Chapter 43

[Evelyn’s POV]

“Now, remember. When you’re sitting at a table, such as this, and there’s currently nothing being served, you are going to keep your shoulders straight and your head leveled on your shoulders,” Alexander explained.

I gave it a try and almost instantly felt an uncomfortable twinge in my back. Was this a normal feeling? Or had I just slept tense the night before?

For what felt like hours, he roamed around me, carefully nudging my shoulders back and making sure that my chin was kept level.

The innocent brush of his fingers against my skin sent shivers of heat racing throughout my body. I wasn’t sure if it was making the situation easier or more difficult.

The longer I tried to remain seated in such an awkward position, the harder it was to keep the pain from pinching my features. It didn’t help the fact that Alexander kept glancing at me to examine my position.

He was quick to uncover my unbearable situation.

He stopped his constructive criticism and gave her a look of mild concern.

“Evelyn?”

“I just...” I winced and reached behind to press the side of my hand into the middle of my back. “God, I don’t know how anyone is able to sit like this. It’s so damn stiff.”

Maybe this was why Isabella, Caroline and so many others were always so rude and stuck up. Why would anyone willingly put themselves into such a stiff position? To prove their status?

None of it made sense to me. Why did such a thing matter?

Suddenly, I felt a pair of large, warm hands brace my shoulders. All the air locked in my lungs and my body tensed even further.

“W-What—”

“Relax,” he said softly. The pads of his thumbs started to push into my aching shoulder blades. “I think you’re putting far too much thought into this.”

“It’s kind of hard not to when I always feel like I’m being watched and judged,” I muttered back.

Alexander pushed his hands into my back a little deeper, causing my head to fall forward. A shuddering breath escaped my chest while I tried pushing back into his skillful hands.

Good God. It feels so good.

No one had ever touched me like that. It had me fighting back the urge to moan from the amount of awful tension that had been locked in my muscles.

“None of what they think matters,” he said back.

My brows pulled together in question. “How can you say that? If that was true, then why would anyone ever care to put themselves through all of this?”

I felt his hands stop. Instead, Alexander slowly pulled me back and turned me to face him. His expression was almost unreadable.

“Then why are you putting yourself through this?” he asked pointedly.

I parted my lips to speak but Alexander was quick to cut me off.

“Evelyn, your insistence on taking these lessons is merely to show others that you belong and deserve the title that you’ve been placed in. Ever since the Luna gathering you haven’t been yourself. And yet you refuse to tell me what happened.”

I turned my head away. “I told you already that it’s not worth talking about. It doesn’t matter now.”

His tone filled with indignation. “Someone said something to you and it clearly upset you. It upset you enough to make you go through with all of this. Yet, you’re telling me that it doesn’t matter?”

In all honesty, I wanted to tell him what Fiona had said about our relationship. Partially, because I wanted to know if it was true. I was amazed at how well he was able to read right through me.

“I just want to forget the event ever happened,” I remarked.

He let out a long breath that led to a low growl from the back of his throat. “You don’t want to tell me for whatever reason, fine. I have other ways of finding out.”

My heart dropped into my stomach. I had no doubt that he had ways of finding out what he wanted to know. But what I couldn’t seem to understand was why he was pressing the matter so much.

“Can’t we just move on and accept the idea that I’m doing this so I can better blend in with others?” I asked.

“Very well. If you’re wanting to really commit to this, then I’m going to suggest something that I want you to take into consideration.”

“What?”

“As you’re going through these lessons, I want you to imagine that you’re building a fake personality. A second persona.” I raised my brows and glanced back at him. “Do you remember what I told you this morning when I handed you your clothes?”

I remembered the way he looked at me when I was wearing that damn towel...

“Yes,” I responded. “You said that when I’m at home, I can dress how I want to. But when I leave the manor, how I look is how I represent the Kingston family.”

“Very good,” he husked. My cheeks flushed. “That being said, I want you to consider that same idea when it comes to taking your lessons. Learning how to ‘properly’ sit or walk only needs to apply when you’re outside of these walls. Don’t think of these lessons as a means of changing who you are, but rather creating a different version of yourself that only the public will see.”

I couldn’t stop my mouth from falling open. It was seriously a brilliant idea that I would have never thought of.

“Okay,” I noted.

“Now, I think it’s time that you show me your walk,” he claimed.

I noticed the way the corner of his smile curved upward and decided that he had to be some kind of sadist. My eyes drifted over to where those damned heels had been left waiting. As he handed them over to me, he called for one of the staff members, requesting another cup of black coffee.

Once I made sure that the shoes were securely strapped around my ankles, I hesitated to stand up from the chair.

“Do I really need to practice walking in these types of shoes, specifically?” I asked.

“Yes, now are you ready?”

“Not really,” I said dryly.

He chuckled, sending goosebumps directly down my spine. “You’re going to be fine. Give it a chance. Stand up and slowly move from one end of the room to the other.”

I begrudgingly got up and felt my ankles wobble beneath me. I tried to get past the lump in my throat and keep my nerves under control.

Don’t fall, Evelyn. Whatever you do, don’t fall in front of him.

Those heels felt more like wearing stilts—only a trained professional would know how to maneuver around in them. The second I lifted my foot up to take my first step, I knew it wasn’t going to end well. My legs felt like jelly and my entire body shook and swayed beyond my control.

I could hardly imagine how ridiculous I looked as I fought my way toward the other end of the room. By the time I made it to the other side, I was exhausted and completely winded from the strain I placed on my legs for fear of tumbling to the floor.

“Well, that was...Something.”

I glanced over my shoulder to find Alexander failing to hide the smile that was threatening to pull at his lips. I narrowed my eyes but soon found myself sharing in his amusement.

I was filled with a bubbling wave of giddy humor that had me vibrating. Within seconds, the two of us broke out into hearty, uproarious laughter.