Another Chance for the Luna Queen by Aurora Starling

Chapter 0269

Ella POV

The story unfolding on the stage below was utterly entrancing. I couldn't tear my eyes away as the scene shifted to a beautiful young woman being pursued by her raving mother.

The villain's aria was both mesmerizing and terrifying, her powerful voice weaving between anguish and fury as the daughter begged for forgiveness and mercy. My heart raced.

Alexander leaned closer, his lips brushing the shell of my ear as he explained what was being said. He had been doing this throughout the opera, his whispered words sending a pleasant shiver down my spine each time. His low, steady voice grounded me in the story, even as the intensity of the performance threatened to overwhelm me.

In this scene, the Queen of the Night-the mother was demanding her daughter commit murder. If she refused, she would be disowned. The gravity of the moment weighed heavily on me, and I instinctively leaned into Alexander's steady presence beside me.

By the time the final notes rang out and the audience erupted into applause, I was completely swept up in the drama. Rising to my feet, I cheered with the crowd, my earlier bitterness forgotten.

beside me, clearly amused by my change in attitude. As the applause began to fade, he stood and turned

to suppress a smile as I looked at him. "But yes, you were right. I enjoyed that-

it wasn't just the opera that had shifted my mood. It was Alexander himself. His attentiveness throughout the performance checking in with me, holding my hand during tense moments, and explaining

me in a way I wasn't prepared for. The old butterflied he caused in my

heart race. I found myself savoring the moments he focused

a nagging realization lingered at the back of my mind. I'd let my emotions get the best of me earlier-again. It

the same stem physician Alexander had arranged for me when I

ask-was my emotional volatility just a passing phase, or was there something more? Could it

unexpectedly fun, and I wasn't about to ruin it by worrying

knew you'd enjoy it," Alexander said, his smile widening "Thank you for trusting my judgment

you for not being put off by my attitude when we first arrived," I

way you did. It was an oversight