The Billionaire's Second Wife

Chapter 3

When Ella did not attend college even after three consecutive days, Sophie decided to pay her a visit at her home. She was asked to wait in the living room by Ella’s step-mother while she sent Vicky to call her down.

Sophie gasped when her eyes fell on all those visible bruises on Ella’s pale skin. “What’s all this?” She directed the question to Diana and Vicky.

“It’s none of your business..” Vicky glared back at her.

“Oh you really think it’s none of my business? How about I go and inform the cops about what you did?” Sophie asked pointing at her friend’s bruised face.

“Do whatever you want. We don’t care.” Diana shrugged indifferently before leaving the living room. Sophie didn’t miss the slight trace of nervousness in their ugly faces. She shook her head in irritation and turned towards her friend. Ella took her to her room before closing the door behind.

“Who did this to you?” Sophie asked angrily.

“M-My dad..” She let out a cry. Sophie’s heart sank looking at her friend’s sufferings.

“Ella, why didn’t you attend any of my calls?” She questioned touching the purple skin at her cheek which caused Ella to wince.

“They took away my phone..” She answered between her sobs. She told her what had happened after she came back home that night.

“I can’t believe that these people can be so cruel to you. Why do they keep you here if they hate you so much?” Anger bubbled in her veins.

“Sophie..” Ella called her name in a low whisper. “Can you do me a favor?”

“What is it? Tell me.”

“Can you let my Aunt know that I want to get out of here? I cannot stay here anymore. All these years I had endured their torments just because I wanted to finish my studies but now there is no point staying here.” She sniffled while trying to wipe her tears.

“Sure, I would do that and you are right. You shouldn’t stay in this house with such heartless people.” Sophie applied ointment on her wounds and sat there for a while trying to take her mind off those terrible people whom she called family.

Sophie went straight to Natasha’s home, who had been trying to contact Ella for the past few days and she was distraught when she didn’t receive any response from her niece.

“Glad that you came. I was just about to go to her home.”

Sophie narrated everything that she saw earlier and conveyed to her Ella’s message, wanting to get out of that house as soon as possible.

“Oh my poor child.” She placed her palm over her chest. “I’m going to kill Richard for doing that to my baby girl.” Natasha clenched her teeth together. She had known Richard from high school. He loved her sister so much but that man had changed a lot after her death. When he treated Ella poorly all these years, she excused him thinking he was grieving over his dead wife but beating and torturing his own child was not acceptable, she thought.

“I have to get her out of that hell before they kill her.”

“Natasha, you know it isn’t that easy. Ella lives like an unpaid maid and Diana wouldn’t let her go without putting a fight.”

“I know but this time Ella wants this herself, so it shouldn’t be that difficult.  Moreover she is twenty one and she has full rights to decide where she wants to stay, which is definitely not in that house.”

They discussed about what they should do next. She still had a year to complete at medical school.

“I will bring her here and she can stay here as long as she wants.” Natasha declared picking up her phone and bag from the table.

“My uncle is a cop. I am asking him to come there in case if they make a fuss to let her come with you.” Sophie informed her while going through her contacts to call her uncle.

“That’s great!!”

Soon they reached Richard’s house. “What are you doing here?” Richard threw an annoyed look at Natasha. It was not that he hated her or something. She just reminded him of the good times that he spent with her along with her sister.

She pushed him aside and walked past him into the house. “Ella.. Ella” She shouted out her name. Diana who was seated on the couch, got up and stared at Sophie for calling Natasha for help.

“What do you think you are doing?”

Natasha ignored the b***h and continued to call her niece louder this time. Ella was on her bed, trying to sleep when she heard her aunt’s voice. She rushed down the stairs and pounced on her to hug her in relief. “Natasha..” She sobbed against her aunt’s shoulder.

Natasha pulled away and ran her eyes all over her body, “Oh my God, Richard!! How could you do this to her? What did she ever do to you?”

Her eyes swelled with bitter tears, “I hate Nicole for falling in love with a monster like you..” She spat at him. “I’m going to take her with me.”

“You can’t do that..” It was Diana who interrupted her.

Natasha turned her head at Diana with a murderous glare that made her instantly shut up. “Well stop me if you can.” She raised her chin with a challenging look.

