Chapter 0091 âI have to admit, Iâm concerned,â my mother said, her voice sharp with worry.
âYou really donât have anything to worry about,â I replied, trying to keep my tone steady.
âDonât take this the wrong way, sweetheart,â she pressed, but Iâm afraid you havenât shown the best judgment recently. Are you certain that Alexander isnât just manipulating you into believing his lies?â
âYes,â I confirmed it again calmly, but I could feel impatience rising inside of me.
I could tell they were worried about me trusting Alexander blindly, just as I trusted David.
Everything was different this time, but they couldnât know that. I had experienced so much in my last life. And what was between Alexander and me was a solid contract, but not....love. There was no way for me to explain all of this to them.
âDarling,â my father began gently, âyour mother and I love you, and we only want whatâs best for you. Weâre concerned that a relationship with a man who has a questionable history with women isnât whatâs best.â
âAnd with the media still so interested in your life,â my mother added, her voice tight, âjumping into this. it might not be the wisest choice. If David hadnât dragged things out the way he did, maybe it would be different, but âBut what?â I interrupted. âIâm supposed to let Davidâs behavior keep controlling my life?â
âYou know thatâs not what weâre saying,â my father said firmly, but I could hear the tension building in his voice, 100. 100.
âThen what are you saying?â I snapped, shocking all of us âYou donât know him, Ella,â my mother shot back, her voice breaking slightly. âAnd with everything you could be making a mistake. What if Alexander is lying to you just like David did?â
Silence fell, thick and uncomfortable. I thought at first that I just couldnât bear my parents worrying about me. But now I suddenly realized that my parents comparing Alexander to David was even harder for me to accept.
My father cleared his throat, but I refused to look at either of them, gripping the edge of my chair to keep from shaking. They didnât know the truth. They couldnât.
âIâve thought it through,â I said firmly, my voice tight. âAnd I will find a way to prove that to you.
âElla, I trust you can find your proof for us,â my father said his tone calm but commanding. âBut I think weâre missing the most important factor here.â
My heart raced. âWhatâs that?â I asked, trying to keep the unease out of my voice.
âHow do you really feel about Alexander?â His eyes locked on mine. âI know you were interested in him initially, but now that youâve been seeing each other for a few weeks, how do you feel? Really.â
1 froze, my grip tightening on the armrest. The question rattled me. My emotions were tangledâthere was the deal we had made, the stakes tied to his future, and my own growing feelings.
But what was I supposed to say? Could I even admit the truth to myself?
âI love him,â I whispered, the words feeling heavier than I expected. âI really do.â
My fatherâs expression softened. âIf thatâs the case, then you have our full support.â
My mother sighed, but it wasnât with reliefâit was resignation.
1/2 +25 BONUS Chapter 0091 I could feel my nerves relaxed after the âconfessionâ.
âIâm sorry for losing my temper,â I said softly. âIâm just not explaining myself well. The truth is, that I believe some of the women coming forward have been coerced to do so. I believe that someone is behind this and itâs an attempt to ruin Alexanderâs reputation.â
âThatâs a serious accusation,â my mother said. âAre you sure about this?â
I nodded. I knew without a doubt that it was true, even if I didnât have proof.
âIf thatâs the case, then you have our support,â she said, although she still sounded uncertain.
âThank you,â I said, my voice thick with emotion. âIâll deal with this, I promise you. I know Iâll be able to get to the bottom of whatâs really going on.â
I had to. If Alexander and I failedâif our plan fell apart it wouldnât just be my future at stake.
My parentsâ lives were on the trust, had no idea how dange. The very people sitting here, trying to protect me from a man they didnât fully the situation truly was.
Alexander had agreed to this earnestly, but he had no idea of what was truly at stake. It was up to me to deal with David and make sure that he could never come to power. It was the only way to protect everyone I cared about.
+25 BONUS Chapter 0092