Ella's POV.

It was a relief seeing him like this. Him, holding me, smiling at me and telling me, he loves me. It's been two days since the day he was brought here. He was unconscious for two days and every moment spent here was hell for me. Seeing him lying unconsciously, not moving, smiling or talking to me. It was hard for me. As every second, every minute, every hour would pass, it would make me scared. It would terrify me with the thought of losing him.

I wasn't leaving him. Although I promised dad I would but I couldn't. I won't be leaving him. I would be staying by his side.

"Ella?"

He called my name. He called it for the tenth time and each time, my heart would react the same way. It twisted and leapt a beat. My name rolling down his tongue, made me feel the same way I felt the first time. I loved this feeling.

I held his hand which was holding my face and closed my eyes. I loved this warmth, this presence of his beside me.

"Ella!"

My name was being called again but this time it wasn't by Xaiden. I knew who it was. I opened my eyes and looked at the door. Dad was standing there along with Mom. In these two days' time, none of them talked to me. Mom never came into my bedroom, Dad never called for me. This was hurting me. I wasn't used to this treatment. They always loved me and now, it felt like they hated me. Hated me for choosing Xaiden.

I let his hand go and stood up. Xaiden looked towards my dad and then looked at me. I averted my eyes, lowing my head down. I couldn't see at dad, not at Xaiden. That truth or lie - whatever it was - made me weak. I wanted to know but I was afraid too. I was afraid of the truth.

"Won't you ask him?" Dad growled.

I gulped, still not looking at any of them.

"Won't you ask your precious boyfriend who the fuck is he?"

I knew dad was still angry, he was mad at me. It felt like he hated me now. The hatred, the anger in his voice was so evident that it was hurtful. I stood quiet, not saying, not moving.

"What?" I heard Xaiden ask.

"Ella? What is your dad saying?" He asked me but I kept quiet. A hope was still alive up there in my heart, hoping what dad was saying was not the truth.

"Tell her the truth, you bastard!" My dad growled and I knew, he was trying his best to hold in the anger.

"What truth?"

"So now you are gonna act like an innocent kid? Keeping my daughter in dark and imprisoning her in your so-called love? You played well. Very well, I must say." Dad continued.

"Dad!"

"Ask him, Ella! You didn't believe me. You said you'll be asking him on your own. Ask him!" Dad grunted. His jaw was tightened and his hands were clenched into fists. Mom was trying to calm dad down but it wasn't of any help.

"Xai-"

Before I could ask, I felt my hand being held and I looked at Xaiden. He was sitting up now, his back resting against the headboard and he was looking at me. His eyes as if saying, trust me.

"Ella," he whispered. His eyes asking. I nodded. He then looked at my dad.

"I know you hate me. I know you hate her for choosing me. And," he paused. He opened his mouth and then closed it again. It felt like he was struggling with his answers. The more time he was taking, the more I was getting anxious and worried. What if that all was true? What if he did come to kill me?

No! No! Ella! He would never do that. Trust him.

An inner hope of mine tried to calm my agitated nerves. Then why he never told me about who he is?

Maybe he was just afraid. Maybe he had a horrible past. It didn't mean that he's also a beast and a monster. It didn't mean that he also kills people as your dad said.

Yes, that can be a case too. He is too much of a gentleman to even hurt someone. No way the person I love would be a monster.

"Ella, " Xaiden continued and looked at me. "It's true. It's true I'm not what I seem. I'm not that gentleman. Heck, I don't think I'm even qualified to be called a man," his lips turned up in a weary smile.

What?

My heart beating against my ribcage. My ear pounding with the abnormal beats of my heart and with his every word, I became scared and terrified. That thing was turning out to be true - the thing I feared the most.

"Ella, I... I am Xaiden Emiliano. The son of your greatest enemy," he said, making all that what-ifs now into a reality. Those words of hope that I had a few seconds ago were now turned into a cloud of dust.

My eyes opened wide with shock. My breathing hastened. I stepped back, freeing my hand from his hold.

"Ella, listen, " he tried to hold it but I pulled it away.

"No!" I shook my head. "No!" I said again. This was not what I was expecting, this wasn't what I wanted.

He too, was a monster, like my dad. And, I fell for him. I fell for the beast, thinking him as my hope for an escape. He made me feel alive, made me realize how beautiful this life was.

"Ella, " he called again. I was looking at him, seeing him but now, this feeling of love was invading with fear. The love I feel towards him was turning into a deathly fear.

