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.

the tough facade she

all by herself now. Everyone had left for real.

L City was to visit her

nice meals with them. But none of that ever happened. What

out for some groceries. She wanted to surprise them and didn't call. But when it was getting dark, and they were still not home, she

an answer. All of them just

she didn't hear anything about her grandparents

tried to avoid talking about them at first. She

one of the neighbors told her that her grandparents had passed away

of a sudden. With their age, it took their

how 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

the story, she didn't

grandparents were fine during their last visit to J City. She didn't believe that any sickness could just

not agree to

mourned until she decided

Ellie's house and saw her sitting on the bed, holding her knees, her

for her to accept that they had

He places a breakfast platter on

at him, surprised, "Why are

red and swollen, but she couldn't keep her

what I told you last night? No matter what happens, I will be with you. You are

him with a blank expression.

she should trust him.

it sounded really tempting when he told her she would not be alone.

over

know what

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

the idea of getting

but she was

sure about what she was feeling, but she knew that