Chapter 115

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 distress.

“I just got a text from Amanda,” I said, her name leaving a bitter taste in my mouth.

“What could she possibly have to say to you?” Alexander asked, his voice low with suspicion.

“I don’t know,” I admitted, my words tumbling out. “I haven’t actually looked yet. I guess I panicked and called you instead.”

“Good,” Alexander said firmly. “You shouldn’t be dealing with either of them without someone there with you.”

His words reassured me. He didn’t even know the full extent of what David and Amanda were capable of, but he understood enough to take my fears seriously. It was a comfort I desperately needed.

“I’m opening the message now,” I said, tapping Amanda’s name and enlarging the attached image.

“It’s a picture,” I said, frowning as I examined it.

“A picture of what?” Alexander asked.

“It looks like... an appointment book,” I murmured, my heart sinking as the details became clear. I zoomed in further, dread pooling in my stomach. “Your name is at the top, but it’s been crossed out. Beneath it is David’s name, penciled in. Next to the names are dates and times.”

The realization hit me like a punch. “It’s the appointment book for the wedding venue. They stole our venue, Alexander. And not just the venue—they took our date, too.”

“Are you serious?” he said, his frustration evident in his tone.

“Yes. It’s right here in the picture. Your name is crossed out, and David’s is written in. First they try to steal our date, now they take our venue too?”

“Well, that’s clearly a mistake on the venue’s part,” Alexander said, his voice tightening with frustration but lacking the outrage I felt. “That’s a breach of contract. I’ll have my lawyers contact them.”

“I’m disappointed about the venue,” I said, “but that’s not the real issue. How could they have possibly known about this? This wasn’t public information.”

“It’s not that surprising,” Alexander replied. “The venue was probably bragging about being chosen by us. David must have found out that way and thrown some money around. He’s desperate to one-up us right now. Honestly, I should have seen something like this coming.”

His explanation made sense, but something about it just didn’t sit right with me. I couldn’t shake the nagging feeling that there was more going on here. Frustration bubbled in my chest as I wrestled with whether this was my anxiety clouding my judgment or if I should trust my instincts.

“What is it?” Alexander asked, his gaze narrowing slightly. “I can tell by the look on your face that something else is bothering you. Is there more to the message?”

“No,” I said, shaking my head. “It doesn’t actually say anything. It’s just the picture. But why would she send this to me? I don’t understand.”

“To brag,” Alexander suggested with a shrug. “We would’ve been notified by the venue eventually, so it’s not like she did it out of the kindness of her heart to give us a heads-up. She’s just trying to get under your skin.”

“Well, it’s working,” I admitted, the frustration clear in my tone.

“It’s going to be okay,” Alexander said in a soothing voice. “We have plenty of time to find a replacement venue, and budget isn’t an issue.”

“It’s not that simple,” I replied softly. “Finding a suitable venue takes time, even with money. And now we’ve wasted so much of it. We might not even be able to get the date we want.”

Alexander’s expression darkened, his voice dropping. “We’ll get the same date. If David thinks he’s going to steal our thunder, he’s wrong. If he wants this to be a competition, that’s what we’ll give him. Let’s see how many people actually show up to his little shindig when they’re also invited to ours.”

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.

“This doesn’t make any sense,” I muttered. “What is he trying to prove?”

“He’s getting desperate,” Alexander said, his tone calm but firm. “All the more reason for us to be careful. Don’t respond to that text. If either of them reaches out to you again, let me know immediately.”

“Of course, I will,” I promised. “Thank you for taking this seriously.”

“It is serious,” he assured me. “Where are you right now?”

“I just left my therapy appointment,” I answered.

“Do you have any other plans for the day?”

I shook my head. “Nothing definitive. Why?”

“If you’d like to come to the Capitol, I can send a car for you,” he offered. “I’ll be in meetings all day, but you and James could go out and find something fun to do. A change of scenery might help get your mind off all of this.”

“I am stressed,” I admitted, rubbing my temple, “but I don’t want to drag James all over town just because of it.”

“It’s his job,” Alexander pointed out, a hint of a smile tugging at his lips. “And I’m sure he wouldn’t mind.”

"Maybe it would be nice to do a little shopping and grab some lunch," I said thoughtfully. "Besides, I haven’t seen James in a while. He’s a lot of fun to hang out with."

“Should I be jealous?” Alexander teased, a playful smile softening his features.

“Of James? Of course not,” I replied with a laugh. “He’s loyal to you, not me. I’ll arrange my own ride to the Capitol if you’ll have James meet me at the shopping center.”

“Done,” Alexander agreed.

I’d been meaning to get Alexander a gift for quite some time now, and today seemed as good a day as any to look around and see if I could find something that suited him.

“Good,” he said. “I’m glad you’re taking the day for yourself instead of sitting around dwelling on this.”

I forced a smile. “Of course.”

But the truth was, this wasn’t something I could just set aside. I didn’t understand Amanda’s motivation, and that uncertainty gnawed at me. What exactly were Amanda and David planning next?

Third-Person POV

Amanda didn’t expect Ella to respond to the message—she’d never meant for it to elicit a reply. The message was crafted to provoke a reaction, and Amanda knew Ella well enough to guess exactly what that reaction would be.

She could almost see it: Ella glaring at her phone, complaining to whoever would listen about the injustice of losing her wedding date. She’d probably go running to Alexander to vent, but there was nothing he could do.

The amount Amanda and David had paid for the venue was triple what it was worth, but it was an investment—and only the beginning.

That venue had only been built last year. It was state-of-the-art and gorgeous. People were dying to get a look inside, so it would tempt people to choose her and David over Ella.

Besides, the price wasn’t an issue because her oldest brother paid for it as a wedding gift.

Ella had made a mistake when she’d tried to collect on the contract for the land. Now Amanda wasn’t going to stop until she exposed her for the petty, spoiled brat she was.

David was finally back where he belonged—with her—and Amanda wouldn’t let Ella take him away again. That was what these little games were threatening to do. David’s money troubles had always been a weak spot for him, a crack in his carefully curated façade. When he got desperate, he did stupid things.

Amanda wasn’t like that. Desperation made her sharp. It made her clever.

And Ella was about to find out just how clever Amanda could be.