The moment the door clicked shut, Ella grabbed her phone with trembling hands. Tears streamed down her face, her breath coming in short, panicked gasps. Without thinking, she scrolled to Lily's name and hit the call button.
The phone rang twice before Lily's familiar voice answered, laced with concern.
"Ella? It's late. What's wrong?"
Ella tried to speak, but the words caught in her throat. A choked sob escaped instead.
"Ella?" Lily's voice sharpened with worry. "What happened? Are you okay?"
"I—" Ella stammered, her voice breaking. "I don't know what I'm doing here, Lily. I feel so… so trapped."
Lily's tone softened, but there was a steely edge of protectiveness. "What do you mean? Did someone hurt you?"
Ella hesitated, glancing at the door as if Henry might return at any moment. She wiped her tears, her voice barely above a whisper. "It's Damien's father. He… he came into my room."
"What?" Lily's voice rose in disbelief. "What do you mean he came into your room? Ella, what did he do?"
Ella sniffled, clutching the phone tighter. "He got close, too close, and—" Her voice broke again. "He tried to kiss me, Lily."
There was a pause on the other end of the line, then a sharp intake of breath. "That bastard," Lily hissed. "Ella, you need to leave. Right now. I don't care about this stupid contract or Damien or any of it. Just get out of there."
"I can't," Ella whispered, shaking her head even though Lily couldn't see her. "If I leave now, it'll all fall apart. I need this, Lily. For you, for us."
"Not if it means putting yourself in danger!" Lily argued, her voice trembling with emotion. "Ella, this isn't worth it. You're worth more than this."
Ella wiped her tears, her resolve wavering. "I don't know what to do. I don't want to fail, but I'm scared."
"You don't have to decide anything tonight," Lily said firmly. "But promise me you'll be careful. And if anything like this happens again, you'll leave. No questions asked."
Ella nodded, her voice barely audible. "I promise."
Ella hadn't slept a wink after Henry's attempt to kiss her. The weight of his actions and the knowledge that she had to face him again in the morning gnawed at her. When dawn broke, she made her decision—she couldn't stay in the Calloway estate a moment longer.
Grabbing her phone, she typed out a message to Damien, her fingers trembling.
"I'm done. I'm terminating the contract. I'll be gone by the time you get back."
The response came almost immediately. Damien called, his voice sharp and demanding.
"What do you mean, you're terminating the contract?" he snapped.
Ella clenched her fists, her voice rising. "What do you think I mean, Damien? I'm leaving! Your father tried to kiss me, and I won't stay here another second!"
There was a long silence on the other end of the line. Then Damien's voice dropped, cold and dangerous. "Do you have any idea what you're saying?"
"Yes, I do!" she yelled back, her emotions spilling over. "Your father tried to seduce me, Damien. So much for being a protective fiancé when your own family is trying to humiliate me!"
Damien's breath hitched audibly, but instead of responding, he hung up.
TWO HOURS LATER
Ella was packing her things when the sound of a car pulling up made her pause. She glanced out the window to see Damien stepping out of his sleek black car—accompanied by a tall, glamorous woman.
Her heart sank. Even without being introduced, Ella knew who she was.
Victoria.
Damien's ex.
Ella braced herself as the front door swung open. Damien's expression was stormy, but Victoria strode in with an air of confidence, her heels clicking against the marble floor.
"Damien," Victoria purred, casting a glance at Ella. "Is this your new housemaid?"
The words stung, and Ella felt her cheeks burn with humiliation.
"I'm not the housemaid," she said, trying to keep her voice steady.
Victoria smirked. "Oh? Then who are you?"
"She's no one," Damien said coldly, his gaze avoiding Ella's.
Ella's breath caught. His words were a dagger to her heart.
Victoria stepped closer, her tone dripping with disdain. "You poor thing. Did Damien tell you he loves you? Let me guess—he promised you the world?"
"Stop," Ella whispered, tears brimming in her eyes.
Victoria ignored her, turning to Damien with a sly smile. "Still playing the same games, I see. Remember last year, darling? We were so good together. Oh, but maybe she doesn't know about that."
Ella froze. "What?"
Victoria's smile widened. "He didn't tell you? We hooked up last year. A little reunion, if you will."
Damien's silence was damning.
Ella felt a knot form in her stomach. She had been trying so hard to hold on, but the reality of what Victoria was saying—what Damien was allowing her to say—was breaking her.
But before she could say anything, Damien finally spoke, his voice low and filled with disgust. "You're lying," he said coldly. "You think you can make up stories like that and destroy everything?"
Ella's heart shattered as Damien's words cut through her like ice.
"You're nothing but a prostitute, Ella," he snapped. "You're trying to flaunt yourself in front of my father. Using your body to get what you want."
The room spun as Ella's anger and heartbreak boiled over. She stormed up to Damien, her hand shaking as she slapped him across the face.
"You disgust me," she yelled, her voice trembling with rage.
