#Chapter 166: Fairy Tale

Ella POV The rest of the week was a whirlwind. News outlets hounded Alexander for comments about the king's rumored retirement, speculating wildly about his next move. Meanwhile, the hunt for Dr. McIntyre weighed heavily on my mind, especially since there seemed to be no progress. Alexander’s late nights persisted—perhaps not every night, but close enough—and he refused to tell me much. It seemed that nothing had progressed. The only thing Alexander told me about was the fact that he’d arranged a dinner with his mother and Michael. It was necessary, but I wasn’t looking forward to it. By the time Saturday night arrived, I was already worn thin from the week’s stress. Our opera date loomed, and while I wasn’t quite in the mood, Alexander had seemed genuinely excited. I didn’t want to disappoint him, so I dutifully slipped into a floor-length red gown, carefully styled my hair, and applied my makeup. I wanted to look my best, even if my heart wasn’t entirely i