Chapter 121

Ella POV

Alexander smirked slightly. “You’ve been trying so hard these past few months to present yourself as a mature, grown-up woman. It’s nice to see that childlike excitement on your face again.”

“I’m not being childish,” I said defensively, crossing my arms.

“I didn’t say you were,” Alexander replied, his voice calm. “There’s a difference between childlike and childish. You don’t need to be so defensive with me—I’m not judging you.”

His words eased the tension, though I could still feel the faint heat of embarrassment on my cheeks. I managed a small smile, realizing he wasn’t criticizing me. He was just... noticing me, in a way no one else had.

“Wonderful,” Christopher said, clapping his hands together and flashing a grin at Alexander. “In that case, I insist the two of you visit me this weekend. I’ll give you a private tour, and we can start planning the layout for the ceremony and reception.”

Alexander looked at him in surprise, his expression quickly shifting to irritation. “Do you know how busy we are right now?”

“Yes,” Christopher replied smoothly, “and I’m sure you don’t expect me to arrange everything on my own. After all, it is your wedding.”

Alexander rubbed his temples and sighed softly. “Fine. We’ll be there Saturday morning.”

I could barely contain my excitement at the idea of a private tour of the Castle, and it must have shown on my face. Alexander’s annoyance was puzzling, but I didn’t dwell on it for long.

Christopher stood, offering his hand to me, and I shook it automatically. “I look forward to seeing you again,” he said, his charming smile firmly in place. He turned to Alexander. “And don’t be a stranger, Alexander.”

“Try not to be so smug,” Alexander replied, raising an eyebrow.

“I’m simply in a good mood,” Christopher said with a slight shrug. “I suppose one of us has to be.”

“We’ll talk soon,” Alexander replied.

“Have a wonderful evening, Miss Rowan,” Christopher said, giving me a parting smile before turning and leaving the room.

I looked at Alexander, still puzzled by the exchange. “What was all that about?”

Alexander sighed heavily and closed the notebook he’d been writing in. “Christopher and I have known each other for a very long time,” he explained. “In that time, he’s gotten very good at pushing my buttons.”

“You’re friends, aren’t you?” I asked, tilting my head curiously.

“Yes,” Alexander replied after a brief pause. “Or at least, we used to be. It’s nothing you need to worry about. He’s just been teasing me all afternoon, and I guess it’s gotten to me.”

I could tell there was more to the story, but I didn’t want to pry. It wasn’t my place, and I appreciated how much Alexander had already done to make things work.

“This is the perfect solution to our problem,” I said, trying to shift the mood. “And you’re right—people will want to come to the wedding just to see the Castle. David’s little stunt is going to backfire.”

“That’s my hope,” Alexander said, his tone softening. “But it seems you’re genuinely excited about this, which is an unexpected bonus.”

“Shouldn’t I be?” I asked, feeling a little self-conscious under his gaze.

“Of course you should,” he replied. “I hoped this would cheer you up.”

I bit the inside of my cheek, trying to rein in my emotions. Alexander was right, of course—my excitement was obvious, and there was no reason I should feel embarrassed by it. This truly was an incredible turn of events.

“Seeing you excited lifts my mood,” Alexander said, his voice softening. “It’s nice, considering how hard we’ve both been working to make all of this happen.”

“That reminds me,” I said, the thought suddenly striking me. “Have you made any decisions about your outfit for the wedding?”

Alexander looked momentarily surprised by the question but recovered quickly. “No, I haven’t put much thought into it yet,” he admitted. “As I’ve said before, I want your input. I think it would be best if we chose your dress first, and then I can find a suit to complement it.”

“I suppose that makes sense,” I replied softly, nodding.

“When do you want to start looking for the dress?” he asked. “Do you still plan to take my mother shopping with you? She’s asked me about it a couple of times—she seems very excited about spending time with you and your mother.”

A wave of unease washed over me at the mention of Diana, but I forced a smile to hide it. “Of course. I need to get that planned. I keep forgetting to ask my mother about it, but I’ll do that when I get home and make sure she’s okay with the arrangement.”

“I see no reason why she wouldn’t be,” Alexander said. “But please let me know once you’ve confirmed with her. I’ll make all of the arrangements so you don’t need to worry about it.”

“Thank you,” I replied.

Normally, I would argue against Alexander taking on more responsibility for the wedding, but the idea of contacting Diana on my own left me uneasy.

The comments she had made about Alexander when we first met still lingered uncomfortably in my mind. I didn’t trust myself to handle a private conversation with her again, even over the phone.

“Well, now that’s all settled,” Alexander said, leaning back in his chair. “Are you staying for dinner?”

“I wish I could,” I said regretfully. “But I’ve been gone all day, and there are some things I need to help my father with.”

“Of course,” he said with a small nod. “In that case, I won’t take up any more of your time. Let me know once you’ve gotten home safely.”

It felt a bit abrupt to leave like this, but I noticed the way his gaze kept drifting back to the notebook on his desk. He clearly had work he was eager to return to, and I didn’t want to hold him up.

“I will,” I replied, standing up. “Have a good evening, and thank you for everything today.”

“There’s no need to thank me,” Alexander said, standing as well. “We’ll talk soon.”

Alexander walked me to the door, where James was already waiting in the hallway. “Thanks,” I murmured, feeling awkward but grateful for the gesture. Alexander nodded briefly before retreating back into his office.

James and I headed downstairs, and I saw that a car was waiting for me—Alexander must have arranged it the moment we left.

The long drive home was filled with thoughts about the wedding venue and everything still left to do. Excitement swirled within me, but so did a nervous energy that I couldn’t quite shake.

Before I knew it, the car was pulling up in front of my house. My mother stood out front, her arms crossed as if she’d been waiting for me. I sighed deeply, knowing I couldn’t put off talking to her any longer. I had to arrange the dress shopping trip with her and Diana, no matter how much I dreaded it.

As I stepped out of the car, I steeled myself. Diana’s past comments about Alexander still lingered in my mind, and I couldn’t help but worry that her negativity might worsen my mother’s own hesitation about him.

I couldn’t afford for anything to get in the way of the wedding now. If nothing else, I had to find a way to ensure our parents were on board—it would make everything easier for all of us.