Chapter 56

Alexander POV

I smirked slightly. “If I didn’t know any better, I’d swear you could see into the future.”

An odd expression flickered across Ella’s face before she quickly lowered her gaze to her coffee. “That would be nice,” she muttered.

“I mean it,” I said, watching her closely. “You seem to have this incredible insight into people’s motivations. It’s like you know what’s going to happen before it even unfolds. Sometimes it’s... unsettling.”

Ella smiled weakly. “I’m sorry if it unsettles you,” she said, her fingers tracing the edge of her cup. “I’m just making an educated guess based on my understanding of the situation, as I’ve said before.”

I watched as she toyed with the coffee cup, her eyes intentionally turned away. Something I’d said had clearly affected her, but I couldn’t quite put my finger on what. There were moments when I could read her like an open book, and others—like this—where she was a puzzle, impossible to solve.

Oddly, I found comfort in that. I had plenty of my own secrets, and despite the nature of our relationship, it seemed we were a perfect match in that regard.

“So, who was on the phone?” Ella asked, clearly eager to change the subject.

“August,” I replied.

She looked concerned. “Is everything all right?”

I nodded. “Yes, he was just confirming details about a business transaction. It wasn’t urgent, but I had to take the call to be sure.”

“I understand,” she said, seeming to relax a little. “He’s your beta—you need to keep communication open and clear. My father is the same way with his beta.”

“I’m glad you understand,” I said.

It was clear that something in Ella's demeanor had shifted. I wasn’t sure what exactly bothered her—was it the warning from my ex or my comments about her apparent precognition? Either way, she seemed uncomfortable.

I wanted to ask, to dig deeper into whatever was weighing on her mind. There was an undeniable urge within me to help her with whatever burden she carried.

I couldn’t seem to help myself when it came to Ella. There was something about her that intrigued me endlessly. I wanted to understand her—what made her tick, what drove her. At first glance, she seemed so simple, but I knew better. Under the surface, she was calculating and careful, with secrets of her own.

If revenge for a lover’s betrayal was truly her only motive, she wouldn’t have gone this far. There had to be more to her than met the eye.

“So,” I asked, leaning in slightly, “tell me, what would you like to do for the rest of the day? The choice is yours—anything at all.”

She looked at me and smiled, but it didn’t quite reach her eyes. I could sense that something was still weighing on her.

“I’ll pick something for us to do,” she said softly, “but first, I need you to give me your word.”

“About what?” I asked, raising an eyebrow.

“Promise me that you’re going to plan for this,” she said, her tone firm. “For how you’re going to handle it when more women come forward with stories about you. This isn’t something we can just ignore. It’ll be a disaster if we do.”

I stared at her in silence for a moment, caught off guard. She was surprising me yet again, her serious expression and the warning in her voice was unlike anything I’d seen from her before.

There were so many layers to Ella, and the more time I spent with her, the more I realized I might never fully understand her.

“I promise,” I finally answered, “I’ll prepare a strategy to deal with it.”

Relief flickered across her face, and she smiled at me—this time, a genuine smile that made my chest tighten. “Good,” she said softly. “I think there’s a farmer’s market today. We could go pick up something for lunch.”

“That sounds quaint,” I replied, amused. “Do you like that sort of thing?”

She nodded enthusiastically. “I think it’s fun. You get to meet so many interesting people. I used to go to the farmer’s markets back home all the time. It’s a good way to get a feel for how the pack is doing.”

“Then the farmer’s market it is,” I said, smiling.

She glanced up at me, narrowing her eyes. “Why are you smiling at me like that? Are you making fun of me again?”

“Not at all,” I said, my voice softening. “I was just thinking... what a pretty puzzle you are.”

Her breath hitched ever so slightly, and I saw something in her eyes—a glimpse of vulnerability, perhaps—before she quickly turned her gaze away.

The farmers' market here in the capital wasn’t like anything Ella was used to back home. It resembled more of an outdoor marketplace than a simple farmers' market. Fresh fruits and vegetables mingled with baked goods, but there were also handcrafted items—things people had crocheted or sewn, and occasionally even intricately carved wooden guns.

Ella didn’t seem fazed by the differences, though. The moment we entered the marketplace, a bright smile lit up her features. She looked around with obvious enjoyment, her enthusiasm infectious. Yet, every time her eyes returned to me, something shifted slightly in her expression.

It was reminiscent of how she had looked at me when we first made our agreement—more than a hint of suspicion, but not quite certainty either.

It shouldn’t bother me. We were business partners and nothing more, or so we had just established. But I couldn’t lie to myself and pretend that my heart didn’t ache when she offered me that distant, strained smile.

It was a pleasant day, and we quickly found something for lunch: fresh bread and cheese. We even stumbled upon an older lady selling lemonade, which Ella insisted we get.

“There’s nothing like freshly squeezed lemonade,” she said, smiling kindly at the woman as she offered her money in exchange for two plastic cups full of the cold liquid.

“That’s what I always say!” the woman replied happily. “I hope you enjoy!”

“I know I will,” Ella said, her eyes sparkling as she turned towards me. “Where would you like to sit?”

“I think there are a few tables in this direction,” I said, indicating a side path with the hand that wasn’t holding our bag of food.

“Lead the way,” Ella replied.

But instead of walking side by side with me, she trailed behind.

We sat at the table and unpacked the food. Ella kept her eyes focused on the task at hand as she spread the soft cheese over the bread. She handed a piece to me, but as I took it from her, she pulled her hand away quickly, ensuring there was no contact between us.

The sudden absence of her warmth felt like a chill in the air, intensifying the awkward silence that hung between us. I could sense her hesitance, and it made my heart sink.

I felt like I had been scolded by a teacher, and I hated it. That heavy feeling of guilt and self-doubt clung to me every time Ella gave me that look or averted her gaze. It was too much like the way that…

I forced that thought away. I couldn’t begin comparing Ella to her. That would only muddle things further.

This was all because of the way I had treated my exes. I enjoyed my time with Ella—I truly did. Even though I knew there was no love between us, I wanted to keep savoring our moments together because this arrangement would last for the foreseeable future.

I knew better, though. I wasn’t a child who could let what I wanted cloud my judgment. Ella was behaving appropriately, keeping our relationship within the boundaries we had set. I should follow her lead, not wallow in self-pity.

Perhaps a better defined agreement would make it easier for me to avoid these situations with Ella. I would discuss the matter with August; he would likely have an idea on how I should approach things. Although I had a pretty good idea already of what he might suggest.