Chapter 167

Ella POV

The story unfolding on the stage below was utterly entrancing. I couldn’t tear my eyes away as the scene shifted to a beautiful young woman being pursued by her raving mother.

The villain’s aria was both mesmerizing and terrifying, her powerful voice weaving between anguish and fury as the daughter begged for forgiveness and mercy. My heart raced.

Alexander leaned closer, his lips brushing the shell of my ear as he explained what was being said. He had been doing this throughout the opera, his whispered words sending a pleasant shiver down my spine each time. His low, steady voice grounded me in the story, even as the intensity of the performance threatened to overwhelm me.

In this scene, the Queen of the Night—the mother—was demanding her daughter commit murder. If she refused, she would be disowned. The gravity of the moment weighed heavily on me, and I instinctively leaned into Alexander’s steady presence beside me.

By the time the final notes rang out and the audience erupted into applause, I was completely swept up in the drama. Rising to my feet, I cheered with the crowd, my earlier bitterness forgotten.

Alexander laughed softly beside me, clearly amused by my change in attitude. As the applause began to fade, he stood and turned to me, a teasing glint in his eyes. “So, I take it I was right?”

“Don’t be smug,” I said, unable to suppress a smile as I looked at him. “But yes, you were right. I enjoyed that—quite a lot.”

The truth, though, was that it wasn’t just the opera that had shifted my mood. It was Alexander himself. His attentiveness throughout the performance—checking in with me, holding my hand during tense moments, and explaining the story to keep me engaged—showed me that this evening wasn’t an obligation for him.

He genuinely wanted to share this with me. That thought warmed me in a way I wasn’t prepared for. The old butterflied he caused in my stomach returned, making me feel slightly unsteady.

His undivided attention always felt strange, in the most exhilarating way, making my heart race. I found myself savoring the moments he focused entirely on me, and tonight was no exception.

Still, a nagging realization lingered at the back of my mind. I’d let my emotions get the best of me earlier—again. It had been happening far too often lately, and I couldn’t shake the concern that something deeper was at play.

I had a doctor’s appointment coming up with the same stern physician Alexander had arranged for me when I first started seeing doctors from his pack. She was a no-nonsense woman I trusted to give me straight answers.

When I saw her, I would ask—was my emotional volatility just a passing phase, or was there something more? Could it be related to the poison leaving my system?

For now, though, I pushed the thought aside. The evening had been unexpectedly fun, and I wasn’t about to ruin it by worrying about something that might not even matter.

“I knew you’d enjoy it,” Alexander said, his smile widening. “Thank you for trusting my judgment and giving it a try.”

“And thank you for not being put off by my attitude when we first arrived,” I replied.

“Think nothing of it,” he said. “I completely understand why you felt the way you did. It was an oversight on my part not to prepare you for the media presense.”

“Still, I’m glad I didn’t ruin our evening,” I said.

“It’s quite late,” Alexander pointed out, glancing at his watch. “Did you want to do anything before we head home?”

“I don’t know,” I said thoughtfully.

We linked arms and began making our way out of the theater. The lobby below was bustling, slightly crowded with people milling about. As we wove through the throng, a familiar figure caught my eye.

“Fiona!” I called out.

She turned, her emerald-green dress shimmering under the chandelier light. The long bell sleeves and silver jewelry made her look effortlessly elegant. She smiled warmly as she approached us, a tall, broad-shouldered man with light brown hair at her side.

“I didn’t expect to see you here,” Alexander said, crossing his arms and giving her a mock-annoyed look.

“As if I would miss a performance of The Magic Flute,” Fiona replied with a playful smirk. She turned to her companion. “This is Carlos Oak,” she introduced. “Carlos, this is Alexander and Ella Black.”

“Nice to meet you,” Alexander said, extending a hand.

Carlos shook it, looking a little nervous. “Nice to meet you as well,” he said politely.

“Are the two of you heading home for the night?” Fiona asked.

“That’s what we were just discussing,” I replied. “What about you?”

“Still trying to make up our minds,” she said.

I glanced at Alexander, then back at Fiona. “Well, I feel a little more inclined to make it a late night if we’re not the only ones. Maybe the four of us could find a midnight snack somewhere?”

“That sounds great,” Fiona said, her smile broadening.

“If that’s what you want,” Alexander said kindly, his gaze softening as he looked at me.

Carlos nodded, though he still seemed a bit uneasy. I couldn’t blame him—Alexander had a naturally intimidating presence, especially to those who didn’t know him well.

“I think there’s a cocktail bar nearby that stays open late,” Fiona suggested. “They have a kitchen, but I’m not sure if it’s still open.”

“Worth a shot,” I said. “Besides, it’s cold, and I don’t want to walk too far.”

“Definitely agree,” Fiona said, shivering slightly. “At least you were smart enough to bring a shawl—I’m freezing.”

Without hesitation, Carlos slipped off his suit jacket and draped it over Fiona’s shoulders.

Alexander raised an eyebrow at the gesture, a knowing look that confirmed what I suspected—this was very much a date. Fiona caught the look and rolled her eyes.

Watching them interact, I could see what Alexander meant when he said Fiona was like a little sister to him. Their teasing camaraderie was unmistakable.

“Let’s head out, then,” Alexander said, glancing around at the milling crowd. “Getting crushed in here is not my idea of a pleasant evening.”

We all agreed, weaving our way through the packed lobby toward the exit.

“I never knew an opera house could be this crowded,” I remarked as someone brushed past me.

“You’ll get used to it,” Fiona said, pulling Carlos along.

Alexander chuckled beside me, his hand resting lightly on my back as we stepped into the cool night air.

This felt like an oddly normal moment. Two couples, enjoying a date night and going out for cocktails and a chat.

In light of everything else that was going on, it almost felt like a dream.

I walked close to Alexander, his arm around me as it often was now. On the chilly breeze, I caught a whiff of his scent and it sent a wave of heat through me. I was sure that it made me blush, but no one would notice on the darkened sidewalk.

I let myself imagine for a moment that we really were just a normal couple, enjoying our time together.

It was a nice fantasy to indulge in. Maybe in another life, Alexander and I could have had something real. Maybe even in this life, if we had met under slightly better circumstance. If I hadn’t signed that damned contract…

No. It was no good to think about that. I just had to enjoy these moment for what they were and not torture myself by thinking about what could have been.