Chapter 500

The conversation turned to the news that Allison had been in a car accident. Ella’s eyes widened. “Allison was in a car accident? What happened? And the… wants to grow… freeze with you… Wed’s ging on?” She fired off the questions one after another.

“Allison and Yanis have been getting along well, but now Allison wants to go to Fiore,” Stephanie wondered. “Is something going on between them?” she finally asked. It was hard not to overthink.

“It’s a long story,” Stephanie said, her voice trailing off.

“Will you be able to get back to Fiorenza tonight?” Ella asked. “If not, that’s okay. She… Allison’s health was more important than her anxiety.”

Stephanie said, “Looks like we can.” Allison seemed really put off by Long Harbor; she couldn’t wait to get out of there, and Stephanie wanted to help her feel better.

Ella stayed quiet. Hearing Stephanie’s words, she was pretty sure something was off between Hiwon and tatis. Alison wouldn’t ask for that if everything was fine. It seems like she’s desperate to get out of Long Harbor, she thought.

“Alright, just keep an eye on her,” Ella said, shaking her head. She wasn’t even in Long Harbor, and this was the kind of thing Stephanie couldn’t explain over the phone.

“Yeah, I know,” Stephanie replied.

After a few minutes of small talk, the call ended. Ella couldn’t shake the feeling that something… just then, there was another knock on the door.

Ella’s eyes widened. ‘What does Lorenzo want again?’ she thought to herself.

“Ella.” Lorenzo’s voice came from outside.

The sound of Lorenzo’s voice sent a sudden warmth through her. Her nose started to tingle, and she reached up to wipe it. ‘Oh no, another nosebleed?’ she screamed in her mind.

She looked down at her chest. Her smoky gray loungewear was splashed with a bright red stain. She hadn’t even noticed she’d started bleeding from the nose.

“Coming,” she muttered, annoyed at the timing of the nosebleed. She grabbed a tissue, quickly wiped away the blood until it was gone, then opened the door.

Lorenzo stood there, frowning. “Didn’t I tell you to change the bandage?”

“Yeah, yeah, I’ll do it,” Ella said, feeling a little weird about playing nurse. ‘But he did save my life—guess it’s no big deal. Besides, now that Stefi is coming back soon, I probably won’t have much to do with him anyway,’ she thought.

Just as she thought Lorenzo was heading back to his room, he reached out for her. Ella instinctively pulled back, her face heating up again. “What are you doing?” she asked, her voice catching a little.

“You’ve got another nosebleed,” Lorenzo said.

Ella’s face heated up. She could feel the familiar warmth under her nose. When have I become so susceptible around him? Am I really this unable to resist whenever Lorenzo is near? she asked herself in her mind.

“I’ve got it,” she said sharply, catching a glimpse of his half-unbuttoned shirt and the muscles beneath. She couldn’t stop thinking about the way he’d just stiffened.

14:19 Fri, 28 Mar NE

Chapter 500

Lorenzo was a charmer—and just thinking about it made her nosebleed worse.

Lorenzo frowned, looking worried. “Do you need me to call a doctor?”

Ella shook her head quickly and waved her hand. “No, I’m fine. Just go back to your room.”

She thought, ‘What am I supposed to tell the doctor? That I was bleeding because I couldn’t stop staring at him?’

Lorenzo glanced at her, then turned to head back to his room.

“Wait for me in your room,” Ella called softly. “I’ll be right there.”

At that moment, Lorenzo realized that “wait for me” meant something different entirely.

In Long Harbor, Macro finished checking over Allison and stepped out to tell Stephanie, “She’s good to go.”

Stephanie nodded, feeling a little lighter.

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