Chapter 141

Ella POV

Alexander’s kiss was unlike any we had shared before. There was a heat, a sense of urgency in the way he held me, pulling me impossibly close against him as if letting go wasn’t an option.

Somewhere near the door, I vaguely registered Michael’s startled voice, an exclamation of surprise followed by a hurried, muttered apology. A moment later, the door clicked shut again as he fled, clearly embarrassed by what he had walked in on.

It was the soft pressure of my own hands against Alexander’s chest that finally brought the kiss to an end. Despite the part of me that didn’t want to stop, I gently pushed him back, my breath hitching as I tried to steady myself.

“That was a convincing distraction,” I said, my voice breathless but tinged with a touch of disbelief. There was no way that kiss could be acting.

The look in his eyes seemed to confirm it. His bright gaze, usually so sharp and controlled, was stormy, conflicted.

It sent a shiver down my spine, not with fear, but with the realization that something deeper was at play. Was that kiss an attempt to distract me as well as Michael?

I couldn’t forget the conversation we had been having. It felt like we were finally going to discuss the secrets between us, but then the door opened…

I wanted to press him, to get to the bottom of whatever he was hiding, but that flicker of vulnerability in his expression made me hesitate.

Alexander nodded at my words, his lips still slightly parted, but he didn’t look away.

“Are you all right?” I asked, keeping my voice low so it wouldn’t carry beyond the room.

The question seemed to jolt Alexander from his stupor. His usual charming smile spread across his face, though it didn’t quite reach his eyes. “Yes, of course,” he said smoothly.

I searched his face, looking for any cracks in the facade, but his mask was firmly back in place.

“We should get to the party,” he added. “We’ve kept the guests waiting long enough.”

“That’s true,” I murmured, straightening my clothes to buy a moment to calm my erratic heartbeat.

“You look fine,” he assured me, his tone easy, as if nothing had happened. “No one will be able to tell what we were doing.”

The familiar heat of embarrassment crept up my cheeks, and I turned to look at him, my brow furrowed. “What is it we were doing, exactly?”

“Following our contract,” he replied with a casual shrug, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.

“Are we?” I asked, my voice quieter now. “Are we only sticking to the contract? Is there nothing more to it?”

Alexander held my gaze for a long moment, the easy smile on his lips fading. Without a word, he placed his arm around me and guided me toward the door. His touch was steady, grounding, and I went along willingly.

Just before he opened the door, he leaned in close, his voice so soft it was almost a breath. “We may need to make some adjustments to the contract, that’s all.”

I smiled brightly as we entered the room, fully aware that all eyes would turn to us immediately. Outwardly, I exuded confidence, but my thoughts lingered on Alexander’s statement.

Our mutual attraction was undeniable, but I’d always assumed he was determined to keep things strictly within the bounds of our arrangement. Was that his way of admitting there was more between us?

Several people called out warm greetings as we stepped further inside, laughter bubbling around the room as some teased us for being late to our own party.

My gaze caught Michael’s, and he smiled awkwardly, his lingering embarrassment apparent as we approached the table where he and Diana were seated with my parents.

The rehearsal dinner wasn’t a grand event—just an intimate gathering of those directly involved in the ceremony. Our families were here, along with August, Elizabeth, Andrew, and the priestess who would officiate the wedding.

“It’s good of you to join us,” Diana said with a teasing smile.

“I’m sorry to have caused any concern,” I replied. “I didn’t sleep well.”

Alexander pulled a chair out for me and I sat, facing Diana. Alexander sat beside me.

“That’s very understandable,” Elizabeth said. “Even without the excitement of last night, you’re going to be married tomorrow! It’s only natural your mind would be restless.”

“Yes, of course,” Alexander agreed. “After tomorrow, things will begin to settle down.”

“It all seems so fast,” Diana said, sipping her wine with a look of disbelief on her face.

“That’s how these things go sometimes,” my mother replied.

“When the goddess brings a pair together there is no need to hesitate,” the priestess spoke up suddenly.

All eyes turned to her. She was a white haired, beautiful older woman. She smiled at me knowingly, even as I felt shame wash over me.

“No, you’re mistaken,” I said softly. “We aren’t fated.”

She tilted her head curiously, then shrugged. “Sometimes the mate pull isn’t the only way the goddess brings a couple together.”

Silence fell over the room for a few moments, only broken when my father started to speak.

“We’ll have your things moved to the capital by the end of the week,” my father said. “Then, your new life begins.”

I smiled, but my heart felt heavy at the idea of leaving. I knew that I wasn’t losing my parents, but the distance would be difficult.

Elizabeth leaned in to whisper, “I can tell you’re nervous.”

“Of course I am,” I murmured back, keeping my voice low. “But I’m also excited.”

“I’m glad to hear it,” she said, a fond smile softening her features. “My father will be joining us, by the way. He asked me to let you know in advance.”

A mix of surprise and gratitude flickered through me. “I had hoped he might make it, but I wasn’t going to ask. I know how busy he is. Coming to any wedding is a big deal—and he already came to the last…”

“Yes, but you’re not just anyone getting married,” Elizabeth interrupted, her tone firm with affection. “You’re my friend. Of course, my father will be there.”

For a moment, I could only stare at her. The sincerity in her words warmed my heart in a way I hadn’t expected. Maybe she was right.

Elizabeth and I were good friends, and to think of her father only as a king might be a mistake. He was, of course, the king, but he was also my best friend’s father.

Still, it felt surreal, like something out of a dream, this shift from the original timeline. So much had changed. For example, my father was still healthy in this reality, a blessing I struggled to fully grasp.

And then, there was Alexander—a man who had been a stranger to me in the original timeline but now...

Well, it wasn’t an exaggeration to say that he was the most important person in my life.

And yet…

I knew nothing about him. The stormy look in his eyes came back to mind, and I felt the pressure of uncertainty settling over me. He asked if I wanted to understand him, and my answer was honest. Why did if feel like that disturbed him?

Was the secret he was keeping really so bad that he felt I couldn’t accept it? I couldn’t think of anything that would tarnish my opinion of Alexander at this point.

Alexander was a mystery to me, but I trusted him.

Was it possible that was a mistake?