The sickened luna’s last chance

Chapter 20

Chapter 20

Alexander & Ella

Alexander

This was Ella’s doing. Liam had said so himself.

She had told Liam everything, just to spite me, and now he was going to inform the press of our contract, potentially ruining my election before it had even begun.

I needed to speak with her.

I found Ella lounging in the solarium at the back of the house, a cup of tea balanced between her fingers and a book sitting open in her lap. She was smiling-smiling-as if she hadn’t just betrayed me in the worst way possible.

“Why did you tell him?” I barked. “He’s going to the press now. Are you happy?”

Ella jumped, tea sloshing out of her cup and onto her book. “What?” she breathed, carefully setting aside the soaked book and standing to dust off her dress.

“Don’t play stupid with me, Ella,” I growled, jabbing my finger toward her. “You told Liam about the contract, and for what? To hasten the end of our marriage? Do you really want a divorce so badly that you’d betray me like that, less than three days. after you just willingly signed a contract?”

Ella stared mutely, her gaze shifting between me and Gabriel, who was standing beside me.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” she finally said.

“Enough.” I turned, too angry to even look her in the face when she was lying right in front of me. “I can’t believe you, Ella. Until you have an apology prepared, I don’t want to hear it.”

And with that, I stormed out, Gabriel on my heels. The door slamming shut behind us sounded like a gunshot going off in the quiet house.

Ella

Alexander and Gabriel stormed off, the door slamming shut behind them. I just stared for a long moment, completely confused.

thought I told Liam about the

of the solarium and upstairs, toward Liam’s room. The door was

was packing his things

way of greeting. “Alexander

there, he dropped the shirt he was folding and

hands in his.

sorry, but I had to do my own digging,” he said. “I heard Alexander forced

was private, Liam. And I did it of

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Chapter 20

he said to

was my decision.” Anger began to simmer beneath the surface of my skin at the violation of trust. “Whatever you heard, you should have come to me first. And now Alexander is saying you’re going to the press with the information when you didn’t even talk to me

insisted. “If he has

think of me?

opened, then closed again. That was

shoulders back. “Whatever you might think, I made a conscious decision to sign that contract. I made a decision. No

for me, but I took a

this new side of you. What happened to the sweet boy who used to

“Controlling? Ella, I—”

of my wishes. This isn’t you, Liam. I don’t know what happened to

moment. His eyes flashed

“This isn’t me. I’m sorry, Ella. I just… I worry about you, that’s all. I look at you,

I really did. But I don’t need a protector-I just need a

shimmering with unshed

the contract and handed it to

with me.”

folder with one shaking hand, then wrapped my other pinky around his. “Thank you,”

Alexander’s office. I didn’t knock-just burst in, the same way he had burst in on me

the record, I told you I didn’t tell anyone about the contract and I fucking meant

contract. Slowly, Alexander looked back up at me. Remorse shone