Chapter 332: Ella Confesses!?

Kyle clutched his jaw, the sharp sting from Ella’s reflex punch still throbbing like a fresh bruise. He sat on the edge of the couch in his apartment, the dim light filtering through the curtains casting shadows across the room. Jones had left earlier, chuckling at the spectacle, leaving Kyle and Ella alone in the awkward aftermath.

Ella hovered nearby, her face a mix of guilt and defiance, her red hair tousled from the scare he’d given her at the door. She was still in her casual clothes—a loose tank top and shorts that hugged her curves—but her posture screamed discomfort, arms crossed tightly over her chest as if shielding herself from more than just the chill in the air.

"I’m... sorry," Ella finally muttered, her voice barely above a whisper. She shifted her weight from one foot to the other, avoiding his gaze.

"For hitting you. That was... uncalled for." Ella added.

Kyle looked up, his hand dropping from his face. A smile tugged at his lips despite the pain.

"Uncalled for? You mean the part where you clocked me like a pro boxer, or the scream that probably woke the neighbors?" He chuckled lightly, the sound easing some of the tension in the room.

"Don’t worry, it’s fine. I deserved it. I shouldn’t have snuck up on you like that. Classic horror movie move—jump out and yell ’boo.’ What was I thinking?" Kyle accepted his part in this.

Ella’s eyes locked onto his, a flicker of relief crossing her features, but she wasn’t ready to let it go that easily.

"Well, yeah, you did startle me! Who does that? I thought someone was breaking in or something. You fucking scared me," She uncrossed her arms, gesturing wildly as if reliving the moment.

"You can’t just... lurk like that. It’s your fault, really." Ella’s tone had shifted completely. Kyle raised his hands to mimic surrender, his laughter slipping through his barely parted lips..

"Guilty as charged. I apologize for scaring, it is easy to forget you are a lady sometimes," Kyle said but noticed Ella closing in the distance as if she was going to hit him again for that statement.

"I’m kidding! I’m just kidding!" Kyle laughed as these words escaped his lips.

"You play too fucking much!" Ella barked, her words raw and uncensored.

"Hey, I’m sorry for making you uncomfortable in general. Look, Ella, about everything... we can go back to how things were. Pretend none of this weirdness happened. Roommates, friends—whatever feels right. No pressure," Kyle offered her a way out of his proposal.

His words hung in the air, sincere and steady, but Ella’s expression shifted. She bit her lip, her grey eyes clouding with something deeper than just embarrassment over the punch. She sank onto the couch beside him, not too close, but close enough that Kyle could feel the warmth radiating from her body.

The apartment felt smaller suddenly, the silence stretching as she gathered her thoughts. Kyle waited, sensing there was something she needed to get off her massive chest.

"I... I don’t know if we can just go back," Ella said softly, her voice trembling slightly. She stared at her hands in her lap, twisting her fingers together.

"Kyle, I’m attracted to you. Like, incredibly attracted. And it’s not just because of... whatever this is now. It’s been there for a while. Before you even made that crazy offer about joining you and Jane. God, that sounds so fucking messed up when I say it out loud," Ella confessed. The moment they met, she had tried to test him but Kyle didn’t pay attention to the one thing all men did.

This instantly made him standout to her, even at a subconscious level but Ella had self control because she never acted on any of it.

Kyle’s eyebrows shot up, but he stayed quiet, letting her speak her mind. He could see the internal war she was having with morality—the flush creeping up her neck, the way her shoulders hunched as if bracing for judgment.

"Jane’s my best friend," Ella continued, her words tumbling out faster now, like a dam breaking.

"What kind of person does that make me? Lusting after her guy? It feels like a sin, like I’m betraying her just by thinking about it. And yeah, I’ve had... dreams. Wet dreams, okay? About you. Waking up all hot and bothered, feeling guilty as hell. I keep thinking, what if I sabotage this? What if my stupid brain ruins everything—not just for me, but for Jane too? She’s so happy with you, and I don’t want to be the reason that falls apart. I’m scared, Kyle. Scared that I’ll self-destruct and drag everyone down with me," Ella was being vulnerable and this was something Kyle wasn’t about to take for granted.

Kyle could hear the vulnerability in her voice, the fear laced with every sentence. He shifted closer, careful not to crowd her, and placed a gentle hand on her knee.

"Ella, hey... look at me." Kyle requested. She hesitated but lifted her gaze, her eyes glistening with unshed tears.

"First off, thank you for being honest. That takes guts. And yeah, the dreams? The attraction? That’s human. It doesn’t make you a bad person. Jane is okay with this now. We’ve talked. But more importantly, I see you. All of you. The fierce, fiery woman who punches first and asks questions later. The one who’s loyal to her friends, even when it hurts," Kyle reassured her, voice gentle.

Ella let out a shaky laugh, wiping at her eyes.

"You cheeky bastard... You always know the right words to say," Ella muttered under her breath.

Kyle smiled softly, his thumb tracing a small circle on her knee—a reassuring touch, nothing more.

"You’re not going to self-destruct. Not on my watch. I won’t let you. We’ve all got our demons, our messy parts. Mine? Hell, I’ve got a laundry list. But we figure it out together. If this attraction is real, we explore it carefully. No rushing—just us being honest. And if it’s too much? We step back. But Ella, you’re not dragging anyone down. You’re lifting us up, even if you don’t see it yet," Kyle continued because he saw the impact she had on Jane’s life.

Jane was able to be timid even at this age because Ella must have protected her to allow such naivety to exist.

Ella searched his face, looking for any sign of insincerity, but found only warmth. Slowly, she leaned in, her hand reaching up to cup his cheek—the same one she’d bruised earlier. Kyle mirrored her, his fingers gently threading through her hair as he pulled her closer.

Their lips met. It was electric but barely a second passed before Kyle winced and pulled back sharply, his hand flying to his jaw.

"Ow! Damn, that punch really did a number on me," Kyle confessed.

Ella blinked, caught off guard, then burst into laughter—a genuine, belly-deep sound that filled the room. She covered her mouth, tears now from mirth instead of turmoil.

"Oh my God, I’m so sorry! Again! See? This is what I mean—self-sabotage. I kiss you and end up hurting you," Ella joked about the situation.

Kyle joined in, chuckling through the pain, his eyes crinkling at the corners.

"Hey, at least it’s memorable. A kiss and a black eye? That’s got to be a record." He rubbed his jaw gingerly but reached for her hand, intertwining their fingers.

"Worth it, though."

"You’re impossible, you know that?" Ella rolled her eyes but there was affection in her tone now.