Another Chance for the Luna Queen by Aurora Starling

Chapter 0156

Chapter 0156

Alexander POV

Ella always managed to surprise me in ways I didn’t expect When we met at the gym, it wasn’t necessarily her strength or speed that caught me off guard–I’d expected her to have some athleticism. What surprised me was her enthusiasm.

For someone who claimed she didn’t exercise regularly, she threw herself into each part of the workout with an energy that was rare to see.

After she left, I met with each of the trainers to discuss her results, and though none of them openly praised her, I could see they were as impressed as I was. It made me feel an odd surge of pride.

Of course, any public praise of Ella reflected positively on me due to our “relationship,” but that wasn’t why I felt this way.

Ella had endured more in the brief time I’d known her than most people face in a lifetime, and all of it at the hands of someone who claimed to love her. Yet, despite the pain she’d suffered, she continued to push forward, to improve herself, and to find ways to reclaim her life. There was a quiet strength in her, a resilience that was rare.

In a way, I admired her. She somehow balanced that strength with a gentleness that most people would have lost long ago. It was a balance that very few people could maintain–and one I struggled with myself.

“Sir,” August’s voice cut through my thoughts. “Is there a reason you keep checking your phone?”

I shook my head, looking up at him as I set my phone down on the desk. “I apologize,” I said. “I‘ distracted this morning.”

“I see that,” he replied. “Is anything wrong?”

little

“No, it’s nothing like that,” I said dismissively. “I’m simply waiting for a response from Ella. I’m trying to decide on my plan for the day, and her input is needed.”

didn’t say another word. He didn’t have to–his disapproval was clear enough. He’d already voiced his

After all, I had to be careful to maintain the illusion. of a close relationship with Ella if I wanted people to

hadn’t said it outright, I could sense her nervousness. Hoping to encourage her and, admittedly, to open the door for a

Ella’s input was crucial. There was too much to sort out for me to handle it alone, and this arrangement wouldn’t work without

surprise me that she hadn’t responded right away. Ella wasn’t the type to be glued to her

but I couldn’t shake the

of

everything on herself, even when she had allies ready and willing to support her. She wouldn’t even go to her father for assistance in situations where, to me, it seemed

Chapter 0156

+25 BONUS

was clear she was hiding something–a secret she was afraid to let others get involved in. Considering what David had tried to do to her at the hotel, I couldn’t help but wonder if he had more blackmail material. Perhaps it was something

nor did I expect her to, but it would make things infinitely easier for both of us if I knew

answers. There were plenty of things I wasn’t transparent with her about, things she hadn’t

message bothered me far more than it should have.

pulling me from my thoughts once again, “David Lake is getting a lot of attention in the public eye lately. He’s being very showy about his wedding planning–parading

“He’s trying to maintain his reputation after losing all that land to Ella. He doesn’t want people to think it’s hurting him financially, although

you think the best approach is to

a mistake. We need to be strategic about this. My contacts are

with that

decided yet,” I admitted. “I want Ella’s input on that as well. But what’s

do you mean?” August asked, leaning

at I’ve

stack on my desk and slid it over to him. It was a