Ella

One thing Ella absolutely hates about Mr. Whitaker is that he casually extends the time of his lecture for ten to twenty minutes on a regular basis. She could have no problem studying even for an extra hour if it wasn't for her part-time job.

She was late today for her job again.

She can't lose this job. But that would be a little hard for sure as Ella was late for the second time in the same week. And a throne on top is her boss. A giant and utterly terrible man who would have no problem smashing her into tiny pieces.

She would have to swallow her ego and beg for forgiveness because there was no chance she could make it alive out of there, normally.

Ella was running, crushing her feet to the hard concrete road.

There were many things occupying her brain. But as she reached the door of the store, all of the thinking took a pause.

She saw her boss, that dreadful person, himself standing on the counter. His complexion was monstrous, leaving her heart beating in the throat.

Ella engulfed the air hard. She tightened the grip on her bag and stepped into the store

The moment she entered, a blasting shout welcomed her from the counter

“WHERE THE HELL WERE YOU?” She knew she was in a bad situation. A really bad one and this shouting makes it worse.

Ella hasn’t allowed the word sorry to touch her lips. It was too much. In the original plan, she was supposed to say sorry as soon as her eyes caughts a glimpse of it but now, she was respectfully dogging it. She was just keeping her mouth shut and letting Hunk say whatever he wanted to. But when Ella saw him taking giant steps in her direction, her mouth threw the seal away “I- I a sorry, Boss. I- it won't happen again” It itched her pride to say it. But it didn't do any good to the mood of this creature in front.

When she lifted her face, he was still some steps away. The worst thing about the moment was that there was no customer in the shop and now Hunk can kill her in peace. “A freaking sorry would fix nothing” he was walking towards her and she was terrified for herself. Her fingers were crossed at the back and her eyes were on the floor when she felt a sharp sting on her cheeks. She felt the sensation of being burnt all over her face. Hunk slapped her. He was a big man, his hand was equivalent to her total face and that one slap made her lose balance. She barely held herself from meeting the ground

“This was your last chance. If it happens again you would be fired” Ella nodded. Even though she was still feeling a little dizzy from that hit, she nodded because if she lost this job, she would be on the road. “Now, go to the counter and start the freaking word” her head was still moving up and down. She moved to the counter with tiny steps. She knew she would fall to the floor if she walk faster.

Ella had a frantic thought at that moment. She could have just called a bodyguard to beat the living hell out of Hunk, she was imagining things and there was literally nothing she could do other than rubbing her cheek that would surely not take the pain away.

When Ella went to her place at the counter, her eyes saw something terrible. More terrible than Hunk and the slap. She saw someone through the window. She rubbed her eyes. Maybe she was still dizzy from the hit because she was looking at Alex.

He was standing outside the door and he was smirking. The same smirk that leaves her immovable for some seconds. She followed his face.

Alex wasn't looking at Ella but Hunk. She did not know what was happening nor did she want to know.

She doesn't care if Alex has seen her getting slapped. She shrugged the embarrassment by rolling her eyes at him because the only thing mattered was that she didn't lose the job. Hunk was kind to a percent equivalent to zero. The only reason she could think why he let her stay was, no one would work for him at this low salary.

“Why the hell are you not moving?” It was that son of— it was Hank again. “I will start now” she said, trying to get a hold on her attitude that she obviously failed. Hunk gave her a stare, she didn't help herself to care.

Ella jerked her mind to the counter. Pretending to go through some papers, she spared a glance to the window, no one was there. She was unable to spot him. She could swear that he was just standing outside the window but now there was nothing.

She looked at the papers and then again at the window and he was really not there.

Driving her attention from driving towards anything, she shifted the entire focus to the work and Hunk walked out of the door.

She breathed for the first time since she entered the store.

“Fat, freaking hunk” She said the second he was gone. Ella saw her reflection in the table mirror and she saw blood on her cheek. “That fat ass ruined my face” her teeth knocked into each other out of anger.

This scratch must be from his ring, she thought to herself. That ring that he won in gambling. Ella hated it so much because this wasn't the first time it had given her a bruise.

She quickly took a tissue paper out and wiped the blood off, there was no time to take care of herself.

She sat on the chair and fingers moved into rhythms on the keyboard.

She managed all the documents. Double checked the stock. Dealt with some customers but no matter how busy she tried to make herself, she was unable to keep her mind straight. There was too much to think about.

