Chapter 116

Alexander POV】

My phone started to ring almost as soon as I ended the call with Ella. I glared at the screen as I saw it was the venue. They had a lot of nerve to violate a contract with me, but I had to keep my anger in check.

I kept my voice calm and firm as I answered.

“Have you called to explain yourself?”

There was a pause before a woman responded. “Alpha Black?”

“You’ve canceled my booking and given the time slot to someone else,” I said. “Explain yourself.”

“How do you know about that?” she asked in disbelief. “It only happened late last night.”

“Discretion isn’t David Lake’s strong point,” I said pointedly. “Perhaps you should think more about the character of the people you do business with.”

There was a long pause and I could hear papers shuffling on the other line. “I can’t apologize enough, Alpha Black,” the woman said, a hint of fear in her tone. “It was a mistake.”

“It wasn’t,” I said, cutting her off. “Don’t lie to me.”

“It…” she trailed off, then sighed. “The employee that was on staff last night made a bad decision. I can’t apologize enough. She was offered substantially more than we charge to guarantee that date to Mr. Lake. I’m afraid that I can’t undo the damage. I can offer you any other date you’d like at a steep discount–”

I laughed, silencing her. Part of me wanted to lash out at her. I knew that I could reduce her to tears with my words in seconds. That wouldn’t do any good though.

“I appreciate that you had enough respect to call me,” I said. “I will arrange for another venue on that date. Good luck with the Lake’s.”

I hung up and sat my phone on the desk.

“You handled that well,” August said.

I glanced up at him and shrugged. “What else could I do?” I asked.

August was sitting on the other end of the room, working on a finance report on his laptop. He smirked a little as he looked at me.

“Do you think that David Lake has any idea the trouble he’s getting himself into with you?”

“Frankly, I’m more concerned about Amanda Gray at this point,” I said. “The text message she sent Ella concerns me. The message didn’t feel like a direct threat—it was taunting, plain and simple. But why send it at all?”

“The fact that they were aware of the wedding plans and schedule shouldn’t be ignored,” August pointed out.

“I’m already keeping tabs on them, of course. If something concerning was happening, I should have known by now. Even so, this was a reminder to stay vigilant,” I said. “The immediate priority is finding a new venue.”

“Where should we start?” August asked.

I considered the question. This wasn’t just about picking a replacement; it had to be the right one. David had raised the stakes, turning this into a public spectacle. Our venue needed to be more than suitable—it needed to be opulent and commanding, something that would make an impression on him and the entire Kingdom.

That narrowed our options considerably.

But there was one place that came to mind. It would take a favor—one I didn’t offer lightly—but it was worth it. If it meant making Ella happy and ensuring this wedding set a standard no one could match, I was willing to do it.

Ella POV

James wasn’t the only one waiting for me at the shopping center when I arrived in the capital. I was surprised to find Elizabeth standing beside him, her arms crossed and a knowing smile on her face.

Alexander, it turned out, had called her and mentioned that I might need some cheering up. That he would think to reach out to my best friend in a moment like this warmed me to my core.

Alexander was far more thoughtful than people gave him credit for, and his consideration had already brightened my mood.

“It’s all the more reason I need to find him a gift,” I said as Elizabeth and I began making our way toward the far end of the shopping center, planning to work our way back to the entrance as we browsed.

“He is surprisingly sweet to you, isn’t he?” Elizabeth teased, smirking as she gave me a sidelong glance.

“Everyone keeps saying things like that,” I replied thoughtfully. “Is it really so surprising that Alexander is kind?”

“I don’t think so,” she admitted. “But I do think that a powerful, attractive, and wealthy alpha who’s also genuinely kind might seem a little... unbelievable to most people.”

I laughed at that, knowing exactly what she meant. People in Alexander’s position often came across as arrogant at best, but he hadn’t shown even a hint of that.

“Come on,” Elizabeth prodded, elbowing me playfully. “He must have a flaw.”

“I’m sure he does,” I said with a casual shrug. “I just couldn’t tell you what it is.”

“You’re definitely in the honeymoon phase,” she teased. “And you’re not even married yet!”

“I’m not blinded by affection,” I countered with mock indignation, though the flush on my cheeks betrayed me.

Elizabeth just grinned knowingly. “If you say so.”

"I do," I said firmly. "Alexander's just a good guy."

"I believe you," Elizabeth replied with a smile. Then her expression shifted slightly, curiosity lighting her eyes. "Now, not to change the subject, but Alexander told me you were down in the dumps and needed cheering up. He didn’t tell me why, though. Is it about the wedding date?"

