Chapter 112
Chapter 112
All the while, the exhaustion grew more and more intense by the minute.
| didn’t collapse again, but | certainly felt like | might. My knees were weak, my back sore, my head always
spinning slightly even when | avoided alcohol.
Somehow, though, | managed to stay upright-it only to spite Gabriel.
By the twe made it to the dessert course of the meal portion of the night, | was struggling to keep my eyes
open. My fork felt impossibly heavy as | picked at the chocolate mousse on my plate.
“You look like hell.”
I glanced up to find Sophia standing beside our table with a champagne flute in her hand and that familiar smirk
on her face. Alexander was nowhere to be found-likely rubbing elbows
with pack officials somewhere.
“Excuse me?” | said.
“You look sick,” Sophia said bluntly, taking a seat beside me. “Pale, tired, and honestly...” She leaned in,
dropping her voice to a whisper. “...Bloated. Are you feeling alright? You're not... expecting, are you?”
My fingers tightened around my fork. Was she seriously asking if | was pregnant? As if she hadn't stirred up
Follow on NovᴇlEnglish.nᴇtenough trouble already tonight by destroying the one thing that meant the most to me?
“I'm perfectly fine, thanks for asking,” | said, slamming my fork down so hard it rattled the table and made
nearby guests jump. “And maybe next tyou insult another woman's appearance, you should look in the
mirror. That dress isn’t doing you any favors.”
The table aroundwent silent. Sophia’s face went red, and for a moment | thought she might throw her
champagne at me. But we were surrounded by too many important people for her to cause a scene. Instead, she
pushed her chair back with a loud scrape, stood, and stalked away without another word.
Ignoring the stares, | grit my teeth and picked up my fork, shoveling a big bite of mousse into my mouth.
The auction finally ended around eleven o'clock, and I'd never been so grateful to see an event conclude. My
feet were screaming in these heels, my head was pounding, and all | wanted was to go hand collapse into
bed.
When we finally pulled into our driveway, | was practically holding my eyes open with toothpicks. But as we
made our way up the grand staircase, Liam stepped out from the parlor.
“Alexander,” he called out. “Can | speak with you for a moment?”
1/2
Chapter 112
Alexander glanced at me, then back at Liam. “Of course. Ella, you go ahead. I'll be up shortly.”
As if | was going to wait for him.
With a nod, | trudged upstairs to our bedroom, my feet aching with every step. The first thing | did was kick off
those torturous heels, then | scrubbed off the fake mark in the bathroom mirror until my skin was red and raw
again.
The face staring back atindeed looked haggard. | hated to admit it, but Sophia hadn’t been wrong about the
pale, sickly look. I looked like | was wasting away, which | supposed | was.
| sighed, pushing a strand of hair out of my eyes. The cherry blossom bracelet glinted on my wrist as | moved,
and | felt my stupid fucking heart do that thing again.
For a moment, just a moment, | wanted to believe that Alexander had purchased the gift forbecause he
cared. Not because he had an outside agenda.
But I quickly slammed that thought out of my mind, because it was bullshit. Alexander would never go that far.
He didn’t truly care about anything except his image and his campaign.
“No,” | hissed, almost scolding myself as | hastily reached for the clasp. “He doesn’t care-"
Before | could unclasp the bracelet, it happened again.
Only this time, there was no one to catch me.
The room tilted sideways, then upside down, then rightside up again. Spinning, spinning, spinning. Nausea roiled
throughlike a riptide and before | even had a chance to gasp, | was crashing against the floor.
The cold tiles slammed into my head, and in that moment of blinding white pain, the cherry blossom bracelet
glinted past my vision.
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