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
“Does that mean he’s announced David’s arrest, too?” I asked.“Yes,” Alexander said, irritation flashing across his face. It was obvious—once again, the king had made a major decision without giving us a heads-up.I turned to Diana, suspicion creeping into my expression. She had been advising the ki
Ella POVSomething about Diana was off.Every time I had interacted with her before, she had maintained a pretense of politeness, a faint affection, as if she at least wanted me to believe she liked me—that she had my best interests at heart.But now, as she looked at me, that facade was gone. She w
“Alexander,” Ella interrupted, her voice suddenly sharp, “You know him.”I froze, her grip on my arm anchoring me in place. The room seemed to close in as my mind raced.“Yes,” I said quietly, meeting her gaze. “I know him.”Ella POVMy mind was spinning, almost dizzy with the overwhelming thoughts.
Alexander POVThe office door burst open, and Ella rushed in, barreling straight into me and collapsing into my arms. I wrapped my arms tightly around her, still seated in my chair.“What the hell is going on?” I asked, my voice a mix of concern and confusion.August, who had been sitting across fro
Ella POVElizabeth and I sat across from each other at a small table in our favorite restaurant at the shopping center. An untouched appetizer sat between us, the ice in our drinks melting slowly.I didn’t want to push her. Whatever she had to tell me, she was clearly struggling with. But I also nee
She lowered her gaze. "I just don’t want my friend to get hurt," she admitted. "I'm trying to figure out who's targeting Ella so I can stop them."Dr. McIntyre scoffed. "By killing them?"Elizabeth met her eyes without flinching."If that's what it takes."There was a long silence as the two women s
Third Person POVElizabeth descended into the basement of her house, a heavy weight pressing against her chest. She had no idea what was going on with her father or why he was acting as he was, but she knew it was dangerous.He didn’t seem to understand how serious the situation was. Someone was sch
Eventually, out of desperation, she had called Diana. Her aunt had agreed to pay for housing on one condition: that she return to the South.Now, here she was, in the capital, feeling like a ghost in a place that no longer belonged to her. Every day, she lived in fear of running into Alexander.And
Ella POV“We could ask Sabrina.”"I can't," Alexander said, his voice barely audible."Okay," I replied easily.He was silent for a long moment before loosening his grip just enough to look at my face. "Okay?""Of course," I said. "I'm not going to pressure you to do something that's painful for you