Caught Red Handed
Ella remained on the same spot without saying anything till Elion finally broke the silence. After looking at the pale girl holding a shopping bag Elion scoffed.
“You brought in strangers into my house without my permission and equally cleaned the house without any instructions from me or my brother, what makes you think you need my permission before going into the kitchen?”
Ella glared at Elion and with a low voice, she thanked him sincerely.
“Thank you.”
She hurried into the kitchen and started cooking. Back at the Madisons, Ella was known for her unique culinary skills and so, everyone loved her food. After about 20 minutes, the aroma from the kitchen was irresistible and Elion couldn’t help but frown slightly then tilted his head towards the kitchen and his eyes wandered into the kitchen and fell on the lady cooking fried rice while humming a song.
Ella suddenly felt like someone was looking at her and she unexpectedly turned and caught Elion red handed. Seeing that he was caught red handed, Elion looked at Ella and said mockingly.
“I only gave you the permission to cook, I didn’t permit you to look at me or around the house.”
After saying this, he balanced himself on his wheelchair and laid his back and head on the headrest.
“I’m sorry.”
Ella apologised and continued with what she was doing.
Elion looked at her with a mocking smile before rebuking her in his thoughts.
“Must you always apologise even when you did nothing wrong.”
Henry, who enjoyed every moment, couldn’t control his smile. Elion shot a cool glance at him and he coughed lightly and Elion rolled his wheelchair outside in a blink as though he was being chased. Ella was done cooking and so, she fearfully took short steps towards the living room and was relieved to see just Henry. She looked around as though she was looking for someone and Henry solved her puzzle as though he saw through her.
“Your husband is outside and as for the food, he won’t eat so you can just dish yours and mine.”
Ella was stunned for a while and opened her mouth to say something but was cut short by Henry’s words.
“If you think I’m Joking, you can ask him yourself.”
Ella smiled shyly and waved his suggestion.
“It’s alright, his brother and you have been with him all your life so you know him more than anyone else and so if you say he won’t eat, then I guess you are right.”
She returned into the kitchen and dished Henry’s food. When she brought the food to Henry, his eyes widened in amazement. The aroma of the food was breathtaking and the colour of the carrots and green beans made the green colour of the fried rice look yummy.
After putting a spoon full into his mouth, Henry nodded in satisfaction and Ella for the first time in a long time smiled.
Elion, who had been at the door observing the two of them, suddenly scoffed.
“You are really so cheap Miss Ella Madison or should I say Miss Ella Blake?”
Henry and Ella turned towards the voice but Ella couldn’t look the owner of the voice in the face so she lowered her head like a child who was being scolded for doing something really bad.
“You are indeed very cheap. I have been with countless women and I’ve never seen any lady who gets carried away just by a man’s nod…”
Realising where Elion was driving at, Henry chipped in his opinion.
“Bro it’s not what you think. She…”
“Oh! What are you doing? You are defending her? She just smiled at you and you have fallen for her already.”
“No, that’s not true…” Ella interrupted with tears welled up in her eyes.
“So I’m lying? Didn’t you try to seduce him just now with a smile?”
Ella closed her eyes in anger and only realised what she had done after the house became very quiet in such a way that one could hear a needle dropping on the floor.
Ella got closer to Elion and smiled the same way she did to Henry and asked angrily.
“Now tell me, have you been seduced by my smile just now?” She spoke to him as though she was scolding a child. Henry, who was still standing at the same spot with a plate of fried rice on his left hand and a spoon on his right hand, was so shocked that cold sweat welled up on his forehead.
No one has ever spoken to Elionin this manner because he was so hot tempered and merciless but what just happened now really shocked him because no one has ever dared him in this manner.
He dropped his food on the table gently and was about walking towards Ella but suddenly stopped when Ella gave the next complaint.
“You just called me Miss Ella. Why? Am I not your wife? Since we got married you keep calling me names but I’m not complaining. Why did you get married to me when…”Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDrâ/ma.O(r)g!
“Did I tell you I wanted to get married?”
“It’s everywhere on Facebook. You posted it on Facebook that you were in need of a wife.”
“Exactly, in need of a wife and not a retired slut.”
“No matter how you see me, I will never become the person you see me to be nor will I ever become the names you call me…”
Ella spoke with so much depression in her voice.
“Do you think I can pity you? You are such a drama queen. This your sorrowful face can’t touch me.”
“Why did you sign the marriage certificate?” Asked Ella.
“Give me one reason why I should consider you as my wife.”
Ella wiped her cheeks in frustration but didn’t say anything.
“My dad wanted me to get married, that’s the reason why I got entangled with a lady like you.”
Ella seemed not to have understood what Elion meant and consoled him innocently.
“I understand why you hate me, don’t feel bad for yourself. It’s not your fault that you are disabled neither is it your fault that you got burnt as a toddler. You don’t have to look down on yourself because disability is not inability.
She bit her lower lip before she continued.
The truth is that I didn’t marry you out of pity…”
“You married me because you have had a
series of abortions which caused you your womb. And since you know that a disabled man like me can’t father a child, you forcefully got married to me so that it will be as though you aren’t able to carry a child because your husband is incapable. You want to gain pity from the society right and at the same time cover your shame.”
The surprised look on Ella’s face was unavoidable. With a low frustrated voice and with tears running down her cheeks, she asked
“Who said all these things to you?”
Instead of answering her question, Elion took out his phone and played a voicemail sent to him by Maya.
“Mr. Ugly, I don’t know why I am doing this but I think the reason is because it’s not your fault that you are ugly and disabled but it’s my sister’s fault that she is heartless and wicked. Ella is actually my sister but my family had to cut ties with her because of the shame she started bringing upon The Madisons from when she was just 9 years old. Ella started selling her body for money at the age of 9, she has had 12 abortions and lost her womb in the process of the 12th abortion. She got married to you just because she wants to use your incompetence to cover up her abortions and destroyed womb…”
While listening to the voicemail, Ella felt so wronged and she suddenly became very weak and her legs couldn’t carry her again and she fell on her knees.
“Surprised?” Elion felt fulfilled after seeing how broken Ella was.
Henry, who stood not far from Ella, opened his mouth in shock. Ella opened her mouth to speak but couldn’t as her tears overpowered her words.
“You were lecturing me just now, why the sudden silence? Are you so shocked that you have been caught red handed?” Elion mocked.
Ella looked at Elion as if she was looking at her only hope and asked.
“Do you really believe my sister?”
Elion scoffed and responded heartlessly.
“Who will choose to believe a prostitute like you?”
Ella, who was kneeling, turned and sat on her buttocks, joined her legs together and wrapped her hands around her knees and buried her face on her laps.