Alexander masked his irritation well, but I could tell he was growing weary of the King’s manic energy. Still, he didn’t protest. Instead, he placed a steadying hand on my lower back as we followed the King to the door.The King poked his head out, calling to the guards. “Escort Luna Black to the pr
Ella POV"Everything happened so differently the first time around," I said, my voice quieter now, almost reflective.Amanda’s glare didn’t waver, but I could see the flicker of confusion in her eyes."David and I were married. The ceremony was beautiful, and I couldn’t have been happier. I got a li
Amanda swallowed hard. "So you went to him." Her voice was barely above a whisper. "To Alexander."I nodded. "He had the resources, the knowledge, and the power to help me. First, he helped me break off my engagement with David. Then, we faked a relationship for the good press."Amanda’s expression
Alexander POVElla’s handling of Amanda completely caught me off guard, and I wasn’t sure how I felt about it. How could she have any pity for the woman who had put her through so much? It eluded me.At the same time, it showed a level of control and cleverness that was undeniable. A true Luna—not o
Ella POVBy the time we got to the apartment, I was conflicted. I felt like I had made some kind of mistake in the way I handled Amanda, but it was too late to take it back.Whatever happened next was out of my hands.It wasn’t as though Alexander and I had a chance to plan how to handle it. The kin
Yet, he didn’t seem to feel that way. Instead of anger, he pitied her.There had to be something I didn’t understand, but it was too sensitive a topic to push with him right now.Sinking onto the couch, I pulled out my phone and sent a quick text to Elizabeth to check in.A second later, she called.
Alexander POVGuilt gnawed at me all morning as I waited for Sabrina to arrive. It settled in my stomach like a weight, a constant reminder that I was keeping something from Ella.I’d tried—tried to find the right moment, tried to work up the nerve to tell her—but every time I opened my mouth, the w
Sabrina nodded, looking away. "She made me believe that if I told you, you’d turn on me. That you’d try to take Lexie away or—" She shook her head. "I was young, scared, and I had no one. She was the only person who offered to help me."I exhaled sharply, trying to keep my emotions in check. "And no
The king sighed. “I need to finish preparing.” His tone was final, dismissing us. But there was a new weight in his gaze—a disturbance that hadn’t been there before.As we left his office, I couldn’t shake the feeling that we had just set something in motion.Alexander pulled me down a side hallway
Ella POVThe atmosphere in the king’s home was tense. Servants and guards moved briskly through the halls, their expressions unreadable but their urgency undeniable.The entire building was bracing itself for what was about to unfold—the king’s official statement on the arrests, the fallout of the i
Something in his tone made my heart skip. He was serious, but there was something else beneath it—hesitation.I sat up straighter, nerves tightening in my chest. "What is it?"Alexander hesitated, then met my gaze. "I had a meeting with Sabrina."I blinked, surprised. "You did?"He had seemed so dev
Ella POVThe rooftop was bathed in the soft glow of city lights, the distant hum of activity below drowned out by music playing softly from unseen speakers. The air was cool, but the view more than made up for it.As I sat at the table in the center of the roof, the patio heaters created a warm bubl
Sabrina nodded, looking away. "She made me believe that if I told you, you’d turn on me. That you’d try to take Lexie away or—" She shook her head. "I was young, scared, and I had no one. She was the only person who offered to help me."I exhaled sharply, trying to keep my emotions in check. "And no
Alexander POVGuilt gnawed at me all morning as I waited for Sabrina to arrive. It settled in my stomach like a weight, a constant reminder that I was keeping something from Ella.I’d tried—tried to find the right moment, tried to work up the nerve to tell her—but every time I opened my mouth, the w
Yet, he didn’t seem to feel that way. Instead of anger, he pitied her.There had to be something I didn’t understand, but it was too sensitive a topic to push with him right now.Sinking onto the couch, I pulled out my phone and sent a quick text to Elizabeth to check in.A second later, she called.
Ella POVBy the time we got to the apartment, I was conflicted. I felt like I had made some kind of mistake in the way I handled Amanda, but it was too late to take it back.Whatever happened next was out of my hands.It wasn’t as though Alexander and I had a chance to plan how to handle it. The kin
Alexander POVElla’s handling of Amanda completely caught me off guard, and I wasn’t sure how I felt about it. How could she have any pity for the woman who had put her through so much? It eluded me.At the same time, it showed a level of control and cleverness that was undeniable. A true Luna—not o