Chapter 196

Ella POV

I felt oddly numb as I watched my kidnapper drive away. Alexander had just let him go—no, he had practically ordered him to leave. And as much as I wanted to feel outraged, I simply couldn’t. It was as if I should have expected it.

After everything that had happened in the past few days... after seeing the way Alexander had handled things with Dr. McIntyre... it was painfully clear. Alexander was a criminal of some kind.

The realization made my heart ache, a dull, hollow pain that settled in my chest. But I couldn’t deny it any longer. Not after this.

I wanted desperately to trust Alexander, but I had seen how my life with a secret criminal worked out in the original timeline and it wasn’t something I could just ignore.

Without a word, Alexander led me to his car and opened the passenger side door. I sank into the seat gingerly, suddenly aware of every scrape and bruise from the ordeal. I would be sore tomorrow—there was no question about that.

Alexander slid into the driver’s seat. He reached into the back and pulled out a cold bottle of water from the cooler he kept there. Wordlessly, he handed it to me.

I took it, my fingers brushing against his for just a moment before I twisted off the cap. I drank deeply, the cold water soothing my parched throat. But it did nothing to cool the storm of emotions swirling inside me.

Alexander started the car, and we drove in silence for a long time. The questions tumbling around in my mind were impossible to contain. I looked over at him, taking in his serious expression and the troubled look in his eyes.

I didn’t want to fight. I was incredibly grateful that he had come to save me, but I couldn’t just let this go. His secrets were tearing us apart. I either needed answers, or I needed to walk away.

The thought of leaving him broke my heart, but I couldn’t see any other option.

“Alexander,” I said, my voice coming out weaker than I’d expected.

He glanced at me, his fingers tightening on the steering wheel.

“I need to know what just happened.”

“I understood your message,” he said softly. “I was able to track your location, and luckily, I caught up to you in time.”

“You know that’s not what I mean,” I said, my frustration evident.

He sighed, his shoulders tensing. “I know. But... it’s not something I can get into.”

“I can’t handle this anymore,” I said, my voice breaking. “I can’t take the secrets and the broken promises. You keep saying you’re going to explain things to me, but you never do. I’ve been through this before and it ended in my murder. If you can’t trust me after everything we’ve already been through then–”

“It’s more complicated than that,” he cut me off, his eyes pleading with me to understand. “If it wasn’t, I would’ve told you everything by now.”

“You’re a criminal,” I said, my voice flat. His eyes went wide, his jaw tightening as he stared at me, clearly unprepared for my accusation.

“Don’t try to deny it,” I continued, feeling the words pour out before I could stop them. “I’ve had my suspicions, but this confirms it.”

His face hardened. “And how did you come to that conclusion?”

“I recognized your voice,” I said, my heart pounding. “You were disguising it the same way you did before... when I was kidnapped the first time. When I was taken with my mother and Amanda, we were rescued by someone we never saw. But I heard his voice when he spoke to the kidnappers. They were afraid of him... they recognized him. He was their superior.”

Alexander’s expression didn’t change, but his grip on the wheel tightened.

“What does that have to do with me?” he asked, his voice dangerously calm.

“It was your voice, Alexander,” I whispered. “The same one you used just now. That man recognized you, just like the other kidnappers did. There’s no other explanation for that. You have connections to these people... to criminals. And your reputation is terrifying enough that they obey you without question.”

Silence fell between us, heavy and suffocating. Alexander kept his eyes on the road, his face unreadable. But I could see his jaw clench, his shoulders rigid as he absorbed my words.

“If you really believed that,” Alexander said, his voice calm but piercing, “it would be incredibly dangerous for you to confront me like this, wouldn’t it?”

I made a thoughtful noise and diverted my gaze, watching the blurred scenery outside the window. “Maybe,” I admitted. “But I’ve been through worse than this. Or did you already forget everything that I told you?”

His head snapped toward me, his eyes widening in surprise. His foot slipped from the accelerator, and the car slowed just a little as he stared at me, searching my face as if he couldn’t quite believe what he’d heard.

After a moment, he turned his attention back to the road, his jaw tight. “You know that I care about you, right?” he said softly.

My heart twisted at his words, and I smiled sadly. “I know,” I whispered. “I care about you, too.”

“At least we’re on the same page about that,” he said, his voice tinged with something I couldn’t identify. “But I don’t think we should be having this conversation right now. Not under these circumstances. I should get you home... have the doctor look at your wounds, just to be safe.”

“I’m fine,” I insisted, waving off his concern. “I’ve been through worse.”

His grip on the steering wheel tightened. “You have, haven’t you?” he murmured, his voice barely audible.

Silence settled between us, heavy and charged. I could feel the tension rolling off him, his shoulders rigid, his gaze locked on the road ahead.

He wasn’t denying anything. That realization hit me hard, leaving me breathless. I had expected him to argue, to deflect, to lie. But he did none of those things.

And that terrified me more than any denial ever could.

“Try not to be too upset with me,” Alexander said suddenly, breaking the heavy silence.

I looked at him, frowning in confusion. “What do you mean?”

He kept his eyes on the road, his jaw tense. “I hate to admit how much it bothers me when you’re upset with me,” he confessed, his voice low. “I’m not ignoring your questions... I just... now isn’t the right time.”

“You keep saying that,” I muttered, sighing in frustration.

“We’ll be home in a few minutes,” he said, pressing his foot down on the accelerator and easing the car to a higher speed. “You’re right. The secrets between us have only caused more trouble... and it’s time for that to stop.”

“To stop?” I repeated, staring at him in confusion. “What are you saying?”

Alexander’s shoulders seemed to tense even more. “I’m saying,” he spoke softly, his voice strained, “that when we get home, I’ll explain everything. And I mean it this time—no distractions, no excuses. I’ll tell you all of it. I just hope... I hope it won’t change the way you look at me.”

His voice was laced with something I’d never heard before—fear. The realization sent a shiver down my spine.

I turned to look out the window, watching as the city grew closer by the minute. My heart raced with anticipation. We’d be home soon.

I didn’t think there was much that could change the way I felt about Alexander at this point, but I kept the thought to myself. Whatever he had to tell me... it had to be bad. He wouldn’t be so hesitant otherwise.

Alexander was open with me about so many things. But as the city lights blurred past us, I couldn’t help but wonder just what he’d been hiding all this time.