Chapter 53: Ella Is...!
Kyle was relieved that the transaction was finalized and had paid the full sum of $2,500,000 to get the project underway without any delays. The amount didn’t faze him—Kyle could make back the money in the blink of an eye. However, he realized he hadn’t been making the most of the rebate system, which could have saved him a small fortune. He didn’t need to focus solely on spending money on the women in his harem to earn cashback; there were other avenues he had yet to explore.
This thought brought his attention back to Cassandra. Kyle was confident she would eventually fall for him, as he had all the qualities women admired. In his mind, Kyle was essentially the perfect man—a self-made millionaire with sharp wits and a charming sense of humor. He wasn’t just a man who could offer financial security; he also had the charisma to make a woman’s heart flutter.
Kyle had paid his Uber driver an extra fee to linger around the area, ensuring he wouldn’t have to wait long for another ride if necessary. However, Collins wanted to visit the location where the work would be conducted. Realizing he wouldn’t need the Uber, Kyle dismissed the driver and paid him the accumulated waiting fees with a generous tip on top. The driver left satisfied, and Kyle hopped into Collins’ massive truck, which felt like a mechanical beast designed to dominate the road.
Their destination was the recently acquired shop Kyle had bought out. He trusted that Nate could oversee the project and monitor the process in his absence, but a nagging voice in the back of Kyle’s mind told him Nate might not be entirely reliable. Kyle knew he would need to hire a professional inspector to evaluate the building once the construction reached a certain stage.
The ride to the location didn’t take long, and Kyle felt a sense of relief wash over him as they neared the site. The truck’s intimidating presence made him feel as though nothing could stand in its way.
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Meanwhile, Jane was feeling uneasy after her interaction with Mike. His approach earlier to ask about her relationship with Kyle had been unnerving, but it wasn’t until she left the vicinity that the reason for his curiosity became clear. Mike wasn’t asking out of concern—he was envious.
Jane remembered the moment Mike saw her hugging Kyle, and the memory made her cheeks flush. It was now painfully obvious that his questions were fueled by jealousy. By the time she arrived at her apartment, Jane was eager to offload the day’s events to her best friend, Ella.
However, Ella was fast asleep on the couch, and Jane couldn’t blame her. Working night shifts often left Ella completely drained, and she needed to catch up on as much rest as possible during the day.
Jane made her way to the kitchen and was touched to discover that Ella had prepared a meal for her before falling asleep. Moments like these reminded Jane how lucky she was to have Ella by her side. Life was challenging enough, and she couldn’t imagine navigating it alone without losing her sanity.
Despite this, Jane couldn’t shake a thought that had been gnawing at her mind. She wanted to spend every waking moment with Kyle, but the fear of appearing clingy kept her from acting on that desire. No one liked a clingy partner, right? And Kyle, being a busy man, surely didn’t have time to entertain her whims. His visit earlier had been special precisely because of how rare it was.
Jane giggled to herself at the thought, feeling slightly ridiculous, but she resisted the urge to text him. Unbeknownst to Jane, Ella wasn’t actually asleep. She had taken something to numb the emotions coursing through her veins.
Ella had been struggling with her demons in secret. She was a recovering addict, but the pressure of her failing music career was pushing her closer to the edge. Although Kyle’s encouraging words had helped her on some days, today wasn’t one of those days. She hadn’t taken anything too hard—thankfully—but she desperately needed an escape from her racing thoughts and harsh reality.
Ella had also been disappointed that Kyle hadn’t followed up to set a date for their meeting. She convinced herself that he’d been polite just to avoid hurting her feelings and wasn’t genuinely interested.
As Ella drifted in and out of awareness, Jane picked up her friend’s phone. There were no secrets between them, so Ella didn’t bother with passwords. Jane wasn’t planning to snoop, but a notification popped up on the screen, and the preview immediately caught her attention:
[[Do you need a top off? I’m in the ar...]]
Jane’s heart sank. Her body froze, and she stared at the phone for a solid minute, unable to move or speak. Slowly, she turned her head to look at Ella, who lay still on the couch.
"Ella?" Jane called softly, her voice trembling.
There was no response. Ella wanted to answer but felt as though her entire body was paralyzed. Jane approached her and lightly shook her, noticing how hot Ella’s skin felt to the touch. A wave of panic surged through Jane as she realized something was very wrong.
"ELLA!" Jane screamed, flipping her friend over to find her eyes open but unresponsive. Ella was staring blankly into the distance, as though trapped in a fog.
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Back at the construction site, Kyle was finishing the inspection with Collins. Collins busily took measurements and made all the necessary preparations to begin work. The good news was that the building’s foundation was solid, meaning they wouldn’t have to tear it down completely. However, the interior would require significant remodeling to meet Kyle’s vision.
Kyle was deep in conversation with Collins when his phone rang. Glancing at the screen, he saw that Jane was calling.
"That’s odd," Kyle thought, briefly considering whether to answer. His focus was on Collins, and he didn’t want to seem disrespectful by cutting their conversation short.
But then the phone rang again. This time, Kyle knew it must be urgent. The last thing he wanted was to be unavailable when Jane needed him most.
"Hello, Jane?" Kyle answered. "Are you alright?"
Jane’s frantic voice came through the line, making it difficult for Kyle to understand her at first.
"S-Slow down. Ella is what?" Kyle’s expression hardened as Jane’s words began to register.
His demeanor shifted entirely as the gravity of the situation became clear.
