Chapter 0176 Ella POV Even before I fully processed what I was seeing , an uneasy feeling settled in my chest .
Beside me , Alexander stood silent , either gauging my reaction or caught in disbelief himself .
The ground was ruined .
Deep furrows crisscrossed the earth in jagged , uneven lines of soil and stone .
Mixed throughout were patches of white .
I moved cautiously toward the fields , crouching to scoop up a handful of the soil .
Rubbing it between my fingers , I noticed its hardness and coarseness .
Without thinking , I brought it to my lips and tasted it .
The harsh sting was unmistakable .
I dropped the dirt and turned to Alexander .
My voice was hoarse and uneven as I forced out the single word .
Salt .
Alexander stared at me , his expression unreadable for a moment before fury darkened his features .
That rotten little cheat , Alexander said , his voice thick with outrage as he yanked his phone from his pocket and began dialing .
Hes not going to get away with this .
Slow down , I said , stepping toward him .

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What are you doing ? Calling my lawyers , he replied without missing a beat .
We have a contract , and Im certain it includes provisions guaranteeing the state of the land .
I want to confirm the exact wording before I go down to Alpha Derricks and confront him .
Confront him ? I repeated , startled .
No , we cant confront him .
Why the hell not ? Alexander demanded , turning to face me with disbelief blazing in his eyes .
Look at what hes done ! This land was rightfully yours after everything he put you through .
He owes you far more than this , and now hes destroyed it .
You cant grow anything on salted land .
Its useless itll never be fertile again , not in our lifetimes .
He has to pay for this ! I understand all of that , I said , trying to keep my voice calm , even though my own anger simmered just beneath the surface .
But storming down there and confronting him isnt the smart move .
Alexanders fiery gaze held mine , his jaw tight .
He didnt interrupt , but it was clear he was waiting for an explanation .
This is a challenge , I said , glancing back at the ruined field .
This is David daring us to escalate .
He knows as well as we do that everything between us is under intense public scrutiny .
Yes , hes in the wrong here , but hell never admit it .
Hell claim the land was vandalized by someone else .
And if we take legal action , hell twist it into a narrative that paints me as bitter and vengeful , trying to sabotage his so called newfound happiness .
Itll hurt us more than itll hurt him .
Alexanders jaw clenched tighter as he absorbed my words .
His frustration was obvious , but I could see in his expression that he knew I was right .
Its unsatisfying , I know , I continued , folding my arms across my chest .
Id love nothing more than to make him pay for this , but it would be a bad move for us .
I hate that youre right , Alexander muttered under his breath .
His gaze drifted back to the field , his fists balled at his sides .
So what do you propose we do ? Leaving this useless land to sit here untouched after the very public way we acquired it will look just as bad .
Chapter 0176 +25 BONUS I dont know yet , I admitted honestly .
But Im confident we can come up with something .
There has to be a way to make use of this land maybe not as profitable as the farm wouldve been , but something beneficial .
And , if were smart , itll be something thatll make David absolutely furious .
Alexanders lips twitched in the faintest hint of a smirk , though his anger hadnt fully abated .
Youre devious when you want to be .
I smiled faintly , letting the satisfaction of his comment temper my own frustration .
Only when it counts .
I pulled out my phone and began snapping photos of the ruined farmland .
What are you doing ? Alexander asked , a frown creasing his brow .
Documenting , I replied , my tone clipped .
Even if we cant use this against David right now , this will be useful in the future .
Combined with everything else hes guilty of , it helps establish a pattern lying , stealing , doing everything in his power to hurt me .
Dont you agree ? I do , Alexander said , stepping up beside me .
His gaze swept over the field , the anger in his expression still sharp .
Start filming .
Lets take a walk around the field and see just how bad the damage is .