Chapter 253: Chapter 254

Chapter 0254 Chapter 0254 Ella POV The rest of the evening with Alexander was quiet. We were both tired from the long day, and each seemed lost in our own thoughts.

The next morning wasn’t much different. Alexander, to my surprise, seemed more hungover than either of us had anticipated and decided to sleep in–a rarity for him. He was such a workaholic that I’d honestly never expected to see him indulge in something so simple as a late morning.

Being alone in the quiet apartment left me with far too much time for my mind to wander, so I opted for a light breakfast before heading to the gym. It was the best way I knew to keep both my mind and body busy.

Living here in the capital had its challenges, but maintaining my workout routine had become easier. The regular exercise had become a habit, one I found genuinely helpful for my mood, even if I wasn’t yet convinced it was making much of a difference in my overall recovery.

The gym was unusually crowded that morning, with most of the machines in use. Instead of following my usual circuit, I moved to whichever equipment was available, spending a few minutes at each station.

I didn’t want to hog a machine and disrupt anyone else’s workout.

Still, no matter how focused I tried to be, Alexander’s words kept surfacing in my mind.

I can’t fall for anyone.

They echoed, over and over, refusing to be silenced. He hadn’t said he didn’t want to be with me or that it would be better if we kept things professional. He’d said he couldn’t.

There was something holding him back–some reason why we couldn’t pursue whatever was growing between us.

I wanted to know what that reason was.

A small, stubborn part of me even felt like I had the right to know.

But I knew better. It was silly to think that Alexander owed me more of an explanation than he had already given.

And I believed him when he said it wasn’t personal. Alexander didn’t think he could be with anyone, and it wasn’t about me specifically. There had to be something in his past that made him so certain of this–something that had led him to give up on the idea of ever truly being in love.

He must have had his heart broken very badly, I thought, the idea sending an unexpected wave of anger through me. The notion of someone hurting Alexander so deeply felt almost unforgivable.

I was doing barbell lunges. The burn of the exercise was normally a pleasant distraction from my thoughts. Right now, holding the weights only reminded me of how heavy my thoughts were and of how much was at stake if I messed everything up.

I set down the weights I’d been lifting, placed them bacon the rack, and stepped away. Taking a long sip from my water bottle, I tried to shake the thoughts from my mind. Alexander didn’t need my protection. There was no point in letting myself get worked up over this.

For all I knew, there wasn’t some tragic heartbreak in his past..Maybe Alexander had simply sacrificed so many other joys in his life that he wasn’t willing to take another risk.

Or maybe it had something to do with what had happened to his father, and he couldn’t bear the idea of facing that kind of loss again.

1/3 +25 BONUS Chapter 0254 Whatever the reason, I needed to respect his decision.

“Ella?” a voice called out suddenly.

I turned, startled, and saw a familiar, pretty woman walking toward me with a bright smile.

“Hello?” I said uncertainly, trying to place her.

“It is you!” she said as she reached me. “I didn’t know you came to this gym.”

Recognition struck, and I smiled, turning to face her fully. It was Fiona–Alexander’s childhood friend. We’d met briefly at the wedding.

“I’ve been coming for a little while now,” I said. “Though I probably be here much more often now that I’m living in the capital.”

“That’s great!” she said enthusiastically. “It’s a good gym great atmosphere, great people. Have you been enjoying it so far?”

“I have,” I confirmed.

“Have you started any of the classes yet?” Fiona asked curiously. “The yoga class is a lot of fun–I go twice a week.”

“No, I haven’t,” I said. “But maybe I ought to give it a try. I’m always looking for ways to liven up my workout.”

“We could go together,” she offered, then quickly added, “I’m sorry if that seems too forward. I’m a very social person, and it’s kind of weird for me to go to these classes without really knowing anyone.”

“You don’t know the other people in the class?” I asked, surprised.

“Not well,” she said with a shrug. “Like I mentioned at the wedding, I travel a lot for work. The people who go to these classes tend to fluctuate, so by the time I get back from a trip, the group I was hanging out with has mostly changed.”

“I see,” I said, though I wasn’t sure I really did. Something about Fiona was bothering me, though I couldn’t quite put my finger on it.

She was friendly, kind, and obviously important to Alexander. The way they’d interacted at the wedding had shown me that they were close and shared a teasing, affectionate relationship.

But there was something familiar about her–something I couldn’t place. I felt like I’d seen her somewhere before, though I had no idea where.

“If you don’t want to, it’s fine, of course,” Fiona said, her smile easy and warm. “I just thought it could be fun and wanted to make the offer.”

“I’ll consider it,” I said. “My schedule is pretty packed at the moment, but keeping up my exercise is important.”

“Great!” she said, her face lighting up. “So, how are things going since the wedding? Is being married to Alexander as annoying as I imagine it to be?”

I laughed softly. “I wouldn’t say annoying. But then again, it’s only been a week. I’m sure he’ll find ways to get on my nerves eventually.”

“Oh, he certainly will,” she said with a laugh. “As if the weird hours he keeps aren’t enough! Has he made you midnight coffee yet?”

“Last night, actually,” I said, smiling. “Though that was more because we stayed out too late.”

2/3 Chapter 0254 +25 BONUS “Ah, date night?” she asked, her tone teasing.

“I took him out for a day at the track, and then we got dinner,” I explained. “Alexander did such an incredible amount of work for the wedding, and I wanted to show my gratitude and give him a night off for once.”

“I’m sure August loves you for that,” Fiona said with a grin “That’s exactly what Alexander said,” I replied, laughing softly.

Fiona laughed lightly, the sound warm and carefree, but something about her lingered in the back of my mind. That strange, nagging familiarity wouldn’t let go.

She continued to chat excitedly, saying something about how Alexander had been driving August crazy ever since she could remember. I listened politely, but I couldn’t stop ny thoughts from spinning.

And then it hit me.

I froze, my water bottle slipping slightly in my grip. I knew where I’d seen Fiona before. My pulse quickened as the realization settled over me, cold and sharp.

But how could that be possible?