The sounds of the party around them continued, but to Ellen, it all faded into a dull hum. Her focus was entirely on the man in front of her.
The longer she stood there, staring into his hard gaze, the more she realized she couldn't do this. Without another word, Ellen decided to leave. She didn't need to entertain this any longer. Turning sharply on her heel, she began walking away, her eyes set on the hallway leading to the restroom where she planned to wait for Mason.
She could hear the click of her heels on the polished floor as she moved quickly, determined not to look back. But, of course, Gerald wasn't one to let things go so easily. She heard his footsteps behind her, the sound growing louder as he closed the distance between them.
"Ellen," Gerald called out, his voice laced with that same mocking tone that made her skin crawl. She ignored him, her pace quickening, but it didn't take long before he caught up with her.
