Chapter 6
655 Words
Chapter 6
Ella sat alone in her office long after work ended.
The building had gradually become quiet, yet her thoughts only grew louder.
The engagement banquet was in less than two weeks.
Two weeks.
The reality of it still felt unreal.
She leaned back against her chair and closed her eyes tiredly.
Everything in her life had changed too quickly.
One moment she was simply helping manage her father’s company.
The next, she was preparing to marry Andrew Stuart.
The man she barely understood.
A soft knock interrupted her thoughts.
“Come in.”
Her secretary stepped inside carefully.
“Miss Nelson, your father already went home.”
Ella glanced at the clock in surprise.
It was almost eight.
She had completely lost track of time.
“Thank you,” she said quietly.
The secretary hesitated slightly before speaking again.
“Are you okay, Miss Nelson?”
Ella forced a small smile.
“I’m fine.”
But the moment the door closed again, the smile disappeared.
She wasn’t fine.
Not even close.
Slowly, Ella gathered her things and left the office.
The drive home felt unusually lonely.
Streetlights blurred past the car windows while her mind wandered endlessly.
She remembered Andrew’s words from breakfast.
“I know this situation isn’t fair to you.”
For some reason, that sentence stayed with her.
He could have treated her coldly.
Could have ignored her feelings completely.
Instead, he acknowledged them.
That alone confused her.
Because Andrew Stuart wasn’t behaving like the ruthless monster everyone described.
And honestly?
That scared her even more.
People were easier to deal with when they were exactly what you expected.
But Andrew kept surprising her.
When Ella finally arrived home, the mansion felt strangely empty.
Her father was still inside his study.
Probably working again.
She stood outside the door briefly before knocking softly.
“Dad?”
“Come in.”
Gerald looked exhausted.
The sight made guilt tighten painfully in Ella’s chest.
“You should rest,” she said quietly.
Gerald smiled weakly.
“I could say the same thing to you.”
Ella walked farther inside.
For a moment, neither of them spoke.
Then Gerald finally sighed.
“I’m sorry.”
Ella’s eyes immediately softened.
“Dad—”
“No.” He shook his head slowly. “You didn’t deserve this.”
Hearing the guilt in his voice hurt more than she expected.
Ella sat across from him quietly.
“When Mom left,” Gerald continued softly, “I promised myself I would give you everything.”
His eyes lowered.
“But now I’m forcing you into a marriage you never wanted.”
Ella’s throat tightened painfully.
For several seconds,she couldn’t speak.
Then quietly, she reached across the desk and held his hand.
“You’re not forcing me.”
Gerald looked at her helplessly.
Ella forced a small smile.
“We’re protecting the company together, remember?”
Her father’s eyes turned red instantly.
Despite everything, she still worried more about comforting him.
Gerald squeezed her hand gently.
“You’ve grown up too fast.”
Ella laughed softly, though sadness lingered behind it.
“Life didn’t exactly ask for permission first.”
The room fell quiet again.
Then suddenly, Gerald spoke carefully.
“What do you think about Andrew?”
Ella froze.
Images immediately flashed through her mind.
His calm stare.
His teasing voice.
The way he gently handed her water that morning.
Her cheeks warmed slightly.
“I don’t know,” she admitted honestly.
“He’s… different from what I expected.”
Gerald studied her expression quietly.
For the first time since the arrangement began, a small amount of relief settled inside him.
Maybe things wouldn’t be as terrible as he feared.
Meanwhile, upstairs in her bedroom later that night, Ella stood beside the window staring at the city lights.
The engagement banquet was approaching quickly.
And whether she was ready or not…
Her life was already changing.
- Writer
