Twisted Fate

Ella hurried her steps back to the room where others seemed to be waiting for her. She knew she stayed longer than expected.

It was like a drama that unfolded before her. But the interesting part of the drama is that she’s the female lead in the drama.

She had quietly shed tears and washed her face. She even applied a little makeup to cover up but the redness and puffiness had betrayed her.

No, she is not yet able to recover from the shock she just experienced. No, this cannot be happening to her.

As Ella walked in, she bowed her head. She was hiding her face. But how long can she keep hiding her face from her boss and Festus who invited her for lunch?

Alex squinted. Immediately she came back, he saw through her that something had happened. It appeared she had gone to the restroom to sob.

But whatever, he definitely was not responsible for her present mood. Whatever made her sob must be her business, it has got nothing to do with him.

Festus narrowed his brow. Something is definitely wrong. She wasn’t like this when she excused herself a while ago.

She stayed over twenty minutes and when she returned, she looked like someone who had been beaten.

“I’m sorry to keep you all waiting” she apologised, picking up her handbag and ready to leave.

“Are you alright?” Festus asked, ignoring her apologies.

“Mm.. I will be fine” she answered, quickly taking out a tissue to wipe the tears, who seemed ready to run down her cheeks.

Without another word, the three adults stood up and walked out. As she walked out in company of the others, she sighted Bill who seemed to be apologising to his woman.

She didn’t say anything else but walked towards Festus’ car and stood there. Alex was talking to his friend in low tones and next, stepped into his car and Festus returned to Walk Ella into the car.

Just as Ella was getting into the car, Bill turned and saw her. He smirked and glared at her or rather the car now with an hostile gaze.

As soon as the car took off, Festus glanced at Ella at every interval. Each time she cleaned her tears, he would glance at her.

Ella had sat in the copilot seat when they left the Foster cooperation, but now, Festus insisted that she sits beside him.

“What happened, Ella?” Festus asked. Unable to keep shut. His curiosity was getting hold of him.

“It’s nothing to bother you about. I will be fine” Ella replied. She was trying to hold back her tears but somehow, those tears had chosen to embarrass her.

“You may not have known me, but I am willing to share your burdens and offer you a shoulder to lean on. If you wouldn’t mind, I would appreciate it if you tell me what’s making you sob?”

Ella nodded. This man is not her boss, but she needed someone to tell her it’s okay. That’s all she needed.

She explained everything that happened to Festus. From when she sighted him kissing another woman to the words he said to her in fury.

But when she got to the point where Bill said it was over between them, she couldn’t keep her emotions in check anymore.

Ella sobbed and sniffled. Festus let her sob. She needed to pour out to be alright. If she doesn’t sob and stop herself, she will keep sobbing until she gets over it.

By this time, Festus had ordered the chauffeur to stop the car. He didn’t say anything except drawing her close to himself.

Eventually Ella stopped sobbing but kept sniffling at intervals. She didn’t know how long the car had stopped but knew he had been waiting patiently for her.

“Are you a bit relieved now?” He asked, turned and glanced at her. Her eyes were really puffy now.

Her facial complexion has turned reddish and her eyes of course were red. Her makeup was mared but absolutely, she still looked beautiful.

Ella nodded and said “Thank you sir” she was going to stop sobbing henceforth. Bill doesn’t deserve it. She can’t be crying over spilled milk.

“Everything is going to be alright Ella. Let go and forget about ever meeting someone like that. A man who doesn’t cherish you and treats you like trash will definitely make you unhappy when you both eventually get married…” Festus advised.

Ella nodded and sat upright. “Go home and rest. Take care of yourself and resume to work tomorrow morning” Festus declared, having a faint smile on.

“But Mr Foster…” Ella was going to say ex will be mad with her when Festus beat her to it.

“Don’t worry about Alex, I will tell him I let you go” Festus assured her.

************

Ella arrived home and Sarah was surprised to see her so soon. She was alarmed when she saw Ella arrive shortly after lunch time.

When she lost her job at the restaurant, it was shortly after lunch time that she arrived. Why did she arrive so early again?

“Good day mom” Ella said, walking over and planting a featherlight kiss on her mother’s temple.

She wasn’t happy but Festus words worked like medicine on her aching and broken heart. Perhaps Bill wasn’t hers or perhaps he was never hers.

She just doesn’t realise it on time. It hurts because she had given her love unreserved to him and he trampled on it.

“Ella, what happened? Why are you home so early? Did anything go wrong with your new job? Why don’t you talk to me already?” Sarah asked too many questions at a time that Ella doesn’t know where to begin answering her questions.

“Mum, everything is fine with my job. I came back early because I was permitted to. I will rest today and then resume work tomorrow.

Sarah then sighed softly. But Ella’s face doesn’t look alright. It appeared she had sobbed. Her eyes were puffy.

“But it appeared you sobbed?” Sarah asked, looking at her intently and pulling her to sit next to her.

Ella was all she had left, the only thing that mattered to her in this life now. Her husband had gone off with another woman.

Her health was deteriorating and she didn’t know if she would live up to a year again. She is handicapped, helpless and totally relies on her daughter for her sustenance.

But Ella was all that kept her going. That brings a smile to her worried face and like an ointment, it freshens up her desire to live longer.

She doesn’t ever want anything to happen to her. She would rather die and exchange her life for Ella than to see her feel sad and unhappy.

“I’m sorry that I sobbed. I felt hurt when I saw him today mum. In the arms of another woman, he boldly told me that I was living in a fool’s paradise if I thought he really loved me…” Ella explained.

Sarah was dazed.

She was going to ask Ella who she was talking about until she said he told her she was a fool if she thought he loved her.

There is only one person Ella loved so much: Bill. She loved him as life itself and her life revolves around the name Bill.

“Bill said that to you?” Sarah asked, unable to catch her breath. What the heck is going on? How can he do that to her daughter?

“He said more than that mum. He despised me and told me I had been jinxed. My parents’ lives were shattered and my mother was nothing different from a vegetable.Please check at N/ôvel(D)rama.Org.

I couldn’t finish up my studies and I was a poor waitress who spends my salary on my mother’s medication. He said, “Did I expect him to be with someone like me?…”

Ella’s voice choked. She was going to sob if she didn’t pause. But she doesn’t want to sob again because of him, he doesn’t deserve her tears.

What’s the use of sobbing over someone that does not regard her? That does not see anything good or appreciate her love.

Sarah became quiet.

Bill really said so about her daughter?