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Ellen stood in front of the mirror in her hotel room, gently running a brush through her hair. As she brushed her hair, a small smile tugged at the corners of her lips, her thoughts drifting back to the previous day.
She could still feel the warmth of Mason’s embrace, the way his arms had hesitated before wrapping around her, and the gentle way he had brushed her hair behind her ear. It was such a simple gesture, but it had left her heart fluttering, like a delicate butterfly trapped in her chest. And when she had told him she would miss him, she hadn’t known what to expect. The words had slipped out, unplanned and raw, but Mason’s response had taken her by surprise. He had promised to be back home soon, A quiet comfort that reduced some of the unease that had been gnawing at her.
As she continued to brush her hair, Ellen couldn’t help but smile wider. It felt like progress, like maybe, just maybe, they were starting to mend the gap between them. She knew it wasn’t a grand leap, but it was something—something she could hold onto, something to keep the hope alive that things between them could get better. That was more than she had expected, and it left her feeling warm and a little giddy, like she was floating on a soft cloud of optimism.
With Mason gone and his assurance that Aubrey wouldn’t be following him, Ellen felt like she didn’t need to stay in Paris much longer. She decided she would spend one more day here, enjoy a little shopping, and then fly back home.
Ellen set down her brush, smoothing her hair one last time, and took a deep breath. She felt good—lighter, even. Today was going to be a good day; she could feel it. She grabbed her purse, checked that she had everything she needed, and headed out of her room.
The elevator dinged as it arrived, and she stepped inside, pressing the button for the ground floor. As the doors started to close, the elevator jolted to a stop at the next floor, and the doors slid open again. Ellen’s smile faltered as Aubrey stepped into the elevator.
Aubrey’s presence was like a sudden gust of cold air, chilling the warmth that Ellen had been feeling just moments ago. The brightness in Ellen’s eyes dimming as she watched Aubrey move to stand beside her. The elevator doors closed, sealing them inside together.
"Hi, Ellen," Aubrey said, her voice smooth and casual, as if they were old friends.
"Hi, Aubrey," Ellen replied, trying to keep her tone neutral. She focused her gaze on the elevator doors, not wanting to make eye contact. The small space suddenly felt suffocating.
"How was your sleep?" Aubrey asked, her voice dripping with a sweetness that made Ellen’s skin crawl.
Ellen forced herself to smile, though it felt tight and uncomfortable. "I slept soundly, thanks for asking."
"Me too," Aubrey replied, her tone light and airy. "Especially knowing that I’ll be spending the day with Mason at Disneyland."
Ellen’s eyebrows shot up in surprise, though she kept her eyes fixed straight ahead. Her heart skipped a beat, the mention of Mason and Aubrey together jolting her out of her brief moment of peace.
She forced herself to speak. "What are you still doing in Paris? Shouldn’t you have gone home already?"
Aubrey turned slightly, her eyes narrowing as she glanced at Ellen. There was a glint of something sharp in her gaze. "I don’t think you have any right to tell me where I should or shouldn’t be," Aubrey said, her tone icy but with a smile still plastered on her face. "Besides, Mason and I made a plan in high school to visit every Disneyland in the world. Now that we’re in Paris, we can’t miss Disneyland, don’t you think?"
She knew exactly what Aubrey was doing, trying to create a gap between her and Mason, trying to remind her of all the things she and Mason had shared before Ellen was ever in the picture.
Ellen remained silent, knowing that anything she said would only make things worse. Aubrey seemed to take Ellen’s silence as a victory, a smug smile creeping onto her lips. She turned back to face the elevator doors, her voice soft but laced with malice. "I hope you won’t be too sad, Ellen."
Ellen’s gaze shifted slowly from the elevator doors to Aubrey, who stood with that infuriatingly smug smile. The sharpness in Aubrey’s words was meant to cut, to leave a mark, but Ellen felt a wave of calm wash over her instead.
As the elevator descended, Ellen’s lips curved into a small, knowing smile. It was a subtle but deliberate expression, one that caught Aubrey’s attention immediately. Ellen could see the confusion flicker in Aubrey’s eyes, a crack in her confident facade. Ellen held Aubrey’s gaze, her smile widening ever so slightly, enough to convey that she was in on something Aubrey wasn’t.
Before Aubrey could react, the elevator doors slid open with a soft ding. The bustling sounds of the hotel lobby filtered into the small space, but Ellen barely noticed. She kept her eyes on Aubrey, whose confident smile was now wavering, uncertainty creeping in.
"I hope you have a good time today, Aubrey," Ellen said, her voice smooth and sincere, though there was an unmistakable hint of amusement beneath the surface.
Aubrey’s eyes narrowed slightly, trying to decipher Ellen’s meaning, but Ellen didn’t give her the chance. She stepped out of the elevator, her smile never faltering as she turned her back on Aubrey and walked into the lobby.
Ellen’s heels clicked against the polished marble floor as she made her way toward the exit, the cool air of the hotel lobby brushing against her skin. She felt lighter, freer, as if a weight had been lifted from her shoulders. Aubrey might have thought she had the upper hand, but Ellen knew better.
She knew what Aubrey was going to find today—nothing but disappointment.