Chapter 386 Just for Fun
Francis frowned. "You didn't understand what I meant, or..."
"I understand," Elissa interrupted. "You used Jessa to protect me, but I don't need that. Jessa should bear the consequences of her mistakes. She has no obligation to be my shield. If I'm with you, I'm prepared to face everything. But Francis, we're separated now."
After saying that, Elissa was about to get off his lap.
Francis tightened his grip on her slender waist. "I never wanted to break up with you, I agreed because I didn't want you to be unhappy. But if you want to be with Efren, then I can't go along with that."
When they were in love, she didn't feel it was difficult to communicate with him.
At her home, they had a happy and sweet time together.
But after she proposed to separate, Elissa discovered many problems.
It was not something that could be solved with a simple "I love you."
To be honest, she only appeared to be open-minded, but when she truly fell in love with Francis, she started to care about many things.
When she got hurt and couldn't reach Francis, she was really angry and very upset.
She didn't lash out at Francis because she suddenly had the thought of breaking up.
The conversation with Elysia further intensified this thought.
She always spoke with confidence, never losing her composure, even when the odds were against her.
But when she calmed down to think, she started to feel timid and retreat.
She and Francis were initially just looking for a fling and should have kept it that way, avoiding emotional involvement. Luckily, she pulled out quickly, and didn't let herself get into a dilemma.
"Francis, I don't love you anymore. Your persistence is quite meaningless and cheap," Elissa said.
Francis's expression already showed a hint of gloom. "It's only been a few days, and you say you don't love me anymore?"
Elissa smiled. "At first, I was just annoyed by your persistence. I thought you had a good body and looks, so I decided to play along. That's all."
Francis had his pride, and Elissa knew this very well.
So, if she wanted to completely break up with him, she had to humiliate him.
But she didn't expect Francis to not go along with her plan at all.
"Elissa, you don't need to provoke me. Even if I go crazy, I know what I want."
Elissa looked at Francis for a while, then suddenly smiled. "Do you remember what you said to me?"
"I said a lot."
Elissa reached out, tracing his eyebrows. "You said you wouldn't shackle me, that I would still be free. But what are you doing now? Trying to trap me?"
Francis held her hand, his expression a bit stern. "I said that dating me wouldn't restrict your freedom, you could keep your personality, and you wouldn't need to change for me. But now you want to break up with me. If I don't keep you close, you'll end up with someone else."
His words were already through gritted teeth.
Elissa replied in a very calm tone. "But I don't like this."
The car suddenly fell silent.
Felix, who was driving in the front, didn't even dare to breathe too loudly.
If he hadn't lost a bet, he wouldn't have come to drive this car.
Fortunately, they arrived at the hotel.
He parked the car in the underground garage and quickly left.
The car stopped, and Elissa was about to get out.
But Francis didn't let go.
In the end, he compromised. "Don't be with Efren, and I won't restrain you."
Wasn't he still demanding something from her?
She would only have freedom if she complied with his wishes.
Elissa shook her head.
Francis felt like his head was about to explode.
He thought for a long time and brought the topic back to the beginning. "What's the reason for our breakup? Did you fall in love with Efren?"
Elissa had been flying back and forth for the past two days and was really tired.
She originally thought that when she arrived at Cinda's house, she would lie on the lounge chair for a while and rest.
The airplane food was not good, and Efren had sent a message when she got off the plane, saying that Cinda had specially saved some food and snacks for her.
But she was held back by Francis, couldn't rest, and was still hungry.
She had no patience to keep entangling with him.
"Yes," she said, immediately going from sitting to lying down.
Francis was above her, his expression dark, a large shadow and absolute coldness enveloping her.
She just looked at him with indifferent eyes, offering no resistance at all.
The atmosphere was tense for a long time before Francis pulled back and sat in his seat.
Elissa got up, opened the car door, and left the underground garage. She hailed a cab, took out her phone, and called Efren.
As soon as it connected, Efren's anxious voice came through, "Elissa, are you okay?"
Elissa smiled. "Shouldn't I be asking you that?"
Efren rarely sounded serious, "Don't joke around. I'm a man, at most I would get beaten up. But you're a girl; it's different. And you're facing Francis, who is much stronger than you, all alone. You'd definitely be at a disadvantage."
Elissa's feelings for Efren had always been complicated.
She knew she couldn't love him, but what he said and did always made her like him.
