Chapter 339

Sebastian wrapped her in a towel and began gently drying her hair. Stephanie nestled into him, feeling safe and comfortable. It reminded her of her childhood, when she would simply let Sebastian take care of her, quiet and still. He glanced down and noticed her little nose was a bit red, her cheeks flushed rosy.

Stephanie was already tired, and with Sebastian’s gentle touch, she felt herself drifting off. Sebastian’s eyes moved lower, catching sight of the towel slipping a bit. She’d grown up so much, and seeing those half-covered curves made him smile. No one knew what thoughts were forming in Sebastian’s mind just then.

Stephanie didn’t seem to notice anything. She asked lazily, “Elliot said something went wrong. Is that jerk causing problems again?”

“He wouldn’t dare right now,” Sebastian said. He was sure Richard was busy dealing with his own issues regarding Finn and didn’t have time to stir up trouble.

Stephanie cracked open her eyes. “Then what’s going on?”

“We still need to head back to Long Harbor,” Sebastian explained.

At this, Stephanie’s brow furrowed. “Aren’t we going back to Fiorenza? I miss Mom.”

Ever since Lottie had sounded so accepting on the phone, Stephanie had felt a lot more at ease. She’d been worried about how her relationship with Sebastian was progressing, but her mom’s unexpected reaction had really helped.

When her hair was almost dry, Sebastian tossed the towel aside. “How about I take you home first?”

“What?” Stephanie blinked.

“I’ve got some things to handle. Shouldn’t take more than a few days,” Sebastian said.

“Then I’m coming with you,” Stephanie murmured, wrapping her arms around his waist. She missed her mom, but she couldn’t stand the thought of being away from Sebastian.

As she spoke, a teasing smile spread across his face. He lifted her onto the small bed and playfully climbed on top of her.

Meanwhile, in Long Harbor, Chris heard about the accident in the Shallow Bay Area last night. He rushed over as soon as he got the news, but by then, everything had calmed down.

Ella happened to be coming out just then. Seeing her, Chris quickly blocked her path. “Where’s Stephanie? How is she?”

Ella was still confused. She’d planned to leave last night, but she’d gotten so scared that she’d passed out and ended up staying in the Shallow Bay Area. When she woke up in the morning, everything seemed normal again, like nothing had happened.

Seeing Chris, Ella sneered, “Why are you pretending to be worried now?” She wouldn’t believe he actually cared about Stephanie.

Chris’s face darkened even more. He gritted his teeth. “I’m asking you. How is she?” His eyes were cold.

Ella’s patience was wearing thin. “What does she have to do with you? Chris, your heart already belongs to Olivia. Don’t try to get Stefi involved too—she’d find that disgusting. And she doesn’t need you, anyway.”

Chris’s breathing was uneven. He clenched his fists. “I just want to know how she’s doing right now.”

Ella replied, “People only miss what they’ve lost, but Stefi was never yours.” With that, Ella turned and walked away, leaving Chris behind.

When Sebastian came to Long Harbor, Ella figured it out. Even if Olivia didn’t come back, Stephanie would never marry Chris.

Ella’s memory flickered back to the wedding dress Stephanie had tried on. She faintly recalled hearing it was designed by some company. At the time, she hadn’t grasped the significance. Now she realized Stephanie trying on that dress wasn’t just about Chris—it was more about the designer.

Now that she looked at it this way, she figured the company that designed the wedding dress was probably connected to Sebastian.

‘Chris is such a fool. He hasn’t been sincere with Stefi, and I’ve felt bad for her before. But now it seems like Stefi hasn’t been genuine with him either,’ she sneered inwardly.

“Stefi, you’re really something,” Ella muttered to herself as she drove.