Chapter 614

Stephanie breathed a sigh of relief that Ella hadn’t messed up in front of Lorenzo today. But the relief lasted only a few seconds. The next moment, Ella said in a voice filled with despair, “But I actually said, ‘I want to marry him.’”

Stephanie’s mind went completely blank. “What? Wait, what did she say to Lorenzo? Marry Lorenzo? What kind of nonsense is this?” Her mind froze for several minutes before she stammered, “W–What did you say? Who do you want to marry again?”

She felt like she must be hallucinating. How else could she have heard Ella say something like that? She actually said she wanted to marry Lorenzo.

Ella’s voice was utterly dejected. “I kind of wish I could just disappear right now.” She felt so embarrassed that she wished the ground would swallow her up. She was so mortified that she couldn’t even bring herself to repeat it.

Stephanie swallowed hard and took several deep breaths to steady herself. This was just too much. “No, I mean, you…”

Ella continued, “I don’t even want my mouth anymore.” And her hands—they always acted out of control around Lorenzo, and now she wanted nothing to do with them. How could someone be so foolish?

As Stephanie listened to Ella’s pitiful lament, a sudden thought struck her, and she blurted out, “I have to wonder if everything you’ve done before was leading up to this moment.”

Ella’s mind went numb. She quickly denied it, telling the truth. She really hadn’t done it on purpose. “I didn’t mean it.”

Stephanie insisted, “So why were you always messing with Lorenzo’s clothes before? Be honest, Ella. That time in the Shallow Bay when you were unfastening Lorenzo’s belt buckle, was it because you liked him from the start?”

The way everything was unfolding was just too connected—it all seemed random, but now it was smoothly lining up. If Ella did all those things without having feelings for Lorenzo seemed unlikely. This sudden mention of “marry” just didn’t make sense otherwise. It was just too straightforward.

Ella’s mind was buzzing. “I really didn’t. Stefi, how could you not believe me? Do you really think I’m that kind of person?”

Stephanie replied, “Don’t worry; even if you are that kind of person, I’d still be your friend.”

Ella felt a mix of emotions and thought, ‘Thanks for loving me unconditionally like that.’ If Stephanie had said this at any other time, Ella would have been moved. But right now, she just wanted someone to save her.

Stephanie continued, “Be honest with me, do you really like Lorenzo? If you do, I can help set you up with him.”

Ella felt even more hopeless. ‘Who would ever want to marry that terrifying guy? Unless I have extra hearts to spare, I wouldn’t carelessly hang around Lorenzo. But that’s not gonna happen. So, for my own safety, I have to keep my distance.’

“Do you really think we’re living in a time of arranged marriages and matchmakers?” Ella just smiled.

Stephanie insisted, “Just tell me whether you like him or not.”

“Too scared to like him,” Ella said. The guy was handsome and wealthy, no doubt. But unfortunately, he was too intimidating. Today he came back covered in blood; being with someone like that was like living on the edge.