Chapter 18
Chapter Eighteen
ALEXANDER
Igroaned, rolling over burying my face in the pillow.
Could I suffocate my hangover out of myself?
I spread my hands out and reached for Ella, but my hand was met with coldness.
I frowned, opening my eyes slightly.
She was gone.
If I felt like this, how the fuck did she managed to get out of bed without feeling like she wanted to die?
My head was pounding.
I sat up and fell back down as the room started spinning.
Holy fuck.
Right now, I wish I was back at the Palace where I could have a maid or butler bring me water and drugs.
Jesus, the girl could drink.
It was hard keeping up with her.
I flipped the covers off and stumbled down the stairs. I could hear banging around in the kitchen. “Marie, you’re being too loud,” I grumbled, entering the kitchen. I stopped in my tracks as I saw Ella in the kitchen, “oh hello. Am I still asleep?”
She jumped, turning around as she pulled out her earphones, “holy shit you scared me.”
“How on earth do you feel okay right now? I feel like the whole world is spinning. The light is too bright, and the noise is too loud.” I groaned sitting at the table.
“Quite simply, dear Prince. I haven’t really slept,” she laughed. “I sobered up. I’ve eaten a shit ton of toast and done some university work. I’ve been busy whilst you’ve been snoring.”
I stared at her. “I hate you right now.”
“Stop being a baby. Nobody forced the alcohol down your throat.”
“Let me whine and moan. Was I being dramatic? Yes. Did I care? No.
“Aww, poor baby, I’ll take care of you,” she mocked. “I was actually planning to bring you breakfast in bed.”
“Perfect girl,” I said smiling.
She really was the girl of my dreams.
I wanted to ask what all of this meant. Was she staying? I also didn’t want to ruin the bubble we had. “How about I just sit here and watch a beautiful girl cook?”
She nodded, pottering around the kitchen. I had no idea what she was making, but I was here for it.
I needed it to appear in front of me like magic.
She hummed as she began to cook the bacon in the frying pan.
“I’d offer to help but—”
“No thank you, Alex. You’d get in the way,” she said flatly.
I should have been offended, but it was the truth. I would just get in her way. I’d wrap my arms around her and never let her go. Boy, I really did sound like a lovesick fool.
Ten minutes later, she placed a plate in front of me, “A full English breakfast Well it’s as full English as you can get. I don’t cook black pudding or French toast.”
“Ella, I don’t care what it is. As long as it’s in front of me, and I can eat it, then the room can stop spinning.”
I dived into breakfast and let out a moan of appreciation.
Damn, it tasted good.
“Where’s your paracetamol?”
“In the junk drawer,” I said. “Why?”
“I was going to be nice and get you some drugs to help with that hangover, you poor baby,” she mocked.
I glared at her. I did not need her mocking me whilst I felt like I was going to pass out.
She walked over, pulling open a drawer. I watched in amusement as she opened random drawers, trying to find the junk drawer. The next drawer she opened was the junk drawer and things fell to the floor. “I think you found the junk draw, Ella.”
“Dick,” she muttered, rolling her eyes.
A second later, she came over and handed me the packet.
I popped two tablets out, taking them.
Ella sat down with her plate and started eating, too.
I loved this girl.
She was everything I could imagine wanting in a wife. Although that was jumping ahead. First I had to get her to agree to be my girlfriend. Then, it would be the case of getting her to love the life I saw as a prison, a life that I wanted to escape.
“Alex.”
I looked up to look at Ella who was biting her lip and playing with the food on her plate. “I…” she trailed off.
Is this where she ended it?
“I don’t.”
I slumped back in the chair. This is where she ended it.
“It’s okay, Ella. I understand.”
She raised an eyebrow. “You understand that I’m saying I will give it a shot?”
My mouth dropped open in surprise. “What?”
She let out a little giggle.
“Ella. You better not be playing with me right now. Are you serious?” I stood up, walking over to her chair and bending down to her level. “You’re giving us a shot?”
“I’m giving us a shot,” she said.
I pulled her into my arms, crashing my lips onto hers and kissing her deeply. I put every ounce into the kiss. I couldn’t tell her I love her yet, but I could certainly show her. “I won’t let you down, Ella. I promise.”
She smiled, “Eat your breakfast, you hungover potato.”
“Potato?” I questioned.
“I’m trying out some new pet names, my little tomato,” she teased.
I shook my head going back round to my breakfast and finishing what she made me. “Thanks, Ella.” I took her plate and began washing the pots and cleaning up.
“Look at you, what a domesticated potato,” she teased.
“You are not calling me a potato as a pet name,” I said flatly.
“Okay, potato.”
I rolled my eyes and finished washing up.
Ella was doom scrolling on her phone, and I could hear various TikToks playing.
I wondered if we would ever see videos and pictures of us on that app.
