Chapter 0136 +25 BONUS My father laughed when I asked him to make a doctors appointment .
I wasnt quite prepared for that reaction , but his expression softened when he noticed the worry in my eyes .
If it means that much to you , Ella , then Ill do it , he said gently .
But I promise you , Im perfectly healthy .
Theres really no need .
Its just an annual physical , I argued , trying to sound reasonable .
Its important to make sure you stay in the best possible health .

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The pack could be made vulnerable otherwise .
Shes right , my mother agreed , siding with me .
My father sighed .
Okay , fine .
Ill call in the morning .
True to his word , he made the call .
Given his status , he was granted an immediate appointment .
Alexander had arranged for one of his trusted doctors to shadow our family physician , Dr.
Bowman .
The cover story was that Alexanders doctor was there to learn from the more experienced physician , but in reality , he would be monitoring everything closely every test , every procedure , every prescription .
It gave me some peace of mind knowing that nothing would be overlooked .
Still , the morning of my fathers appointment , I was sick with anxiety .
I even skipped breakfast , telling my mother I felt too unwell to come downstairs .
She fussed over me , naturally concerned , but the thought of smiling and pretending that everything was normal felt impossible .
I only hoped it wasnt too late .
What if they had already started poisoning my father , as they had in the original timeline ? I couldnt shake the dread that I might have ruined everything by not acting sooner .
The guilt gnawed at me , and I prayed that I hadnt made a terrible mistake .
My phone rang , and the sight of Alexanders name on the screen made my heart plummet .
My father hadnt returned from his appointment yet , and fear gripped me .
I answered quickly .
Yes ? I just got off the phone with my doctor , Alexander said , his voice calm and reassuring .
He double checked your fathers blood work and took all his vitals himself .
Your father is in perfect health .
If David had any plans to harm him , they havent begun yet .
Tears sprang to my eyes , and I must have made a noise either a sob or a gasp because Alexander immediately noticed .
I hope youre crying from relief , he said gently , and not because you think I missed something .
Its relief , I said , my voice shaky and thick with emotion .
Im very relieved .
Thank you so much for doing this for me .
You have no idea how much it means .
I have some idea , he replied , his tone soft .
I thought of his own father , who had passed away years ago , and realized Alexander knew all too well the grief I had felt in the original timeline .
My heart ached for him , but I couldnt find the words to express my sympathy , Well continue to monitor David , he said , shifting the conversation .
My investigator looked into the attack .
The official investigation hasnt found anything solid to tie him to it .
There is some CCTV footage of him walking with you to the elevators , but his disguise makes it impossible to identify him conclusively .
Strangely , theres no footage of him leaving .
That suggests he either has someone on the inside who tampered with the footage , or he knew where the cameras were and avoided them while out of disguise .
Either way , it means hes gotten away with it again , I said , bitterness bubbling up .
1/3 +25 BONUS Chapter 0136 For the time being , Alexander agreed .
But theres still the matter of his blood .
I thought you said that wouldnt be enough , I said , confused .
Wont he just lie ? Of course hell lie , Alexander replied .
Hell lie no matter what evidence we have .
But the blood is a starting point , and he knows that .
It means hell be on high alert for a while .
I suppose youre right , I conceded .
That would explain why hes been out of the public eye .
Other than that statement he gave to the news outlet , theres been nothing from him .
We can use that to our advantage , Alexander said confidently .
I propose the first thing we do is have another public date .
A date ? I repeated , an unexpected surge of excitement washing over me .
Did you have something in mind ? I did mention Thursday night , Alexander replied .
Theres a rock concert .
Ive got VIP passes.
Oh , I said , momentarily at a loss for words .
A rock concert sounded thrilling , especially in the VIP section .
I had never experienced one like that before , and it was bound to attract attention especially after the rumors circulating about my presence at the hotel with David .
Showing that our relationship was still strong would be strategic .
But more than that , I found myself genuinely looking forward to the evening .
Our dates so far had been unexpectedly fun , and I hadnt spent much time alone with him since that awkward morning when he helped me through my illness .
Is there a problem with that idea ? Alexander asked , sounding curious .
Not at all , I said quickly .
I was just wondering whos playing ? Honestly , I couldnt tell you , he admitted , sounding a bit dismissive .
Ill send you the information .
Not interested in music ? I asked , intrigued .
Its not the kind of thing I usually have time to indulge in he said .
All the more reason to go , I teased .
You cant work every minute of every day .
I suppose not , he agreed .
But isnt it still work if its part of our arrangement ? Its a bit of both , isnt it ? I replied softly .
Well , its better than another boring meeting , Alexander said with a hint of humor .
Which I have to get to now , unfortunately .
Well talk soon .
Of course .
Thank you , I said .
Anytime , he replied before ending the call : I stared down at my phone screen until it went black , then kept staring .
My heart was pounding , and I could feel the blush creeping into my cheeks at the thought of spending time with Alexander at the concert .
I shouldnt be feeling this way .
Alexander was right : it was work .
Our dates were part of our agreement to appear as a strong , united couple , which would help him establish himself as a leader .
I shouldnt be feeling excited or joyful .
I shouldnt be blushing just thinking about him .
But I was .
The anxiety and dread that had plagued me all morning , making me physically ill , had melted away at the mere prospect of seeing him .
This wasnt a good thing .
2/3 +25 BONUS Chapter 0136 Despite all my efforts to convince myself that nothing had changed between us , it was clear that something had .
That night we spent together meant something to me , even if I tried to deny it .
Yet I had to control these feelings .
Alexander had made it clear he had no intention of settling down , especially not with me .
And I certainly had no intention of trying to win his heart .
Our relationship would continue only because it was mutually beneficial .
But as my heart raced and warmth flooded my chest at the thought of him , I couldnt shake the feeling that keeping my emotions in check might not be so easy after all ( 1