“So... the divorce had gone public,” she thought to herself. The news had caught on and someone had leaked information. She blew her breath out. “Oh well,” she said out loud. It was inevitable. Ella finished getting ready for school and got into her car. She drove out, surprised at the lack of reporters. Happy, but surprised. As the news of the divorce hyped up and faded over the next couple of months the reporters appeared less and less. Ella kept going to self defense classes, but also started to see Daniel outside of class more often. Now that she wasn't so worried about tabloids hounding them. The last day of the school year had just come to a close and Ella was putting her things in her car when her phone rang. She pulled it out and checked the screen. Nathaniel's name appeared. Why was he calling? They'd barely spoken lately. “Hey, Ella,” he said when she connected the call. “Hello, what can I help you with?” she answered professionally. “Uh... divorce court. The date's be
Sun filtered through the blinds of Ella's bedroom. She blinked awake, feeling disoriented and groggy. She realized she was still dressed. She sat up, memories coming in. “Oh gosh... I fell asleep with him here...” she said out loud. She put her head in her hands and groaned in embarrassment. He must've put her here. Her embarrassment grew. She looked at her phone, hesitating for a moment, but decided to grab it and call him. “Hey Sleeping Beauty,” he said in a low voice. “Did I wake you?”“Yeah... but it's okay, I needed to wake up anyway. You sound better than my alarm.”“Daniel, I'm so sorry I fell asleep last night. That was so rude.”“Stop, no it wasn't.” He laughed. “You had a rough day. You needed sleep. I'm glad I could help you relax enough to get the sleep you needed. Don't worry about it.”“Thank you for being so understanding.”“Not a problem. You have court again today?”“I do.” She sighed and got out of bed. “Is that going to interfere with school?”“No, I have some ab
Ella held a check in her hand. She laughed out loud. After the threat from last week and job hunting this was just enough to crack her. Her alimony check. Not even enough to pay half her rent. This was all her lawyer could get her? After all the years she spent supporting Nathaniel, putting her own desires and dreams to the side. This was how he thanked her... She put the check down and rolled her eyes. She wasn't sure she even wanted to cash it. She'd lined up a job as a waitress, but hoped to get a second job as well. So far, that hadn't worked out. Her first shift started in an hour so she finished putting on her makeup and went out the door. It was a high end restaurant. She was sure she got the job on her looks alone. Conventionally attractive seemed to the be the only type of woman they hired. She wouldn't complain and she surely wouldn't make them regret their choice. Or so she hoped. As it turned out, the fact that she hadn't had to work much in her lifetime showed. She was
Work, sleep, spend time off with Daniel and repeat had been Ella's summer. She and Daniel had settled into a routine that she absolutely loved. She called him after work every time she worked late and he stayed on the phone with her until she was home and locked into her apartment. Every day off she had he took her out to dinner and then they'd cuddle up to watch TV at her place or his. She used her paycheck for living expenses and her tips for savings. Since she worked so often and the restaurant was extremely high end, her tips were often massive. She'd gotten much better at her job. Over the summer, she hadn't been attacked or followed again, but she hadn't forgotten that last threat. Nathaniel was living his high life, but the tabloids spoke often of trouble in paradise for him. That only made Ella more nervous that she was still a target. The mistress likely wouldn't be a target, especially if Nathaniel was showing signs of being unhappy. But as time went on and she wasn't left
School had begun and to start the year off it was announced that the top two students would receive a shot at becoming a paralegal at a top law firm and the next year paid via scholarship. Ella had to get that scholarship. She was determined to work hard to achieve it. Her second year of school proved to be harder than her first, but she was determined to make it. Just as he'd said, Daniel came to her apartment to hang out while she studied and he came ready with snacks. “I got oreos and milk, chips and chocolate. I'll change it up next time. Does that work for you?”“Aboslutely,” she said with a smile. “I appreciate you so much.”She flipped open her books and took out her notes. “Wow... that's a lot of reading.” Daniel was peaking at the table.
