Ella suddenly wiped the tears from her cheeks, and forced herself to stand upright. And with a shaky breath, "I'll be back, Dad."
Eric looked at her, his eyes filled with helplessness. "Ella..." He began, but she didn't wait for him to say anything else.
Pulling the door open, she stepped into the hallway. Martin was waiting a short distance away from the door.
The moment he saw her red-rimmed eyes, his expression softened. "Miss Ella."
"Hi, Martin." She managed a small smile, though her voice was thick with emotion. She glanced toward her father's room. "How bad is he?"
Martin followed her gaze. "Bad." The word came with a heavy sigh, and Ella's heart sank further. "I'm sorry I didn't tell you earlier." He looked genuinely remorseful. "Your father specifically forbade me from saying anything."