“Richard, say something. You cannot let her take your daughter away.” She whined loudly. What was she going to do without Ella? Who would do the household work? She thought. Much to her disappointment, Richard was standing there without doing anything.

“Mr. Miller, I’m Rider Collins, Deputy Police Officer.” Diana turned to the unfamiliar voice behind them and gulped loudly when she heard who he was. Sophia was standing beside him with a victorious smirk on her face.

“I can throw you all into the prison for abusing Ella but I don’t want to put your family through all those shame. You would want the same, am I right Ms.Miller.” He turned his gaze at Diana and raised his brow.

“Y-Yes officer.” She stuttered.

“Good!! Now let her aunt take her home and if I see anyone of you anywhere near her, believe me I wouldn’t think twice before arresting you. Is that understood?” He asked in a stern tone that sent chills down everyone’s spine.

“Yes Sir..” Richard and Diana mumbled in unison.

“Ella, pack your things. Let’s go home?” Natasha spoke and Sophie ran behind her to help her sort her things.

Within minutes, Ella came out with two small bags. She didn’t have much to take with her, except for her books and few clothes, which were again given to her by her aunt.

Natasha had begged Ella several times to leave that house and stay with her but she refused hoping that her father would someday learn to love her. Also, she didn’t want to burden her recently widowed aunt, who was already working her ass off to pay the debts that her husband had left behind for her.

Now that she had no other way, she decided it was high time to leave the house and start new. She might take a few more jobs to help her aunt, she thought.

“Is that all?” Officer Collins asked eyeing at her bags.

“Yes Sir.” Ella nodded.

“Okay, let me help you.” He offered to carry her bag in to his car. He turned to Sophia, “Sophie, honey. It’s very late. Your mom must be worrying. You should go home now.” He said guiding her to her car.

“Don’t worry about your friend. I will drop them at their place.” He assured when he saw her looking at Ella with worried eyes.

“Ella I will come see you tomorrow, okay?” She asked.

“Thanks Sophie.” Ella hugged and cried.

“Sh.. It’s all over now.” Sophie said rubbing her back soothingly.

The Officer dropped Ella and Natasha at her home.

“Thank you for your help, officer.” Natasha thanked him wholeheartedly.

“No problem. Call me if you need anything.” He wished them a good night and walked away.

“Come honey.” Natasha led her into the house. She was staying alone in this house after both her children had started to work in another city and now she was glad that she had Ella staying with her.

Natasha prepared them a hot meal and served the food onto two plates. They sat together and ate in comfortable silence.

“Sorry for putting you in trouble, Natasha.” Ella mumbled guiltily as she finished eating her food.

“Hey sweety. You have never put me in trouble. I have always thought you as my daughter and I am so happy that my daughter is finally going to stay with me.” She reached out for her hand on the table and squeezed it gently.

Ella’s eyes welled up on hearing her aunt’s words. She blinked several times to control those tears from rolling down before she picked up their plates to wash them.

That night she slept peacefully on the softest bed that she had ever slept on.

****************************************************************

A few weeks had passed and Ella was getting pampered by her aunt at her house. All she had to do here was eat, sleep and study.

Ella had placed her head on her aunt’s lap, flipping through the channels when the bell rang.

 When she opened the door she saw her aunt’s friend Sandra standing there.

“Hello Ms.Reynolds. Please come in.” She opened the door wide to let her in.

“Hello Ella, I didn’t know you were here.”

“Yeah, you will be seeing more of me from now on.” Ella grinned at her but Sandra didn’t get what she meant. “Where is Bobby?” She asked walking behind her to the living room.

“Bobby is with his dad, at home. If I had known that you were going to be here, I would have brought him along with me.”

“Don’t worry, you can bring him the next time. I’ll be here.”

“Hey!!” Natasha got up from the couch as soon as she saw her friend walking in while Ella went inside and came back with two glasses of water.

“Thank you sweety..” Sandra flashed a smile at her picking up one of the glasses. She looked at her closely and she thought Ella looked very beautiful.

“Natasha I have some work. Call me if you need anything.” She said before going to her room.

“She lives here?” Sandra asked curiously.

“It’s a long story..” Natasha huffed loudly as she told her everything.

Sandra had moved back to New York after the tragic death of her daughter-in-law. She hadn’t met Ella before and she definitely wasn’t aware of Richard’s cold treatment towards her. It pained at her heart to know that she had to undergo all those sufferings from her own family members.  

