CHAPTER 5: BEHIND THE DOOR
1496 Words
By the time Elena got home that evening, her feet were aching.
It had been another long day at Lang Enterprise, and although nothing particularly dramatic had happened after the incident at the office, she couldn't stop thinking about the job.
Fourteen days.
Fourteen days of waiting.
Fourteen days of pretending she wasn't checking her phone every few minutes.
She dropped her bag on the couch and looked around the small apartment.
Her siblings were already waiting for her.
“Finally,” one of them complained. “You're late.”
Elena laughed.
“I work, you know.”
“We know. That's why you're buying us something today.”
She raised an eyebrow.
“Who said that?”
“Both of us.” The twins said giggling.
Elena shook her head.
“Are you people trying to finish my money?”
Her siblings laughed.
For once, Elena didn't mind.
She had been working so hard lately that she realized she hadn't done anything fun with them in weeks.
So, after changing her clothes, she decided to take them out.
Nothing expensive.
Just ice cream, snacks, and a little time away from the apartment.
They walked together, teasing one another and arguing over which flavor of ice cream was better.
For a while, Elena forgot about Lang Enterprise.
She forgot about the CV.
She forgot about Daniel.
She forgot about everything she was supposed to be worrying about.
She simply watched her siblings laugh.
It reminded her why she worked so hard.
Why she woke up every morning even when she was exhausted.
Why she kept going.
Because moments like this mattered.
By the time they returned home, it was already late.
Elena unlocked the apartment door and allowed her siblings to go inside.
She was about to follow them when she heard something.
A loud thud.
She froze.
It had come from across the hallway.
Rose's apartment.
Another sound followed.
Something hit the wall.
Then a man's voice.
Elena frowned.
She looked toward her siblings.
“Go inside.”
“What happened?”
“Just go inside. I'll be back.”
She crossed the hallway.
“Rose?”
No answer.
Elena knocked.
“Rose?”
There was a pause.
Then she heard Rose's voice.
“I'm fine.”
Elena immediately knew she wasn't.
“You don't sound fine.”
“Please, Elena. Just go.”
Another loud sound came from inside.
Elena's heart jumped.
She tried the door.
It opened.
“Rose?”
What she saw made her stop.
Rose was standing near the wall, tears running down her face.
A man stood several feet away from her.
He looked angry.
Very angry.
“Who are you?” Elena demanded.
The man turned toward her.
“None of your business.”
Elena stepped inside.
“If you don't leave right now, I'm calling the police.”
The man laughed bitterly.
“You think I'm scared of you?”
“No,” Elena replied. “But you should be scared of what happens if you don't leave.”
Rose wiped her face.
“Elena, please—”
“Rose, are you okay?”
The man grabbed his jacket from the chair.
“This isn't over.”
Elena stared at him.
He glared at her before leaving.
The door slammed behind him.
Silence filled the room.
Elena turned toward Rose.
For several seconds, neither spoke.
Then Elena's expression softened.
“Rose.”
Rose looked away.
“What happened?”
“Nothing.”
“Nothing?”
Elena stared at her.
“You were crying.”
Rose wiped her cheeks.
“We had an argument.”
“That wasn't an argument.”
Rose sighed.
“Elena, please.”
“No. Tell me what happened.”
Rose sat down.
Elena sat beside her.
After a long silence, Rose finally spoke.
“His name is Marcus.”
Elena waited.
“We've been together for years.”
“Why was he here?”
Rose looked down at her hands.
“He needed money.”
Elena frowned.
“And you didn't have any?”
“I didn't have enough.”
“So he became angry?” Elena asked, visibly furious.
Rose nodded.
Elena exhaled slowly.
“Rose, you can't let someone treat you like that.”
“You don't understand.”
“Then help me understand.”
Rose looked at her.
“I love him.”
Elena didn't respond immediately.
Rose continued.
“When we met, he wasn't like this.”
She looked toward the door.
“He was kind. He had a job. He took care of me. He made me feel safe.”
Elena's expression softened.
“What happened?”
“He lost his job.”
“And then?”
“At first, I thought it would only be temporary.”
Rose gave a weak laugh.
“I told myself he'd find another one.”
But he didn't.
Weeks became months.
Then he started drinking.
Then gambling.
And slowly, the man Rose had known began disappearing.
“I started helping him,” she whispered. “I thought he just needed someone to believe in him.”
Elena listened.
“I work too. I have my own problems, but I tried. When he needed food, I helped. When he needed money, I gave what I could.”
“Rose…”
“I know what you're going to say.”
“No. You don't.”
Rose looked at her.
Elena hesitated.
“Ever wonder why I never speak about my childhood?”Elena hesitated. “About my dad.”
Rose's expression changed. Then she spoke.
“You've lived here for years, but you've never really told me anything.”
“I don't like talking about it.”
“Why?”
Elena looked down.
Then she spoke.
“You know I've always wished I had a family like yours.”
Elena said, eyes filled with tears.
“You have no idea how lucky you are.”
Elena said.
“Lucky?”
Rose smiled softly. Eager to understand what she meant by that.
“Growing up, I've never felt safe.” Elena said, trying hard to keep the tears from streaming down her eyes.
“My dad was a drunk who found pleasure in using my mom as a punching bag.”
“Regardless of everything, she never complained, she never stopped hoping and praying that he would change.”
“My dad never cared if I ate, if I was well or not, it all fell on my mother's head.”
“I begged her several times to leave because I hated seeing her cry herself to sleep every night. Hated all the scars my mom had to hide from my siblings and I.”
“Then what made her leave?” Rose said in a breaking voice.
Elena said nothing.
“He tried forcing himself on me one night after he came back home so drunk.” Elena said with tears racing down her cheeks.
“Luckily, my mom heard the noise and came in just in time.
She paused.
“These are things I don't like talking about.”
“You are the first person I've ever told this
After this, Rose's tears didn't stop rolling down her face.
Elena looked at her.
“He wasn't a good man.”
I felt bad that I couldn't do anything to save my mom sooner but I won't have the same thing happen to my best friend.
Rose couldn't say anything no matter how hard she tried.
She placed a hand over her stomach.
Elena noticed.
Her eyes widened.
“Rose?”
Rose looked away.
“Are you?” Elena asked.
“Yes,I'm pregnant.”
The words hung between them.
Elena stared at her.
“What?”
“I found out recently.”
“Does Marcus know?”
Rose shook her head.
“Yes.”
“Okay?”
Rose kept quiet.
“Rose…”
“He was furious.”
Rose's voice cracked.
“He said I was trying to trap him. He said he doesn't have a job, he has no money, and now I'm bringing a baby into his life.”
Elena's heart sank.
“But this isn't your fault.”
“I know.”
Rose looked at her, with tears in her eyes.
“Have you told your parents about this?”
“No”
“Why”
“Because I'm scared. They have a lot going on and I feel like this news will only complicate matters.”
Elena held her hand.
“You don't have to go through this alone.”
Rose finally broke down.
For the first time, Elena saw the woman behind the smiles.
The woman who had been pretending everything was fine.
The woman who had been carrying more than she could handle.
And Elena realized that perhaps everyone had a story they were trying desperately to hide.
Even Rose.
Especially Rose.
Outside, the hallway fell silent.
But inside the apartment, Rose's life had just begun to unravel.
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