Chapter 135: Chapter 136

Chapter 0136 +25 BONUS My father laughed when I asked him to make a doctor’s appointment. I wasn’t quite prepared for that reaction, but his expression softened when he noticed the worry in my eyes.

“If it means that much to you, Ella, then I’ll do it,” he said gently. “But I promise you, I’m perfectly healthy. There’s really no need.”

“It’s just an annual physical,” I argued, trying to sound reasonable. “It’s important to make sure you stay in the best possible health. The pack could be made vulnerable otherwise.”

“She’s right,” my mother agreed, siding with me.

My father sighed. “Okay, fine. I’ll call in the morning.‘

True to his word, he made the call. Given his status, he was granted an immediate appointment. Alexander had arranged for one of his trusted doctors to shadow our family physician, Dr. Bowman.

The cover story was that Alexander’s doctor was there to learn from the more experienced physician, but in reality, he would be monitoring everything closely–every test, every procedure, every prescription. It gave me some peace of mind knowing that nothing would be overlooked.

Still, the morning of my father’s appointment, I was sick with anxiety. I even skipped breakfast, telling my mother I felt too unwell to come downstairs. She fussed over me, naturally concerned, but the thought of smiling and pretending that everything was normal felt impossible.

I only hoped it wasn’t too late. What if they had already started poisoning my father, as they had in the original timeline? I couldn’t shake the dread that I might have ruined everything by not acting sooner. The guilt gnawed at me, and I prayed that I hadn’t made a terrible mistake.

My phone rang, and the sight of Alexander’s name on the screen made my heart plummet. My father hadn’t returned from his appointment yet, and fear gripped me.

I answered quickly. “Yes?”

“I just got off the phone with my doctor,” Alexander said, his voice calm and reassuring. “He double–checked your father’s blood work and took all his vitals himself. Your father is in perfect health. If David had any plans to harm him, they haven’t begun yet.”

Tears sprang to my eyes, and I must have made a noise–either a sob or a gasp–because Alexander immediately noticed.

“I hope you’re crying from relief,” he said gently, “and not because you think I missed something.”

“It’s relief,” I said, my voice shaky and thick with emotion. “I’m very relieved. Thank you so much for doing this for me. You have no idea how much it means.”

“I have some idea,” he replied, his tone soft. I thought of his own father, who had passed away years ago, and realized Alexander knew all too well the grief I had felt in the original timeline. My heart ached for him, but I couldn’t find the words to express my sympathy, “We’ll continue to monitor David,” he said, shifting the conversation. “My investigator looked into the attack. The official investigation hasn’t found anything solid to tie him to it. There is some CCTV footage of him walking with you to the elevators, but his disguise makes it impossible to identify him conclusively. Strangely, there’s no footage of him leaving. That suggests he either has someone on the inside who tampered with the footage, or he knew where the cameras were and avoided them while out of disguise.”

“Either way, it means he’s gotten away with it again,” I said, bitterness bubbling up.

1/3 +25 BONUS Chapter 0136 “For the time being,” Alexander agreed. “But there’s still the matter of his blood.”

“I thought you said that wouldn’t be enough,” I said, confused. “Won’t he just lie?”

“Of course he’ll lie,” Alexander replied. “He’ll lie no matter what evidence we have. But the blood is a starting point, and he knows that. It means he’ll be on high alert for a while.”

“I suppose you’re right,” I conceded. “That would explain why he’s been out of the public eye. Other than that statement he gave to the news outlet, there’s been nothing from him.”

“We can use that to our advantage,” Alexander said confidently. “I propose the first thing we do is have another public date.”

“A date?” I repeated, an unexpected surge of excitement washing over me. “Did you have something in mind?” “I did mention Thursday night,” Alexander replied. “There’s a rock concert. I’ve got VIP passes.‘

“Oh,” I said, momentarily at a loss for words. A rock concert sounded thrilling, especially in the VIP section. I had never experienced one like that before, and it was bound to attract attention–especially after the rumors circulating about my presence at the hotel with David. Showing that our relationship was still strong would be strategic.

But more than that, I found myself genuinely looking forward to the evening. Our dates so far had been unexpectedly fun, and I hadn’t spent much time alone with him since that awkward morning when he helped me through my illness.

“Is there a problem with that idea?” Alexander asked, sounding curious.

“Not at all,” I said quickly. “I was just wondering–who’s playing?”

“Honestly, I couldn’t tell you,” he admitted, sounding a bit dismissive. “I’ll send you the information.”

“Not interested in music?” I asked, intrigued.

“It’s not the kind of thing I usually have time to indulge in he said.

“All the more reason to go,” I teased. “You can’t work every minute of every day.

“I suppose not,” he agreed. “But isn’t it still work if it’s part of our arrangement?”

“It’s a bit of both, isn’t it?” I replied softly.

“Well, it’s better than another boring meeting,” Alexander said with a hint of humor. “Which I have to get to now, unfortunately.

We’ll talk soon.”

“Of course. Thank you,” I said.

“Anytime,” he replied before ending the call:

I stared down at my phone screen until it went black, then kept staring. My heart was pounding, and I could feel the blush creeping into my cheeks at the thought of spending time with Alexander at the concert.

I shouldn’t be feeling this way. Alexander was right: it was work. Our “dates” were part of our agreement to appear as a strong, united couple, which would help him establish himself as a leader.

I shouldn’t be feeling excited or joyful. I shouldn’t be blushing just thinking about him. But I was. The anxiety and dread that had plagued me all morning, making me physically ill, had melted away at the mere prospect of seeing him.

This wasn’t a good thing.

2/3 +25 BONUS Chapter 0136 Despite all my efforts to convince myself that nothing had changed between us, it was clear that something had. That night we spent together meant something to me, even if I tried to deny it.

Yet I had to control these feelings. Alexander had made it clear he had no intention of settling down, especially not with me. And I certainly had no intention of trying to win his heart. Our relationship would continue only because it was mutually beneficial.

But as my heart raced and warmth flooded my chest at the thought of him, I couldn’t shake the feeling that keeping my emotions in check might not be so easy after all (1