I eagerly stepped in, letting the water wash over my weary body. The tension from the long day melted away as the warmth soothed my muscles and cleared my mind. It didn't take long for my mind to wander. Sleeping in the same bed with Alexander shouldn’t have been a big deal, and yet the thought al
Ella POV “What happened? Why did I hear a scream?” Diana asked as she knocked on the door. I opened my mouth to speak but no words came out. My heart pounded harder, and for a moment, I was completely frozen. Alexander, however, didn’t seem fazed. Straightening up, he turned toward the door, h
“I don’t know what you mean,” I replied, but the knowing look he gave me made it clear he saw through my denial. “Go ahead and ask your questions,” he said, his tone calm. “There’s no reason to be hesitant with me. You want to know about my relationship with my mother.” I hesitated, unsure if I
Alexander POV Ella lay quiet and still beside me, her breathing steady but her body tense. Despite her insistence that this arrangement was fine, I knew she was uncomfortable. I couldn’t blame her—this situation was awkward, to say the least. As I lay there, the memory of that night crept into m
Listening for the sound of his footsteps returning. Hoping to feel the mattress shift under his weight again. But the room remained quiet, and he never came back. I drifted in and out of the awkward space between sleep and wakefulness, only opening my eyes when I heard birds chirping outside t
Third Person POV Diana stared at Ella in disbelief. Diana had never expected such confidence from such a young girl. Most of what she had heard about Ella Rowan was from a few months ago. It all led her to believe she was timid, innocent, and too nervous to stand her ground. But seeing her now
“Let me know about that dress shopping trip,” she said. “I’m really looking forward to meeting your mother.” “I’ll speak to her when I get home and let you know the details,” I replied, though the idea of spending the afternoon with Diana and my mother seemed far less appealing now. Still, I was d
Ella POV Even before I fully processed what I was seeing, an uneasy feeling settled in my chest. Beside me, Alexander stood silent, either gauging my reaction or caught in disbelief himself. The ground was ruined. Deep furrows crisscrossed the earth in jagged, uneven lines of soil and stone. Mix
She trembled—barely noticeable, but I could feel it, see the way her body stiffened. Diana wasn’t one to show fear, but it was there now. Her eyes widened, though she tried to hide it behind a mask of defiance.She opened her mouth to speak, but her words faltered as she seemed to reconsider. Her ha
Ella POVIt took a while for August to calm down enough to leave. He wouldn’t give me any more information than he already had, but it did seem like he felt a little better now that he wasn’t the only one aware of the gravity of the situation.I was still standing in the doorway where I had spoken t
“I can’t,” he said weakly, his voice choked by tears.“Why?” I asked, frustrated.He looked away from me and I realized that I already knew the answer to that question. “Alexander is keeping something from me,” I said softly.He nodded, but couldn’t seem to meet my eyes.I could only imagine how har
Ella POVAugust paced across the living room, his brows drawn together in frustration. The tension in the room was thick.He and Alexander had a huge fight just a short while ago. I wasn’t in the room when it happened, but I could hear them shouting. I couldn’t make out any of the words, but it was
“I–” Sabrina looked at Lexie and sighed softly. “I’m very grateful. We’d be happy to stay with you until we’re able to find a safe place of our own.”My father smiled brightly. “Wonderful. We’ll be very happy to have you.”Overwhelmed with gratitude, I reached for his hand. “Dad…thank you. I didn’t
Ella POVThe warm glow of the restaurant’s chandeliers cast a golden hue over the elegantly set tables.I sat beside Alexander, my fingers absentmindedly tracing the edge of my wine glass as I watched Lexie beam with pure delight. The little girl twirled in her chair, the soft pink dress Alexander h
Alexander’s gaze softened as he considered the offer. “That… might actually be the best solution.” He reached across the table, taking my hand in his. “I can’t tell you how much it means to me that you’re thinking about her like this.”I squeezed his hand. “She’s important to you. That makes her imp
Ella POVThe bustling noise of the shopping center’s food court was drown out by the sound of Lexie’s excited voice. Her tray of food was mostly ignored in favor of conversation.Her bright blue eyes were filled with excitement as she rattled off every thought that came to her mind.“And then the pr
Alexander blinked in surprise, obviously caught off guard. "Alright,” he said. “Let’s play."I watched as Alexander followed Lexie into the play area, my chest tightening with emotion. I could see it so clearly—the bond forming between them, the way Alexander was already looking at Lexie like she wa