Chapter 0155 Chapter 0155 Ella POV Message notification from Alexander Black .
The words flashed across the top of my phone screen as I checked the time , but I forced myself to ignore them .
Keeping busy was my best defense against wandering thoughts , and I was certainly making sure to stay occupied .
I spent the previous evening working on pack affairs with my father , diving into every detail to keep my mind from straying .
Early this morning , I was off to my first occupational therapy appointment , determined to keep moving forward .
I hadnt dreamed that night or , if I had , I didnt remember it .
Yet , the earlier dreams of Alexander lingered in my thoughts .
The memory of his heat , the way he looked at me , and , most of all , his words .
We could never have a stable relationship .
He was right .
Things were far too complicated in both our lives to imagine an easy future together .
That was a fantasy I had to abandon , no matter how painful it was to let go .
I needed to focus on what truly mattered the problem at hand .
The growl that had slipped from me the previous day was proof that hope wasnt lost .
My wolf was still there still a part of me , waiting to emerge .
Stopping the medication that had kept her dormant had been the first step , but now it was up to me .
I needed to get stronger , mentally and physically , to ensure she returned .
There was no time for distractions .
My path forward had to be clear and unshakable .
For my sake , and fveryone depending on me .
The therapy office was housed in a small , unassuming building .
The waiting room exuded calm with its soft lighting and soothing decor .
I should have felt the same , but my nerves were frayed .
I stared blankly at the stack of paperwork in front of me .
Starting with any new doctor or treatment always meant a mountain of forms , but I couldnt focus .
My mind kept drifting to my phone .
That notification Alexanders message still lingered in my thoughts .
The moment I saw his name , the dream from yesterday had come rushing back , vivid and unwanted .
I hadnt even unlocked my phone to read his words .
I couldnt .
I was still trying to ignore it , though I knew how childish that was .
Alexander hadnt done anything wrong .
The fault was entirely mine for letting my feelings spiral out of control .
Yesterday , I wasnt even sure if he noticed how Id been looking at him but it didnt matter .
Things between us had to remain professional .
I needed to manage that .
The problem was that every interaction made it harder to maintain the distance I so desperately needed .
Yet , I couldnt sever ties completely .
That wasnt an option .
I was caught in a web of my own making , unsure of the right way to proceed .
There was no one I could ask for advice .
No one could know the truth about my arrangement with Alexander that the relationship was not real .
I had to keep up the illusion .
The stakes were too high to falter now.
But as I sat there , pen hovering over the first line of paperwork , I couldnt help but feel Id trapped myself in an impossible situation .
And it was far too late to turn back .
My phone buzzed in my pocket again , a persistent reminder of the notification I was steadfastly ignoring .
I shook my head , scolding myself softly , and returned to the paperwork .
It didnt take long to finish , but Id arrived early , +25 BONUS Chapter 0155 and the doctor seemed to be running late .
After what felt like an eternity of staring at the clock , I caved .
I pulled out my phone and dismissed the message notification without opening it .
Instead , I launched one of my social media apps , hoping for a distraction .
That hope was short lived .
The feed was dominated by news about David and Amanda , rolled my eyes as I skimmed through the headlines and comments .
Apparently , the two of them were flaunting their wealth around the capital , visiting lavish boutiques and top tier bridal shops as they prepared for their wedding .
It was laughable .
Neither of them could afford such extravagance not without running themselves into financial ruin .
I couldnt be too confident about that though .
They had been so unpredictable lately .
There was a possibility that this was part of some bigger plan of theirs .
I had no idea what they might be trying at accomplish , but I couldnt afford to ignore them .
For all I knew this was some kind of a ploy to lure me into action .
Maybe they hoped that Alexander would spend just as foolishly to compete ? They were stupid if they thought that would work .
Alexander had no need to throw his wealth around to show off .
The entire kingdom already knew that he was successful and well off .
His wedding gift to me had established that for anyone that didnt already know it .
Still , maybe Alexander and I showing up at their announcement had shaken them more than Id realized .
David had lost that land fair and square , in full public view , and it seemed he was now determined to prove that the loss hadnt affected him .
J If anything , his recklessness presented an opportunity .
If he spread himself too thin , the consequen would catch up to him .
I had no doubt that Alexander would know exactly how to exploit the situation to our advantage .
That was the thing about Alexander he was brilliant when it came to PR .
Far better than I was .
He had an uncanny ability to get the media and public on his side , turning even the smallest details into victories .
It was one of the reasons we worked well together , professionally at least .
Thinking of him again made me sigh .
I was being ridiculous , avoiding his message like this .
Childish , even .
I was trying my best to leave childish tendencies behind , and this ..
this was not helping .
Alexander probably hadnt even noticed I was ignoring him , but that didnt change the fact that it was rude of me .
Reluctantly , I opened the messaging app and pulled up Alexanders thread .
The message stared back at me , simple yet thoughtful : Good luck at your appointment .
My heart twisted with guilt .
He hadnt done anything wrong , yet here I was , overthinking everything to the point of absurdity .

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Before I could overthink it further , I sent a quick reply to Alexander : Thank you .
We should talk soon were planning a wedding , after all , and theres a lot to discuss .
His response came almost immediately , simple yet potent enough to make my heart race : Call me when your appointment is over .
The flutter of anticipation in my chest felt impossible to ignore , like a swarm of butterflies set loose .
I caught myself smiling at the thought of hearing his voice again , and the realization sent a pang of frustration through me .
It was pointless to deny how I felt about him .
Id tried , over and over again , but those feelings refused to be 273 Chapter 0155 silenced .
Still , I had to stay strong .
There was too much at stake too many moving pieces in this elaborate charade .
I just hoped that I was strong enough to keep my emotions from ruining everything .