"Congratulations, Ella!" Rita said loudly as Ella walked into the room, her voice brimming with excitement.
"How did you know?" Ella asked, raising an eyebrow in surprise.
"I can see it from your face. The way you came back, that smile, it says it all," Rita added, a knowing smirk playing on her lips. "He proposed, right?"
"Hahaha… right. He did, but… something feels off," Ella admitted, her tone conflicted as she forced a smile, masking the unease curling in her chest.
"I know. It's normal," Rita said, shrugging lightly. "I wish Ben would do the same for me. I'd be the happiest person ever."
Ben had been standing on the stairs, unnoticed, as they focused on the beautiful ring gleaming on Ella's finger.
"Awww, this is beautiful," Rita added, admiration lacing her voice.
"'He proposed!'" Ben's voice cut sharply through the air, loud and demanding, immediately drawing their attention.
"How long have you known this guy that you're even sure he's the one to say yes to?" Ben pressed, his expression hardening. His tone was sharp, edged with frustration, revealing his disapproval of the unfolding events.
"I've known him enough to know he is the one for me. He makes me happy, and that's all that matters," Ella said, her voice calm on the surface but weighed down by the hollowness of her own words.
Ben's heart sank in pain, but he knew he had done enough to push her away from him.
"If you say so… good luck," Ben replied coldly, turning on his heel and leaving the room. The sound of the door closing left a heavy silence, a quiet void lingering in the space he had just vacated.
"I'll get you, Ella," Ben whispered to himself, lingering for a second outside before driving away.
Rita smiled faintly as she observed Ella's unease. She excused herself to the restroom. "You did good. Now everything is done," Rita said into the phone to Jasper, her eyes glinting with satisfaction. "We have a final step, and she'll be out as an obstacle for good."
"Everything is going as planned," Rita added, her tone low and deliberate, savoring the subtle triumph of the unfolding scheme.
The tension between joy and unease lingered in the room, a quiet prelude to what was coming next, as each mind spun with anticipation, desire, and calculated intentions.
"Don't forget our agreement… I get the rest of my payment after everything is done," Jasper said to Rita, his voice firm but tinged with impatience.
Ella wanted space to process everything, so she stayed at Ben's house. She hadn't moved out, she simply found Jasper's company more comfortable.
Later that evening, Ben approached Ella, his expression serious.
"Are you sure you don't want to run any background check before you walk down the aisle with him?" he asked, concern threading through his voice.
"You barely know him, his family, and I'm sure you don't even know what he does," Ben continued, his words flowing rapidly as he tried to convince Ella to investigate first. Each argument was logical, compelling, and made sense.
"You're right… I'll do just that," Ella replied finally, a thoughtful expression crossing her face as she considered Ben's advice carefully.
"Ben, let her be. She's grown enough to know what's best for her," Rita said sharply, trying to push back, aware that Ben's words could slow down her plans.
Rita's words fell into the tense air between them, but Ella spoke softly, her own thoughts weighing on her.
"Rita, I think he's right. I can't spend the rest of my life with someone I barely know," Ella admitted, her voice quiet but resolute, a hint of hesitation shadowing her decision.
Rita's eyes flickered with something unreadable, part frustration, part impatience, but she knew she would need to act carefully to stay ahead in her scheme.