Trapped In Your Love

8

"Good morning."

Jennifer's voice rung in Ella's ears as she entered the kitchen. She was glad that the night had passed without her encountering Augustus or Amber, although she couldn't get much sleep. She was constantly thinking about Augustus and Amber and was a little scared of the incident which took place with her and resulted in somebody being killed, in front of her eyes.

"How was the party?" Jennifer asked smiling.

Ella smiled back she wasn't going to spoil Jennifer's mood by telling her how disastrous yesterday's party was.

"... It was fine." She said as she poured herself a glass of water.

"Wait in the dining hall, I'll be there with your breakfast." Jennifer told Ella, nodding her head, a bit suspicious about her answer.

"You didn't have to." Ella flashed Jennifer a genuine smile. In the past one week she has been here, Jennifer and the whole staff has been nothing but kind to her. Helping her in every little thing.

Jennifer just smiled back shaking her head, she was glad that for once there was someone in this house who was bearable and kind.

Ella walked into the dining hall and settled herself down, being joined by Jennifer after a few minutes.

She dug in her breakfast feeling hungry only to be interrupted by the opening of the huge double doors. Ella had expected it to be Augustus, but it was someone she didn't want to see.

It was Amber.

Still dressed in her clothes from last night's party, clearly indicating that she spent the night here.

"Hey." Amber said as she occupied the chair next to Ella.

"Where's Augustus?" She asked Ella, a bit awkwardly.

"I... don't really know." Ella replied just as awkwardly as the situation.

Ella was sure that Augustus had spent the night with Amber and that thought did break her and made her want to cry, but she controlled herself. Augustus was never in love with her or something, so she was kind of prepared to lose him, but it still hurt her.

"El, you know it, don't you?" Amber asked after a few minutes of awkward silence. She just couldn't help herself.

Ella just flashed Amber a smile. She and Augustus may have been married, but it was clearly against her will.

"It's fine.... Just make sure he doesn't hurt you this time." Ella said to Amber who's face clearly shouted guilt. Ella was fine with Augustus being with Amber as long as history didn't repeat itself.

"I know he won't." Amber said smiling. She was glad that her best friend was so understanding.

"You're really sure, right?" Amber asked again, she wanted to confirm if Ella was fine with it.

"It's not like we love each other or something." Ella shrugged; she was fine as long as Amber was happy. And it was true, she didn't love him, and he clearly didn't either.

"Thanks, El. You're the best." Amber said happily, giving Ella a side hug.

Ella knew that Amber wasn't giving it much a thought, she never would. There are times when Amber doesn't care for others when it comes to her happiness. And this situation was a subtle example of that.

"Would you like something else, Mrs. King?" Jennifer asked, saying 'Mrs. King' a bit more precise than it should have been. It may have taken some time for Jennifer to grasp things but when she did, she wasn't stepping back to protect her newfound friend.

The woman who claimed to be Ella's 'best friend' was too blinded by selfishness to notice that her 'best friend' was sad and a bit disappointed with her presence and actions.

"..N..no, thank you." Ella replied awkwardly as she noticed Amber's expression of insult and anger. Amber could be a bitch sometimes to the people she wasn't familiar with or who didn't work as she wanted them to.

"Get me a glass of water." Amber said to Jennifer, she wanted a maid to know her limits and if Ella was too kind to do that, she would be delighted to do it instead of her.

"It's right in front of you.... ma'am." Jennifer replied, working in the mansion had also trained her of how to deal with some people who highly thought of themselves just because they slept with Augustus.

Amber breathed out in anger and glared at Jennifer who smiled at her. A mocking smile. The two women were busy glaring at each other, while Ella sat there uncomfortably, she wasn't really sure of how to ease the tension between the two of them.

"Where's Augustus?" Amber asked Jennifer in a rigid tone. Ella wanted to tell her how wrong her tone was, but she knew better, Amber wouldn't listen or worse lash out at her.

"Mr. King has forbidden us to tell anyone but his wife about his whereabouts." Jennifer said flashing Amber another one of those sarcastic smiles, she wanted the other woman to know that Ella also had feelings, which she was clearly ignoring and crushing in order to attain her own happiness.

"I'll leave... I have a shoot anyway." Amber said as she stood up, glared at Jennifer one last time before flashing Ella a smile.

Ella turned her head in Jennifer's direction as soon as Amber walked out of the large double doors, she shot her one of those questioning looks.

"Why did you do that?" Jennifer asked as she looked at Ella.

"I should be the one asking that." Ella replied in a playful manner. She knew what Jennifer was talking about and she wanted to avoid that question.

"Don't act like it's all fine." Jennifer said slowly, she couldn't understand Ella was so good to sacrifice her own happiness for a woman who was too blind to notice others.

Ella sighed knowing that Jennifer wasn't buying it. Amber might have been blind enough not to notice the damage she caused to Ella, but Jennifer wasn't, she knew that something was wrong, and she wasn't stepping back when Ella needed a friend.

"It's just... she loves him." Ella said trying her best to control her tears. She was thankful that Jennifer was there for listening to her and she was sure that Jennifer wasn't going to judge her like all the people did.

"That isn't the sole reason, is it?" Jennifer asked sighing. Ella just nodded before taking a deep breath she needed a lot of courage to say it.

"Amber has saved my life. Not once but many times." Ella started; she knew that this wasn't enough as Jennifer had a confused expression on her face.

"We were in middle school, when I went with Amber's family to the lake house they owned. We had fun but..." Ella took a deep breath. That incident and its aftermath still haunted her. It was all difficult for her.

"Me and Amber, we were having a d-dip in the l-lake, when I felt someone holding me down, inside the water. I struggled, a lot. I just lost my consciousness and when I woke up, I was in the bed, Amber had saved me from d-drowning. Everybody thought that I attempted s-suicide. My father, he too believed it. No matter how much I told everyone that I had not, that I clearly remember somebody holding me down, no one believed me."

"I don't know how, but everybody in my school came to know about that incident, and they bullied me. Bullied me so bad that they would have k-killed me, if it wasn't for Amber coming and saving me..."

"And that's why you think you owe Amber." Jennifer completed. She believed that Ella didn't try and attempt suicide, however, she couldn't shrug the suspicious feeling she carried for Amber. She didn't trust the woman and just one meeting with her and she was sure that she wouldn't hesitate to do that if it was a profit for her.

"That's why I do owe her." Ella said correcting Jennifer. She knew the reason was probably stupid, but it meant a lot to her. Amber was there, by her side when no-one was.

"It's not your fault." Jennifer said keeping a much-needed comforting hand on her shoulder.