CHAPTER 46
ELLEN
Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
Ellen was sitting by the pool after a long day. A small glass of red wine and a book, Wolf Shirt & High Heels, were the perfect setup for a quiet evening as a single woman while she waited for her sweetheart to return from London... if she was in London. Her true location was a mystery to everyone.
But it didn't matter. Ellen was in love again and feeling great, and she didn't want her fears to ruin it. What truly mattered was the trust she held for her.
Then her phone notified her that the alarm system had just been deactivated at the front door.
From where she was, she couldn't see the door.
A gentle smile bloomed on her face, accepting that her envisioned solo night was out of the question, but she was okay with it.
She cherished having her twin nearby, savouring the moment despite knowing it wouldn't last long.
Jules Monroe had quickly reached out to Taylor to collaborate.
She had flown Jules to LA and was producing an incredible album, but it was all a pretense for Jules' label to drop her and frame Taylor for the fallout.
The whole thing escalated into a legal battle that drove a wedge between Jules and Taylor.
Unfortunately, Taylor was slipping back into a downward spiral.
Ellen got up from her chair, crossed the terrace to enter the house, and said casually, "Tay, before you ask, no, I haven't heard from..." She gasped, her hand flying to her mouth in shock—the woman in front of her was definitely not Taylor.
No. It was Roxy—her Roxy—who was in a place she wasn't supposed to be.
"Roxy, what the fuck are you doing here?
You're supposed to be in London for... another week?
" A silent Roxy extended a hand holding a bouquet of Ellen's favourite flowers, a special bloom chosen because Ellen had only mentioned them once, on the day their relationship became official. "You remembered."
Exhausted by her journey, Roxy whispered, "I recall every detail of that day. Forever." Roxy quickly closed the gap. Though Roxy's energy was low, she gave Ellen a kiss that was unlike any they had shared before. She kissed her like a woman who had finally reunited with the love of her life.
With a loving gaze, Ellen repeated, "Okay, but I don't understand. What are you doing here?"
Roxy was close to tears, but they were tears of happiness. "I did it, Sunshine, I killed her." She sighed. "I killed her."
A look of total incomprehension, and perhaps fear, came over Ellen's face. "Um, Roxy, I'm not sure I should know this kind of detail, right? I know I shouldn't ask questions when you leave like this, but..."
There was a delay between the words entering Roxy's ears and reaching her brain, a bit like information trying to cross the city of Montreal from south to north during rush hour: stuck in traffic.
But after two or three long seconds, it all clicked for Roxy. "Oh shit, no, no, no. Not kill in that sense. Wait…" Roxy said. She grabbed her phone and handed it to Ellen. On the screen, a newspaper article was displayed.
The Australian Post
August 14, 2025
A severe car crash has resulted in the death of a British woman.
By the Australian Press Agency (APA)
A collision with a roadside tree near Berowra Valley National Park resulted in the death of a 33-year-old British woman who resided in Sydney. Upon arrival authorities confirmed Roxanne Powell, a security consultant in Sydney, had passed away after her vehicle ignited.
And then Ellen looked up at Roxy, unable to say a single word.
"It's all over now, Ellen," Roxy said, holding Ellen's hands. "I killed Roxanne Powell. I resigned from the Service."
Ellen took in the words that had just been spoken. It wasn't like a bolt from the blue, but rather as if she had just emerged from a patch of turbulence and everything had returned to calm. She remained silent and held her breath.
Admiring her lover, Ellen saw past the weariness of a woman unburdened, released from an inner confinement that had held her captive for almost ten years. Roxy was free, unburdened by the duality of her existence.
Roxanne Powell was now a ghost of the past.
Ellen approached Roxy, not for a kiss, but to take her hand and gently guide her to the couch for a calm discussion about the shocking news. The flowers and her luggage could be dealt with later.
They settled onto the couch, the very same one where their first kiss had occurred and where their lives had taken a turn. They kept a distance that allowed them to feel close to each other, while still being able to look each other in the eyes and talk.
"So..." Ellen asked softly, tilting her head to study her expression. "Would you mind explaining your decision to me?"
Roxy remained silent, and Ellen could see the wheels turning in her head as she struggled to find the perfect words. It was a moment of great importance, influencing both their bond and Roxy's individual path. In light of this, the precise wording carried substantial weight.
"I realized," she began, "that if I kept living like before... if something happened to me... you wouldn't even know why. You'd wake up one day and I'd be gone." She held her breath. "Every day, I risk never seeing you again. And that... it was killing me, since I know you, Sunshine."
Ellen liked what she heard, because it was one of her greatest fears—one she hadn't dared to share with Roxy.
"You did this for more reasons than just me, right?
" she asked, keeping her voice calm, even though she couldn't hide a certain joy and relief.
"You didn't quit your world because of the girl who accidentally fell in love with an MI6 spy? "
"No," she replied. "I did it for myself, I just... finally had a reason strong enough to want more." Roxy was smiling now. "And it just so happens that my reason has the most beautiful eyes I've ever seen."
After that, her lips remained sealed, and no more words followed. She had no need to. It was already perfect.
Ellen opened her arms without a word, and she came toward Roxy as if it were the most natural thing in the world.
Roxy didn't hesitate and threw herself into Ellen's arms. She began to play with Roxy's hair the way she had learned over the past few weeks.
And suddenly, Roxy's breathing slowed down gently before she drifted off into a deep, well-deserved sleep.
"Je suis si fière de toi, Roxy Kerr," Ellen whispered in French so as not to wake her.
Ellen's body may have been still, but nothing inside her was. She realized how lucky she was: Roxy was there, physically and completely. There were no more layers or secrets. She had come back to her of her own free will, not to escape something or because she had to.
Roxanne Kerr had chosen this life and chosen her. And Ellen Caldwell would not let her go.
Never again.