Chapter 0173
Chapter 0173
Listening for the sound of his footsteps returning.
Hoping to feel the mattress shift under his weight again.
But the room remained quiet, and he never came back.
I drifted in and out of the awkward space between sleep and wakefulness, only opening my eyes when I heard birds chirping outside the window. Slowly, I took in my surroundings.
Alexander was still in the chair across the room, sitting upright and focused on the screen of his phone. I hadn’t heard him move, and I had no idea how long he’d been awake.
He glanced up at me and offered a small, awkward smile. “Good morning.”
“Good morning,” I replied, sitting up and leaning against the headboard. “What are you doing over there? Why didn’t you stay in the bed last night?”
Alexander smirked faintly, his tone light as he teased, “You’re clearly used to having the bed to yourself. I figured I’d better move before you elbowed me in the face.”
I made a face at him but didn’t argue. It was obvious he was lying, though I wasn’t sure why. Maybe he’d simply been uncomfortable and was too polite to admit it. I didn’t want to push the matter, even though it bothered me more than I cared to admit.
“If you say so,” I said with a roll of my eyes. “Are you working already?”
“Just arranging for a ride,” he replied.
“Back to the capital?” I asked.
“Unless there’s somewhere else you’d like to go,” Alexander said, giving me a curious look. “Did you have other plans for the day?”
“Well,” I began, hesitating for a moment, “I actually thought it might be a good idea to check out that new farmland.”
“Right,” Alexander said, nodding. “The land you got from David. It’s smart to take a look at it now that everything’s finalized.“.
Alexander’s lawyers had handled the logistics, and just last week, David had finally sent back his signature on the final version of the contract. The land was officially mine now, and it was time to figure out how best to use it. Seeing it in person was the logical next step.
“Would you like to come with me?” I asked.
“Why not?” he replied with a shrug. Then he added, “Breakfast is probably ready by now. We can leave after we eat,”
We dressed and cleaned ourselves up before heading to the dining room for breakfast. As Alexander predicted, Diana and Michael were already seated at the table.
The moment Diana spotted me, she jumped to her feet and rushed across the room, her face filled with concern. Without so much as a glance at Alexander, she pulled me aside.
“What happened last night?” she asked softly, her voice low enough that no one else could hear. “You gave me such a fright with that scream.”
1/2
+25 BONUS
Chapter 0173
“Like I said, I accidentally cut myself,” I replied, caught off guard by her concern. “I’m sorry I startled you.”
Diana didn’t look convinced. Her gaze flicked briefly to Alexander, suspicion flashing in her eyes, before she forced a smile and turned her attention back to me.
“Listen, Ella,” she said gently, “if there’s anything you need to talk about–anything at all regarding your relationship–I’m always here to listen. I know Alexander can be difficult sometimes, but if something’s happening that makes you uncomfortable, you should tell someone.‘
I stared at her, wide–eyed, as the implication behind her words hit me like a brick.
“It’s nothing like that,” I said firmly, my voice steady despite the anger bubbling under the surface. “Alexander isn’t like that.”
