The sickened luna’s last chance

Chapter 106

Chapter 106

And yet, each time he touched me, my traitorous body responded, heart quickening, skin warming. And each time, I hated myself for it.

This wasn’t real. None of it was real. Alexander didn’t love me, didn’t want me. He was only using me to salvage his reputation so his campaign could go on without a hitch. And I was only going along with it because I needed him to reject me eventually if I wanted to live.

By the time we finished dessert, my face was sore from smiling and my head was throbbing from the strain of maintaining the facade. All I wanted was to go home, wash off this fake mark, and collapse into bed for about a week straight.

Alexander must have noticed my fatigue because he signaled for the check earlier than I expected. “You look tired,” he said, and for once, it seemed like he meant it.

་་།

am,’

I admitted. “It’s been a long week.” I hadn’t even had a full day at home after being discharged from the hospital before we had to do this. But we had to act quickly before the media shitstorm got worse, after all.

drive home was mercifully silent. Alexander didn’t try to continue our performance, for which I was grateful. I leaned my head back against the headrest and shut my eyes for most of the

finally arrived home, I kicked off my heels the moment we

bath and then go to bed,” I

office for a while. I have some emails to

off my dress and removed my jewelry, leaving them in a pile on the floor. I’d deal with them tomorrow. Right now, all I wanted was the comfort of

ran the bath as hot as I could stand it, adding a generous amount of cherry vanilla bath oil that Lilith had given me as a welcome-home gift. As the tub filled, I caught sight of myself in the mirror-pale skin, tired eyes,

my skin was pink and raw. Then I pinned up my hair and sank into the steaming water with

knots in my shoulders and back. I tilted my head against the edge of the tub and closed my eyes,

knew, a hand was on my shoulder,

“Ella? Ella, wake up.”

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Chapter 106

My eyes flew open to find

mine.