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.

herself with her shaking arms to hold herself. Her

the tough facade she had shown him earlier had

now. Everyone had left

why Ellie went to L

with them. But none of that ever happened.

surprise them and didn't call. But when it was getting dark, and they were still not home,

got an answer. All of them just looked at

didn't hear anything about her grandparents for the

about them at first.

grandparents had passed away

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

little time they had before they passed. They told the neighbors not to tell Ellie. They said that they might fight it through and they didn't want to make her worry. They also told them that if the sickness got worse, they would tell Ellie

she didn't believe them.

their last visit to J City. She didn't believe that any sickness could just take their

would not agree

until she decided to

and saw her sitting on the bed, holding her knees, her head buried between them and crying

it was so hard for her to accept that they had spent a night

eat something first." He places a breakfast platter on

up at him, surprised, "Why are

were red and swollen, but she couldn't keep her tears from falling down.

sighed, "Did you forget what I told you last night? No matter what happens, I will be

at him with a blank expression.

if she should trust

told her

took over Ellie.

know what to

failed marriage had left a huge traumatic mark on her. She had stayed

She didn't hate the idea of getting close

realized it, but she was happy when he was

she felt lost. She wasn't sure about what she was feeling, but she