Fiona at Ella’s Place
Ella’s apartnt was the sa as always—small, warm, with a faint vanilla-candle sll she never got rid of. Fiona sat on the couch with her knees pulled up, and her hands tucked under her thighs like she was trying to stop them from shaking.
Ella watched her from the armchair opposite, her brows drawn together. It had been more than four days since the kidnapping.
"Okay," she said finally. "Start from the beginning. And don’t skip anything."
Fiona swallowed. "I’m not skipping. I just... I don’t even know where to start."
"Start where you got grabbed," Ella said, gentler now. "Or what you rembered. Whatever makes sense."
Fiona hesitated, then she exhaled. "I must have been sedated or sothing, i only rember going into the bathroom, peeing and washing my hands. That’s all i can rember. And it was a woman who was incharge, she wasn’t hiding her face. That’s the part that scares ....like she didn’t care if I saw her."
Ella stiffened. "What did she say?"
"She didn’t say much," Fiona replied. "Mostly threatened. Asked so weird questions and just kept hinting like she knew , or knew sothing about . Not directly, but... the way she talked." She pressed her thumb against her palm. "She walked in and... she slapped . Hard. And then she said all these things. Horrible things."
Ella leaned forward, her voice gentle. "Like what?"
Fiona swallowed hard. Her throat felt tight just rembering it.
"She called a slut," she whispered. "A ho-wrecker. A husband snatcher."
Ella stared at her for a long mont, then rubbed a hand down her face. "Fio... you realize this isn’t small. Like, this is not a prank or random mugging. Soone targeted you."
Fiona shook her head. "I’m not telling Nathan."
Ella blinked at her. "Excuse ?"
"I’m not telling him," Fiona repeated, firr now. "I don’t even know who she is. I don’t know if she’s alone or working with soone else. And if I tell Nathan, he’ll go insane. You know how he gets. He’ll drag everyone he knows into this, tear the whole city apart."
"That sounds like exactly why you should tell him," Ella shot back.
"No," Fiona said quickly. "She said she would kill you," Fiona whispered. "You, and Julian. She said if I tell Nathan, she’ll do sothing to both of you. I don’t know how she knows your nas but... Ella, she knows you."
Ella’s expression shifted from shock to instinctive fear, then to anger.
"That psycho threatened my brother?" she snapped. "?!"
Fiona nodded, tears filling her eyes.
"So I can’t tell Nathan," Fiona said firmly. "I can’t. Not when I don’t know who she is or what she’s capable of. I’m not putting you and Julian in danger."
Ella sighed, leaning her head back against the chair. "I hate when you talk like this."
"I’m being realistic."
"At least tell soone," Ella insisted. "A PI, a cop, a therapist, I don’t care. Just... soone other than ."
Fiona looked down at her hands. "I’m breaking up with him." Fiona continued, her voice cracking, "she told to leave Nathan. Two weeks. She gave two weeks to end things with him and disappear."
Ella sat bolt upright. "Fiona."
"Ella—"
"No." Ella pointed at her. "No. We are not brushing past that like you just said you’re switching shampoos. What do you an you’re breaking up with him?"
Fiona swallowed, suddenly feeling stupid, scared, all of it at once. "It’s complicated."
"You’re in love with him."
"I know," Fiona said quietly.
"And he’s obsessed with you."
"I know that too."
"So why the hell—"
"Because it’s safer," Fiona whispered. "For him. For . For everyone."
Ella stood and paced once, stopping behind the couch. "Fio, you can’t do that. You can’t just... give up your relationship because so psychos are targeting you. That’s not how life works."
"It’s exactly how life works," Fiona said. "When you love soone, you don’t drag them into your chaos."
Ella crossed her arms. "I think you’re underestimating Nathan."
"I think you’re underestimating what these people are capable of."
"Jesus." Ella shook her head, but her voice softened. "How do you think he’s going to handle that?"