She should reach Danial by any possible source. Maybe if they work together, they will be able to find something against the club, after all she could not let her father's work go to waste. He has spent years collecting information about Eclipse. Countless stressful nights and days full of hard work. The amount of patience and effort it took. She knew it all and she would never let it go to vain.

She has to do it. She had to do it for her father. Doesn't matter if she had the courage or not.

She has to end it all at once.

For now, Danial was her only chance. He was, too, an amazing lawyer and Ella would complete her degree very soon. She could assist Danial and they could bring Eclipse down with the help of her father's research, if they could recur it by any chance.

•••

Walking to her house, the memories flooded in her head. Ella remembers how the days used to be. Whenever she returned home, her father would pause whatever he was doing, no matter how important it was. He would stand up with his face, lighting up and welcome her with a warm, heartfelt hug. The bond was so strong and so beautiful. Maybe this was the reason why she still feels like her father was near. Even though this house wasn't the castle she raised into. It was nothing like her old home but she could feel his presence there.

Ella took a deep sigh and entered the residential building. She was grateful to Danial for sending her some money. They were enough to cover the bills for that one month and for the next. She worked really hard, earned the rent and sent his money back. Because anything that turns her ego down is over the limit of her patience.

This house was a small apartment but at least it belonged to her. It was okay to live in but not enough to give her a peace of mind. It was old and a little frightening at times. The residents were fine but she wasn't the type of person to socialize that easily. So, in a building full of people, she was all alone.

This loneliness gets depressing from time to time but she could not help herself with it.

And then the feeling.

The feeling she tries to ignore at her very best.

The feeling of fear that envelopes her wherever she goes.

The feeling of being watched at her every move. The eyes, those dreadful eyes, following her wherever she goes.

At first, she thought she was hallucinating. The sounds of steps that follow her to the doorstep, those stares from the window, the shadow that never leaves her surroundings, no matter where she is. It doesn't feel like an illusion anymore. She has seen him a couple of times. He always covers his face with a hood. His eyes are always at her and he always hides when she sees her. Almost like he knows that she is watching. It doesn't matter if it's through her window or by hiding behind a wall. He always knows.

Ella is unaware of who it is. She has no idea about him or his motive behind the stalking but the idea of this really being real freaks the living help out if her.

As Ella walked to the door of her apartment, something was waiting for her. A note on the handle of her door. She looked around, trying to find the person to whom it belongs, but there was no one. The hallway was empty.

Confused and somehow afraid, she lifted her hand and picked it out of the handle. With a wave of shiver in her hands, she unfolded it.

Ella found a bandage in it.

Her eyes widened and hand abruptly flew to the bruise on her cheek. She scanned the place for another time but she found no human

It has to be a coincidence, she thought to herself but when she turned the note around, she found some words. Some words that gave her a sense of familiarity “See you soon, Princess” The memory flinched into her mind. A memory she fears. “See you…” She is always unable to complete the words. She tries her very best but she always fails.

Ella has a repeated nightmare, the one she doesn't even want to think about. She always retains her mind to think about it but these words give her a memory of that dream—

She yanked her brain hard. This wasn't the time to think about it.

With a sense of urgency, she unlocked the door and then ran to her room. She had seen him through the window once and if it was really the stalker, she might see him again.

Ella threw her bag on the bed, took some scared but fast steps towards her window and flew it open.

And then, she found nothing. There was no one. Behind the trees, the cars or the walls, she checked every corner of the road with keen eyes but she couldn't find anything. The road was as silent as dead.

Ella took a step back and then in fear, she fell to her bed.

“Maybe it's a coincidence” she tried to convince herself but she was too clever to trick herself like this.

And then, all of the sudden, she was thinking about those dreams. Ella has a strong feeling of them not being the dreams but reality. And a piece of good evidence to support this statement was that she was drunk in all of those moments. She doesn't remember anything when she is drunk.

Maybe months ago, those moments had taken place. Maybe that person was real.

His face, it wasn't clear. She doesn't remember who he was but that guy was a person who had been there for her when no one was.

He would make his presence feel so obvious yet not show himself.

She has been having these dreams for about six months.

And now, sometimes she needs them to really be a reality. She needs someone because no matter how stubborn she makes herself look, she yearns for someone like him.

Someone who cares about her even when she doesn't.

***Download NovelToon to enjoy a better reading experience!***