Chapter 30
Ellie refused to take Haley to Aaron. If Aaron wanted to meet, he would do it on his own. They could push through difficulties, but that didn’t necessarily mean they would find a way to make it work in the end.
Haley wasn’t naive. Ellie had seen it—Haley was just wavering, unsure of what she truly wanted. When she was pursuing Aaron, he had made it clear that they were from two different worlds. He had been upfront about his responsibilities, the things that weighed him down: his father’s medical needs, his mother’s illiteracy, and the lack of luxuries like a car or a house. But Haley wasn’t willing to accept those truths. Now, it seemed she was using her family’s reputation and her parents’ influence as an excuse to back away.
After parting ways with Haley, Ellie spent the entire day at home, lost in her thoughts. As evening came, she prepared spaghetti, planning to eat before heading out to her part-time job at the bar. She figured life was about trading what you had for what you wanted. Right now, she had nothing to offer but herself, so her best bet was to focus on making money and surviving.
Just as she picked up her fork to take the first bite, the doorbell rang. Ellie froze. She wasn’t expecting anyone, but when she opened the door, her heart sank. It was Alex. Before she could react, he barged in, his presence overwhelming.
The anger he radiated was undeniable, and Ellie instinctively felt herself tense up. She recalled his rude behavior at Haley’s birthday party, his sneering remarks, and the way he had treated her brother. She turned away, trying to ignore the tension in the air.
“What? Feeling guilty?” Alex’s voice was harsh as he stepped into the room, his eyes locking onto hers with an intensity that made her uncomfortable.
Ellie remained calm, walking over to the dining table and trying to maintain a distance. “I’m not feeling guilty,” she replied, her voice steady despite the storm of emotions swirling inside.
The kitchen opened up into a dining area, with an island separating them. Ellie stood on one side, Alex on the other, but his anger seemed to bridge the gap between them. Without warning, he snatched the fork from her hand and threw it onto the table with a sharp clatter.
He leaned in, his hands bracing against the table as he stared at her, demanding an answer. “Ellie, what did you say to Haley?”
Ellie met his gaze, unflinching despite the growing tension. She hesitated for a moment. Haley had come to see her that morning, and they’d talked about Aaron, but Ellie hadn’t intended to stir up any conflict between Alex and Haley. She didn’t know what had happened between them, but Alex’s angry expression told her it was serious.
She glanced down at her now-mushy spaghetti, the tension making it hard to focus on anything else. Slowly, she picked up her fork again. “She did come to see me,” Ellie said, her voice low. “But we only talked about Aaron.”
Alex’s face twisted with frustration. “Too scared to admit it?” He moved around the island and stood in front of her, gripping her chin with his hand to force her to look at him. “If you didn’t say anything to her, why would she suddenly return that necklace to me?”
Ellie recoiled at his touch, her stomach turning. Growing up, Alex had always been hands-on, but now, his physicality made her skin crawl. She tried to pull away from his grip, but his fingers tightened, his hold firm.
With a sudden surge of strength, she managed to break free, but before she could take a step back, Alex grabbed her by the neck, pulling her closer. Ellie gasped, struggling for air as he held her in place.
Alex’s voice rose, his words dripping with frustration. “Still trying to argue with me? Isn’t this what you wanted?” He waved the pink diamond necklace in front of her face, his eyes glinting with mockery. “Haley didn’t want it anymore. Did you think I’d just give it to you?”
With a flick of his wrist, he tossed the necklace into the trash, the sound of it hitting the bottom of the bin echoing in the quiet room.
Ellie stood there, stunned. Her lips trembled as she met his mocking gaze. She couldn’t believe what she was seeing. Her thoughts were racing, and her heart hammered in her chest. It was like everything she had feared, everything she had tried to avoid, was unfolding right in front of her. The necklace, the symbol of Haley and Aaron’s relationship, was now nothing but trash in Alex’s hands.
Her hands clenched at her sides, her breath coming in shallow gasps. She didn’t know what hurt more—the fact that Alex had tossed the necklace away so carelessly or that Haley had let it all happen. Ellie’s chest tightened with frustration and sorrow. She had tried so hard to hold on to the belief that things could work out, but now, everything seemed to be slipping away.
“Why do you care so much?” Alex’s voice cut through her thoughts, but she was too numb to answer. She just stared at the trash can, the ring sitting among the discarded remnants of their tangled lives.
