Chapter 5 Back to City A

Three years later,

“Here are the documents you required, sir” Elissa kept the documents on the desk and waited for her boss’s command. Her boss was on the phone call and she thought she could come later but he asked her to wait.

…I understand. I’ll be there soon.” Benjamin ended the call and turned his attention to Elissa with a smile. “Guess what?”

“I am bad at guessing, you know that very well sir” Elissa replied assertively which made Benjamin chuckle.

“We are going to city A” he revealed. Elissa almost choked on her saliva hearing the name of the city where she had lived before coming here to city B. Worried, Benjamin handed her a glass of water. She hastily drank the water and regained her composure. She couldn’t let him know about the horrible time she had over there.

“Is everything alright?” he asked. Elissa nodded, lying that she was completely fine.

“So what is the purpose of going there?”

He leaned on the leather chair and with a smirk on his handsome square face, he said, “To expand my territory.” Elissa shook her head with a small smile at the confidence he had. It was one of the traits she admired him for and it was also the reason that Benjamin was the CEO of the largest estate corporation in B city.

“When are you leaving?”

He shook his head which made her confused. “Not me. You are coming with me as well.” Elissa’s eyes widened a little and she felt a sudden discomfort in her chest.

She doesn’t want to go there. That city only reminded her of her hurtful past and about the man she loved dearly who betrayed her cruelly. “Can I request to not go?”

Benjamin frowned and asked her about the reason. “I-I don't like traveling very much, sir and there is a lot of work pending here so it will be better if you go alone,” she said.

“I can't go there without my assistant, Elissa. You are needed.”

“Is it a need to go there? What if–”

“If I don't go there, some other CEO will take my position and you might be in a fragile spot to lose your job if they do not like you. Do you want that?” Elissa pondered for a minute. She absolutely couldn't afford to lose her job.

With a heavy heart, she agreed to go with him. “I will obey your orders, sir.”

“Great. We are departing tomorrow,” he said further. Elissa nodded, keeping the bitter memories to herself.

~

After the work, Elissa went to her apartment.

Using the spare key, she opened the door and kept the essentials she brought on the table beside the shoe rack. “I am home!”

“Lia, where are you, sweetheart?” Elissa called dearly and within a minute, her two-and-a-half-year-old daughter came bouncing from her room. Elissa smiled brightly and scooped her daughter in her embrace. “Did you miss me, darling?”

Lia giggled and touched her Mom's cheeks lightly with her small hands. “I miss you, Mommy!” Elissa laughed and gave a kiss on her daughter's cheek.

Just at that moment, her brother appeared from the kitchen startling her. “Brother! I thought you left!”

Jonathan grinned. He leaned by the doorframe and Elissa noticed his shirt had a stain of curry. “Were you cooking?” she asked.

Jonathan let out a nervous laugh. “Well, I tried to but it didn't go well so I ordered. The food is already here. Come, let's eat. You must be tired!”

Elissa smiled and put down Lia on her feet. Jonathan called Lia and Elissa went to wash her face and hands before going to eat.

The three sat at the dining table, having a warm dinner even if the food was ordered. “I will need your help, brother to take care of Elissa. I have to leave tomorrow for work to A city” Elissa informed, taking a bite of fried potatoes.

Jonathan knew what happened to Elissa in that city and so he was worried. “Will it be alright? The city has a lot of darkness that you escaped from and–”

“I know brother. I don't want to go there as well but I will lose my job if I don't go. Besides, I have become stronger” Elissa's assured smile didn't match the fear and panic in her eyes. Jonathan breathed a smile, trusting her sister but still, he was worried.

After the dinner, Jonathan left quickly as he had a meeting he needed to take care of. Elissa played with Lia and along with that packed her things for tomorrow. “Mommy, wh..ere a..re you going?” she asked with her big angel-like eyes. Her eyes were the same as Carson's– blue and no matter how much she tried to forget about him, her daughter always reminded her of him.

Elissa placed her dress and answered her daughter's question, “Yes, sweetheart. But Mommy will be back soon, until then, you will stay at uncle Jonny, okay?”

Lia was sad. Her lips turned down and she started to sob. Elissa noticed and left her packing going straight to her daughter. She hugged her tightly to calm her down.

“Don't cry, my love. My Lia is very brave, isn't she? I will be back soon before you will know.” Lia somehow stopped and was quiet in her mother's embrace. They stayed like that for a while and when she fell asleep, Elissa took her to her room, making her sleep on the bed.

“I love you” Elissa whispered, giving a kiss on Lia's forehead. She would miss her daughter very much too. She has never gone this far from her and she was worried if Jonathan would handle her or not. Nevertheless, she had to go to A city even though her heart desired not to.

*

City A

“It's been a long time since I came here. Kind of makes me nostalgic” Benjamin articulated, striding towards the airport gates with Elissa by his side.

Surprised, Elissa asked, “You came here before?” she didn’t much about his past or anything related to his personal things.

“I went to college here” he replied. Elissa didn’t know that he too had a past here in A city. Elissa too felt a wave of nostalgic recollections the moment her feet landed on the grounds of A city.

Benjamin was excited and happy while Elissa was worried and anxious. She was worried for Lia. In the morning, she was surprised that her daughter didn't cry when she was leaving. It did ease her a little but still, she was only three years old. And there was another thing she was worried about.

She couldn’t help but worry about the possibility of bumping into Carson. Even though she had told herself many times that she wouldn’t think about him, she failed to keep that promise. She was more than worried for Lia because if the Waverlys knew that the child Elissa had aborted was alive, they might do something hurtful to Lia. Elissa was hoping that they return to city B soon.

Two hours later, Benjamin dropped Elissa outside the apartment, making sure she was alright. He had asked several times to stay with him in his villa but Elissa was headstrong with her decision to stay in the apartment. She didn't wanted to be a burden to him and make things awkward. Benjamin left after having a tea and Elissa was alone in the apartment. The apartment was well furnished with all the furniture modernised and clean. The apartment was good and she was satisfied what she got with the decent amount.

After arranging her clothes, she was tired. She took a moment to relax herself on the couch in the living area. Few seconds later she opened her eyes and realized she haven’t called Lia. Smiling to herself, she took out her phone and dialled her brother’s number. Within seconds he picked up.

Elissa beamed seeing Lia grinning at her through the other side of the call. “Hey baby, how is my sweetheart doing?” she asked sweetly, adjusting the screen so her face was visible to them. Jonathan took Lia in his lap.

“Mommy!” Lia squealed. Elissa’s heart melted and she already missed her daughter so much. Elissa was relieved that Lia wasn’t upset about her absence there but still she couldn’t help but be worried about her.

Jonathan coughed and Elissa’s expression changed. “Brother, have you taken the medicines?” she asked worriedly. For few months, Jonathan was not doing well, yet, he pretended he was fine. He nodded. “I told you to hire a Nanny. Why do you-”

“I am fine, Eli. With Lia by my side, I am more than fine” he grinned and gave a kiss to Lia. Elissa sighed. How was she supposed to convince him? Elissa talked with her daughter and when she got a call from the company, she had to end the call.

Elissa was done with the work stuff and thought of watching the television. The moment she turned on the television, the name of Carson made her tense. It was an advertisement of cold drinks. She quickly changed the channel but her mood was already ruined. How long? She wondered how long would it take her heart to stop skipping a beat everytime she heard his name? She let a bitter laugh, already knowing the answer. Never.