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.

facade she had shown him earlier

left

why Ellie went to L City was to

meals with them. But none of that ever happened. What was waiting for her was the news she

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

answer. All of them just looked at

to panic after she didn't hear anything about her grandparents for the whole day. She went to the neighbors and

talking about them at first. She tried to

of the neighbors told her that her grandparents had

of a sudden. With their age, it took their lives very quickly.

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

hearing the story, she didn't believe

last visit to J City. She didn't believe

would not agree to let them leave.

days she mourned until she decided to return home.

had returned to Ellie's house and saw her sitting on the bed, holding her knees, her head buried between them and

really bad. He wondered why it was so hard for her to accept that they had spent a

places a breakfast platter on the table in front of her.

him, surprised, "Why are you

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

I told you last

at him with

know if she should trust

tempting when he told her she would not be alone.

took over Ellie.

what to do.

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

the

was

what she