#Chapter 200: Acceptance

Ella POV James stood beside me, his posture tense and alert. I felt a pang of guilt for asking him to join me for a walk after everything that had just happened, but he had agreed easily enough. He didn’t try to chat with me like he normally would, and the silence hung heavy between us. It didn’t bother me, though—I needed time to clear my head and sort through my thoughts. I knew I owed James an apology, and I would make sure he got it... eventually. But not today. Too much had happened in the past few days. Part of me wondered if this was all some crazy, twisted dream. The truth about Alexander... the kidnapping... It all felt surreal. But the bruises on my body were real enough, and the ache in my bones with every step reminded me that I wasn’t dreaming. The stares from passersby as they noticed my bruises and my slight limp were real enough too. “What do you think of Alexander?” I asked suddenly, breaking the silence. James looked at me, con