[b]Ella could feel herself shaking from head to toe by the time she and Marken returned to his apartments. She felt like a mental patient, needing Marken's help just to make it to the sofa and sit down, her hands still clinging to his as she squeezed her eyes shut tight. Then, finally sitting down and alone with Marken, Ella allowed herself to cry. She didn't care if it made her fiancé think less of her at this point; she'd been burying her distress for well over an hour now.

"Marken, I can't marry you," Ella told the man as she tried to wipe tears from her cheeks, "Didn't you see your father's reaction tonight? It'll crush him when we divorce. I can't do something that cruel to a father. He just wants the best for you, and we're taking advantage of that."[/b]