“Ella!” a voice called.
A voice she knew too well.
“Chun, you’re here.” Ella said.
“It’s late, what are you still doing here?” Chun asked.
“she’s here because of me.” Andrew said coming downstairs.
When Ella saw the disappointment in her father’s eyes, she knew all hell was going to break lose.
“Dad, Chun’s here. I’ll be going then.” Ella said and started dragging Chun out the door.
“Ella.” Her father said sternly enough just to make her stop.
She looked at her father sheepishly and back at Chun, who stood his ground. “You head into the car first, your husband and I have a little talking to do.”
Ella looked at Chun, scared and then obediently scattered into Chun’s car parked outside.
She forgot about the folder and the adoption papers.
The only thing that ran into her mind, was Chun.
---
“It’s been six months--” Andrew started.
“I know, dad. Ella and I have been trying produce babies for you parents but she’s not ready. I don’t want to push her.” he said.
“It’s been six month--since you visited me.” Andrew finished off.
Chun looked at him oddly. He didn’t expect this.
“I’ve been busy.” Chun answered unsurely.
“My daughter told me that.” Andrew tried to find a weakness in him. “Where do you see yourself without Ella?”
“what--what are you talking about?” Chun asked worringly.
‘Good. He’s falling into my trap.’ Andrew thought.
“I’m taking Ella to America.” Andrew said.
“What? Why?” Chun exclaimed.
Without her, that meant no company for him.
The only reason why he kept her was for the company.
He wanted that thing since young.
He worked days and night of sweat just to get to his position without his father helping him.
And he was a foot away from taking the company from his father, and Ella had to ruin his plans.
“Ella wants to get a divorce. I see that you don’t spend time with her. Why keep her at all. Unless there’s another reason.”
“Dad--Mr. Cheng--uncle,” he struggled to find the right words for him. “I know that we’re starting off on a bad foot here, but I’ve got other places to be and other--”
“Girls to see?” Andrew questioned.
“NO! Ella’s been the only woman in my eyes!” Chun answered with enough emotions that Andrew heard his honesty in through his voice.
Andrew slightly smiled.
“When’s the last time you guys sat down and ate a dinner together?” Andrew asked.
Chun couldn’t remember.
“When’s the last time you guys had a decent conversation?”
Chun couldn’t remember.
“Hell, Chun! When’s the last time you held her hand?”
Chun didn’t know.
---
It was talking Chun too long, and Ella got worried just sitting in the car with her legs uncontrollably shaking.
She decided to check on him.
She prayed to the heavens that Chun was still in one piece.
---
“I know why you kept her all this time, Chun. Don’t you feel any shame for yourself? For your parents? For Ella!?” Andrew asked.
Ella was about to interrupt them but then she heard her name.
“I admit that I was never a good father, but Ella didn’t see me as a good or a bad father. She saw me as a father. I don’t know what she likes about you so much to keep herself as a prisoner in that place she calls ‘home’.”
“Ok! I’ll tell you the truth. I only wanted Ella because I knew that she was easy to get, and she would get me to be on top of my father’s company. But, she just made things harder. If I lose her now, I’m never going to get the company and the Chen’s are going to inherit it instead of me!” Chun explained.
“Is that what you seem me as?” Ella cried behind him.
Chun turned around seeing Ella already in tears. “It’s because of me that you’re losing that DUMB, PERVERTED, OVER-WORKED, COMPANY?!” Ella yelled. “If you loved the god damn thing so much, why didn’t you marry that instead of me?”
Chun was stunned.
He didn’t know what to do.
“Ella, calm down-” Andrew tried saying.
“You really hate me that much don’t you?” she asked Chun. “I can go on and on about how people hate me, but you Chun? I love you. And if I’m dragging you down this hell hole, please, just kill me now!”
She looked at her father.
“I knew why Amy hated me so much. And Chun’s not any different. They don’t want me. And as soon as you sold me off to the Wu’s, I understood that you didn’t want me either. What’s wrong with me?” she asked him.
“It’s because I came from an orphanage?” she whispered.
“You came from a what?” Chun asked.
Ella ignored him.
“If you didn’t want me why didn’t you just say so?”
Andrew blinked, trying to make out what she was saying. “I would have given you the world. You should have just sent me back where you got me, and then, we’ll both be happy. I’m sure Amy and Angela and Charlene would have been happier too. I don’t fit anywhere in this world.”
Maybe that’s what her lesson was from the gods.
She felt hopeless many times before.
She felt lost many times.
And alone.
And sad.
Unloved.
She ran outside of the house drying her tears with her arms covering her face--
When she noticed a bright light heading her way, she was paralyzed and stood there.
And when the car came in contact with her, and she began to feel her body loosen from the pain..
she smiled.
