Another Chance for the Luna Queen by Aurora Starling

Chapter 0211 Ella POV I didn't know how long I cried as my mother rubbed my back and whispered comforting words, but it must have been a while. By the tI managed to pull myself together we were already home. My emotions still felt raw, but I excused myself and went upstairs to my room.

Sadness gave way to a simmering anger as 1 paced the floor Amanda and David had already taken so much from me, yet they had the audacity to continue.

That Amanda would publicly brag about her schemes-not just to hurtbut to parade her actions for the world to see-was not only infuriating but outright shameful. My mother had been right, as she so often was.

None of this made logical sense unless Amanda and David believed they had already won. On one hand, this was a small comfort-it meant our plan to change the venue was still under wraps. Christopher Slater was proving to be as trustworthy as Alexander had promised.

But perception mattered, as much as I hated to admit it. We couldn't let the public believe I'd fallen victim to their manipulations again.

Resolute, I grabbed my phone and called Alexander.

"You've read it,” he said as soon as he answered, his tone calm but edged with understanding.

"I have," I replied, my voice tight with anger. "I think it's twe send out our invitations." "I just picked them up from the printer this morning," Alexander said. "August is working on addressing the envelopes as we speak." "How soon can we expect people to receive them?" "I'll get them in the post tonight and make sure they're shipped priority," he assured me. "By tomorrow or the day after, people will start receiving them." "That will have to do," I said, frustration simmering beneath my words. "Going to the media would just make it seem like we're publicly arguing with them. We can't let them think we're playing their game.

"I agree," Alexander said, his voice calm but with an edge of concern.

"} "Now, tellwhat's wrong," he added gently, almost as if he already knew something was off.

"I don't know what you mean, I lied, trying to sound casual, but my voice gaveaway.

"I can hear it in your voice," he said softly. "You've been crying. Has this upset you too much?" I let out a shaky breath, collapsing onto my bed, my fingers instinctively reaching for the stuffed bunny Alexander had gifted to me. I hugged it to my chest, seeking comfort in the familiar softness.

"It's just... I wish they would leavealone," I admitted, the weight of it finally spilling out. "I know it's silly, especially after everything we've been doing, but it hurts that they won't stay out of my life." There was a pause on the other end, and I could feel the shift in his tone, a softness I hadn't heard before. "I understand," Alexander said quietly, his words full of empathy. "It's frightening, how fixated they are on you." I could feel his concern through the phone, like he was reaching out toeven though we weren't in the sroom.

"I don't want you to worry about me," I said, my voice softer now, the edge of defensiveness slipping away. "I 1/3 Chapter 0211 know I should be stronger than this." There was a long pause on the other end of the line, and when he spoke again, his voice was laced with understanding.

"Strength doesn't cfrom denying your emotions," Alexander sald gently. "It comes from understanding them and acting accordingly. After everything those two have done to you, it's natural to feel as you do. You aren't facing this alone. Just don't lose sight of that." His words wrapped aroundlike a soft blanket, offering more comfort than I ever expected. I had thought I was managing everything, but hearing him say those things maderealize how much I had been holding in.

"I don't want you to feel like you have to carry all of this, too," I whispered, feeling vulnerable.

"I don't mind carrying sof it," he replied quietly. "I'd rather help you face this than see you struggle on your own." I closed my eyes, clutching the bunny tighter as his words seeped into my heart. And for the first time, I realized just how much I had cto rely on his strength, not just as a partner, but as someone who truly cared.

"Thank you," I whispered, my voice thick with emotion. "I don't think I can thank you enough for just... being here." Alexander POV "You're welcome," I replied softly. Silence fell between us, but I didn't feel the need to break it. I wasn't sure what more there was to say.

Ella was trying so hard to stay strong, to carry the weight of everything she was going through, but knewshie was struggling. It angeredthat people like Amanda and David could do this to her-publicly humiliate her, bully her, and still act as if they were the ones in control. And what upseteven more was that Ella was carrying all of it, hiding the depth of her pain behind her carefully constructed walls. No one would guess from looking at her just how much she was suffering.

It wasn't just that she was upset, though-it was the hurt in her voice. That soft admission about wishing they would just leave her alone. It hitharder than I cared to admit.

All of my protective instincts were kicking in, urgingto do whatever it took to make sure she felt safe, supported, and protected from the people who had no idea what it meant to treat someone with decency.

But there was something else, something deeper that I couldn't ignore. The way she had sounded when she whispered, "Thank you." It was more than gratitude-it was a quiet acknowledgment of the bond. we were beginning to form, despite the professional distance we had tried to keep. I could feel it too, that undeniable connection. I hadn't expected it. I hadn't wanted it. Yet, at every turn I caught myself encouraging it.

Love wasn't something I believed in. Not anymore. My past had shattered that belief long ago. I'd learned the hard way that love was fleeting, a cruel illusion that only led to disappointment and betrayal.

So I told myself, over and over, that I couldn't allow himself to feel more than I already did for. Ella. She m deserved more than what I could offer. This relationship was temporary. Once I had what I wanted, we would part ways. That was the agreement. I wasn't the type of man to give her the stability that someone like her needed.

But despite all of that, despite the voice in my head remindingof my painful history, there was still something stirring deep insidewhenever I thought about her. I'd tried to push it down, to ignore it, but it wouldn't go 2/3 Chapter 0211 away.

And I wasn't so confident that I wanted it to.