A Love Trap

"Ellie! Stop... talking... like that!" he spluttered.

Francis might have been with a lot of women, but he took nobody seriously. Those women knew it and they didn't mind.

But Ellie was different. He never thought of treating her badly.

He could not fathom why she had to hurt herself like that.

He was really upset. Not because of what she thought about him, but because of how she saw herself.

The worst part of it was that she called him "Mr. Francis." The fact that she called him "Mr. Francis"

hurt him the most.

Ellie closed her eyes and pursed her lips. She didn't say anything.

Francis grabbed both her shoulders and forced her to look at him. "Ellie, please tell me you're joking." He looked at her, his eyes firm with pleading and frustration. "Please tell me you didn't mean any of what you just said."

Francis' eyes spoke sincerely to Ellie.

She couldn't take another look at him. She needed strength to say what she was about to say, "No, I meant everything I said."

Francis could see right through her lie. He shouted, "Look me in the eye and tell me again! You didn't mean any of that, right?"

Ellie looked into his eyes, her visage as fierce as the crunching in her chest. "I meant it. I meant every bit of it. You may leave Mr. Francis."

Ellie pointed to the door gesturing for Francis to leave.

"Fine!" Francis clenched his jaw and gnashed his teeth in anger.

He let go of her and turned around to leave.

The thud that came from the shutting door made Ellie flinch. As the door closed, the room fell into silence.

Ellie could only look at the direction where he had gone.

shaking arms to hold herself.

facade she had shown him earlier had

now. Everyone had left for real. She

to L City was to visit her

But none of that ever happened.

some groceries. She wanted to surprise them and didn't call. But when it was

the neighbors but never really got an answer. All of them just looked at her with

panic after she didn't

about them at

her grandparents had passed away and it had already been a

caught on them all of a sudden. With their age, it took their lives very quickly. No one had

that they might fight it through and they didn't want to make her worry. They also told

she

grandparents were fine during their last visit to J City. She

she would not agree

mourned until she decided to return home.

had returned to Ellie's house and saw her sitting on the

why it was so hard for her to accept

let's eat something first." He places a breakfast platter on the table in front of

surprised, "Why are you

miserable. Her eyes were red and swollen, but she couldn't

told you last night? No matter what happens,

looked at him with

didn't know if she should trust him.

really tempting when he told her she would

took over

what

left a huge traumatic mark on her. She had stayed away from men for many years.

was different. She didn't hate the idea of getting close to

just realized it, but she was happy when he was around.

what she was feeling,