Ben couldn't stop thinking. His mind kept circling back, wondering what the best way was to solve all this. The police were never an option, neither was becoming the bad guy.
The only solution he could come up with was to grow cold again.
But this time, it felt uneasy. Every time he saw Ella, a part of him wanted to reach out, to speak, to explain and to let her know the reason behind his coldness towards her. Yet, he held himself back, believing that staying distant was the only way to protect her.
To make his plan believable, Ben did something Ella never expected, he invited Rita for dinner.
Rita was shocked when she got the call. After everything that had happened, she never thought Ben would want to see her again. The moment she heard his voice, she smirked to herself. This was her chance to her way back in.
She wore her best dress, bold and seductive. Her heels clicked against the marble floor as she walked in, confidence oozing from every step. She looked like she was walking a red carpet, every move intentional, every breath calculated.
When Ella heard the news, she froze.
"Really?" she whispered under her breath, disbelief spreading across her face. She thought Ben would finally deal with Rita after everything she'd put her through, not welcome her into their home like nothing had happened.
Dinner was tense. The air felt thick, almost suffocating. Rita smiled sweetly, pretending innocence, while Ben sat expressionless, forcing himself to act the part.
He lifted his glass slowly, looked straight ahead, and said quietly, "Cheers to a fresh beginning."
Ella's heart shattered at those words.
"A fresh beginning?" she repeated, her voice trembling as her eyes turned red. "After all she did to me… this is what you could come up with?"
"I didn't ask for your opinion," Ben cut in sharply. His voice was steady, cold, too cold. "This is my house, and I set the rules."
He hated every word as it left his mouth, but he had to stay focused. He needed to protect her, even if it meant breaking her heart in the process.
Rita's lips curled into a sly smile as she leaned closer to Ben.
"Oh, you really thought he'd ever leave me for you?" she sneered, her voice dripping with mockery. Her hand brushed against Ben's arm possessively. "Mmm… now he knows what's best for him."
She laughed; loud, cruel, and victorious.
Every sound of it scraped against Ella's soul.
Unable to bear it any longer, Ella stood up and walked away silently. Her heels echoed through the hallway, the sound heavy and hollow, heartbreak turned into footsteps. She went straight to her room, locked the door, and sank to the floor.
Her thoughts raced wildly. Why this sudden change? Was he pretending all along?
Days passed, and nothing changed.
Ben's mask of arrogance stayed firm; distant, unreadable, untouchable. Rita made herself comfortable in his home, moving in almost completely. She only leaves to pick up a few things before returning, as if she owned the place.
Ella never said a word.
She had two choices; to walk away and lose the contract marriage before its term expired, or to stay and risk her sanity, but keep her father's stolen company within reach.
Every morning, she went to work in silence. No breakfast. No small talk. No smiles. Just exhaustion and emptiness.
But what she didn't know was that Ben still watched her from afar.
He'd hide behind tinted windows or in quiet corners, watching her leave for work and return home safely.
He couldn't stop caring, even if he had to pretend otherwise.