"I'm fine; don't worry. I'm on my way back," Elissa said.
Efren let out a big sigh of relief. "I'll heat up the food for you."
"Okay." Elissa hung up the phone and looked out the window, feeling the warm breeze. Regal City always had a way of relaxing her.
Felix, not far away, had just bought some instant noodles and sausages from the hotel, planning to replenish his energy.
The noodles weren't even ready when he saw Elissa get out of the car.
He thought they were going upstairs, but Francis didn't get out of the car.
From a distance, he felt that the car was covered with a large cloud of gloom.
Not to mention how dark and terrifying it must be inside.
Felix, biting on a plastic fork, sent a message in the group chat.
This time, it was Simon and Felix who came to Regal City.
The others were in Maple Valley keeping an eye on Jessa.
Simon was at Efren's house, where Efren had kindly offered him some food. As he was eating roasted potatoes, he saw the group message, and suddenly, the potatoes in his hand lost their appeal.
He had eaten roasted potatoes from Francis's rival, Efren. He might have to go plant trees in the desert.
Francis got out of the car, and Felix secretly took a photo.
He looked cold and gloomy, like he had come from hell.
Simon had one bite of roasted potato left, but he didn't know whether to eat it or throw it away.
At that moment, Efren brought him some mushroom soup and chicken.
Simon wasn't betraying Francis by siding with Efren.
Francis had everything, but his personality was not as good as Efren's.
If he were Elissa, given the same good treatment from both, he would also choose Efren.
"Elissa." A cab stopped, and Efren immediately went to greet her. "Just in time, the food is hot. Go wash your hands and eat."
Simon watched them go inside.
Elissa didn't even spare him a glance.
Cinda came out from inside, took Elissa's hand, and sat her down at the stone table. "Elissa, you came in a hurry today, the quilt was only aired for a while. Tonight, you'll have to make do, and if the weather is good tomorrow, we'll air it properly so you can sleep comfortably."
Elissa smiled. "Thank you, Ms. Graves."
"No need to be polite with me," Cinda replied.
Efren brought the dishes and set them up. "Eat up, Elissa."
Elissa was really hungry. She started with a bowl of mushroom soup to whet her appetite, then began to eat heartily.
The sky hadn't completely darkened yet, and an orange glow spread over the distant hills.
The sunset was beautiful, and the little courtyard was very comfortable.
Elissa ate until her belly was round and even burped, feeling very comfortable.
Meanwhile, at the hotel.
Felix glanced at the dining table; the food was untouched.
Since arriving at the hotel, Francis had taken a cold shower and then sat by the window smoking.
It was really unexpected that such an excellent man like Francis could struggle in love.
Simon, although keeping an eye on Efren, didn't dare to report any news.
Felix was hiding in the shadows, trying to breathe quietly, when Francis asked, "Has she arrived?"
Felix knew Francis was asking about Elissa. He immediately messaged Simon.
Simon said she had arrived, and Felix reported to Francis.
Francis had no reaction after hearing it.
Of course, Felix wouldn't dare to anger Francis at this moment.
Then, the vibration of a phone broke the stillness.
Francis glanced at it and answered.
"Encountering difficulties?" Jerry asked directly, regardless of his mood.
Francis replied, "Do you have something to say?"
Jerry could tell that things weren't going well for Francis. "You've already sent out the wedding invitations, are you really going to cancel?"
"What else?"
If the wedding went ahead, he and Elissa could never go back to the way they were.
Just thinking about it made Francis extremely irritated.
Francis lit another cigarette.
Jerry said, "Since you've come this far, you might as well finish it. Canceling the wedding suddenly will raise suspicions, and then those enemies' eyes will fall on Elissa again."
Francis suddenly asked, "Are you helping Elissa get rid of me?"
"I'm helping both of you."
Francis didn't believe it. Elissa was Hope's good friend, and Jerry couldn't resist Hope's persuasion. So Jerry helping him was unlikely.
"Nothing else? I'm hanging up," Francis said.
Jerry could hear the deep resentment in his voice.
He got straight to the point. "Even if you don't hold the wedding, you need to come back and handle things."
"Okay, I'll fly back early tomorrow."
The conversation ended.
Francis stared at the distant sunset, lost in thought, the cigarette burning out in his fingers, leaving a heavy black mark.
Elissa didn't care about the matters in Maple Valley.
