"You're Mine Forever"

🔥 Chapter 18 - “Secrets Behind the Wheel”

The ride started peaceful.

Soft sunlight filters through the windshield.

Michael’s hand rested calmly on Ella’s thigh, thumb drawing lazy circles. She stared out the window, chewing her lip nervously — but excited too.

"Are you okay?"

"Yeah, actually I'm okay. Just... stressed, confused, nervous and ..."

He smiled, amused, squeezing her thigh gently.

Suddenly his phone lit up.

Caller ID: Alina.

"She is calling again. Oh God.." - Ella's entire body stiffens.

Michael sighed. “I’ll make it quick.”

He answered on speaker.

“Michael,” Alina purred, “I need you to check the files you signed—”

“You could have emailed,” Michael cut in sharply.

Alina pretended not to hear him. “I was thinking you and I could review them together, you know… like old times.”

Michael muttered, “Alina— there is no old times already."

But Ella was already angry. She wanted raising her voice when he hung up.

She furiously -

“Why is she calling you outside work hours? Why is she even TALKING like that?”

Michael rubbed his forehead. “Ella, stop shouting at me —”

“No, YOU stop! You let her talk like THAT in front of me?”

“Oh come on!” he barked. “You’re jealous of everything!”

Ella’s eyes widened. “Because you don’t SET BOUNDARIES, Michael!”

-"I wanted to fire her, You stopped me, as you know"

-"Yes, but it doesn't mean she can flirt with you all the time. This is your falt, she does everything she wants. Talk everytime she wants. She flirts with you in front of me.

I can already think you like her behaviour."

-" Stop! You don't know what you are talking about?"

They yelled over each other — two flames burning too close.

Finally he pulled to the side of the road and turnedto her sharply.

“Enough. I don't want to hear one more word about this. You're making me crazy. "

Ella wanted to say something but stopped herself and stared out the window, furious, refusing to look at him.

The car fell into heavy silence.

Suddenly — his phone rang again.

Private number.

Michael answered impatiently. “What?”

A voice spoke.

His entire body turned to stone.

His grip tightened on the wheel.

His face drained of color.

His eyes darkened — not with anger, but something deeper, wounded, dangerous.

Ella straightened. “Michael? What happened?”

He didn’t answer.

He made a sharp U-turn, tires screeching.

“Michael!” Ella shouted.

“Talk to me!”

“We’re not going,” he said through clenched teeth.

“What? Why?! Your family—”

“I said we aren’t going!” he roared.

Ella flinched but didn’t back down — she was angry too.

“Tell me what happened,” she demanded.

“Nothing you need to know.”

That sentence hit her harder than any shout.

“So now I’m someone who ‘doesn’t need to know’?” Ella said, voice low and lethal.

He kept driving, jaw clenched so hard it looked painful.

After some silent minutes they reached the apartment building.

He parked but didn’t move.

Neither did she.

“Get out,” Michael muttered, not looking at her.

Ella laughed once — cold. “Make me.”

He finally turned to her. His eyes were burning with something wild, panicked… but he hid it under anger.

“You’re pushing me,” he warned.

“No,” she shot back. “YOU are pushing ME. With every lie you don’t tell. With every secret you hide. With every time you shut down like this.”

His chest rose sharply. “Ella, let it go.”

“Not this time.”

“Ella—”

“Who called you? Was it your father?”

His hands tightened on the wheel.

“Don’t,” he hissed.

“Then tell me the truth!”

“I don’t want to talk about him!”

“You never do!”

“And you can’t accept that! You always dig!”

“Because I care, Michael! And you—”

“YOU DON’T TRUST ME!” he exploded.

Ella froze. Her expression hardened.

“And YOU don’t let me IN.”

That hit him.

He swallowed hard, eyes flickering briefly — guilt, pain, something raw.

But he said nothing.

Silence.

Then Ella opened the passenger door.

“I’m done for today,” she said coldly.

She slammed the door and walked into her building without looking back.

Michael didn’t follow.

---

Hours passed.

Night deepened.

Ella made tea she didn’t drink, paced the living room, answered no messages. She wasn’t crying — she was furious. Hurt pride burned hotter than sadness.

She looked out from the window. She had a lot of thoughts in her mind. About Alina, about his father.

When the knock finally came, she didn’t rush.

Three soft knocks.

Another two.

Then one — slow, desperate.

-"Ella"

-"Go back where you were for hours.." she said angrily.

Michael stood there.

-Ella, I need you"

She opened the door.

His hair messy.

Shirt thrown on without thinking.

Eyes red — not from crying, but from not blinking, not breathing, not resting.

He looked like a storm had spit him out.

He stared at her like she was oxygen.

“Ella…” His voice cracked — barely audible.

She crossed her arms. “What do you want?”

He stepped closer, eyes locked on hers.

“I can’t sleep without you,” he whispered.

Her breath caught, but she didn’t show it.

“I can’t breathe without you.”

Still she held her ground.

“And I hate myself,” he added, voice breaking, “because you’re angry — and you SHOULD be. But I still need you. I always need you.”

Something inside her softened — only a fraction.

He reached for her hand… then stopped himself, afraid she’d pull away.

Ella exhaled slowly, shaking her head. “You’re impossible.”

Michael swallowed. “Then keep me anyway.”

Her lips twitched — a tiny smile she tried to hide.

Michael finally stepped into her apartment, closed the door behind him, and wrapped his arms around her like she was the only safe place left in the world.

And she let him.