Chapter 0119
Alexander POV
+25 BONUS
Ella was still asleep long after I had woke
n up, which was to be expected after what she’d been through the previous day. I had no intention of waking her; she would get up when she was ready.
In the meantime, I walked quietly around the apartment, handling the business of the day that couldn’t be put off. I sent emails and text messages and gave orders to my pack and employees to ensure that things continued to run smoothly despite my absence.
It was a sign of a poorly run business if the absence of a single person caused everything to come to a screeching halt. I took pride in the fact that my business could operate well without me, at least for a while. It meant I had successfully established the business and hired the right people.
Arranging for work hadn’t taken nearly long enough, and it was the only reliable distraction I had. Once it was done, I had nothing to think about except for Ella.
It was pointless to try to hide the fact that I was genuinely attracted to Ella. There was nothing wrong with that; she was a beautiful woman.
Considering the nature of our arrangement, it was better if my attraction for her was genuine. It took some pressure off my acting and made our interactions feel more natural.
I had even entertained the idea of pursuing her genuinely, but I dismissed it. Ella didn’t seem ready for that, and I wasn’t sure she would be anytime soon after what she’d been through with David.
The bigger problem, though, was that I wasn’t ready for a real relationship, and I knew it. It was unfair of me to even consider it.
There was a reason so many women had come forward to warn Ella about me. My reputation as a bastard to women was well–earned; I had made a lot of mistakes and treated many people poorly.
Much of that stemmed from the simple fact that when I had allowed myself to truly fall in love, I had ended up with a broken heart. I wasn’t in any rush to let someone get that close to me again–it could only end badly.
I already knew exactly how bad things could get, and I wasn’t going to subject myself or anyone else to that kind of misery. So if things with Ella were going to be physical, that was fine, but that was all it could be. I wouldn’t take her heart, and I wouldn’t give her mine.
Ella POV
Alexander had woken me from a doze last night with a plate of food and a clean pair of pajamas. Lhad eaten, showered in awkward silence, and eventually fallen asleep in his bed while he did something else in the living
room.
I assumed he was working, but since he offered no explanation, I couldn’t be sure.
He had been distracted–and, if I was honest, he seemed upset. I worried that he deeply regretted what had happened between us.
The thought made me feel awful. Not only because I never intended to make Alexander feel bad, but because it made me feel self–conscious. If I had disappointed him in some way… but that didn’t matter.
It was clear that it had been a mistake for us to sleep together.
I should have listened to myself and not given in to my desires so easily. I would only get myself into more trouble if I became impulsive like that. I couldn’t let it happen again.
1/3
+25 BONUS
Chapter 0119
When I woke up this morning, Alexander still wasn’t in the room with me. I could hear him pacing around the kitchen, and it took a few minutes for me to work up the nerve to go out and speak with him.
When I entered the kitchen, he glanced up at me, a tight smile forming on his face.“Good morning,” he said.
“Good morning,” I repeated, awkwardly.
“How did you sleep?” Alexander asked.
“Fine,” I answered softly, then added, “I didn’t mean to take your bed,”
There was a brief pause before he replied, “You were recovering. I thought you could use the space, and I didn’t want to disturb you by tossing and turning.”
I nodded, struggling to find any words. The silence between us felt thick, almost suffocating.
“I’ll have breakfast brought up now that you’re awake,” he said, his tone lighter, as if trying to ease the awkwardness. “Are you feeling better? Should I have a doctor come up to-”
“I’m fine,” I cut him off quickly. “There’s no need for that.
“I’m glad to hear it,” he said, but the tension in the room persisted.
I couldn’t tell if I was projecting my own discomfort onto him or if he was feeling just as uneasy. Either way, was hard to even look at him, feeling like such a fool for letting things go as far as they had.
it
“Listen… about last night,” I started hesitantly, my voice barely above a whisper. “I think… we might have made a mistake.” I kept my eyes glued to the countertop, too afraid to meet his gaze, feeling the weight of my words hanging in the air.
“Is that so?” Alexander asked, his voice calm but unreadable. “What makes you think that?”
“I just… I think it would be better for both of us if we stick to our contract,” I said, my heart pounding as I spoke. We shouldn’t let ourselves get… emotionally involved.”
He didn’t respond right away, and the silence between us stretched out. I forced myself to look up and meet Alexander’s eyes.
There was a distant expression on his face, as if, for a moment, he was somewhere far away. Then his gaze met mine, and he smiled that same tight, controlled smile.
“I agree,” he said in a detached, professional tone. “This is a business relationship, nothing more. I apologize if it’s awkward for you.”
“No,” I said softly, trying to steady my voice. “I’m glad we’re in agreement.”
“I’ll drive you home once you’ve eaten,” he offered.
The thought of being alone in the car with Alexander for an hour made my heart twist painfully. I had too many conflicting emotions swirling inside me, and I knew I couldn’t handle the unbearable silence for that long.
“That’s not necessary,” I said quickly. “I can have someone pick me up. My father will probably be coming by the capital to deal with the situation anyway.”
“You’re probably right,” he replied, his voice cool and unaffected. “I’ll make the arrangements for breakfast.” With that, Alexander turned and walked out of the kitchen, leaving me standing alone in my pajamas on the cold tile floor. A chill crept over me, not just from the coolness of the room but from the emptiness that settled in my chest.
Chapter 0119
I felt ridiculous standing there, and a deep sense of regret washed over me. Had I just made a terrible mistake?
But I couldn’t let myself get caught up in those feelings. It was too much of a risk to give in to whatever was building between Alexander and me. It wouldn’t be fair to him, either, How could I let him invest his feelings in me when I knew I could never be the woman he needed?
