Chapter 0212 Ella POV âThe castle,â Elizabeth said for at least the third time in the last five minutes, her voice full of awe. âI canât believe Iâm actually going to get to visit.â
âI canât believe you havenât already,â I admitted, glancing at her with a smirk. Elizabeth, the only daughter of the Alpha King, had access to places most people could only dream of. If anyone should have been able to walk through those gates without a second thought, it was her.
The fact that Alexander had managed to secure the venue when no one else had was... curious. I had no trouble believing that he and Christopher Slater had crossed pathsâtwo successful businessmen and eligible bachelors were bound to end up in the same circles.
But Alexanderâs hesitancy when it came to Slater was hard to miss. There was more to their history than he let on, but I didnât push him on it. Whatever it was, he would tell me when he was readyâor not at all. I could live with that.
What mattered was that Alexander had spent the last few days coordinating closely with Slater to make everything perfect, and I could see the weight of it in the set of his shoulders and the tightness around his eyes.
People didnât realize how much effort went into planning a wedding until they were in the thick of it, and Alexander had stepped up in ways I hadnât expected, shouldering burdens I hadnât even asked him to. I appreciated it more than I could say.
âYou didnât even call and tell me,â Elizabeth said, her tone edging toward mock indignation. âI had to find out from the invitation.
Just like everyone else! I thought we were best friends.â
âWe are best friends,â I replied, rolling my eyes but smiling fondly. âI wanted it to be a surprise.â
âWell, you certainly accomplished that,â she said, a teasing grin spreading across her face. âYou couldâve given me a hundred guesses about where you were moving the wedding, and I never wouldâve imagined this.â
âThat was the idea,â I said with a shrug, though I couldnât help the flicker of nervousness in my chest. The castle was a bold choice, one that would undoubtedly draw attention, but it also felt right. It was timeless, elegant, and distinctly different from anything Amanda could dream of copying.
Elizabeth and I were wandering through the bustling streets of the capital, browsing boutique after boutique in search of the perfect dress for her to wear to the wedding.
She had been busy helping her father prepare for the holiday season, so she hadnât had a chance to shop until now. It worked out for the best, thoughâit was far more enjoyable to do this together than for her to go off on her own.
As we stepped into yet another store, I glanced at her with their RSVPs,â I said, carefully steering the conversation in teasing smile. âSo, Damian and his parents sent in new direction.
Elizabethâs face lit up with an adoring smile, âI know,â she said, a dreamy note in her voice.
âYouâve gotten pretty serious, havenât you?â I asked softly studying her expression.
She nodded, her cheeks tinged pink. âI have. I even told my father.â
I stopped in my tracks, staring at her with wide eyes and an open mouth. âYou what?â I asked, my voice pitching higher in disbelief. âElizabeth, thatâs so exciting!â
âHe approved,â she said, her radiant smile bright enough to rival the glittering display of gowns before us. âSo Damian will be my date to the wedding,â
+25 BONUS Chapter 0212 I barely managed to suppress the urge to squeal with delight, but the excitement in my voice was unmistakable. For Elizabeth to openly see someone was a huge step, and getting her fatherâs approval? That was monumental.
My heart leapt with joyâand a touch of relief. Elizabeth had become incredibly dear to me in such a short time, and I knew how isolating her life could be due to her status. For her to find someone who truly made her happy, someone she could be with openly, was a rare and precious thing.
+25 BONUS Chapter 0213 Chapter 0213