Chapter 349

Just as she got onto the airport expressway, her phone buzzed again. She glanced down to see an unfamiliar number. Assuming it was about the delivery, she answered without a second thought. “Hello?”

“It’s me.” The voice on the other end belonged to Chris.

Ella rolled her eyes, thinking, ‘Is this guy serious?’ She was about to hang up.

But Chris pressed on. “You can get in touch with Stephanie, right?”

“What do you want?” Ella snapped.

Was he about to ask her to put in a good word for Olivia again? These people were blind. Did they think she was the kind of person who’d help out someone like her?

Chris’s voice came through, tense and contained. “When is she coming back to Long Harbor? Or will she even come back?”

Ella replied flatly, “I don’t know.” Even if she did, she wouldn’t tell him.

“If she returns, could you let her know I want to see her?” Chris said.

“Chris, who do you think you are? You want to see her? At your level, you’re barely in the running.”

Stephanie was the pampered princess raised by both the Lucano family from Fiorenza and the Giovanni family. Her status was through the roof – how could he possibly think he had a shot?

Chris’s breath came through the phone heavily, filled with a kind of suppressed frustration. Clearly, Ella’s words had cut through any sense of superiority he once held in front of Stephanie. It turned out, the one who didn’t fit the bill was him. It was funny how everyone used to look down on Stephanie.

Ella considered asking what had actually gone down at the Hart residence today but quickly thought better of it. Honestly, she didn’t care, and neither did Stephanie want to know about Chris.

She hung up the phone without asking any more questions.

It was only after arriving at the airport that Ella started to think about Chris’s tone. ‘He sounded a bit sad earlier. So he wants to see Stephanie for reasons other than Olivia? What is this guy up to? He couldn’t possibly be having second thoughts, could he?’

“Stupid,” she muttered to herself. Even if he had regrets, there was no way he could catch up to Stephanie now.

On the plane, Sebastian’s hand rested on the back of the sofa where Stephanie was sitting, effectively wrapping her in his embrace from across the aisle.

Chapter 349 (continued)

Macro winced as his legs ached from Sebastian’s kick. Sebastian was relentless – he wouldn’t let anyone get away with teasing Stephanie.

“I didn’t say anything, okay?” Macro protested, feeling wronged.

Sebastian shot him a cold glare, making Macro gulp nervously. Stephanie stayed silent, focused on her meal, completely ignoring him – maybe because she just couldn’t bear to look at him. Lorenzo took a sip of his drink.

Sebastian glanced at Stephanie, who was munching away, and with a soft tone, he said, “Take your time eating; no one’s going to steal your food.”

She had a small mouth, and stuffing it full made her cheeks puff out adorably. Sebastian’s gaze deepened as he watched her, his mind racing with thoughts. But as soon as the idea formed, it was quickly dismissed. He knew Stephanie would never go along with it.

Stephanie devoured a chunk of steak, followed by some pasta and a bowl of corn mash, and she still didn’t look full. She then eyed the untouched ice cream in front of Sebastian.

Macro couldn’t hold it in any longer. “Are you seriously this starving? Richard must be a real piece of work.”

Sebastian cleared his throat.

Macro gave Sebastian an unamused look as he wondered, ‘What’s his problem now? Asking Stephanie if she’s really that hungry is a crime?’

Lorenzo downed his glass of red wine and shot a sympathetic glance at Macro, whose social skills were lacking. “Just ask what you want without dragging Richard into this.”

“Isn’t it true that Stephanie’s been starved by Richard? Hey, is he broke now? Can’t he even afford to feed her?” Macro pushed further.

Stephanie paused, images of Richard’s luxury villas in Paginara flashing through her mind. “Please don’t drag me into your death wish,” she said dryly. Macro was truly hopeless.

“I’m just curious. I mean, Sebastian has been hunting him down for years, almost costing him his life. I wonder how much money he spent just to keep himself alive,” Macro babbled on.

Stephanie felt a wave of frustration. She quickly dropped her head, pretending she hadn’t heard him.

And here was Macro, completely oblivious to the bruises still lingering on his legs. It was as if he had forgotten the pain after the injury healed. Some people just didn’t know when to stop.

Chapter 350