CHAPTER 41
ELLEN
Blackheath, New South Wales, Australia
It took some time for Ellen to realize she was standing outside Roxy's door. How had she ended up at her door? No idea. Ellen remembered going into her room, and then a total blackout.
Roxy had an almost magnetic effect on Ellen.
"Why are you doing this to me?" Ellen whispered, her voice barely audible, praying Roxy wouldn't catch the sound.
A rapid thumping filled Ellen's chest, her exhalations growing in volume with each panicked beat. The sound of a hand touching the handle on the other side of the door sent a wave of icy fear through her.
Shit!
Was Roxy going to open the door?
Was that the best thing that could happen right now?
No, absolutely not.
Ellen swiftly turned around, averting a significant error, and retreated to her bedroom to lock herself inside. She laid her head against the door and took some deep breaths to get herself under control.
She found herself questioning her reaction, knowing the evening had been super: an evening when she met the real Roxy.
Roxy Kerr.
That thought alone was enough to fill her with an overwhelming sense of peace. She headed for her bed, a wide smile spreading across her face. Lying down on her back, she closed her eyes and drifted off to sleep, a wide, contented smile still gracing her face.
It had been a wonderful day.
***
July 13, 2025
Blackheath, New South Wales, Australia
Ellen woke up to the warmth of a ray of sunshine on her face.
Seriously, what could rental owners possibly be considering when they opt out of installing blackout curtains in the bedrooms? Such behaviour should deserve criminal prosecution.
It was as though Ellen was coming out of a lengthy coma, and the memories of its beginning were completely gone.
It was probably since that night where her entire vision of the future collapsed when Leah announced she wanted to accept the opportunity of a lifetime she'd been offered in Los Angeles.
Her relationship with Caroline had never allowed Ellen to get her head above water, but Roxy seemed to have found a way: be honest.
She didn't want to open her eyes but could still feel the warm glow of the evening and the cramps in her face from smiling.
What if she opened her eyes and realized she wasn't actually in her bedroom in Sydney, but had imagined the whole evening, or worse, was in her bedroom in her luxurious apartment in Montreal?
Although they were one of the wealthiest families on the planet, the Caldwells weren't extravagant. Except that Ellen pleaded guilty when it came to her high-quality bedsheets. And just the feel of her skin confirmed that these weren't her sheets. Which was reassuring.
She found the courage to open one eye and, to her delight, realized that she was indeed in that small, isolated cabin in the Blue Mountains. Yesterday wasn't just a dream.
Her phone read 10:30 a.m., "Shit! Really?" She slipped on her dressing gown and quietly left the bedroom so as not to wake Roxy, except that there was noise coming from the kitchen.
Roxy was there, making waffles, because yes, she had planned everything, right down to her damn waffle iron. How could Ellen still resist her after that?
"Good morning, Sunshine!" Roxy exclaimed, smiling, when she saw her walk into the kitchen.
"A good morning to you as well, Lieutenant Kerr." The line came out exactly as she wanted it to: flirty.
Roxy responded as hoped, biting her lip and looking at her with eyes full of desire.
She retaliated quickly, revealing the spy lurking within her.
"Has anyone ever pointed out how lovely you look in the morning?
No sense." Ellen wanted to respond, but Roxy kept control of the narrative.
"Your timing couldn't be better. Sit down. "
Ellen complied without protest, allowing herself to be treated like a real princess by Roxy. No one had treated her like that since… Leah.
Roxy wasted no time and hurried over to Ellen to serve her a cup of strong black coffee and a plate of waffles and fresh fruit. She had once again thought of every little detail, as she clearly did not want to leave anything to chance.
"So here's the Kerr family's secret recipe for good waffles, perhaps one of the few positive memories I have of my father." Her tone was devoid of bitterness or resentment, as she was just stating a fact.
Little did Ellen know, another surprise was waiting. "I scoured Sydney looking for it." Watching Roxy rummage through her reusable bag sparked Ellen's curiosity. "But I found some," Roxy said, proudly placing a bottle on the table. Stunned, Ellen gazed at the bottle, searching for the right words.
"Roxy," she began. "Did you really buy maple syrup from Quebec? For me?"
Concern immediately appeared in Roxy's eyes. "Er, yes, but... er... too much?" she said, rubbing the back of her neck. "You like that, don't you?"
