Strangers To Lovers

Chapter Fourty-One

As I directed my gaze toward my mother, two pairs of eyes turned to face me—hers, cold and calculating, and Ella’s, wide with a mix of panic and determination. Only one set of eyes, Ella’s, truly stopped me from continuing with my conversation. I opened my mouth, trying to think of something to say, but my mind was blank. I was speechless.

Ella sidestepped me quickly, brushing past with such urgency I barely had time to react before she was hurrying toward the elevator. Her hands fumbled with the buttons, and for a moment, she looked back at me, her eyes filled with something unreadable, before grimacing and turning away.

“Ella—” I started, but she was gone, slipping through the closing elevator doors. I felt a pang of loss in my chest, the sting of rejection more potent than I expected.

“Aren’t you going after her?” Clarissa’s voice snapped me out of my daze. She was standing next to me, eyebrows raised in disbelief.

I stared at her for a beat, unsure how to respond. “I... I can’t.”

“Hopeless,” she muttered, giving me a quick slap on the back before rushing down the hallway herself, her heels clicking sharply against the marble floor.

I watched her go, feeling like I was moving through a fog. What had just happened? Why hadn’t I run after Ella? My mother’s presence loomed behind me, her anger palpable in the air, and I felt torn between the two worlds that were now colliding—my desire to chase after Ella and the suffocating grip of my mother’s control.

The door to my mother’s office was cracked open, and I could hear voices from inside. As I stepped closer, I accidentally knocked over a piece of glass on the floor, the loud crash echoing in the hallway.

Inside, Levi stood facing my mother, clutching his shoulder as if he had just been in a fight. His expression was a mixture of defiance and frustration, while my mother sat behind her desk, her nails painted blood-red, fingers drumming impatiently.

“How dare she speak to me like that,” my mother hissed, her voice sharp and cutting. Her eyes were wild with fury, far more enraged than I had ever seen her before.

I stepped between them instinctively, trying to diffuse the tension. “What the hell happened?”

Levi shot me a glare but said nothing, his grip tightening on his shoulder. I glanced between him and my mother, confused and unsettled.

“She’s pushing too far, Luke,” Levi muttered through gritted teeth. “She’s threatening to keep me in that damned rehab facility. But no matter what she tries, I’m leaving.”

“I told you,” my mother spat, “that if you keep defying me, I will take away everything.”

I felt dizzy, my mind spinning from the weight of everything happening at once. I reached out, gripping the back of a chair to steady myself, my chest tightening as I tried to make sense of it all.

“You’re bringing back that tramp?” my mother suddenly screeched, her voice full of venom. “Are you trying to ruin everything?”

My stomach twisted. I knew exactly who she was talking about—Ella. It was always about Ella.

“No, Mother,” I said through clenched teeth. “I’m not ruining anything. You are.”

Her eyes widened, filled with shock and anger, and for the first time in my life, I saw a flicker of vulnerability behind her cold exterior. “You dare speak to me like that?”

I took a deep breath, trying to steady myself, but the room seemed to spin. I felt lightheaded, my vision blurring as I struggled to keep my footing. Hyperventilating—I realized too late.

I stumbled back, gasping for air as my mother’s voice droned on, her words blending into a blur of noise. My mind raced, thoughts crashing into each other, incoherent and jumbled.

Levi’s hand shot out, steadying me. “Luke, breathe. Don’t let her get to you.”

I tried to focus, to breathe deeply, but the weight of everything was crushing me. “I... I can’t... do this.”

“You’re stronger than this,” Levi urged. “Don’t let her win.”

I wanted to believe him, but it felt like everything was falling apart. My world was crumbling, and I had no idea how to stop it.

My mother’s cold laughter cut through the haze. “So pathetic. Both of you.”

The room tilted, and I felt myself sinking further into despair. How had it come to this? How had everything spiraled so far out of control?

“I can’t do this anymore,” I whispered, my voice barely audible.

Levi’s grip tightened on my arm. “You don’t have to do it alone.”

I looked up at him, his face filled with determination. Despite everything, despite the chaos and the mess we were in, Levi still stood by me.

And then there was Ella.

I had pushed her away, hurt her more times than I could count, and yet... I loved her. The realization hit me with a force that knocked the breath from my lungs. I loved her, and I had been too afraid to fight for her.

“Levi...” I began, my voice trembling.

He nodded, understanding. “Go. Don’t let her slip away.”

I didn’t need any more encouragement. Without another word, I turned and bolted from the office, racing down the hallway, my heart pounding in my chest. The elevator doors had just begun to close when I caught sight of Ella inside.

“Ella, wait!” I shouted, throwing myself against the door, jamming my hand between them to stop it from closing.

Her eyes widened in surprise as the doors opened again, and for a moment, we just stared at each other.

“Luke... what are you doing?” she asked, her voice soft and unsure.

“I...” My throat felt tight. “I can’t let you go.”

Ella shook her head, stepping back. “You already did.”

“No,” I said, taking a step forward. “I was scared. I didn’t know how to fight for us, but I do now. I love you, Ella. And I’ll fight for you.”

Tears welled in her eyes as she shook her head again, but this time, there was something else in her expression—hope.

“I don’t know if I can do this, Luke,” she whispered, her voice breaking. “I don’t know if I can trust you again.”

“I know,” I said, my heart aching. “But I swear, I will never hurt you again. I’ll do whatever it takes to make things right. Please, give me another chance.”

Ella’s lips trembled, and for a moment, I thought she might turn and walk away. But then, slowly, she stepped forward, her hand reaching out to mine.

“Okay,” she whispered, her voice barely audible. “One more chance.”

The relief that washed over me was overwhelming, and before I knew it, I was pulling her into my arms, holding her close. She melted against me, her arms wrapping around my neck as I pressed my forehead against hers.

“I won’t let you down,” I whispered against her lips before capturing them in a deep, desperate kiss.

In that moment, nothing else mattered. Not my mother, not the chaos of the past few weeks—only Ella, only this second chance that I had been so close to losing.

When we finally pulled apart, breathless and trembling, I smiled at her, my heart full for the first time in what felt like forever.

“I love you,” I said, meaning every word.

Ella smiled, a real, genuine smile that made my chest tighten. “I love you too, Luke.”

And in that moment, I knew that no matter what came next, I would fight for this love with everything I had.