr. Wagner buy out the place?

"

"Felicia,

" Conrad frowned.

"Even if you want to date a man, at least find someone decent.

", Both in the past and now, every word from him was dripping with disdain for Ernest., Of course, it was a dig at me too.,

"Ernest is a senior engineer, with double degrees from Cambridge. How many of those credentials does Mr. Wagner have?

" I retorted mockingly., I only found out about his credentials this morning after some research., Conrad was left speechless by my question. Although he was a corporate tycoon, his academic achievements weren't anything to write home about, not even close to Dustin's., But he had a sharp mind for business, which made the Wagner Group a leader in the industry in just a few years., Everyone has their strengths and weaknesses, true, but Conrad was too proud, only seeing his own brilliance and ignoring others.,

"Felicia, do you really see me that badly?

" Conrad's face reddened with frustration.,

"You're not terrible,

" I didn't kick him while he was down. After all, he was the man I had a crush on for ten years. If he was garbage, it would only reflect poorly on my taste.,

"But you're no better than Ernest,

" I pressed, using Ernest to put him in his place., Conrad's grip on my hand tightened almost to the point of pain, yet he had been so gentle with Haley just moments earlier., A sharp pain crossed my heart.

"Conrad, let me remind you, we are nothing to each other now. Who I dine with or what I do is none of your business.

", My words only made his face sour further, but he scoffed,

"Felicia, you're so afraid of being laughed at. If you want to prove you're capable, find someone better than me, someone superior.

", I laughed too,

"Conrad, you're with a widow and not afraid of being mocked, so why should I be? And just to remind you, if you found someone better than me, I'd genuinely wish you well. But here you are, with a widow, pregnant with another man's child...

", I paused.

"But then again, that does showcase Mr. Wagner's magnanimity and kindness.

", Conrad was left speechless by my retort, unable to utter a word., I pulled my hand away and headed to the restroom., Standing in front of the mirror, I didn't like what I saw., Even though Conrad and I had parted ways, his harsh words still stung., Search the website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.