Page 69 of The Call She Made That He Never Answered
Another nurse quickly said, "They're not officially together yet. Don't spread rumors."
"It's only a matter of time." The nurse winked. "Haven't you seen the way Dr. Morrison looks at Miss Bruce? Like he wants to carve her into his heart. Plus, they're both gorgeous. If they got together, they'd be perfect."
I felt like someone had stabbed a knife straight through my chest. Pain everywhere.
What should I do now?
If they really were that compatible, barging in would just make Ella angry. She'd storm off like last time. She'd already decided to leave me. My impulse couldn't change anything.
And she was sick now, lying in that bed, pale as snow. If I pushed her now, she'd hate me. Though she already hated me. I couldn't make things worse.
I released the door handle and turned away from the hospital.
I told myself—even if she'd moved on, I could win her back. I wouldn't act like a coward, picking fights with a sick person over nothing.
After all, Ella's health mattered more than anything. I had patience. I had time.
Though I comforted myself this way, my stomach kept aching. I'd heard the stomach was an emotional organ. Without Ella, even my body seemed beyond my control.
During the day, I worked from a café near Ella's apartment. I opened my laptop, processed emails, and reviewed contracts, but couldn't concentrate at all. My eyes kept drifting toward the window, afraid I'd miss her. Even though I knew she wouldn't be back this early, I couldn't help it.
At seven PM, the security company sent a message: Ella had been discharged.
I immediately packed up and headed to her apartment. The café was close by. When I arrived, she wasn't there yet. So I stood at the end of the hallway, waiting. Time had never moved this slowly. I wondered if Ella used to wait for me like this at the manor. The thought made me feel like I owed her everything.
No stars, no moon above. Heavy clouds hung low. Rain was coming.
I worried whether Ella had brought an umbrella. I was about to head back to the hospital to pick her up.
Then I saw a beat-up used Toyota pull up outside the apartment building.
Streetlight illuminated everything. I saw Ella's face. Just as excitement surged through me, I noticed someone moving in the driver's seat.
My cigarette fell to the ground.
It was Joe. He was practically leaning over Ella, helping her unbuckle her seatbelt. Their bodies pressed together in that cramped space. Skin to skin. Ella didn't resist at all, as if she was used to it.
Then the man turned his head and kissed her lips. His hand cradled the back of her head, fingers threading into her blonde hair. From my angle, they looked completely intertwined. Ella accepted it docilely, even tilted her head slightly to respond.
In that moment, my world completely collapsed. Jealousy roared like a caged beast in my chest, tearing me apart. My hands clenched into fists, nails digging into my palms, but I felt no pain.
I leaned against the wall, closed my eyes, and took deep breaths. I told myself to stay calm, but reason was useless now. Only one thought filled my head—I wanted to kill that man.
Just as I was about to rush downstairs, they finally separated. Ella got out of the car and walked toward the apartment building. In that instant, my emotions were impossibly complicated. At least they weren't living together yet—that thought flashed through my mind. How pathetic. I was so desperate, clinging to even a one-in-ten-thousand chance that I could still salvage things with Ella.
I was afraid of making her angry.
The pain of losing her was drowning me like a whirlpool. To keep from falling apart, I could only chain-smoke, trying to pull the rage out of my body through massive doses of nicotine.
The elevator opened. Ella stepped out. The look in her eyes when she saw me cut straight through my heart.
We stood facing each other in the hallway. Total silence around us.
Finally, before I suffocated, I took a deep breath and spoke first.
"Is that the reason? That man in the car—that's why you're in such a hurry to throw me out of your life like garbage?" The moment I opened my mouth, I knew I'd messed up. But I couldn't control my emotions. Anger was burning me to ash.
Ella stood there, face instantly pale.
