Ella - POV "What's wrong, babe? You seemed distant and anxious yesterday. Is it the pressure from your new job?" James's worry was apparent in his attempt to break the silence. "James, I've been meaning to tell you this for a while," I paused, and James took my hand to soothe me. When I looked up at him, I saw concern in his eyes. "I'm working with Darcus Miller, my ex-boyfriend. He's the CEO of the company." The slight tightening of James's grip on my wrist and the raw emotion in his eyes pounded my heart. I didn't want to stress you when you were on the verge of getting a promotion. "You're leaving that company tomorrow, Ella." James's stern tone made me shiver; I'd never heard him sound like this before. "I can't. Mr. Miller manipulated the contract against me," I spat out. James's eyes grew colder, and I was frightened to see such an expression on his face. "We'll take legal action against him, Ella. I can help you terminate the contract by paying off the amount due under its
Ella - POV My jaw dropped when we arrived at the venue. It was so serene I could hear the birds chirping in the trees, a perfect enclave of nature within the city. Noticing my astonishment, James glanced at me, a smile playing on his lips. He held my hand as we navigated our way to the entrance. An attendant guided us to our reserved table, where Dad and Hana were already seated. Upon seeing me, Hana greeted me with a warm hug. "Did you tell him the truth?" Hana whispered in my ear during our embrace. "Yes, but I could only tell him half of it because I didn't mention the kiss," I whispered. Hana pulled away, giving me a look of sympathy. James was observing us closely as we took our seats. "Congratulations, son, on becoming the CEO of California Law firm!" Dad beamed, wrapping James in a heartfelt hug. I saw a genuine smile spread across James's face. "Thank you, Dad. This means a lot to me." My dad then presented James with a small gift. "Congratulations, James," Hana said, ex
James - POV I walked alongside Ella's father, clutching a fishing rod. However, my thoughts were elsewhere, tumbling rapidly after hearing Ella's admission that she's been working with her ex-boyfriend. I was sure that Darcus had been nearby that day. The fact that I recognized his magic today made me believe it was his unknown magic I had previously sensed. Aisha symbolized the dragon aristocracy, and Darcus, with his potent abilities, had the bearing of a dragon king. This revelation shed light on Ella's recent fascination with the supernatural. Was it possible that Darcus had discerned my true identity, despite the measures I had taken to cloak my energy from foes? If that were the case, Darcus might be planning to reveal my identity to Ella. I couldn't help but wonder why was Darcus trying to drive a wedge between Ella and me? This suggested one of two possibilities: either Darcus still harbored feelings for Ella and sought her back, or Ella was his mate. However, I'd never hear
Ella - POV "Why can't I just catch a break? I keep seeing Darcus shadowing me everywhere." Hana and I sat in the back of the restaurant's garden area. We had decided to forgo the spa, my rage needing a physical outlet. Unfortunately, poor Hana became the unwilling audience to my tirade for an hour. "Why doesn't that jerk Darcus just go to hell and spontaneously combust? I can't understand this guy," I lamented. "Ella, seriously, calm down. You're giving me a headache," Hana finally snapped, halting my pacing and complaining. I joined her on the bench and tried to regain my composure with a few deep breaths. "Amid all my drama, I forgot to ask about your doctor's appointment." Hana's gaze dropped to her stomach, and she smiled softly. "I was overjoyed when I saw our baby on the sonography screen. I can't wait to meet him or her. Luke was ecstatic too, as you know," she began, but her voice trailed off into sadness. I could tell Hana was grappling with the pain she associated with L
Ella - POV "Of course, let's go, Babe. We're done here." Wrapping my arm around him, James graced me with a radiant smile that fluttered my heart. Why was he so irresistible? Darcus remained impassive, devoid of any visible emotion. As James's hand settled on mine, it returned my attention to him. We left Darcus behind, his watchful gaze prickling at my back. "Ella, you're mine." A voice echoing Darcus's tones resonated in my head, causing me to halt abruptly. James shot me a confused and concerned look, trying to figure out why I'd stopped. Turning around, I saw Darcus was already out of sight. "I just had a strange feeling, James; I just..." His expression deepened with worry. A wave of weakness swept over me, causing my knees to buckle. Quickly reacting, James caught me around the waist, stopping my fall. "Don't worry, Babe. I'm here. We're going home so you can rest." Confusion whirled inside me as he lifted me in a bridal carry to the car, securing me gently in the passenger s
Darcus - POV Seated in a dimly lit room, I nursed a whiskey, the liquor doing little to ease the pain. Seeing Ella so close to the warlock stung. I could feel Drago, my dragon, flinching at the sight of our mate with someone else. I missed Ella deeply, yet I couldn't let others, particularly my mother, meddle with my destiny. Regrettably, I'd made the mistake of heeding her advice, naively believing I was protecting Ella. I should've sought counsel from the shrine's priest and followed his guidance to solve the issue. I still had an opportunity to discuss my concerns with Tiamat's priest, but I had to keep them under wraps. If other royals discovered my problems, it would alarm those internal enemies who knew my weaknesses and sought to exploit them. The Duke Garcia family, Zac, and my mother were the only ones who knew about Ella, my mate. Apart from them, no one was aware of my human partner. My father and I had a strained relationship. He needed to be informed about my mate, an
Darcus - POV "Your Majesty, the search team has found no trace of our former king yet. However, as soon as I receive an update from the team, I will immediately notify you, Your Majesty," she said calmly, her voice belying the rage in her eyes. My glare caused her to straighten her posture. How dare she express anger toward me when she is at fault? "I need more knights to get to work so I can find my father and bring him home safely," I ordered. As a sign of acceptance, she bowed her head, and some royal aristocrats noticed the tension between my mother and me, while others were baffled by what was happening. "I believe we can adjourn the meeting, and we will inform you all as soon as we have further information," I added. The royals left the court, and I sighed, rubbing the bridge of my nose. "I think you should take a nap, Your Majesty, since you haven't slept the entire day," Mr. Henry said from my left side. "I can't sleep at all. I'm going to find my father and bring him home
Ella - POV James didn't tell me what he and Darcus discussed, but he assured me it wasn't a big deal. I tried to elicit information from James regarding his conversation, but he refused to provide any details. Meanwhile, James was getting ready to leave for California, and I was preparing breakfast for everyone. "Are you still upset I didn't tell you what Darcus and I discussed? It was just business talk, Ella, so let it go," James finally spoke up as he attempted to assist me with breakfast preparation. "Do you think I'm upset? I'm not; I didn't even say anything," I replied. James held my hand while I whipped the egg yolks to a froth. When I looked into his eyes, he pulled me closer to him. He knew me so well that I couldn't keep a straight face before him. James kissed my cheeks, forehead, and lips until I couldn't help but respond with a smile. "God, stop being so..." James captured my lips, and we kissed deeply. We eventually parted, both panting for breath. "If you keep goin