Chapter 110

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 my mind, unbidden and unwelcome. The night David had poisoned her. I clenched my jaw, pushing the thought away, but it lingered, as it always did. That night had been a mistake. Not because of my being there for her, but the way I handled it after.

I should have known better than to let things escalate the way they had. Ella had insisted she wanted me to stay, and I’d been unable to resist. Something about her vulnerability, her raw honesty, had shattered my resolve. Walking away from her then had been impossible, and now I regretted it—not because of the moment itself, but because I couldn’t stop thinking about it.

I couldn’t stop imagining what it would be like to be with her again. This time, without desperation, without the weight of danger hanging over us. My attraction to Ella wasn’t something I could ignore or push aside—it was persistent, undeniable, and, at times, maddening.

I lay still in the dark, watching her back as she lay on her side. Her breathing had softened, a sign that she might finally be asleep. I waited, unwilling to disturb her. This arrangement was never going to work for me, not because I didn’t trust myself, but because I couldn’t sleep beside anyone. Not anymore.

Not since...

I pushed that thought away too, focusing on the present. After several minutes, I whispered her name into the darkness.

“Ella.”

No response. She didn’t stir, didn’t make a sound.

Satisfied that she was asleep, I carefully slipped out from under the blankets, moving as quietly as I could. I crossed the room with measured steps, avoiding the furniture in the dim light. Reaching the recliner, I grabbed the quilt draped over the back and settled into the chair.

It wasn’t comfortable, but comfort wasn’t the point. I wasn’t expecting to sleep much tonight anyway. I pulled the quilt over me, closed my eyes, and tried to relax. Morning would come soon enough, and I needed to rest, even if only for a few hours.

Ella POV

Having Alexander beside me felt far more comfortable and peaceful than I had imagined. The steady warmth of him behind me was soothing, but it also left me hyper-aware of his presence. My heart seemed to beat louder in the quiet of the room, and no matter how I tried, sleep eluded me.

I closed my eyes and focused on steadying my breathing, hoping to lull myself into rest. Even if I didn’t fall asleep right away, at least calming my body might help me feel less restless. I was hovering on the edge of consciousness, my mind finally beginning to quiet, when Alexander softly said my name.

My heart jumped at the sound, and I immediately wondered what he could possibly want at this time of night. I hesitated, unsure if I should respond or pretend I hadn’t heard him. My indecision stretched too long, apparently, because Alexander shifted quietly, slipping out of the bed.

I listened, expecting to hear him head toward the bathroom, but instead, I heard the creak of the chair across the room as he sat down.

Confusion swirled through me, followed quickly by a pang of hurt I hadn’t expected. Why would he choose not to sleep beside me? It was silly to feel this way—I scolded myself silently for reading too much into his actions. There could be a dozen practical reasons for him moving to the chair.

But logic didn’t erase the sting.

I lay there, eyes open in the dark, my breathing steady but my thoughts anything but. I told myself it didn’t matter, that this arrangement was only temporary and it didn’t mean anything, but I couldn’t stop listening.

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 the window. Slowly, I took in my surroundings.

Alexander was still in the chair across the room, sitting upright and focused on the screen of his phone. I hadn’t heard him move, and I had no idea how long he’d been awake.

He glanced up at me and offered a small, awkward smile. “Good morning.”

“Good morning,” I replied, sitting up and leaning against the headboard. “What are you doing over there? Why didn’t you stay in the bed last night?”

Alexander smirked faintly, his tone light as he teased, “You’re clearly used to having the bed to yourself. I figured I’d better move before you elbowed me in the face.”

I made a face at him but didn’t argue. It was obvious he was lying, though I wasn’t sure why. Maybe he’d simply been uncomfortable and was too polite to admit it. I didn’t want to push the matter, even though it bothered me more than I cared to admit.

“If you say so,” I said with a roll of my eyes. “Are you working already?”

“Just arranging for a ride,” he replied.

“Back to the capital?” I asked.

“Unless there’s somewhere else you’d like to go,” Alexander said, giving me a curious look. “Did you have other plans for the day?”

“Well,” I began, hesitating for a moment, “I actually thought it might be a good idea to check out that new farmland.”

“Right,” Alexander said, nodding. “The land you got from David. It’s smart to take a look at it now that everything’s finalized.”

Alexander’s lawyers had handled the logistics, and just last week, David had finally sent back his signature on the final version of the contract. The land was officially mine now, and it was time to figure out how best to use it. Seeing it in person was the logical next step.

“Would you like to come with me?” I asked.

“Why not?” he replied with a shrug. Then he added, “Breakfast is probably ready by now. We can leave after we eat.”

We dressed and cleaned ourselves up before heading to the dining room for breakfast. As Alexander predicted, Diana and Michael were already seated at the table.

The moment Diana spotted me, she jumped to her feet and rushed across the room, her face filled with concern. Without so much as a glance at Alexander, she pulled me aside.

“What happened last night?” she asked softly, her voice low enough that no one else could hear. “You gave me such a fright with that scream.”

“Like I said, I accidentally cut myself,” I replied, caught off guard by her concern. “I’m sorry I startled you.”

Diana didn’t look convinced. Her gaze flicked briefly to Alexander, suspicion flashing in her eyes, before she forced a smile and turned her attention back to me.

“Listen, Ella,” she said gently, “if there’s anything you need to talk about—anything at all regarding your relationship—I’m always here to listen. I know Alexander can be difficult sometimes, but if something’s happening that makes you uncomfortable, you should tell someone.”

I stared at her, wide-eyed, as the implication behind her words hit me like a brick.

“It’s nothing like that,” I said firmly, my voice steady despite the anger bubbling under the surface. “Alexander isn’t like that.”