Ella woke with a start, sweating and her heart beating so fast it hurt. She threw the blankets off and tried to get her pajamas off. “Ella, what are you doing?” Daniel asked groggily from beside her. He sat up and tried to touch her. “Ella!” he said firmly. She kept ripping at her clothes, but she was too weak. “Too... hot...” she said through gasps. Daniel flipped the light on and surveyed the situation. He quickly walked around the bed and pressed his hand to Ella's forehead. His eyes widened in alarm. “You have a high fever, you're burning up.”Ella layed back, exhuasted. The room began to spin. Daniel ran out of the room and could be heard going through her bathroom cabinets. “Do you have a thermometer?” he called. She could barely comprehend what he was saying, much less respond. “Found one!” he said as he ran back in the room. He shoved it in her mouth and held it there. “Under you tongue, just do it.” Before a full minute passed the thermometer beeped rapidly. He looked a
Ella stood looking at herself in the mirror. She'd put on a long black, glittering dress. Her hair done up in an elaborate updo. She wore her wedding jewelry, the rings of course, but also a necklace studded with diamonds and emeralds with a bracelet to match. Spoils of her arranged marriage. Nathaniel Woods had needed a wife to access his trust fund. A rule set in stone by his grandfather when the will was written up. Nathaniel had been in no hurry to settle down, but he wanted to start his architecture firm. He needed money to do that. He didn't want to follow in his father's footsteps by starting another retail franchise. Ella and Nathaniel's families had been friends since before they were born, so when their parents suggested an arranged marriage for the sake of the trust fund they didn't need to think it over for long. Ella had always liked Nathaniel, even nursed a high school crush on him. Nathaniel didn't think Ella was his type, but she was pleasant, smart and pretty enough.
Ella had put the phone call out of her mind in the following weeks. She put her focus into her work. Nathaniel didn't want her to actually have a job, which is one reason she stopped pursuing law school. But she could volunteer all she wanted. She threw herself into volunteer work whenever she wasn't busy helping her husband advance his career. Today, she'd signed up to cook and serve at a local shelter. She was infuriated by all the elites that volunteered, but never showed up, or only showed long enough for a photo op. "You've been here for almost 8 hours. You only signed up for the lunch rush," the head kitchen manager said. "I know, but you're under staffed so I wanted to see you through dinner as well.""You're a godsend. We've had more people than usual and less hands to keep things moving efficiently." "Is there anything I an do to help?" Ella asked as she took off her apron and began to gather her things. "Keep volunteering, but if you can get a fundraiser underway that wo
Ella woke with a start, sweating and her heart beating so fast it hurt. She threw the blankets off and tried to get her pajamas off. “Ella, what are you doing?” Daniel asked groggily from beside her. He sat up and tried to touch her. “Ella!” he said firmly. She kept ripping at her clothes, but she was too weak. “Too... hot...” she said through gasps. Daniel flipped the light on and surveyed the situation. He quickly walked around the bed and pressed his hand to Ella's forehead. His eyes widened in alarm. “You have a high fever, you're burning up.”Ella layed back, exhuasted. The room began to spin. Daniel ran out of the room and could be heard going through her bathroom cabinets. “Do you have a thermometer?” he called. She could barely comprehend what he was saying, much less respond. “Found one!” he said as he ran back in the room. He shoved it in her mouth and held it there. “Under you tongue, just do it.” Before a full minute passed the thermometer beeped rapidly. He looked a
School had begun and to start the year off it was announced that the top two students would receive a shot at becoming a paralegal at a top law firm and the next year paid via scholarship. Ella had to get that scholarship. She was determined to work hard to achieve it. Her second year of school proved to be harder than her first, but she was determined to make it. Just as he'd said, Daniel came to her apartment to hang out while she studied and he came ready with snacks. “I got oreos and milk, chips and chocolate. I'll change it up next time. Does that work for you?”“Aboslutely,” she said with a smile. “I appreciate you so much.”She flipped open her books and took out her notes. “Wow... that's a lot of reading.” Daniel was peaking at the table.
