Chapter 60: Chapter 60

Chapter 0060 “Okay,” I said weakly. I stood and walked to the door. I hesitated and looked back at my father. “I’m sorry,” I said. “I love you.”

“I love you too, Ella,” he said firmly. “I always will.”

I went up to my room and answered my phone, which had started to ring again.

“Alexander,” I said as I sat on my bed. “What on earth are you thinking calling repeatedly like that?”

“I’m glad that you weren’t harmed,” Alexander said. There was a tenseness in his jaw as he spoke, showing how angry he was about the situation.

“I’m sorry that you were concerned, but I was with my father. I couldn’t take your call,” I explained.

“The rumors about the attack spread quickly,” Alexander said. “I’ve heard so many versions, I didn’t know what was true.”

“News about the attack has spread quickly, I guess,” I said “Very,” he answered. “I was concerned that David was with you until I heard that your father had shown up shortly after the attack”

“My father is so worried,” I said. “It’s going to be difficult for us to meet in person for a while. I know he’s going to insist on having a guard accompany me again, at least while I’m in the capital.”

“It’s a reasonable response from him,” Alexander said. “After all, you’re his only child. It’s only natural he should want to protect you from danger.”

“I wouldn’t need protecting if it weren’t for David and Amanda,” I said angrily. “I’m convinced now that they were also behind the kidnapping”

A strange expression crossed Alexander’s face. “How can you be certain of that?”

“It’s too coincidental,” I said. “Amanda was the one that arranged a ride for us, and the car that picked us up so happened to be filled with rogue kidnappers.”

“That is an odd coincidence,” he agreed. “So if David and Amanda are behind all of this, what is their goal? I don’t see how having you kidnapped would have improved your relationship with David, and I don’t understand the motivation for this attack.”

“According to David, Amanda had hired the rogue to assault me and take photographs. She wanted to embarrass and humiliate me publicly the way she has been embarrassed.”

“Surely an attack like that would only gain sympathy for you,” Alexander said.

“She planned to stage it to look as though I was having a romantic relationship with this rogue,” I explained. “Of course, it’s a ridiculous plan, and you’re right–no one would have ever believed it.”

“If she’s willing to go to such lengths, then she must have a very good reason for it. I think that the explanation David gave was only an excuse.”

“That’s possible,” I agreed, “though I can’t think of a better explanation.”

“Surely she just hired him to kill you.”

I shook my head. “He didn’t hurt me at all, and I didn’t see any weapon on him. If he were going to kill me, why wouldn’t he have done it from the start? The more time he spent, the more likely it was he would get caught.”

+25 BONUS Chapter 0060 “And yet he still escaped from the city guards,” Alexander said angrily.

“The king is having it investigated,” I said. “I’m sure they find something. There has to be camera footage of him, and that will allow him to be identified.”

“It’s not always so easy when it comes to rogues,” Alexander said. “I wouldn’t get my hopes up about the man being caught.”

My heart sank at that. It was already difficult to feel safe, but knowing that yet another rogue who had attacked me was on the loose increased my anxiety.

“I don’t know what to do,” I said. “I feel like I’ll never be safe with Amanda and David around.”

Alexander’s bright eyes fixed on mine. “I will keep you safe,” he said earnestly.

My heart stuttered at his bold declaration.

I wanted to believe him. I really did. But even with all his strength and determination, how could he protect me from enemies who lurked in the shadows, pulling strings I couldn’t even see?