She seemed to be a sweet girl and she wondered how people could do something like that to such a pure soul.  She remained silent for a while pondering over it.

“She just has a year left in her college and I want her to finish it without any trouble.” Natasha said sadly, looking down.

Sandra’s eyes twinkled as a thought crossed her mind. “May I ask you something?” She asked carefully.

“What’s it?”

“You know that my son lost his wife in an accident, right?”

“Yes..I do..”

“I am so worried that he would spend the rest of his life alone.” Natasha didn’t know what Sandra was suggesting at. “I am looking for a wife for my son, who can not only take care of my son but also my grandson. From what I see, Ella is all that I am looking for. She is beautiful, sensible and responsible. In return I promise you that I would support her both morally and financially to complete her studies.” She looked at her friend eagerly, waiting for her response but all Natasha did was open her mouth and close it, not knowing what to say.

 “I don’t know, Sandra. I will have to talk to her first.”

“Of course, take your time and let me know what you decide.” She said, picking up her bag.

There was no doubt, Ella was like a daughter to Natasha however, it was not in her hands to make decisions for her, especially not something like this.

When she thought more about it, she thought it was the best thing for Ella. She had known Justin since he was a boy. She knew that he was a well-mannered and respectful person. Now that he had lost his wife, he needed someone like her Ella to mend his broken heart and to be a caring mother for his son.

Natasha immediately went upstairs to knock at Ella’s door and waited for her to open it, “Hey did I disturb you?” She asked taking a place on her bed.

“Not at all.” Ella pushed her books aside and sat close to her aunt.

“I have something to discuss with you.”

“What is it?” She didn’t like the sudden seriousness on her aunt’s face.

“You know Bobby lost his mother in a car accident, right?”

“Yeah..” She nodded.

“It’s been a year since she passed away. Now, Sandra is in search for a wife for her son, Justin. I have known him since the day he was born.”

Ella silently listened to her aunt but she didn’t understand what she wanted her to do with these information.

“What I am about to ask may come as a shock to you but remember that I would always think in your best interest.” She grabbed her palm in between her hands.

After gathering the courage she began, “I want you to marry him, Ella.”

Ella was taken aback. When her aunt was talking about her friend’s son, she surely wasn’t expecting that she would ask her to marry him out of nowhere. What was she supposed to say in returned, she thought.

She still had a year to complete her studies and marriage was surely never on her mind. She looked down at her palm. Was she becoming a burden to her aunt by staying at her home, she wondered.

As if reading her mind, Natasha spoke again. “Listen honey, don’t think that I am forcing you into this. I would never do that. It is finally up to you to decide if you want to get married or not. And please don’t think that I want to marry you off to someone just to send you away from here. I swear that is not my intention.

I want you to stay here as long as you want but at the same time I want to see you happy and being loved. All I am saying is Justin is a very good person and he would make you happy. And moreover, Sandra has promised me that she would support you financially to complete your course.”

Ella kept quiet for a while trying to process everything.

“Can I think about it?” She asked raising her eyes from her palms after a whole five minutes.

“Of course darling.. and remember I love you..” Natasha got up to kiss the top of her head before turning to leave.

Ella couldn’t sleep more than a wink that night. She tossed and turned on her bed, thinking about her aunt’s proposal.

Was she ready to marry?

Will she be happy marrying a widower?

But how will she manage between her married life and her studies?

Then suddenly she remembered about little Bobby. If SHE, wasn’t going to marry his dad, someone else would for sure. What if his step-mother turned out to be like her step-mother, cruel and heartless? What if she hurt him physically and emotionally? He was such a sweet baby. No child deserved to suffer like her, especially not Bobby.

For the next few days, she couldn’t take her mind off Bobby. She couldn’t concentrate on her studies or do anything else properly, in that case until she came up with a decision, agreeing to marry Justin for the sake of Bobby. She knew this would probably be the dumbest reason ever, to get married but she didn’t care.

“Natasha..” She walked into her kitchen.

“Yes honey, do you want something?”

“I-I..” She cleared her throat several times but that lump didn’t seem to leave. “I will.. I will marry him..” She said in a mere whisper that Natasha thought she almost missed it.

“Really? Oh my God. You made me so happy.” She pulled her in a tight embrace before she ran out of the kitchen to give the good news to her friend.