One Heart- The Greatest Showman

Chapter 29

Elizabeth's Pov

I stood there just looking at him. His wavy brown hair, his mouth forming a nervous smile and his eyes asking me if he could enter. 

"Mother, this is Phillip Carlyle and old acquaintance from my time in New York." I didn't let a hint of emotion into my voice despite what I was feeling inside. Phillip quickly introduced himself to my mother, shaking her hand, before asking if he and I could talk. My eyes quickly fell to the ground, conflicted at how to answer this.

"Mr Finney and your father have gone to out to the bar and won't be back until early hours this morning." My mother stated as she slowly walked away from the two of us, leaving us alone. I gestured for Phillip to come inside and shut the door behind him, ensuring that nobody saw him enter the house He told me that Anne and W.D were resting at the near by hotel before following me up to my room, neither of us saying another word  until we were completely alone. 

"What were you thinking Lizzy?" His voice held its familiarity and warmness but at the same time weaved itself with some sort of anger. Phillip lent up against the door as his gaze stared me down.  "Going back to all this?" He gestured around the room before continuing. "Marrying a man who is twice as old as you? I thought you said that you hated this life?" 

"I'm surprised you even remember, let alone listened." I said, as anger and the pain he caused me just came flooding back to me. 

Phillip was taken back for a second before moving five steps towards me, holding my arm in his hands. They were cold from the winters air, causing me to shiver lightly. 

"Lizzy. You can't do this. I can't let you do this." He whispered as he gently picked up my chin with his hand, causing me to meet his gaze.  It was like my guard was magically falling down, giving me the impression that everything could go back to the way it was. 

No. 

I pulled away from Phillip. 

"You need to leave. I believe you have some experience in that already." I told him, letting all the pain he had caused me seep into my voice. 

"Lizzy... I didn't mean to hurt.." He began before I cut him off. 

"You. Left. Me." I begun, as tears threated to fall. "You left me there, alone!" I exclaimed as two tears fell onto my cheek. I quickly wiped them off before regaining my composure. I turned and walked away from Phillip, implying that I really didn't want to talk right now. 

"Elizabeth" He called out as I walked out onto the balcony. "E-liz-a-beth." Pronouncing each syllable as one.He joined me out on the balcony, both of us looking out into the snowy night. "I'm sorry that I hurt you. But ,please, come home."  He pleaded. 

"I can't" I said, voice breaking. I wanted so badly to leave this place, this cage, and go back home.

"Lizzy, we don't need the money. We will find some other way. We need you. I need you. Please come back home with me." 

I shook my head at his response. Trying so hard no to break down as I could feel little pieces of my heart rebuilding itself due to Phillip's presence, but as they were being rebuilt, they were also being knocked down as I knew I couldn't go back. We needed the money and there was no other way.

"I bare it so they don't have to." I confessed as I turned away from the night sky to look at Phillip face one. His brow furrowed together as sadness etched itself upon his face. 

"Lizzy, we can get through this." He grabbed my hands, one last attempt to get me to change my mind. 

I removed my hands from his, placing them around his shoulder - pulling him into a hug. "Take care of them for me." I whispered into his ear before placing a small kiss on his cheek.  "May we meet again" I stuttered as I could feel myself about to breakdown any second now.