A PAINFUL ENCOUNTER
1045 Words
Chapter 2
Little did she know, fate was already turning.
The next morning, Elena woke up with a heavy heart. Her cheek still hurt from her mother’s slap. She did her morning chores as usual... cleaning the kitchen, making breakfast, and staying quiet so she would not anger Sophia again. After breakfast, her mother gave her a list and some money.
“Go to the market and buy these groceries,” Sophia said in a sharp voice. “Do not waste time or money. Come back straight home.”
“Yes, Mother,” Elena replied softly.
She was happy to leave the house. She quickly changed into a simple blue dress and brushed her hair. Then she met Mia at the front gate. Her best friend was waiting with a bright smile.
“Finally some fresh air,” Mia said as they started walking. “How are you feeling today?”
Elena touched her cheek lightly. “It still hurts a little. But being out with you makes it better.”
The two girls walked side by side along the pack town streets. The sun was shining warmly on their skin. Birds were singing in the trees. People were moving around...msome carrying bags, some talking in groups. The air smelled of fresh bread from the bakery and flowers from the market stalls.
They talked about many things as they walked. Mia told funny stories about customers at the café where she worked. Elena laughed softly. For a short time, she felt normal and happy. They reached the big outdoor market. There were many stalls with colorful fruits, vegetables, fresh meat, bread, and other things.
“Let’s start with the vegetables,” Mia said.
They moved from stall to stall. Elena carefully chose the best tomatoes, carrots, potatoes, and greens. Mia helped her carry the bags. They bought rice, bread, eggs, and some fruits. Elena was very careful with the money her mother gave her. She counted every coin.
They were almost finished when Elena suddenly froze.
Her heart started beating very fast. Her hands became cold.
Across the street, near the fruit stall, Damien Blackthorn was standing with his fiancée Lila. He looked so handsome in a black shirt that showed his strong arms and broad chest. His silver eyes were sharp and confident. Lila was holding his arm and laughing at something he said. She looked beautiful and elegant in her expensive dress. Her hair was perfect.
Elena could not breathe. This was the man she had loved in secret for years. The man who filled her steamy dreams almost every night. In those dreams, Damien would pull her close, kiss her deeply, touch her body with his strong hands, and whisper her name with passion. She had repressed these forbidden feelings for so long because he was her father’s best friend. He was older. He was engaged. But her love for him never died.
Mia noticed and whispered, “El, it’s him. Do you want to hide?”
It was too late. Damien turned his head. His silver eyes met Elena’s. For one second, his face changed. He saw the bruise on her cheek. Elena knew he saw it clearly. His jaw tightened a little. But then he pretended he did not see anything. He gave a small, polite nod like she was just an ordinary girl and turned back to Lila. He smiled at his fiancée and continued talking as if Elena was not there.
The pain hit Elena like a knife in her heart.
Tears filled her eyes immediately. She felt ashamed. She felt small. The man she loved saw her pain but chose to pretend he did not notice. He was with perfect Lila. He did not care about her.
“I have to go,” Elena whispered with a broken voice.
She left the half-filled basket at the stall and started running. Tears fell down her face as she ran through the market. People looked at her but she did not care. She ran past the stalls, past the streets, all the way home. Her legs were tired but she kept running. Her chest hurt. Her heart was breaking.
When she reached the house, she was crying hard. She tried to stop the tears before entering but it was too late. Lucas was in the living room reading a book. He looked up and saw her red eyes and wet face.
“Elena, what happened?” he asked, standing up quickly. He looked worried.
Elena wiped her face fast. She did not want to tell the truth. She did not want to say she saw Damien with Lila and that he pretended not to see her bruise.
“I fell,” she lied. “I was running and I fell on the road. It is nothing serious.”
Lucas did not fully believe her but he did not ask more questions. He brought her a glass of cold water and sat beside her on the sofa. He put his arm around her shoulders gently.
“It is okay,” he said in a soft voice. “You don’t have to be strong every day. I know mother is very hard on you. I see it. I will miss you when we go overseas with them. But you will be fine with Alpha Damien. He is a good man.”
Elena leaned against her brother and cried quietly. His comfort felt warm. It was rare but it helped a little. Yet in her heart, the pain from seeing Damien pretend was still there. The forbidden love she felt for him was still burning strongly.
She knew her only chance in life to get him had to come soon. She could not continue living like this.
The rest of the day passed slowly. Elena did her evening chores with red eyes. She thought about Damien again and again. She remembered his silver eyes when they met at the market. Even though he pretended, she saw something in them for a second. Or maybe it was just her imagination.
When night came, she lay in her bed thinking about him. The memory of him with Lila hurt, but her love did not disappear. It only became stronger.
Her only chance was coming.
- Writer
