Chapter 0316
Chapter 0316
Ella POV
I could hardly speak for the rest of the drive. My mind was reeling from so many things, but mostly from the fact that Alexander was finally going to talk to me. He was finally going to tell me what the hell had been going on.
As much as I had wanted this–as much as I had begged him for answers–now that I knew they were coming, I was terrified. Whatever he was about to tell me could change everything. It could ruin everything.
I didn’t know if I could handle that.
If I were honest with myself, I didn’t want things between Alexander and me to change. He had been the only steady presence in my life for a long time now, which was such an absurd thought that it almost made me laugh.
It wasn’t real though. If he couldn’t trust me after I confessed everything about the original timeline, then he never would. And I couldn’t allow myself to live in fear again, waiting for the day that he would decide I was in the way…
He wasn’t the same as David, and yet the fear lingered. I knew that it would never vanish until Alexander was honest with me.
We made it back to the apartment, and Alexander locked the door behind us, pressing something into the keypad that I assumed wouldn’t allow any override from someone like August. He was ensuring that our conversation wouldn’t be interrupted.
Then he walked into the kitchen and began fixing himself a drink. That alone told me how serious this was.
I followed him and sat at the counter, waiting patiently as he moved with deliberate, almost robotic movements. He set a cocktail in front of me and then took a long swig straight from the bottle of whiskey.
Dread coiled tightly in my chest. Whatever this was, it was bad.
“If this is too much…” I started, my voice weak.
Alexander held up his hand, cutting me off. “No. You’re right. It’s time for you to know. I thought I was protecting you by keeping this all inside, but clearly, that’s not enough.” He smiled tensely and sank down onto the stool across from me. “Besides, you’ve shared your secrets with me. It’s only fair I do the same.”
He looked me straight in the eye, his gaze unwavering. “You’re involved now, whether I like it or not.”
“Involved in what?” I whispered, my heart thudding painfully.
He exhaled slowly, his shoulders slumping. “Let’s start from the beginning.” He paused, his eyes darkening. “I know you’ve noticed the tension between me and my family.”
I nodded slowly, completely unprepared for the direction this conversation was taking.
Alexander looked at me as he spoke, though his gaze didn’t quite meet mine. I could tell he was uncomfortable, his voice strangely quiet as he began.
“When I was young, I always believed I had the perfect family. My parents were deeply in love. Michael was a great brother. Everything was… perfect.” His expression tightened. “And then, when I was fifteen, my dad died.”
My heart ached at his words, but I held back from speaking. He didn’t want my comfort right now, and I didn’t want to interrupt his story.
He smiled sadly. “That’s when I found out the truth. Diana’s not my mom. She treats me the way she does because… I’m not hers. I think she’s always resented that, even though she does a pretty good job of hiding it.”
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Chapter 0316
+25 BONUS
My eyes widened as I stared at him in disbelief. That would certainly explain why Diana treated Alexander the way she did. Did she want Michael to become the heir instead?
He was so young when their father died. It would’ve been too much pressure to put on a child. Still, I kept my thoughts to myself, letting Alexander tell his story his way
