“Elisa, I appreciate what you do, but it’s not as simple as you think between him and me. I have decided, and I hope you can keep it a secret for me.”
Elisa looked at her determined appearance and concluded that it was not easy to persuade. “Since you have decided, I would not say anything. If you need my help, you can say it.”
“Thank you, Elisa. I wish I’d met you sooner so I could be with the man that caught my heart.”
Elisa lost her smile. “It’s not too late to know me now. You’ll meet the one that makes you special someday.”
“Why?”
“Because you are a good and warm-hearted person, if it weren’t for you, I wouldn’t be comfortable in your family.”
“I have no objection to what you’re saying.”
“It’s getting late. Go back and rest.”
“Goodbye, Elisa.”
“See you later.”
After Gwen left, Elisa thought it was still too risky.
**
The Spring Festival holiday would end soon, and Annie came back to work, bringing Elisa many hometown specialties.
The director of obstetrics and gynecology called Elisa and Ellen.
Elisa remembered calling Ellen to wish her a happy New Year, but she didn’t answer. She didn’t respond to her New Year’s message either.
Elisa headed to Ellen’s rented house after work. Ellen’s rented apartment was close to the hospital. The village was located within the city. As a result, the environment was relatively boisterous, and the mix of individuals arriving and departing was similarly diverse. Ellen’s income allowed her to live more comfortably, but she continued to remain there.
Elisa stopped downstairs and went upstairs with dim aisle lights.
She walked to an old but clean iron gate and knocked on the door. “Ellen? It’s Elisa. Are you inside?”
There was no sound inside.
Elisa knocked several times, and it was still the same.
She returned to the car, looked up at Ellen’s window, and saw that there was a cashmere coat she bought for Ellen on the balcony.
She took out her phone and dialed Ellen’s number, only discovering that it was switched off. Elisa thought for a moment, recalled Ellen’s younger brother’s telephone number in her mind, and then dialed it.
The phone was quickly connected, and it was a young male voice that sounded sneaky. “Hello.”
“Erwan, hello, I am Ellen’s friend. Do you know where Ellen has gone?”
“She’s dead!” When Erwan was finished, he hung up the phone.
Elisa’s anger rose as she heard the busy tone on her phone, and she dialed it once again.
“I told you Ellen was dead, and our talk is over! What else is there to fight for? I’ll murder you if you bother me again! Watch out!”
“Hey, Erwan, you gloat about your sister’s death, and you still dare to be arrogant? I’m too busy to waste time with you spouting nonsense. Is your sister still missing? Quickly say it if you know her whereabouts! I’ll call the cops and say it was your fault if she has an accident!”
Erwan used to abuse Ellen because he thought Ellen’s friends were just like her, and his arrogance began to wane.
“I don’t know, and I left on the night of New Year’s Eve.”
“How? What did you do to her?”
“Why don’t you question her actions? I found that a wealthy man kept her, and when I returned, I wept with the rest of us because we were impoverished!”
“Keep your fucking mouth shut. She is your sister!”
“She would have such expensive clothes if a man hadn’t kept her? My girlfriend told me that her coat costs about $5, 000. My parents asked her to pay a portion of the cost of my suite, but she refused. What’s going to happen to Ellen now?
“Hey, watch your words, that coat is a birthday present that I bought for her. Are you broken or handicapped, Erwan? If you want to buy a house, you can do so independently. What makes you think your sister should give you money?! She usually doesn’t give you enough money!” Elisa scolded him, so he dropped the phone directly.
She knew what kind of family Ellen had, so why didn’t she think of it earlier?
Elisa brushed her hair irritably, drove to a nearby hotel to pack several dishes, bought a bag of beer, and returned to Ellen’s rental house.
“Ellen, open the door. I know you are there. Let’s talk.”
Elisa waited for a long time before she heard a slight footstep inside.
The door opened from the inside, and behind it was Ellen’s pale and weak face.
Ellen took a step back to the door and gave Elisa a feeble glance.
Elisa entered the room carrying two shopping bags. Elisa was taken back when she walked in and found the clothes, pillows, and furniture in a mess. Ellen rented a one-bedroom apartment with one living room. She was a person who was good at managing her affairs. Ellen had no money to acquire costly décor and furniture, even if the property was modest. She still kept her modest house in good shape and was very comfortable with it.
“It’s a bit messy, just leave it,” Ellen said helplessly as she walked up to the fabric sofa and cleaned up the sundries on the sofa and coffee pad. “You should have called me earlier.”
Ellen forced a smile. “What have you had planned for the New Year? This is your first new year with the family, and you’re having trouble adjusting.”
Elisa looked at her helplessly. “I won’t say anything else. Go wash your face and eat.”
Ellen followed what she said. She washed her face and sat opposite Elisa.
Neither of them spoke and ate the hot meal in silence.
Elisa opened two cans of beer and put one in front of Ellen.
Ellen looked up and gave a big gulp. She belched in an image without care and said in a dumb voice, “Why do you think I’m so unlucky to be born into a family like this, Elisa? They supported me to finish college. Yes, am I not doing everything I can to help them when I finish my work? Why aren’t they able to understand my problems? How can they believe I’m being held captive and that I’m hiding money? They are my family. Why don’t they trust me because they don’t even know who I am? I wouldn’t have to be so angry if I was willing to be kept. “Her voice took on an evident vibration when the last sentence was delivered.
Elisa listened silently.
“I worked overtime on multiple occasions till I passed out. They didn’t seem to mind, and they kept begging me to give them money. They asked me to put money aside to buy a house for my brother’s wedding. What about my personal life? How am I going to make a living? I’m afraid I’ll be scared away like my last boyfriend if I fall in love right now. How can I exist in such a warped state?”
Elisa also raised her head and poured a cold beer, which made her shiver. Ellen had never experienced any hardships. She was dumbfounded. It’s not a bad idea to rise and speak. Ellen slumped on the sofa, her eyes squinted and speechless.