“Not exactly.” I grimaced at the thought of Amanda and shook my head. "I don’t want to vent to you about something like this."

"Does it have something to do with David, though?" she asked in a hushed tone, her voice dropping as if she didn’t want anyone to overhear. "Because since our last conversation about him, I’ve done some digging, and it’s surprisingly difficult to trace his movements. He’s definitely up to some shady stuff. I’m starting to think he’s not behind everything on his own. He’s got people helping him—no doubt about it."

"That’s not surprising," I said with a weary sigh. "Earlier this morning, I got a text message from Amanda. It didn’t actually say anything—it was just a picture. Somehow, she and David found out what venue we’d booked for the wedding, and they stole it. They bribed the venue to cancel our reservation and put them in our place. Same day and everything."

"That’s just low," Elizabeth said, her tone seething with anger. "What an underhanded thing to do."

"Alexander seems very calm about it," I admitted. "He’s assured me that we’ll find an even better venue, no problem. But I don’t know... We picked the best venue in the kingdom! Where else can we go? It’s really bothering me."

"Of course it is," Elizabeth said, her expression softening with understanding. "It’s not just about the venue. It’s about the stalking. I mean, how did they even find out about it?"

"I have no idea."

"I wonder..." Elizabeth trailed off, her voice thoughtful.

"Wonder what?" I asked, my curiosity piqued. I watched as her brow furrowed, her lips pressing together in deep thought. She was silent for a moment longer before she turned to me, her expression unusually serious.

"Could Amanda be the brains behind the operation?" she asked finally. "Do you think it’s possible that she’s the one pulling the strings?"

My mind flashed back to the original timeline—Amanda's mocking voice, the cold, cruel way she’d forced the poison down my throat. Her merciless demeanor had left scars that time could never fully erase.

She was as cold-hearted as they came, and it wouldn't surprise me if she was orchestrating everything alongside David, or even taking the lead.

“It’s possible,” I said, my lip curling in disgust as I tried to shake off the haunting memories. The thought of Amanda’s icy smile made my stomach churn. “I wouldn’t put anything past her.”

“I’ll start looking into her as well,” Elizabeth said with determination, her voice steady and resolute. “I promise you, Ella—they’re not going to get away with all of this. There has to be a way to prove what they’ve done, and I’d bet there’s even more going on than we know about right now.”

“You’re probably right,” I agreed, my tone heavy with unease. “We’ve been lucky so far that no one’s gotten seriously hurt. But if we don’t stop them, it’s only a matter of time before something worse happens.”

“I agree,” she said, her jaw tightening in shared concern.

A heavy silence fell between us as we continued weaving through the bustling shopping center. I could hear James following closely behind, his footsteps light but always present. I wondered how much of our conversation he’d overheard.

He always tried to give Elizabeth and me space when we were together, doing his best not to eavesdrop. But given the situation, staying close was part of his job.

Not that I minded. James was discreet, loyal, and trustworthy. If he’d overheard everything, it wouldn’t change anything—Alexander was already aware of the situation, and I trusted James implicitly.

Still, it was a relief to have Elizabeth on my side. I could see how angry she was on my behalf, and her resolve gave me a sense of hope. Between her and Alexander, I was confident we’d eventually uncover the truth.

But the sinking feeling in my gut refused to go away. Something told me Amanda and David were up to far more than we realized. The uncertainty gnawed at me, leaving me sick with worry.

“Now, about a gift for Alexander,” Elizabeth said suddenly, her cheerful tone breaking through the tension.

I blinked and looked up, startled by the sudden shift. She had turned around to face James, a bright smile lighting her features.

“We’re going to need your help figuring out exactly what to get him,” she declared.

James glanced between Elizabeth and me, a faint smile tugging at his lips despite the concerned furrow in his brow. I could see the wheels turning in his mind—he was always calculating, always looking out for me, and it only reinforced how much I valued having him here.

Even with the nagging unease this morning’s events had caused, I knew I’d made the right decision to come today. Being surrounded by people I trusted, people who genuinely cared about my safety and well-being, was a balm to my frayed nerves.

Elizabeth linked her arm with mine, giving me a reassuring squeeze as we continued toward the next store. "Don’t worry, Ella," she said with a mischievous grin. "By the time we’re done, Alexander’s going to have the perfect gift. He won’t know what hit him."

Her lighthearted tone made me laugh, if only for a moment, and I let myself focus on the simple joy of spending time with friends. For now, that would have to be enough.