Ella stared at her like she couldn’t believe what she was hearing.
She sighed heavily. "Look, I know you don’t want to break up with him. And trust , the mont you do? Nathan is going to lose his mind. He’s in love with you. He might actually burn down the whole city"
Fiona groaned softly and covered her face. "Don’t remind ."
Ella snorted. "You need to think of a believable breakup excuse. And trust , girl, it better be Oscar-winning, because that man will not just let you go."
Fiona’s chest tightened painfully at the thought. She imagined Nathan’s face when she broke things off...It already hurt.
"Fiona," Ella continued slowly. "Nathan is not so random guy. He’s Nathan Kent. He has security, connections—"
"And she still found a way to kidnap from a restaurant," Fiona cut in, voice shaking. "If she could do that to , she could do worse to you. I’m not risking you."
Ella opened her mouth to argue, but the look in Fiona’s eyes stopped her. Fiona ant every word. She wasn’t budging.
After a long silence, Ella slumped back against the couch and ran a hand through her hair.
"Okay," she said in defeat. "Okay. But you know what you’re doing right?"
"I know," Fiona whispered.
Ella sat next to her. "I’m not saying you shouldn’t think about safety and all that, but you’re acting like you already decided what you’re gonna do. You didn’t even give him a chance."
"It’s not about giving him a chance," Fiona said tiredly. "It’s about not getting you or Julian killed."
Ella was quiet for a mont, then nudged her shoulder. "Fine. I can’t convince you. You’re stubborn as hell. But promise one thing."
"What?"
"If you’re not gonna tell Nathan, then at least... at least enjoy the last week you have with him.""
Fiona managed a small, weak smile. "I’ll try."
Ella opened her mouth to say sothing else—then paused when a knock sounded at the door.
She frowned. "Who the hell—oh. Julian said he might pass by today."
She got up and walked to the door. Fiona straightened her posture automatically, brushing her hair behind her ear.
Ella opened the door, and Julian stepped inside with a pizza box in one hand and a bag of sodas in the other. His expression brightened when he saw Fiona.
"Hey, sis—" Julian began, then stopped when he saw Fiona. "Oh. Uh... Fiona? Didn’t expect to see you."
He walked over and set everything on the coffee table. Fiona gave him a polite nod. "Hi."
"Hi," Julian replied with a small smile. He wasn’t awkward or overly shy—just calm, reserved. The type who took his ti before inserting himself into conversations.
Ella moved to the kitchen to grab plates. "So, uh," she said loudly, "Fiona will be staying with from next upper week."
Julian blinked. "Really?"
Ella spoke before Fiona could. "Yeah. She wants to be closer to school. And we’re going to study together so it works."
Julian nodded, accepting it without suspicion. "Makes sense."
Ella shot Fiona a quick look—go with it.
Fiona added, "Yeah. The house is too far. It’s just for a while."
"Oh." Julian smiled a bit more this ti. "Cool. You’re welco here anyti. I an—it’s Ella’s place but... yeah."
Ella rolled her eyes. "He’s trying to say he doesn’t mind."
Julian shot her a glare. "I was saying it fine until you talked."
Fiona couldn’t help the small laugh that escaped. For a mont, it fixed the weight on her chest.
Julian handed her a soda. "You okay?" he asked, not overly intrusive, just politely concerned.
"Yeah," she lied easily. "Just tired."
Ella walked back with plates. "She’s going through her dramatic era. Don’t mind her."
Fiona gave Ella a pointed look. "I’m not dramatic."
"You’re dramatic," Ella said confidently.
Julian sat down across from them, opening the pizza. "Well, if you ever need anything... let know. I’m usually around."
Fiona nodded. "Thanks."
Ella watched them silently, sothing unreadable in her eyes, but she let it go.
Soon, they were eating, talking lightly about movies and random things. Fiona laughed a few tis—mostly because Ella kept making stupid comnts on purpose.
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