#Chapter 36: Chaperone

Ella I froze on the staircase, my fingers curling tightly around the banister. “What do you mean Alexander won’t be attending?” Gabriel’s sneer deepened. “Sophia called. She needed him for something urgent.” He shrugged as if it were obvious. “So he decided not to go tonight.” A knife twisted in my chest. I should have known that even after everything, Alexander would drop it all the moment Sophia called to him, but it still hurt. “I see,” I said evenly, descending the remaining steps. “I take it he couldn’t be bothered to tell me himself, so he sent his minion?” “He’s busy.” Gabriel’s eyes flicked over my dress again. “Well, at least you won’t need to wear that dress now since you’re canceling.” “Who said I was canceling?” Gabriel blinked. “You can’t possibly be planning to go alone.” “And why not?” I grabbed my clutch from the entryway table. “My name was on the invitation too, you know. Not just Alexander’s.” “It wouldn’t look ri