LIE

Ellena seemed to be standing in the doorway of her boarding house. She was about to leave for work, but suddenly her cell phone rang. A call from an unknown number. Ellena ignored it, but the phone kept ringing.

"Hello."

Ellena was forced to receive a call from that unknown number.

"Why did it take you so long to pick up the phone from me?"

Ellena's familiar baritone voice seemed to speak in a high pitched tone. Yes, he is Lucas.

"S-sorry, Sir." Ellena hissed a little nervously. "What is going on?" She asked then.

"From today onwards, you don't have to come to the office anymore!" Lucas said.

"But, T-"

"Tomorrow my personal assistant will pick you up at seven in the morning. We have to talk about the agreement." Lucas cut in, not giving Ellena a chance to speak.

Without waiting for a response from Ellena, Lucas immediately ended the call. Ellena's mouth that had just opened was about to respond, it suddenly closed again

"Are all rich people like that? Always do what they want, huh!" Ellena grumbled as she stared at the phone screen in her hand.

"Who are you referring to?"

A familiar voice suddenly made Ellena flinch, then looked back. I don't know how long Filia had been standing there.

"Filia?" Ellena looked down at her best friend's face.

"Who was the person you were just talking about?" Filia stared suspiciously.

"Ahh, n-no. That's ... the person who owed me a debt." Ellena lied.

"Are you sure?" Filia seemed to be frowning, as if she still couldn't believe it.

"Yes, of course," answered Ellena as she lowered her gaze, avoiding Filia's gaze.

Ellena's attitude certainly made Filia even more suspicious. Filia thought that Ellena was not serious about her words, as if there was something Ellena was hiding. I don't know what it is.

"Elle, you know we've been friends for a long time?"

Filia's question this time managed to make Ellena look up, then stare sadly at the woman's face in front of her.

"Sure, Filia." Ellena answered flatly.

"What are you hiding from me?" Ellena stared at her intimidatingly.

"N-nothing, Filia." Again Elena lied.

Filia already knew who her best friend was. For some reason, since the accident happened, Ellena was more often alone in her room than talking to her. It made Filia feel that something had happened to Ellena.

"Aren't you lying to me?" Filia asked for sure.

"Me? Lying? How could I lie to you?" Ellena tried to convince Filia.

"Okay, I believe. If you really need help, talk to me!" asked Filia while widening her smile.

"Sure, Filia. Thank you for worrying about me." Ellena answered quietly.

"All right. Come on, let's go!" Filia was about to take a step. However, seeing Ellena who was still standing in place, made Filia discouraged.

"Filia, looks like I can't go to the office right now." Ellena put on a pitiful face.

Filia raised an eyebrow, as if surprised. "What's wrong with you? Is there a problem?"

"I-I ...." Ellena paused for a moment. "My leg still hurts," Se continued later.

For the umpteenth time, Ellena lied. This is certainly not what he wanted. However, she also had no other choice. For now, just leave it as it is. When the time came, she would explain all the matters to Filia.

Not even just Filia, her mother didn't even know about the problem she was facing. Really, she still doesn't have the courage to confess everything, to those closest to him.

"What really happened to Ellena? Why did she just say, her leg still hurts? Didn't she look fine earlier?" Filia thought at that time.

So many questions were running through Filia's mind. However, for some reason all those questions seemed to be stuck in her mouth. On the one hand she really wanted to believe in Ellena, but on the other hand Ellena was so suspicious to him.

"You-"

"Looks like I can't force my condition like this. I'm afraid that later I won't even focus on work." Ellena cut off the conversation, as if avoiding Filia's question.

"Really?" Filia gazed probingly.

"Do I look like I'm joking?" Ellenan asked back.

Filia sighed. She was increasingly convinced that something was up with her best friend, no matter how hard Ellena tried to hide it. I don't know how to get Ellena to tell him the truth.

"Okay, I'm leaving now. Bye, Elle."

***

"Elle, are you going to work today?" Filia shouted while knocking on Ellena's door.

Ellena had expected before, that Filia would ask that. She didn't know what else to say to her friend.

"Elle, can you hear me?" Filia asked again, when Ellena didn't answer the previous question.

"Yes, Filia." Ellena who was still sitting on her bed had to answer Filia. In fact, she was still in his pajama state.

"Okay, I'll be waiting. Hurry up and get out, it's almost seven o'clock!" replied Filia.

Instantly Ellena covered her mouth with her hand, when she heard Filia's last words at that time.

"Did I give the wrong answer?" said Elena.

Either Ellena or Filia misunderstood. Obviously, Ellena meant to answer the second question, while Filia seemed to take it as an answer to her first question.

"Arrgh, what's wrong with me, why am I so nervous about it?" Elena sighed in frustration.

"But, she'd be suspicious if he knew I wasn't coming to work anymore."

"Did I just tell the truth?"

"Oh, no! He'd be in shock to hear that."

"But ... what should I do?"

"Arrggh! Why is life so cruel to me?" shouted Ellena even more frustrated.

Even though Filia had left in front of Ellena's door, she could still hear Ellena's screams at that time.

Filia, who was just about to spread the white bread with strawberry jam, immediately ran to Ellena's room. She immediately knocked on the door.

"Elle, are you all right?" Filia looked so worried about Ellena.

Ellena glanced at the door, then gave a harsh snort.

"I'm fine, Filia!" shouted Ellena, then intended to hurry to the bathroom.

"Then, why did you...."

Filia didn't continue, when she heard a knock on the door from outside. Don't know who's visiting this early.

Finally, Filia ignored Ellena and rushed to open the door.

"Good morning, is this really Miss Ellena's residence?" asked a man who was dressed in official office clothes.

Filia seemed to be observing the short-haired man, before she responded to his question. The man's face seemed familiar to him. However, she still couldn't remember who it was.

"That's right. Is there anything I can help you with?" Filia asked curiously.

"Can I meet Miss Ellena in person?" replied the man.

Filia seemed to be frowning. She was still trying to remember the familiar face of the man in front of her. Instantly she remembered the figure of a man she had met with Lucas, her boss at the office. Yes, she was sure that they were the same man.

"If I may ask, who are you?" Filia looked at the man curiously.