Efren went to the film set, and she followed Cinda up the mountain every day.
They picked mushrooms and oranges.
Cinda also had a small vegetable garden, and Elissa helped with watering and fertilizing.
Back home, she started the fire, and Cinda cooked.
The days were very fulfilling.
In the evening, Efren brought back some snacks.
They had a few drinks.
Efren asked, "Elissa, do you really not blame me for scheming against you?"
Elissa waved her hand. "A bet is a bet. I said I forgot, so I forgot."
When it first happened, she did blame Efren.
Especially when he didn't tell the truth, she was very angry.
But now, thinking about it, she realized that this incident made her see that she and Francis couldn't be together forever.
Efren then said, "I agreed to cooperate with Jessa to see how Francis would handle his relationship with Jessa. After all, Jessa was Francis's first love and had a place in his heart. Before you loved him too deeply, I wanted you to see clearly, so you wouldn't get hurt if something like this happened after you fell in love with him."
Elissa clinked glasses with him and tilted her head back to finish her drink. The strong liquor burned down her throat, leaving a bitter aftertaste.
"You're right. Fortunately, I didn't love him that deeply," Elissa said.
Actually, once someone had true feelings, they were already deeply hurt.
But fortunately, she didn't let her heart get completely shattered.
Three days later, Hope arrived at Efren's house with her child and Madison.
They happened to see Elissa coming back, wearing a straw hat, with her pants rolled up, and covered in mud.
Hope's eyes widened. "You used to be a girl who would put on makeup just to take out the trash. What happened to you now? Did love make you lose your mind?"
Elissa glanced at her. "Hope, can't you wish something good for me?"
Hope laughed. "I do wish you well, but this is really shocking."
"I think it's great," Madison said, "Being in your most comfortable state is the most beautiful."
Elissa saw Madison's rosy complexion and asked, "Ms. Ortiz, it seems love has been good to you. You even speak differently now."
"Stop teasing me," Madison said, feeling shy.
"Where's Garry?" Elissa asked.
"He'll be here tonight. He couldn't push back a shoot," Madison replied.
Elissa invited them in and introduced them to Cinda. "This is my good friend Hope, her mother Madison, and her daughter Elsa."
Cinda reached out to touch Elsa but hesitated, thinking her hands were too rough for such a pretty and clean child.
But Elsa grabbed her finger.
"Just like Jerry," Elissa said, "her social skills are exceptional."
Hope sighed, "I just hope she doesn't inherit the sharp tongue. That would be a nightmare."
"What's wrong with that? No one would dare bully Elsa," Elissa replied.
Elsa smiled at Elissa, revealing two tiny baby teeth. She was irresistibly cute, and Elissa couldn't help but lean in to kiss her.
"I want to have a daughter this cute someday," Elissa said.
"Get married first," Hope teased.
They chatted and laughed until it was time for dinner. Cinda went to cook.
Elissa followed her into the kitchen.
Hope was curious. "You can't cook, what are you doing in the kitchen?"
Elissa demonstrated her fire-starting skills.
Hope gave her a thumbs up. "You're impressive!"
Elissa proudly shook her head, then asked, "Is Jerry coming?"
"He should be, but it's not certain. He's busy."
"Yeah, with two companies and the Harris Group, he's really busy."
Hope looked at her. "Aren't you going to ask about the wedding?"
Elissa waved her hand. "It's none of my business, so I won't ask."
She didn't want to hear about it, so Hope didn't say anything.
Who knew, that evening, not only did Garry come, but also Jerry and Francis.
The small courtyard suddenly became crowded.
The main issue was that there weren't enough rooms.
The moment Elissa saw Francis, she asked, "Why are you here?"
Francis walked straight up to her. "Did you really think I was actually letting you go that day? Elissa, even if you hate me, I can't just watch you be with someone else."
Elissa immediately tried to kick him out.
Francis, ignoring the people watching, grabbed the back of Elissa's head and kissed her.
Cinda quickly covered Elsa's eyes.
Elsa peeked through her fingers and laughed.
Jerry flicked her face. "Little rascal."
Hope slapped him, took a step forward, but was pulled back by Jerry.
"Elissa doesn't want to," Hope said, slightly annoyed.
At that moment, a loud "Elissa" rang out.
Hearing the voice, Francis tightened his grip on Elissa's waist and kissed her even deeper.
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