After Xavier left, Ella lingered in bed for a while. It was a cold day, and she felt too drained to begin her day. When she finally got up, she went to the shower, where she relaxed under the hot water. It was already past noon, and Xavier still hadn't called, which worried her. Estéfano hadn't appeared either.
Once dressed and in the living room, Ella spent some time watching TV. It was strange to be so alone, as there were always other students and her close friend Nina at the convent. At her father's house, she was also used to having the company of Helena and sometimes Ricardo, whose absence now troubled her. She needed to see him, to hug him, but she knew that was almost impossible with Estéfano always around.
She decided to at least try calling Ricardo. She made several attempts, b
