Chapter 3
Chapter 2: Inevitable Clashes
As the days passed, the tension between them didn’t diminish. Ellen seemed to always be on the defensive, while Anya did her best to keep the peace. But the conflict reached a boiling point during a conversation in the break room.
"I don’t understand why you insist on connecting with everyone," Ellen said as she stirred her coffee. "Not everyone needs to talk about their problems as if it’ll fix anything."
Anya placed her cup on the table, watching her calmly. "Not everyone, but sometimes it helps. Especially when silence hurts more than words."
Ellen let out a dry laugh. "Sure, because you understand perfectly what it's like to deal with a past that consumes you."
The comment, though not malicious, hit Anya like a low blow. She took a deep breath before responding, her voice tinged with contained sadness.
"I don’t know what you think you know about me, Ellen, but I assure you, you’re not the only one who has survived difficult things."
Ellen frowned but didn’t respond. Anya continued, this time with a softer tone.
"When I was younger, I lost someone under my care. Not because I didn’t know what to do, but because the circumstances were beyond my control. Since then, I’ve carried the guilt, wondering if I could have done more. But I learned that holding onto that doesn’t change anything."
Ellen stayed silent. For the first time, she didn’t have a sarcastic reply. She just looked at Anya, noticing the sincerity in her eyes.
"I’m sorry," she finally murmured, though her pride made the words come out awkwardly.
"You don’t need to apologize. Just... don’t judge me without knowing."
That was the first moment Ellen allowed her walls to come down just a little.