Chapter 48 - THE VICTIM
"Elle, please explain, who is that man?" Keenan seemed so enthusiastic about knowing the real Lucas. He seemed to be standing opposite Ellena, right beside his car.
Meanwhile, Lucas who had previously witnessed their togetherness from a distance, suddenly chose to escape by going to the convenience store. I don't know what Lucas is feeling right now.
"He's wrong, right? I'm sure you will never betray our love. Yes, right?" Keenan tried not to believe what Lucas said. However, what if all of that was true? Does that mean his relationship with Ellena will end soon? He really couldn't imagine what would happen, if all of that was true.
Seeing Ellena's eyes filled with tears, Keenan tried to wipe the tears with both hands. However, Ellena dodged as quickly as possible by slightly backing her head. It suddenly made Keenan feel surprised.
"Why, Elle? I just wanted to wipe your tears. Don't you know that I hate seeing you cry like this?" Keenan stared blankly at Ellena's face.
"I can do it myself, Keenan," Ellena whispered while wiping her own tears, before discussing other things with Keenan.
Keenan frowned in surprise, why did Ellena's attitude suddenly change like that? He seemed to be observing Ellena, as if wanting to know the meaning of his lover's every move. In fact, he also wanted to know what was really going on with Ellena and of course there was something strange that he caught from the expression on Ellena's face. He still didn't know what Ellena's expression meant at this point, but he was sure, there was something thas Ellena was hiding from him.
"Are you hiding something from me?" Keenan stared blankly at Ellena's face.
"Keenan ...." Ellena paused because she couldn't say anything more to her lover. However, she tried to neutralize her feelings. It seemed, this was indeed the right time to tell Keenan the truth.
"Sorry-"
"So it's true what that man said? Is he really your husband, Elle?" Keenan cut in as if he already knew what Ellena was going to say.
Ellena took a deep breath, before she responded to Keenan's question. She certainly needed time to brace herself, because she was sure Keenan would not immediately accept what she explained later.
"Elle, answer my question!" asked Keenan with a little emphasis.
"Y-yes, Keenan," Ellena whispered a little nervously.
Keenan immediately rolled his eyes when he heard Ellena's answer. Ellena's statement this time managed to melt his heart. It was as if someone had stabbed him in the heart so hard, that's how Keenan felt right now.
Keenan then shook his head as if he couldn't believe that the lover he had been so proud of, actually dared to betray his love. A bitter smile appeared on his face, to be more precise, he seemed to want to humiliate Ellena with his expression and gaze. 'Is it not a cheap woman, willing to marry another man when she has a lover?' he thought at the time.
"Did you marry for money? I really can't believe you could do this to me, Elle," said Keenan immediately sneering at his girlfriend.
"It's not what you think, Keenan! I can explain everything, I beg you to believe it!" Ellena denied Keenan's accusations. Although the man's words were true, but she had other reasons why she had to marry Lucas.
Ellena is now Lucas's wife. However, not with her heart. From the past until now, the owner of her heart is still the same, namely Keenan and has never changed a bit.
"What else do you want to explain to me, Elle? Isn't everything clear, you have chosen that man and avoided me, isn't that enough to prove that you don't expect me?" Keenan said in a slightly heavy tone.
Of course, Keenan felt heavy in the face of the fact that the person he still loved so much, had turned out to be someone else's. It was really painful for him. He couldn't understand it, his arrival to the city actually created a deep wound in his heart.
Seeing Keenan who was so hurt made Ellena burst into tears again. It hurts to see the person she loves so much hurt like that. It hurt even more when she realized that she had hurt the man.
"I can explain everything, Keenan. I had to do that. I beg you to believe me!" Ellena pleaded amidst her sobs.
Keenan slightly forced his laughter as if to hide the wound in his heart. However, his laughter this time was more meant to be condescending and distrustful of Ellena's words. "What kind of joke is this, Elle?"
"I'm not lying, Keenan. This isn't really what I wanted, I was caught up in an incident that forced me to do this. I beg you to believe. I'll explain everything, if you're willing to listen. After that, it's up to you to believe it or not." Ellena kept begging Keenan to listen to her explanation. "We only have 5 minutes left, I hope we make good use of this short time," added Ellena while putting on a pleading expression.
