Chapter Thirty Seven

A moment passed, and the sounds of the chirping birds became more audible to my ears. My heart continued to race as I waited for a response to every doorbell I rang.

"Yes, who is it?" The sound of Thomas's voice through the answering machine brought my heart to a jolt.

I was unsure if he was the right person to receive me, but I didn't come all this way for nothing.

"Hey, Thomas… it's Ella.." There was a long silence. "I didn't mean to bother….but I really need to speak with Nico….please."

The answering machine went off and I waited to see the gate open but it didn't. Another agonizing silence.

My heart pounded in my chest, each beat a hammer blow against my ribs. Just as despair threatened to consume me, the intercom buzzed. The gate was open.

With trembling fingers, I pushed the gate open and walked towards the house. My steps were hesitant, unsure. The fear of facing Nico, of seeing the disappointment in his eyes, was almost unbearable.

The air hung thick with tension as I stepped