"Did..." I opened my mouth to ask. I wanted to ask that question. I wanted to know whether the last straw of hope was a fantasy or a reality.

"Did you come to kill me?"

There, I asked him. I asked him using every single strength in my body. He looked at me and then averted his eyes. He raked his hand through his hair and let out a groan.

"Ella, " he said again looking at me.

"Answer me."

"Ella, I-"

"Yes or No?" I gritted my teeth trying to control myself from shattering in front of him.

"El-"

"Xaiden! Yes or no?" I growled. I had enough. I wanted an exact answer. I wanted to know his reason.

He sighed and then muttered, "Yes."

I felt my soul leaving my body and my legs went numb. He came here to kill me. He became my friend to kill me. Now, I know. I know why he asked me about Ellen Austin. I knew it all now. All the pieces were putting together. One by one.

He was persistent, he followed me, he pursued me, he made me fall in love with him. It was his plan and here, I tried to save him. I tried to help him.

"Ella, trust me. I love-"

"Stop!" I yelled. "Stop!"

I cried. I didn't want to hear those words. Those words used to feel meaningful but now, they felt like a trap. A cage used to trap me.

I looked at my dad. He was standing there, looking at me. His eyes saying, I told you. My lips quivered and my body felt lifeless. With shaking legs and an almost numb body, I moved towards dad.

"Ella," Xaiden called but I didn't listen. I wanted to escape, I wanted to run, I wanted to disappear.

"No! Ella! Listen to me!" I heard something being dropped and then I felt a warm hold.

Tears streamed down my cheeks, this was so surreal. Why his hold was still this warm? Why this person felt like my own? His whole existence was a facade, a fake. His love was fake, his emotions were fake. It was a plan, his plan to kill me.

"Ella! I'm sorry, " his voice fanned against my ear. His arms holding me from behind, not letting me go, stopping me but now, I felt nothing. I was numb, my feelings were numb, my heart - which used to beat for him - was numb. He shattered my soul, my heart.

The trust I had for him was nowhere to be found. I don't love him, I don't hate him. Now, I don't feel anything.

I placed a hand on his arms circling around me. I turned around. I looked in his eyes and then smiled.

"Xaiden, " I smiled looking at him. "Congratulations, you succeeded." I got closer and gave a last peck on his lips. "Today, you killed me, " I whispered as a tear roll down my cheek.

With that, I freed myself from his hold and went from that room, away from his hold, his presence, his existence.

He left me caged up. He chained me with those chains of love leaving for no room to escape now.

I came to my room and shut myself in. I sat down on the floor not having anymore the courage and strength. My body was trembling and my heart was in pain. I was an idiot for falling in love with him, I hated how my heart fell for him, I hated how he made me feel alive and added colours in my only blackened life.  In the end, it was my fault. I fell for that boy. This was all due to me.

A knock came on my door. "Yes?" I inquired.

"Ellen?" A voice came. I stood up with wobbly legs and opened the door. My lips quivered as I hugged her.

"Mom, " I cried, "he ruined me."

"Sweetheart, " mom caressed my back. "Everything will be fine."

"Mom, " I whimpered, "I loved him. I trusted him." I said between sobs. "Nothing will be fine now."

"Ella, my princess, "

"Mom!" I drew back looking at her. "Why?" I questioned. "Why me? W-Why it had to be me?" My voice was also losing its strength.

"Why? When everything starts to get better, it gets ruined? Why when I am about to find happiness, it gets snatched right away? Why me?" I cried in her arms. "You know... You know, when I was all fine back then, I met him. He made me fall in love with him. When... When I started to become happy, I got into an accident and fell in a coma. You know..." I looked at my mom.

"Ella-"

"Mom... Mom... You know...When...when I was doing fine, all fine without him after waking up, he came back. He came back after a year. He came back in my life, making it his own." I whimpered in pain.

"Calm down, I can't see you like this, " Mom tried to calm me down. Her eyes filled up with tears.

"Mom, why? Why now, when I thought I'll be happy, I am in pain? Why the life which I thought will be joyous and cheerful is so dark and hurtful?" I paused and whispered, "Why?"

"W-Why-" I felt my body losing control, my heart stopping and my vision getting blurred. My breathing shortened and everything started to spin. My eyes rolled back and the last thing I saw was his smiling face in my mind. Then, everything went black.

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