Without another word, she turned and walked out of the house, leaving Damien and Victoria staring after her.
Ella stormed out of the Calloway estate, her chest heaving with anger and heartbreak. The betrayal was suffocating, and she needed to leave—leave the house, the arrangement, the country, and Damien behind.
By the time she arrived at her sister Lily's mansion, her resolve was solid. She burst through the door, her face flushed with determination.
"Lily," she called out, her voice shaky but firm.
Lily appeared in the living room, her brows furrowing in concern. "Ella? What happened? Why are you crying?"
"We're leaving," Ella said, her voice cracking slightly. "Pack your things. We're leaving the country tonight."
Lily blinked in shock. "What? Ella, what are you talking about? What happened?"
Ella dropped onto the couch, burying her face in her hands. "I can't explain everything right now. I just know I can't stay here. Not in this city, not in this country. I need to get away from Damien, from his family, from all of it."
Lily crouched in front of her, gripping her hands. "Ella, slow down. Did he hurt you? Did something happen?"
Ella shook her head, tears slipping down her cheeks. "It's not just him, Lily. It's his father, his ex, everything. I can't do this anymore."
Lily hesitated, her lips pressing into a thin line. "Okay," she said softly. "But leaving the country? That's a big decision. Where will we go? What about everything here?"
"I don't care," Ella said firmly, looking her sister in the eye. "I'll figure it out, but I need to leave. Please, Lily. I need you with me."
Lily stood, pacing the room. "Ella, you're asking me to uproot my life just because some rich jerk and his family hurt you. I get that you're upset, but running away isn't the answer."
"It's not running away!" Ella snapped, standing up. "It's survival. Do you know what his father did to me? Do you know what Damien said? He called me a liar, a prostitute. He humiliated me, Lily. I can't stay here."
Lily's eyes widened in shock, her anger softening into concern. "He… he said that? After everything you've done for him?"
"Yes," Ella said, her voice breaking. "And his father tried to kiss me. Then lied about it and made me look like the villain."
Lily's face hardened. "Alright," she said after a long pause. "If you're sure this is what you want, I'll come with you. But we're not leaving until you're calm and thinking straight."
Ella nodded, relief washing over her. "Thank you."
The sisters worked quickly, packing their essentials into suitcases. By the time the car arrived to take them to the airport, the sky was dark, and the city lights shimmered in the distance.
Ella stared out the window, her mind racing with a mix of fear and determination. This was it—their escape.
"Where are we even going?" Lily asked as the car sped down the highway.
"Somewhere far," Ella replied, her voice quiet. "Anywhere but here."
Lily sighed, leaning back in her seat. "You're lucky I love you."
Ella managed a small smile, but it quickly faded when the car jolted to a sudden stop.
"What's happening?" she asked, her voice rising in panic.
The driver glanced in the rearview mirror, his face pale. "A car just cut us off."
Ella and Lily turned to see a sleek black car blocking the road. The headlights were blinding, and the silhouette of a man stepping out sent a chill down Ella's spine.
"Who is that?" Lily whispered, gripping Ella's arm.
Ella's heart pounded as the figure approached their car
The car door swung open, and Ella gasped as she recognized the man standing before her.
Ella's heart raced as the figure approached, their footsteps echoing ominously against the quiet night. The black car's headlights bathed the scene in a harsh glow, making it impossible to discern who it was until they were close enough.
"Stay in the car," the driver muttered, his voice low but tense.
Lily clutched Ella's arm, her nails digging into her skin. "Ella, who do you think it is?"
Ella swallowed hard, her breath hitching. "I don't know," she whispered, though her mind raced with possibilities.
The figure stopped a few feet from the car, their face obscured by the glare of the headlights. Slowly, they raised a hand, motioning for the driver to lower the window.
The driver hesitated, glancing back at Ella. "Should I—"
"No," Ella said quickly, her voice trembling. "Just drive. Get us out of here."
Before the driver could react, the figure moved to the driver's side door and knocked sharply on the window. The sound made Ella flinch.
"Open up," the figure demanded, their voice deep and commanding.
The driver hesitated again, then reluctantly cracked the window. "Who are you, and what do you want?"
The figure leaned in slightly, their face still shrouded in shadow. "I need to speak to the woman in the backseat. Now."
Ella's pulse quickened, her mind screaming at her to run, but there was nowhere to go.
"Ella," Lily whispered, her voice tight with fear. "What if it's him?"
Ella shook her head, her voice barely audible. "I don't know."
The figure straightened, stepping back slightly. "Ella," they called, their tone sharp and authoritative. "You can't leave. Get out of the car."
Her name on their lips sent a shiver down her spine. She couldn't tell if it was Damien, his father, or someone entirely unexpected.
The driver turned back to her, his expression tense. "Do I go or stay?"
Ella clenched her fists, her mind spinning. She knew one thing for sure: whoever this was, they weren't here to wish her well.
Before Ella could respond, the car door behind her suddenly swung open, and a strong hand grabbed her arm.