Work, sleep, spend time off with Daniel and repeat had been Ella's summer. She and Daniel had settled into a routine that she absolutely loved. She called him after work every time she worked late and he stayed on the phone with her until she was home and locked into her apartment. Every day off she had he took her out to dinner and then they'd cuddle up to watch TV at her place or his. She used her paycheck for living expenses and her tips for savings. Since she worked so often and the restaurant was extremely high end, her tips were often massive. She'd gotten much better at her job. Over the summer, she hadn't been attacked or followed again, but she hadn't forgotten that last threat. Nathaniel was living his high life, but the tabloids spoke often of trouble in paradise for him. That only made Ella more nervous that she was still a target. The mistress likely wouldn't be a target, especially if Nathaniel was showing signs of being unhappy. But as time went on and she wasn't left
Ella held a check in her hand. She laughed out loud. After the threat from last week and job hunting this was just enough to crack her. Her alimony check. Not even enough to pay half her rent. This was all her lawyer could get her? After all the years she spent supporting Nathaniel, putting her own desires and dreams to the side. This was how he thanked her... She put the check down and rolled her eyes. She wasn't sure she even wanted to cash it. She'd lined up a job as a waitress, but hoped to get a second job as well. So far, that hadn't worked out. Her first shift started in an hour so she finished putting on her makeup and went out the door. It was a high end restaurant. She was sure she got the job on her looks alone. Conventionally attractive seemed to the be the only type of woman they hired. She wouldn't complain and she surely wouldn't make them regret their choice. Or so she hoped. As it turned out, the fact that she hadn't had to work much in her lifetime showed. She was
Sun filtered through the blinds of Ella's bedroom. She blinked awake, feeling disoriented and groggy. She realized she was still dressed. She sat up, memories coming in. “Oh gosh... I fell asleep with him here...” she said out loud. She put her head in her hands and groaned in embarrassment. He must've put her here. Her embarrassment grew. She looked at her phone, hesitating for a moment, but decided to grab it and call him. “Hey Sleeping Beauty,” he said in a low voice. “Did I wake you?”“Yeah... but it's okay, I needed to wake up anyway. You sound better than my alarm.”“Daniel, I'm so sorry I fell asleep last night. That was so rude.”“Stop, no it wasn't.” He laughed. “You had a rough day. You needed sleep. I'm glad I could help you relax enough to get the sleep you needed. Don't worry about it.”“Thank you for being so understanding.”“Not a problem. You have court again today?”“I do.” She sighed and got out of bed. “Is that going to interfere with school?”“No, I have some ab
“So... the divorce had gone public,” she thought to herself. The news had caught on and someone had leaked information. She blew her breath out. “Oh well,” she said out loud. It was inevitable. Ella finished getting ready for school and got into her car. She drove out, surprised at the lack of reporters. Happy, but surprised. As the news of the divorce hyped up and faded over the next couple of months the reporters appeared less and less. Ella kept going to self defense classes, but also started to see Daniel outside of class more often. Now that she wasn't so worried about tabloids hounding them. The last day of the school year had just come to a close and Ella was putting her things in her car when her phone rang. She pulled it out and checked the screen. Nathaniel's name appeared. Why was he calling? They'd barely spoken lately. “Hey, Ella,” he said when she connected the call. “Hello, what can I help you with?” she answered professionally. “Uh... divorce court. The date's be
Ella waited with her heart in her throat. She kept refreshing the page on her computer. Her test results would be posted any moment. Daniel had called her when he got the text that she was about to check her score. “It's not up yet... any second now,” she said with a shaky voice. “I know you did well. Don't have a heart attack over it,” Daniel said with a chuckle. “You studied your heart out.”Ella gasped and let out a little shriek. “I got 100% on both!”“I knew it!” Daniel said excitedly. “I... I'm shocked...”“You shouldn't be. You earned this! Hey, do you want to go out and celebrate?”Ella almost said yes immediately, but hesitated. What if they ended up in the tabloids again? She wasn't doing anything wrong, but Daniel didn't deserve to a have his private life out in the open like that. “If you're worried about the papers I can pick up some things and come over.”“You basically read my mind,” she said. “I'm sorry.”“Don't be,” he assured her. “You're one of the more famous p
Within two weeks the tabloids had picked up on the fact that Nathaniel and Ella were living separately. He was less and less concerned about being seen with Vera and it showed. Ella, on the other hand, could only be reported to be living a very normal student life. Ella had begun to look forward to her training sessions. She was learning a lot, but she also enjoyed Daniel's company a lot. He was kind, considerate and he really listened. She hadn't realized how little Nathaniel listened to her. He made her feel like he did, but she now realized he hadn't. She was just an accessory in his life. Working hard for him, but never appreciated. Daniel made her feel more appreciated than Nathaniel ever had and she wasn't even doing anything for him. “You're picking this up so quickly,” Daniel told her. “I hate the reason you're here, but it's such a pleasure to watch you take to it so well.”She beamed at him. “Thank you,” she said. “It's been fun.”“I'm glad I can make it fun for you.”They
“I'm done,” she said firmly. Trying to keep from screaming at him. “You can't be done,” Nathaniel spit back at her. “You think that law school will still want you when they find out you cheated and left me? Do you think they want you without my name?”Ella grabbed the latest newspaper and slapped it onto the table. Front page was a picture of Nathaniel kissing Vera with his hand under her shirt. The words “Trouble in the Woods paradise?” were written under the image. “They won't believe I was the one that cheated.” She flipped to the article about the picture that listed her accomplishments and mentioned her volunteer work while absolutely trashing Nathaniel's character.He looked at it for a moment before swiping it off the table. “There will be more of these, except they'll destroy you next.” “They can try. There's no dirt on me to find. You though? You and your mistress? That's going to be a field day.”Nathaniel slammed his fist down onto the table. “You will remain living here