“And what’s more,” I went on, “I got pregnant with your child, Alexander! Take one look at me and tell me that this-“I gestured to my swollen belly- “was just a ploy!”

    Alexander stared at me for several moments as if searching for a lie in my words. I held my ground, lifting my chin defiantly.

    No. I would not let my father’s alleged actions reflect on me.

    I was tired of living in that man’s shadow.

    “I didn’t know,” I finally said, my words quivering slightly as some of the anger deted from my body and was reced with sorrow. Sorrow that my own father would use me like that. “Alexander, I swear to you, I had no idea about any of this.”

    b“/bbI /bwant to believe you.”

    “Then believe me.”

    Alexander’s lips parted. I half expected Gabriel toe out of the shadows now, just like he always did, although with silver handcuffs this time instead of cruel words. But he didn’t.

    Finally, Alexander let out a sigh that made his shoulders sag. “I’m trying. It’s not easy when you’ve spent five years wondering-”

    “Then you should have talked to me,” I cut him off. “Years ago, when this all started. You should have told

    me what you suspected.”

    “Would you have believed me then if I told you what your father had done?”

    I thought about that for a moment. If Alexander hade to me five years ago and used my father of murder, would I have listened? Or would I have thought he was trying to manipte me?

    Honestly, I probably would have run straight to my father and told him everything. Because I had spent so long wanting to be the perfect daughter that I had no sense of self anymore.

    But I wasn’t that same person. I may have survived my illness, but that version of E was dead and gone.

    “Maybe not,” I admitted. “But you still should have tried.”

    “You’re right. I should have.”

    We stood there in silence for a moment. The sounds of the reception drifted across the streetughter and music and clinking sses. I looked down at my hands. At the wedding ring that had never felt real before, but had started totely. b“/bbI /bwant to help.”

    “Help with what?”

    “Whatever you’re nning to do to my father. I want to help.”

    Alexander stared at me. “You want to turn against your own familyb?/bb” /b

    “They’re not my family. Not anymore.” I pressed my hand to my belly, where our baby was growing. “You are. This baby is. That’s my family now.”

    “E…”

    “I only have one condition.”

    “What?”

    “My mother’s belongings. My father keeps them locked in a trunk in his study. When byou/b… when you deal with him, I want that trunk. It’s the only thing I have left of her.”

    Alexander nodded slowly. “Done.”

    “And the house. I know you’re probably going to take the estate, but… I grew up there. It’s the only home I’ve ever known.”

    “I won’t destroy it.”

    The relief that washed through me was so strong that my knees almost buckled out from beneath me.“ Thank you.”

    There was another long silence. I wasn’t sure what came next, and it seemed Alexander wasn’t, either. Did he even trust me now? Or would I have to earn his trust?

    Right now… Despite the pain of finding out that he had spent five years spying on me… I wanted to earn it. For our baby.

    To my surprise, Alexander held out his hand to me. “Will youe back to the reception with me now?”

    I looked at his outstretched hand. At the golden ring gleaming on his finger. At the man who’d just be Alpha King and who’d chosen to leave his own celebration to find me twice in one day.

    The future felt awfully uncertain, but right now, it felt like he was choosing to walk into the unknown with me. Even if we didn’t fully trust each other, that had to mean something, right? I just had to take his hand and take that leap of faith with him.

    So I did.

    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and

    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!