Chapter 120

Ella POV

Alexander turned toward the doorway, his expression brightening as he saw me. “Here she is,” he said warmly.

The man beside him turned as well, his sharp gaze sweeping over me in a way that felt both calculating and appraising. Then his lips curved into a charming smile as he approached, extending a hand.

“Hello,” he said smoothly. “Christopher Slater. A pleasure to meet you.”

“Hello,” I replied, taking his hand for a firm shake. I knew my surprise must have been written all over my face. “It’s a surprise—and a pleasure—to meet you as well.”

He chuckled softly, a sound that felt disarmingly casual. “I see I caught you off guard.”

“A little,” I admitted, glancing at Alexander for clarification.

“We just finished a meeting,” Alexander explained as he stepped beside me. “Did you enjoy your afternoon with Elizabeth?”

“Yes, it was wonderful,” I replied, though my curiosity about Christopher's presence was quickly overshadowing the conversation. “And it seems you’ve been quite busy yourself.”

Alexander nodded and gestured toward Christopher. “Christopher has generously offered to help us with the venue issue. We went out for drinks to discuss the details, but I didn’t want to finalize anything without your input. Let’s head up to my office and talk it through.”

“Sounds good to me,” Christopher said with a confident nod before heading toward the elevators. “I believe I remember the way.”

As Christopher walked ahead, Alexander and I followed closely behind. I cast him a sidelong glance, my mind buzzing with questions.

Christopher Slater, I thought, barely containing my awe. The Christopher Slater. He wasn’t just anyone; he was a self-made billionaire, one of the most influential architects in the world. And now, apparently, he was here to help us solve our venue problem.

But how?

My mind raced with possibilities. Perhaps he had access to exclusive properties or connections to estates that weren’t typically available. Maybe there was a yet-to-be-revealed architectural marvel—one not open to the public—that we could use.

I fought the urge to ask outright. I didn’t want to sound naive, but I could hardly keep my excitement in check.

I had expected Alexander to propose a modest solution—a country estate, maybe, something elegant but not extraordinary given the time constraints.

But this? With Christopher Slater involved, it was clear Alexander had something far grander in mind.

We stepped into Alexander's office, where he immediately moved behind his desk and settled into his chair. I took the seat beside it, where August usually sat, while Christopher Slater claimed the chair across from us.

He crossed one leg over the other, glancing casually around the room, though that ever-present charming smile remained firmly in place.

“Hasn’t changed much,” he noted with a trace of amusement.

“Why should it?” Alexander replied, grabbing a pen and notebook. “It’s just an office.”

Christopher chuckled, his tone teasing. “I see why you came to me for this, then. You’ve never been one to care about the aesthetics of your surroundings.”

Alexander leaned back in his chair with a faint smirk. “Which is why I left the venue selection to Ella. Unfortunately, after what happened, we’re scrambling a bit.”

“And I’m glad I can help,” Christopher said, turning his attention to me. “You seem excited. I’d wager you have a guess about what I’m offering.”

I shrugged, trying not to seem overly eager. “My best guess is that it’s a location not typically open to the public.”

“Very true,” he said, his smile widening as though I’d impressed him. “The place I’m offering for your use has never been open to the public. It’s been on magazine covers, featured in films—practically everyone knows about it, yet no one enters without my express permission.” He leaned forward slightly, his gaze locking onto mine. “So you can imagine it took quite a bit for Alexander to come to me asking for this favor.”

“Enough theatrics,” Alexander interrupted, his tone carrying a faint edge of annoyance. “Ella, Topher is offering us the use of his family home.”

My eyes widened, and I felt my breath hitch in my throat as the weight of his words sank in. The Slater family home.

Known to the public simply as the Castle, it was a legendary estate—larger and more opulent than any other property in the kingdom. Its historical significance was unparalleled, rumored to have once been the Alpha King’s residence before the capital was relocated.

It had fallen into direpair over the years, but when Christopher became successful he started the process of restoring it to its former glory.

Every renovation, every adjustment, was a spectacle covered extensively by the media, with each change somehow making the Castle even more magnificent than before.

I turned to Alexander, my voice barely above a whisper. “You can’t be serious.”

“Oh, he’s very serious,” Christopher said, clearly pleased with my reaction.

I stared at him, my thoughts a swirl of awe and disbelief. The Castle wasn’t just a venue—it was a symbol of untouchable luxury and prestige. And now, somehow, it was being offered to us.

"That's incredible," I said, still in disbelief.

Alexander was writing something on the sheet of paper he had pulled out. I glanced toward him, trying to make it out, but his handwriting was too quick and precise to decipher.

"Right," he said without looking up. "So, we'll be able to keep the original date we chose, and there's plenty of room to accommodate the entire guest list?"

"Correct," Christopher replied, though a faint shadow of concern crossed his face. "That said, I suppose we can’t be entirely sure how many guests will attend, considering what Lake has done."

Alexander’s expression tightened, but he didn’t look up. “Well, I think this change of venue will be more than enticing for most of the people we’ve invited,” he said, glancing briefly at Christopher. “After all, when’s the last time you hosted a single guest at the Castle?”

Christopher tilted his head thoughtfully. “I suppose it has been a few years, hasn’t it?” He gave a small, self-assured smile. “What can I say? Most of my socializing is done here in the capital while I’m on business.”

“And they call me a workaholic,” Alexander quipped without missing a beat.

“You are,” Christopher retorted with a smirk. “I like to mix my business with pleasure. As far as I know, you only care about one and not the other.”

Alexander didn’t bother replying, instead returning to his notebook with the same singular focus as before.

“Well, Miss Rowan,” Christopher said, his smile shifting back to me with effortless charm, “do you have any questions about the venue? Any special requests?”

I hesitated, unsure how to respond. Of course, I had questions—I wanted to know everything about the Castle. But I couldn’t bring myself to gush; I didn’t want to risk embarrassing Alexander. Shrugging slightly, I gave him an honest answer.

“Nothing jumps to mind immediately,” I admitted. “This is such an unexpected development; I’m not sure I’ve fully processed it yet.”

“Understandable,” Christopher said, his tone as warm as his smile. “Well, it may interest you to know that some of the set pieces and decor from the last film made at the Castle are still there. We might be able to incorporate those into the wedding.”

“Film?” I asked, curiosity sparking as I tried to recall the last movie filmed at the Castle. Then it hit me—a romantic comedy about a beautiful princess who fell in love with a servant. It had been wildly popular, with people talking about it for months after its release.

Amanda, in particular, had loved that movie, constantly gushing about how she wished she could find a romance like that.

A smile spread across my face as the thought settled in. “I would absolutely love that,” I said, already imagining the possibilities.

I could see it now—the look on Amanda’s face when our wedding photos made it into the news, and she realized where they were taken.

It might be petty to feel a surge of satisfaction at the thought of making her jealous, but I didn’t care. Considering everything she’d put me through, I felt no guilt. After all, this was a small victory compared to what she truly deserved.