Chapter 0228
Ella POV
Alexander’s kiss was unlike any we had shared before. There was a heat, a sense of urgency in the way he held me, pulling me impossibly close against him as if letting go wasn’t an option.
Somewhere near the door, I vaguely registered Michael’s startled voice, an exclamation of surprise followed by a hurried, muttered apology. A moment later, the door clicked shut again as he fled, clearly embarrassed by what he had walked in on.
It was the soft pressure of my own hands against Alexander’s chest that finally brought the kiss to an end. Despite the part of me that didn’t want to stop, I gently pushed him back, my breath hitching as I tried to steady myself.
“That was a convincing distraction,” I said, my voice breathless but tinged with a touch of disbelief. There was no way that kiss could be acting.
The look in his eyes seemed to confirm it. His bright gaze, usually so sharp and controlled, was stormy, conflicted.
It sent a shiver down my spine, not with fear, but with the realization that something deeper was at play. Was that kiss an attempt to distract me as well as Michael?
I couldn’t forget the conversation we had been having. It felt like we were finally going to discuss the secrets between us, but then the door opened…
I wanted to press him, to get to the bottom of whatever he was hiding, but that flicker of vulnerability in his expression made me hesitate.
Alexander nodded at my words, his lips still slightly parted, but he didn’t look away.
“Are you all right?” I asked, keeping my voice low so it wouldn’t carry beyond the room.
The question seemed to jolt Alexander from his stupor. His usual charming smile spread across his face, though it didn’t quite reach his eyes. “Yes, of course,” he said smoothly.
I searched his face, looking for any cracks in the facade, but his mask was firmly back in place.
“We should get to the party,” he added. “We’ve kept the guests waiting long enough.”
“That’s true,” I murmured, straightening my clothes to buy a moment to calm my erratic heartbeat.
“You look fine,” he assured me, his tone easy, as if nothing had happened. “No one will be able to tell what we were doing.”
The familiar heat of embarrassment crept up my cheeks, and I turned to look at him, my brow furrowed. “What is it we were doing, exactly?”
“Following our contract,” he replied with a casual shrug, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.
“Are we?” I asked, my voice quieter now. “Are we only sticking to the contract? Is there nothing more to it?”
Alexander held my gaze for a long moment, the easy smile on his lips fading. Without a word, he placed his arm around me and guided me toward the door. His touch was steady, grounding, and I went along willingly.
Just before he opened the door, he leaned in close, his voice so soft it was almost a breath. “We may need to make some adjustments to the contract, that’s all.”
I smiled brightly as we entered the room, fully aware that all eyes would turn to us immediately. Outwardly, I exuded confidence, but my thoughts lingered on Alexander’s statement.
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Chapter 0228
Our mutual attraction was undeniable, but I’d always assumed he was determined to keep things strictly within the bounds of our arrangement. Was that his way of admitting there was more between us?
Several people called out warm greetings as we stepped further inside, laughter bubbling around the room as some teased us for being late to our own party.
My gaze caught Michael’s, and he smiled awkwardly, his lingering embarrassment apparent as we approached the table where he and Diana were seated with my parents
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Chapter 0229
Chapter 0229
