Chapter 3
1336 Words
“ I didn't agree”
“ I told him this wasn't right. I told him it should be your choice.” Adeline said quickly as she rushed after her sister.
Eleanor turned to her sister, placing one hand on her cheek as tho trying to console her. “It's not your fault.” “There’s nothing you could have done” she said giving half a smile.
“Did you agree because of me” Adeline's eyes were already wet and helpless.
“ I'm tired,” she said finally. It's the truest thing she could offer.
“I love you,” Adeline said.
“ I know,” she replied, staring at the ceiling. “I love you too”
That night, she lay on her childhood bed thinking about what had happened. As far as she knew this morning she had a mother and a boyfriend who loves her, now her mother is dead and she's engaged to be married to a man she knows nothing about.
It was too soon the morning came. She barely slept a wink. Her life decisions were still circular in her mind.
A knock came softly.
She still lay curled up in bed, and sheets between her legs. The room was heavy from all the crying.
“Miss,” the servant called through the door. “your father wants to see you.”
Her chest tightened. Of course he did.
She turned onto her side, pulling the pillow closer. Every part of her already knew what this was about.
“I’ll come,” she finally whispered almost reluctantly.
She sat up slowly. Her feet touch the floor. The phone lay face down beside her.
She stood up. She touched her trembling hands across her nightdress and walked down.
There was a sharp knock on the study door..Unafraid.
“Come in,”
The door opened as her eyes swept across the room until her eyes met his.
“You wanted to see me” she said as he stood there in his neatly pressed suit.
“Yes, take a seat.”
She stepped inside and closed the door behind her
“The relationship you're in” he continued, wasting no time, “ it ends now”
There it was. Clean and final
“You should not be entangled in nonsense. I've done a background check on him, the man you're seeing is not suitable. He has no standing, no future that stands with this family.”
“You don't know him” she snapped
“ I know enough,” her father replied “ Enough to know he's not going to be happy about this decision. Enough to know he will make trouble. That is why you'll move back home immediately. At least until the wedding.”
Her heart began to race. “You can't just—-”
“I can,” he cut in. “And I just did”
Silence pressed in between them.
“I’m asking you to do what's right for this family,” “You will also take time off work. A few days. The hospital can manage without you.”
“I’m a doctor,” she said, her voice breaking. “People need me “
“You cannot heal anyone while you are falling apart,” he replied.
She thought of her boyfriend—his anger and temper. The way love in him always came with threats disguised as devotion. She was even now hearing him rage, vowing to destroy her, vowing suffering should she defy him. She would have done it anyway but she only wanted it to be in her own terms.
Her father turned away from her. “Pack what you need from your apartment and come back home.”
As she closed the door behind her, she finally collapsed back onto the door, pressing her hand over her mouth to stop her from crying out.
She got her phone. Sent a message to Derek Rolland; her soon-to-be ex-boyfriend.
“Cafe de’mont 1pm. We need to talk. It's urgent”.
She chose to meet up at a cafe because it was public.
Because she was afraid of him when he got angry.
Because she needed witnesses even if there weren't aware.
He came late as usual with his sunglasses still on and impatience already written on his face. He dragged out the opposite of her chair. You were dramatic on the phone, you sounded, sitting, he said.
So which of you is in such a hurry that they can not just wait till evening? She held her two hands around her coffee cup though she had not yet drawn a drop. Her fingers are shaking badly. The coffee cup was still warm in her hands. “I can’t do this anymore.”
He froze. Slowly removed his glasses.
“What did you just say?”
She was pushing the words out before she became too frightened, “I am ending it” she said.. “My mother just died. My father is taking me home. There’s… an arranged marriage.”
“You're joking” his eyes hardened
“I'm not”
He looked at her almost in disbelief for a moment. Then he laughed—short, sharp.
“You think this is funny?” she asked.
“Oh, it’s hilarious,” he said, leaning back. “So your solution is to dump me over coffee like I’m some mistake you’re correcting?” “What! Because your daddy found you a richer replacement? “
“It’s not a solution,” she whispered. “It’s survival.”
His jaw tightened. “Survival from what? From me?”
“ Wait what!!!!”
“I’m choosing peace,” she said, tears threatening. “I can’t fight you and fight my family and grieve my mother at the same time.” “ I just can't.”
He leaned forward, voice dropping. “After everything I did for you?”
Her stomach twisted. Love is not something one is supposed to feel as a debt.
“Eleanor, you owe me everything.”Who was there when you were drowning in residency? When you couldn’t sleep? When your family didn’t understand you?” He leaned forward. “I was.”
“That doesn't mean you own me” she said, already fed up.
“You’re confused,” “You’re grieving. You’re unstable. You don’t make big decisions when you’re unstable.” his voice suddenly gentle.
Her fingers tightened around the cup. “Don’t do that.”
“Do what? Tell the truth?” he murmured. “You’re being manipulated by your father. You’re weak right now. And weak people make stupid choices.”
Her eyes burned. “I’m choosing peace.”
He chuckled quietly. “Peace? With a stranger who doesn’t know the things I do?
“Stop it, it's over”
That did it.
His hand slammed the table, rattling cups nearby. Heads turned. She flinched.
“So this is it?” he hissed. “You think you can just walk away and marry some stranger like I never existed?”
“I’m asking you to let me go.” “ For both our sake”
He gave a cold and slow smile and it terrified her more than his anger had.
“You know I won’t,” he said softly. “If I’m miserable, then so will you”. Her breath caught. “You don't have to do this.” “You should have thought of that before humiliating me” he said. “I know where you work. I know where you live. You think disappearing will save you?”
She stood abruptly. “That’s enough. I'm not afraid of you”
He stood too, towering over her. “You’ll regret this,” he said. “I swear it.” his brown eyes drilled holes into her.
Her hands shook as she picked up her bag. Her voice came out broken but steady. “Maybe. But staying with you would’ve destroyed me faster.”
- Writer