Maybe I should search my name and see what comes up.
Although, on the other hand, ignorance is bliss.
I wiped my hands dry on the tea towel and sat down with her.
“We need to have a serious conversation,” I told her.
She nodded.
“We will have to have a meeting at the Palace regarding us and the images that have been circulating. Reporters are at least held to some standards of not being able to post cruel comments, but the same can’t be said for the public.”
“Yeah, I’m already an ugly slut,” she looked away. “Gold digger.”
“You looked at the pictures, didn’t you?”
“Yeah,” she whispered.
“Ella, I really wish you hadn’t.” I sighed. “Comments from the public are simply from jealous people. You aren’t an ugly slut or a gold digger. Nothing good can come from looking at that stuff. I know it’s easier said than done, but you will get hurt from reading that toxic shit.”
“Would you have told me about the comments?” She asked, folding her arms over her chest.
“Yes,” I said. “Do you think I’d send you into a situation blind?”
She raised an eyebrow. “Are you serious? You wouldn’t send me into a situation blind? Oh, how about finding out you’re a prince from the fucking paparazzi, whilst we were basically dry humping outside of a club? I’d say that was pretty blind.”
I winced. She was right about that. “I deserved that.”
“You think?”
“I’m sorry. If we can’t get past this that I didn’t tell you I was a prince, I don’t know if this will work. I want this to work,” I told her.
“I can get past it, but I might just throw it at you every now and then,” she admitted. “Let me throw my petty shots every once in a while. I want honesty from now on though, Alex. I can’t be left in the dark, even if you think it’s the right thing.”
“I can try, but there may be some things that I may not be able to divulge,” I said. “When it comes to me and your honesty, always.”
“Thank you.”
“There’s so much that I’m going to need you to accept and it’s not going to be easy,” I admitted. “Some of it will feel like no big deal, but it will be important and it will be about safety.”
“I am not having someone follow me around,” she said immediately.
“You wouldn’t,” I shrugged. “There would be no need. You’re just a person of interest to them. I don’t think you’d be in any real danger, but if that changed, we would reassess the situation.”
She nodded.
“If we are together, my security will now be seen by you and not hidden like they have been,” I told her. “My parents will have the last say and what occasions you come to. You will be required to attend some functions as my girlfriend. Also, I’d like for you to come to my polo game.”
“Polo?” She asked in confusion. “Isn’t that like you know that game Marco? Polo? You hide and they try to find you?”
“Ella, that’s played in water,” I told her.
“Shut the front door,” she gasped. “It’s not.”
I nodded slowly.
She pulled up her phone, and I could see her googling it. I shook my head slightly.
She definitely was a different kind of person.
“Huh, what do you know it’s true,” she mumbled. “Polo?”
“It’s a game that’s played on horseback,” I told her. “I’ll take you to a game when I play.”
“Rich people sport,” she said.
“When we are together in public, you will have to follow the rules of my security. It can’t be a case of just running off and not assessing the area,” I said. “I understand you will want to get out of a car, and that’s a natural instinct, but you will need to wait for my security team.”
She nodded.
“Last thing, are you going to be ready to come to the meeting at the Palace? It won’t be easy, but we need to do it. If anything, I’m lucky Mother allowed me to push it back and not force me to come back immediately.”
“Sounds like I don’t have a choice, Alex. If we’re going to do this, I need to accept that this needs to happen,” she said.
I leaned over, pressing my lips onto her forehead. “Thank you, Ella. I will arrange the meeting.” I left the room, heading into the office and sitting in the chair.
I couldn’t believe she had agreed to give us a chance. I felt like the luckiest man on earth right now. The girl I loved was willing to give it all a chance.
I picked up the phone, pressing my mother’s number. She answered the call almost immediately. “Hello, Alexander. I didn’t know if my son was alive.”
“That’s very dramatic, Mother.” I snorted. “You sent Jones and El here. I also popped back to see you.”
“My baby boy, when will you learn that a mother’s worry never disappears?”
It wasn’t often my mother referred to us as her babies, but when she did, it meant she was feeling maternal and ready to fight for us.
If that was the case, I was going to be using this to my advantage.
I knew father already hated the idea of Ella and alas will probably hate her, but Mother was still to be decided.
“Sorry,” I said. “Ella has finally come around and agreed to give us a shot, given that she knows the truth.”
“I’m happy for you son,” she said. “You realise you will be bringing her for this meeting?”
“Yes, mother. That’s what I’m ringing you for. We’re ready, so if you could set up the meeting, that would be appreciated,” I said.
“Yes, son. I’ll get it organised and put on the calendar,” mum said. “Just enjoy the next few days with her before all of this becomes real.”
“I will. Thanks, mum,” I said.
“I love you.”
“Love you more,” I told her, ending the call. I put the phone down, slumping back in the chair.
We could do this.
We could get through it.