My father smiled, the kind of proud smile that always made me feel like I could take on anything. "That’s my girl," he said warmly. "Now, it seems to me you’ve had a very long day. Why don’t you go get some rest? You’ve got therapy in the morning, right?" "That’s right," I confirmed. "My occupatio
Ella POV Before I even opened the message from Amanda, I called Alexander. My hands were trembling as I waited for the call to ring through, and relief washed over me when his face appeared on the screen. “What’s wrong?” he asked immediately, his expression sharpening as he took in my obvious di
My eyes widened as I took in his words. He was right—David’s stunt put the entire kingdom in an awkward position, forcing people to choose between our wedding and his. It was a calculated move, but a reckless one. Unless he did something drastic to regain public favor, this gamble wouldn’t pay off.
Alexander POV My phone started to ring almost as soon as I ended the call with Ella. I glared at the screen as I saw it was the venue. They had a lot of nerve to violate a contract with me, but I had to keep my anger in check. I kept my voice calm and firm as I answered. “Have you called to ex
“Not exactly.” I grimaced at the thought of Amanda and shook my head. "I don’t want to vent to you about something like this." "Does it have something to do with David, though?" she asked in a hushed tone, her voice dropping as if she didn’t want anyone to overhear. "Because since our last convers
Ella POV “He is a difficult man to shop for,” Elizabeth said as we left our fourth stop empty-handed. “I think I’m making it more difficult than it needs to be,” I admitted, frustration seeping into my tone. “I just want to get something that will really make an impact on him, and nothing feels
I glanced at James, who nodded slightly, always ready to help. The idea was starting to feel more real, more possible. If I could pull this off, it wouldn’t just be a gift—it would be a memory. Something meaningful. Something perfect. The three of us began making our way toward the tailor shop. As
Ella POV The phone buzzed in my hand as we strolled through the shopping center. Elizabeth and James exchanged knowing looks when they saw Alexander's name flash on the screen. I answered, trying to sound casual. “Hello, Alexander.” “Having fun?” His voice, smooth as ever, carried just a hint of
Ella POVThe night we had been working towards for so long was finally here. It didn’t seem real, but it was finally happening.It was election night.All day Alexander and I had been answering questions from reporters and making phonecalls to voters, hoping to get as many people as possible to show
He glanced at me, a knowing look passing between us. We would face whatever came next together.After dinner, Sabrina and Alexander took Lexie up to get ready for bed. She wanted a bedtime story from Alexander and he seemed happy to do it.Once we were alone in the living room, my mother pulled me t
Ella POVAlexander and I spent the day in my family’s packlands with Lexie, a rare moment of peace before the election.The official statement revealing Lexie’s identity had been carefully crafted—Alexander had asked for privacy for her sake.The response had been mixed, but most people saw it as a
“It does,” Elizabeth said. “But people also fear what they don’t understand. Alexander has spent years in the shadows. Half of what he’s done is still a secret. People don’t know that he’s…” she hesitated, looking away for a moment. “Now, they’re being asked to trust him with the kingdom.” She sighe
Ella POVI sat across from Elizabeth at a quiet restaurant, a half-empty glass of wine in front of me. The air between us was lighter than it had been in months, but there was still an unspoken tension—a lingering wound that was still healing.Elizabeth had taken the revelations about Alexander, Dav
Ella POVThe news of Ironfang’s arrest tore through the kingdom like wildfire. Fear gripped the people as they learned the horrifying truth—powerful figures within their own government had been working with the North.For years, the enemy had been closer than anyone had realized, pulling strings in
Alexander POVI stood before the King, my body still weak from the poison, but my mind sharp and steady. Ella stood at my side, her presence grounding me, a silent promise that we would face whatever came next together.I could feel the weight of her gaze on me, the quiet strength she offered just b
Ella POVIt took several days before Alexander could stay awake for more than a few minutes at a time.Those days felt like an eternity to me, sitting at his bedside, watching the slow rise and fall of his chest, hoping for any sign of improvement. The doctors assured me that the worst had passed, b
The King’s orders were not something you ignored. And though I had no desire to leave Alexander’s side, I couldn’t risk further angering the King—especially when I had no idea what he would do with the information I had.Still, my resolve weakened as she glanced at Alexander one last time. “He’ll be