Ella seemed to sense John's gaze, feeling a twinge of discomfort. "John, what are you looking at?"
John averted his eyes and started to tell the story of his greatest regret. "Ella, you must be wondering why I was so determined to have Carlos marry you, right?"
Ella wasn't sure how to answer, so she nodded faintly.
"Do you remember your grandmother? She was the most stunning and compassionate woman I've ever known," John asked.
"My grandmother? You knew her?" Ella's voice lit up with excitement, as many had told her that her beauty was inherited from her grandmother.
John's piercing, aged eyes softened with warmth. "Indeed. Your grandmother and I were close friends from long ago. Back then, I was being hunted by usurpers in my family. I was badly wounded and collapsed on the roadside.
