No More Waiting, She Chooses Love

"Ernest, what's your game here? Blackmailing me with our past and last night's events, is that it?" I confronted him.

"No," he muttered, avoiding my gaze.Text property © Nôvel(D)ra/ma.Org.

His evasion was a clear indication of his guilt. I clenched my fists, feeling a sudden urge to give him a piece of my mind, physically.

"I'm a stranger in these parts, what's wrong with asking for a little help? I've had your back before," Ernest spoke up again, his voice tinged with vulnerability.

It felt as though by not helping him, I'd be the one betraying a debt of gratitude.

Debts, whether of money or of favors, always come due.

I sighed. "Alright, Mr. Collins, where would you like to go today? Got any shopping to do? Just tell me, and we'll head out."

"I was thinking of apartment hunting," he said, catching me off guard.

"Apartment hunting? I thought you were just here temporarily?" I asked, puzzled.

"I might not be going back, so I thought I'd look around in advance," Ernest's words felt like a punch to the gut.

I couldn't place the feeling, but it was definitely unsettling.

"Your job isn't even here," I reminded him.

"I could resign!" he said.

I was speechless.

"Actually, I'm looking to rent. I can't afford to buy right now," Ernest confessed without a hint of embarrassment about his financial situation.

It was refreshing, honestly. In a world where so many guys put on a show, flaunting what they don't have to keep up appearances, Ernest was an open book about his financial constraints.

"And you're considering quitting your job?" I mumbled, more to myself.

He didn't respond, probably lost in thought.

His admission of financial hardship unexpectedly stirred my sympathy, and before I knew it, I was driving him towards the downtown area.

"We're in the downtown area. The rent here must be through the roof." he observed.

"The suburbs are cheaper, but the commute is a killer. For an engineer like you, aiming to work in this area, finding a place in the city center makes more sense. Saves time," I suggested.

He fell silent, and thinking of his financial situation, I added, "I could lend you some money, pay me back when you're on your feet."

"Are you trying to make an arrangement with me?" Ernest's reply took me by surprise, leaving me momentarily speechless.

I glared at him, thinking about the

ambiguous vibes between us, and the thought that he might have considered marrying me once,4 scoffed, "Wishful thinking. I'm holding out for a sugar daddy."

Ernest's face clouded over, and as I started the car, I suggested, "Let's head to the suburbs."

But as soon as we arrived at a real estate agency in the suburbs, my phone rang.

"Hello... What? Okay, I'll be right there," I ended the call and turned to Ernest, "You go ahead and look around. I've got an emergency." "What happened?" he asked, not moving.

"I've got a plumbing disaster at home. Need to get it fixed ASAP," I explained.

The call was from my downstairs neighbor, informing me that water was flooding the hallway.

"I can fix it," Ernest offered, surprising me.

Before I could respond, he added, "If you don't hurry, you'll end up paying for someone else's renovations."

Turns out, he knew about more than just engineering. Without further ado, I drove us to my place.

We arrived to find water cascading down the stairwell, with a small crowd gathered, speculating about the cause.

Ernest was out of the car before me, quickly assessing the situation. "Where's the main valve?" he asked a neighbor.

Pointing to a rusty cover on the ground, the neighbor replied, "Under there, but it's stuck."

Ernest didn't hesitate. He lifted the

cover and,

and, lying flat on the groundet

stretched his arm to the rusty valve and turned it with a firm twist.