“Fiona!” I called out. She turned, her emerald-green dress shimmering under the chandelier light. The long bell sleeves and silver jewelry made her look effortlessly elegant. She smiled warmly as she approached us, a tall, broad-shouldered man with light brown hair at her side. “I didn’t expect to
Ella POV “How did Fiona trick you into coming out with her tonight?” Alexander asked, a teasing smirk tugging at his lips as we settled into a dimly lit booth at the warm cocktail bar up the street. Fiona kicked him under the table. Alexander winced and hissed in pain. I laughed, unable to help m
“Michael’s far more mature than you are,” Alexander shot back. “As if he had a choice,” Fiona quipped. “What does that mean?” I asked, curiosity piqued. “With a mother like Diana, it’s not like he had the luxury of a normal childhood,” Fiona said casually, her tone light but her words weighted.
Ella POVOur drinks came and went, and then came again, the four of us consuming more than I think we had initially planned. The conversation flowed easily, and once Carlos got over his nerves about Alexander, he proved to be both charming and unexpectedly funny.Alexander participated in the discus
I expected a system notification or a breaking news alert. Instead, it was a text message.The blood drained from my face as I recognized the number. It was the same one that had sent me the strange warning weeks ago.I looked at the body of the message, but it didn’t make sense. There were no words
Ella POVBy the time we returned to the apartment, Alexander was noticeably agitated. Seeing him in such a state did absolutely nothing to calm my own nerves.“It’s David, isn’t it?” I asked as Alexander closed the door behind us.He looked at me, startled for a moment, then shook his head. “No, I d
“I don’t think that,” Alexander replied, his tone unnervingly calm. “But I need to get to work and handle this situation before it escalates. You’re upset, but I don’t have time—”“To what?” I cut him off, my voice rising. “To talk to me? To tell me the truth? Just how much are you hiding, Alexander
Ella POVThe contents of the box were baffling. It was filled with a chaotic assortment of papers: business receipts, handwritten letters from people whose names I didn’t recognize—or who hadn’t signed them at all.From the few lines I skimmed, the letters seemed meaningless, scattered fragments of
Alexander POVI checked my watch for what felt like the hundredth time. It was almost noon, and I had hoped to meet Sabrina and Lexie an hour ago. The plan had been simple: a shopping trip to get everything they would need for their big move to the Rowandwood pack.Lexie was excited about starting s
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