Keenan was silent for a while, before he responded to Ellena's plea. Again he studied his lover's face seriously. This time he didn't see the slightest hint of deceit on the woman's face. All he saw was an expression of sincerity and he was sure that Ellena really meant it. His heart said the same thing. He knows that the heart is never wrong.
'I guess it wouldn't hurt, if I gave Ellena a chance to explain everything I didn't know so far. At least, I know the reason Ellena betrayed me, even though it would be very painful,' Keenan muttered to himself.
"Okay, I'll listen to you," Keenan whispered as he looked at Ellena's face flatly.
Ellena breathed a sigh of relief, because she finally managed to persuade Keenan. Given the shorter time. Without further ado, she began to tell Keenan about his relationship with Lucas. In fact, there was nothing that she was hiding from Keenan anymore.
From the accident until she was forced to take responsibility and marry Lucas, she had told Keenan as clearly as possible. However, it still makes Keenan not necessarily believe it.
"Aren't you fooling me, Elle?" Keenan looked at Ellena probingly. No matter how much he trusted Ellena before, but this time he was worried that Ellena was lying to him.
"No! Not at all, Keenan." Ellena again denied Keenan's accusations, because that was the truth.
"Then why are you only telling me now? Why was it that when the accident happened, I wasn't the only person you contacted. Did you forget? trust me, ha? Am I that useless to you, Elle?" Keenan began to get angry at this statement from Ellena.
How come? After so many sacrifices he had made, he was not the only person Ellena contacted and asked for help. Hadn't he always provided whatever Ellena needed? However, why did he feel like he wasn't needed this time?
"It's not like that, Keenan! Precisely because you've helped me too much. I don't want to keep bothering you and causing you trouble just because you have to help me—"
"And just because of that, you're willing to sacrifice our relationship? That's too cliché in my opinion, Elle. Is there really no other way, other than marrying that jerk? You know? Right now you're being taken advantage of by him. The victim. You think I'm not sick of seeing you two out together? Hearing that man claiming to be your husband? It hurts, Elle! My heart really breaks because of that." Keenan seemed to be beating his chest slowly as if something was choking him inside.
"I'm sorry, Keenan. I didn't mean to hurt you like this. I was just confused, who should I ask for help at that time. Meanwhile, you know for yourself how your parents treated me. I don't want them to think that I was just using you, Keenan. Please forgive me," said Ellena trying to explain her confusion at that time.
"Still, Elle. You should have told me about your problem first. What if later that he really fell in love with you or vice versa? Would you be that heartless to me, Elle?" Keenan replied still looking annoyed with Ellena.
He wanted to turn back time and prevent Ellena from accepting Lucas' offer. But rice has become porridge. Everything is too late and will not be able to return to the way it was. Now Ellena is married to Lucas.
"Keenan, do you believe me?" Ellena looked into Keenan's face, which made the man instantly melt.
"Okay, looks like you have already spent more time than I specified." The baritone voice instantly made them turn their heads, before Keenan managed to respond to Ellena. Lucas was seen standing not far from them, carrying a blue shopping bag.
"Lucas?" Ellena was slightly flabbergasted, then she looked back at Keenan. "Keenan, it seems I have to go immediately. Once again, I apologize for my mistake," she said later. However, Keenan was silent.
"I'm sorry. Bye, Keenan." Ellena walked over to Lucas, even though it was really hard to leave Keenan in such an injured state.
"Elle, I'll be waiting for you," said Keenan which suddenly made Ellena stop and turn back to him.
A small smile appeared on Ellena's face. Apparently, she was happy to get that statement from Keenan. "Thank you, Keenan."
Unlike Ellena, Lucas actually wore a wry expression when he heard Keenan's statement. He quickly grabbed Ellena's hand, intending to hold the woman as if deliberately wanting to show affection in front of Keenan.
This immediately made Keenan furious and immediately clenched his fists. How come? Of course he was jealous to see Lucas who was again holding his lover's hand freely. However, his emotions immediately subsided when he saw Ellena managed to let go of Lucas's hand.. At least, he knew that Ellena didn't like being treated like that by Lucas.