Chapter 248: Chapter 249

Chapter 0249 Chapter 0249 Ella POV Alexander and Derrick Lake stared at each other as our waiter returned to the table, bringing our desserts. That’s when Lily Lake spoke, breaking the tension.

“Excuse me,” she said, addressing the waiter. “If you don’t mind, could you bring a bottle of nice dessert champagne?”

“Ma’am?” the waiter asked curiously.

“A gift to the table,” she said. “You can put it on our tab, and please open it when you get here. I want to make sure it’s fresh.”

She wanted to ensure we knew it wasn’t poisoned, I realized, but I said nothing, only smiling at her.

“Yes, ma’am,” the waiter said. He set the dessert trays in front of Alexander and me, then hurried away to get the champagne.

r “Take it as a token of our sincere apologies,” Lily said, turning to Alexander but avoiding his eyes.

I suddenly remembered the last time I’d seen Lily in this very restaurant. Alexander had said something to her, and she’d quickly left, almost frightened. I had no idea what had transpired between them that night, but it seemed Lily hadn’t forgotten.

She linked her arm with Alpha Derrick’s and tugged lightly at him. “Come on, darling,” she said. “We’ve interrupted their night long enough.”

“Right,” Derrick agreed, turning to incline his head toward Alexander. “Thank you for hearing us out.”

“Thank you for acknowledging the disrespect your son has shown,” Alexander replied evenly. “I imagine it’s not easy when a family member behaves shamefully.”

Alpha Derrick’s jaw tensed, but he didn’t say another word as Lily quickly pulled him away, leading him back toward their table.

Alexander watched them go, his gaze unwavering until they were out of sight. Then he turned to me and smiled. ” That was something.”

“Certainly was,” I said, shaking my head slightly. “I’m not quite sure what to make of that.”

“Best to put it from your mind,” he said. “It’s not worth dwelling on, and I don’t want to let it ruin our perfect evening.”

“Perfect?” I asked curiously.

“Nearly,” he said. “Good food, good wine, an enjoyable afternoon at the track, and perfect company.”

I felt my face heat slightly at his comment.

When the waiter brought out the champagne and popped the cork, we thanked him. After he walked away, I glanced at the champagne flutes warily.

“Are we really going to drink this?” I asked.

Should we let it go to waste?” Alexander responded. “They wouldn’t have tampered with it. They wouldn’t risk it after so many people saw them speaking to us. I think it truly is a peace offering.”

“We’ve already finished one bottle of wine,” I pointed out. “I’m already feeling a bit tipsy.‘

+25 BONUS Chapter 0210 “Are you afraid of getting drunk with me?” Alexander aske, raising both eyebrows.

I scoffed. “As if I have anything to be afraid of.”

Alexander picked up his glass and held it out to me. “Well then,” he said.

I clicked my glass against his and took a sip. It was a deliciously sweet champagne that paired perfectly with our strawberry desserts.

I hated to admit it, but it was a nice way to finish off our evening. Even the tension with the Lakes wasn’t enough to sour my mood. Hearing Derrick acknowledge the insults his family had thrown at me was gratifying, even if he was only doing it to protect himself.

I was already feeling drunk, but the champagne was so delightful that I didn’t mind indulging a bit more than I probably should have. It wasn’t as if I had to drive, and Alexander was drinking just as much. Of course, it didn’t seem to affect him nearly as much as it did me.

We finished our dessert and drinks, and though it wasn’t too late, the winter sun had already set by the time we left the restaurant. As we stepped onto the sidewalk, my footing slipped, and I tumbled lightly against Alexander’s side.

He laughed, wrapping his arm around me. “You don’t have to pretend to be clumsy,” he said. “You can just ask for a hug.”

I scoffed and rolled my eyes but didn’t move away from his side.

The night was chilly, and the warmth of having him so close was welcome. Maybe it was the fog of the liquor dulling my thoughts, but I didn’t even feel particularly embarrassed. In fact, I found myself struggling to contain a giggle at how ridiculous the whole situation seemed.