Chapter 160: Chapter 161

Chapter 0161 Chapter 0161 Ella POV “This venue is well–suited for a large wedding,” the tall, dark–haired woman with glasses explained, gesturing around the space.

“The bridal suite has room for the bride, of course, as well as the bridesmaids. We also have a groom’s suite complete with a wet bar. We have plenty of beautiful scenery for photographs, as well. We do tend to book up well in advance, but we actually have some openings in the next few months. If you’re interested, I suggest you jump on it.”

Alexander turned to me, raising an eyebrow in a silent question.

This was the fifth wedding venue we had visited today. All of them were nice, but something about this beautiful mansion really stood out to me. It was a brand new building that only opened at the beginning of the year. They had hosted only a couple of events and they were the talk of the town.

Standing in the venue, it was easy to see why everyone wanted to come here. It was top of the line and completely stunning.

I loved the idea of an outdoor wedding, and the heated patios made it feasible even in the colder months we were considering.

“Hike it a lot,” I said, smiling up at him. “If it’s all right with you.”

“Of course it is,” Alexander said with a soft smile. “I told you this morning–whatever venue you want.”

He had said it a few times, actually. I wasn’t sure if he just thought it was the correct thing to be heard saying or if he truly didn’t care about the venue. I could tell by the look on his face that he liked this place too, so either way it was a good choice.

“It’s decided, then,” I said with a smile to the woman who had been conducting the venue tour.

“Wonderful,” she said brightly. “I’ll grab our scheduling books and meet you out in the gardens.”

As she walked away, Alexander linked his arm with mine and led me down the hallway toward the gardens. The day was pleasantly overcast, and after spending most of it indoors, I was grateful for the fresh air.

“We’ve had a more successful day than I expected,” Alexander said, sounding pleased. “Choosing the venue is a huge step in the right direction.”

“And it’s a beautiful venue,” I replied, smiling. “Whether we have the ceremony inside or outside, the scenery will be stunning.”

I could feel Alexander’s eyes on me as we strolled along the cobblestone path. “Yes,” he said softly, “we’re guaranteed beautiful scenery.”

My heart fluttered at his compliment, but I tried not to let it show. I had to learn not to take his compliments to heart.

“It’ll be a relief once all the wedding planning is finished, “I said, glancing at the blooming flowers. By the time the wedding came, they’d be dormant, but the gardens would still hold their charm.

“Can’t wait to get it over with?” Alexander teased, feigning offense. “Am I really that bad?”

“That’s not what I mean, and you know it,” I said, rolling my eyes. “I just mean the pressure will ease once the wedding is behind us.“.

“I hope that’s true,” Alexander said quietly. “But I’m sure there will be plenty of other pressures waiting for us.”

+25 BONUS Chapter 0161 I nodded, falling silent. He was right. Every time I thought we had reached the end of our troubles, something new seemed to arise.

“Actually, your pressures are just beginning,” Alexander mused with a smirk. “You’ll be meeting my mother soon.

11 “Am I?” I asked, raising an eyebrow at him. The last time we’d discussed it, he promised to arrange dinner with his family. “Does that mean everything is ready?”

“It’s all been arranged,” Alexander said. “Friday night, my mother will be expecting you.”

“That’s good to hear,” I replied, though my tone betrayed my hesitation.

“Is it?” Alexander asked, stopping in his tracks to give me his full attention.

I looked up at him and forced a smile. “Of course,” I said. “I’m only a little nervous, that’s all.”

“Don’t be nervous. She’ll love you,” he said confidently.

“What makes you say that?”

He started to answer but then scoffed softly and shook his head. “Just trust me. I know my mother. She’ll be thrilled to meet you.”

“Is there anything I should be aware of before then?” I asked, hoping to sound casual. “I’d hate to accidentally offend her.”

“Nothing comes to mind,” he said with an easy shrug. “Just be polite and friendly, as you always ~~~

“I’ll do my best,” I promised, though I wasn’t entirely sure what to expect. Then, after a moment, i added, “Now that I think of it, we should probably discuss what the plan is after the wedding. I don’t want to be caught off guard by anything your mother might be expecting.”

“What might she be expecting?” Alexander asked curiously as he began walking again.

“A lot of things can change after a wedding,” I said as I fell into step beside him. “Where are we going to live after the wedding?” I asked. “It’s not as though we’ll continue living separate lives, at least not until everything is said and done and we can...

separate.”

“That is a good point,” Alexander said thoughtfully. “I hadn’t actually considered it. It seems I’ve been too shortsighted about all of this–I haven’t thought much beyond the wedding day.”

“It’s easy to get tunnel vision over these plans,” I remarked. “I’ve found myself setting arbitrary milestones, focusing only on reaching them, and not thinking about the long–term consequences. It doesn’t surprise me that you might do something similar.”

“Still,” Alexander said with a faint frown, “it’s unacceptable for me to overlook something so obviously important. The matter of where we’ll live is of great importance. The obvious answer is my apartment in the capital–it seems the most reasonable middle ground between my pack lands and yours. It will also allow me to continue with my business.”

“Yes, that makes sense,” I said, feeling a wave of relief.

“Of course, we’ll likely need to spend at least a few days at my pack lands. But if you’re not comfortable with that, we can find an alternative,” he added.

“I can manage a few days,” I said with a smile, though the thought made me a little nervous. Alexander’s family would expect us to act like newlyweds. “I must admit, I’m surprised it’s for such a short time.”

+25 BONUS Chapter 0161 “It shouldn’t be surprising,” Alexander said with a shrug. haven’t lived at home for a very long time.”

“How long?” I asked. “I thought you only moved to the capital after your father passed.”

“I moved before that,” Alexander said simply. “When I was quite young. I preferred life in the capital anyway.”

Alexander seemed unbothered by what he was saying, but his words confused me. I knew not everyone was as close to their parents as I was–not everyone was as lucky as I was in that regard–but it still seemed foreign to me to hear someone speak so dismissively about their own family.

The thought of someone moving away at a young age and not being bothered by it didn’t make sense to me.

Still, I wasn’t going to push it. It wasn’t my place to pry so deeply into Alexander’s personal life.

Really, this was all the more reason I should feel grateful for Alexander, I reminded myself. I had my family back because of this second chance, and I believed I could keep them safe because of him and his help. He would never truly know how indebted to him I was.

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