It was an insignificant gesture, but it meant the world to Ellen. Roxy's thoughtfulness in noticing the little details that made Ellen feel comfortable was truly heartwarming.
"It's just perfect, Roxy. Just perfect."
"Oh," Roxy said with a big smile. "Great." She picked up her own plate and came to sit at the table with Ellen.
And it hit Ellen like a ton of bricks. She saw something in Roxy that she had never seen since they met: pride. Pride in having succeeded in making someone happy.
Because Ellen suspected Roxy was not exactly brimming with pride about her work or her past with Ellen. Sure, she was confident—just look at how she approached Ellen the first time. But self-confidence and self-pride are two different things.
"What?" asked Roxy, who had just noticed, between bites of waffle, that Ellen was staring at her. "Is there something on my face?"
"Again. Everything is just perfect."
'Cause right then, it was just right.
***
Having finished breakfast, Roxy made it clear that Ellen wasn't to lift a finger to help with the washing up. "Take this opportunity to relax," she said, placing her hand on Ellen's shoulder. The touch of her hand triggered something in Ellen, but she tried hard to keep a poker face.
One thing was certain: Ellen could not resist for much longer—or didn't want to.
She found herself staring at a hole between two trees that led to a summit—a path of opportunity, she told herself. She was so lost in her thoughts and dreams that she did not hear Roxy coming up behind her, which made her jump.
"Fuck, you scared me," Ellen breathed out, a smile playing on her lips. "My mind was elsewhere. I really like this place. I know it's not the same, but it reminds me a little of the Eastern Townships. You know, where I'm from."
"Maybe you could take me to your hometown and show me around sometime," Roxy murmured gently, not wanting to pressure her. "Surprisingly, I've never been to Canada."
Ellen turned to Roxy with a restrained smile. "Why not? This is also the best place to witness the Caldwell sisters' chemistry in action."
Roxy was smiling, but there was something in her eyes that Ellen couldn't quite put her finger on. "You always talk about your sisters as if they were part of you."
"I don't think I could say it any better. Well, you know Tay is my identical twin."
Roxy stifled a giggle. "Thank you for confirming my suspicions."
Ellen looked at her with her eyes narrowed and a slight smile.
"As I told you yesterday, Tay and I have a unique bond that few people understand.
The night you left," Ellen paused for a moment so as not to be overwhelmed by emotion and bad memories, "Tay felt everything even though she was more than 12,000 km away.
After you left, I called her, but I couldn't speak. I was in too much pain."
Roxy's face fell, and in that instant, remorse took over her. "Oh no, Roxy," Ellen said, looking at Roxy's hand on her own. "It's okay. I'm not trying to make you feel bad by telling you this."
Despite Ellen's kindness and sincere lack of resentment, Roxy remained somewhat uncomfortable with the memory of that evening.
"I know, but I wouldn't say it's a moment I cherish. But go on, please," Roxy said, wiping away a tear forming beneath her eyes.
"Okay," Ellen continued. "Anyway, Taylor understood right away without me saying a word. As usual, he skilfully defused the situation, making all the difference. I was in good hands."
It seemed to reassure Roxy a little to know that Ellen'd been taken care of properly.
"As for Jessie, she's our chosen sister.
We created an immediate bond with her when she arrived at the house.
She had just been uprooted from her life after losing her parents.
My parents didn't want Jessie to become an orphan, so Tay and I did what we had to do.
Jessie was already our best friend, but that day, she became our sister and our lives changed forever. "
Roxy opened up again after a moment of silence, which had not been enough to sever their connection. "You're good people, you know? You, your sisters, your parents. Many people whose paths you've crossed have probably been impacted by you. In any case, it's true for me."
"Just like you, Roxy, even if you think otherwise." A wave of shame and guilt seemed to eat away at Roxy from the inside, which did not leave Ellen indifferent. She could now understand the underlying reasons for Roxy's behaviour. "You are a good person. A beautiful person."
Ellen looked at her and felt the pain Roxy was trying to hide.
"I used to dream of having a family like yours," she admitted.
"And you've never had a friend you considered like a brother or sister?" Ellen asked in a burst of compassion.
"That chapter of my life is definitely long gone, for better or worse." It was neither a yes nor a no. But Ellen understood that it was best not to push too hard. Roxy had already made a major effort since yesterday.
Ellen wiggled a bit on her chair. "You must have felt so lonely."