Chapter 45

[Evelyn’s POV]

Good girl.

I shouldn’t have read into it...I should have just ignored it and claimed it as a passing comment that held no serious meaning.

Alexander probably had no idea what he even said. It probably meant nothing to him and I’m just making it out to be more than it is.

But, goddamnit, I couldn’t. Those two damn words kept echoing in my mind like a blissful siren’s song. It did something to me that I had never experienced. It made me feel both warm and respected all the while feeling acknowledged and cherished.

Alexander had said with such purpose that it really made me feel as though he meant it.

I knew it was a silly thing to be harping over but I couldn’t help it. No one had ever said that to me.

Growing up, I took personal pride in helping others whenever and wherever I could. Although I never did it to receive any sort of praise, it was nice to know that what I was doing was at least right.

Between the rough, deep sound of his voice and the heated weight of his eyes, it all sent a shiver down my spine and the spark of heat to simmer between my thighs. I only hoped that my blush wasn’t too obvious when it all first happened.

The guy already saw me fall to the ground, he didn’t need to be made aware of the effect he had on me.

Those mere words must have set something off inside of me because, from that point on, I became utterly determined to succeed in my etiquette lessons. It wasn’t just so I could prove myself to be a noblewoman befitting her title. It was the small hope that I would end up hearing those words again.

God, I sound so pathetic.

Over the next several days, Alexander and I continued our lessons and I gradually started to succeed in what I was being taught. Every piece of advice and trick that he was willing to give me resonated. Slowly but surely, I began constructing that other version of myself.

Each morning, Alexander came to my room and helped me pick out a new outfit combination as well as a different pair of shoes for me to learn how to move around in.

I finally felt as though I was making some real decent progress. But what I also managed to notice was the alarming amount of caffeine Alexander had been recently consuming. The shadows under his eyes were sign enough that he still wasn’t sleeping well.

I tried inquiring about the situation a little during one of the breaks, but he was quick to brush off the topic. I knew I didn’t have any right to press for information, considering my own inability to be open with him about certain things.

As much as I appreciated his time and dedication, I was growing concerned for his health. I even reached out to Wendy for any suggestions on what I could maybe do to help.

That day, Alexander told me that our lessons had to be put on hold since there was some important business he needed to attend to but assured me that he would meet me for our usual formal dinner in the dining room.

Frankly, I was glad for the break.

It allowed me a chance to meet up with Nina and Wendy and fill them in on my progress and catch up on any other current news. I’d gone to meet them in Wendy’s rooms for afternoon tea.

While I filled them in on all the necessary details of our lessons, I fixed each of our tea cups and passed them around.

“All that caffeine was not good for him,” I told her. “I know that I don’t normally meddle in his personal choices or affairs, but as Luna, his well-being is now my business.”

Wendy hadn’t scoffed or even rolled her eyes. Rather, she gave me a smile and lightly chuckled.

“I don’t believe that you’re overstepping in the slightest. In fact, I’m glad that you’re taking Alexander’s well-being into your own hands. It’s been made clear that he doesn’t seem to put much care into himself, recently. I am glad he has you to do that for him at the moment,” she explained.

“I just don’t know what I could do to help me, though,” I said while stirring a little sugar into my tea.

Wendy hummed in thought. She took a small sip of her tea and stopped. I watched her brows raise as though an idea had just come through.

“What about a caffeine alternative?” she suggested.

“That’s not a bad idea,” Nina said. “What do you think, Evelyn?”

The corners of my lips curved as the idea rushed through my mind. “I think I have the perfect alternative in mind. But I’m going to have to do a little research on it.”

...

That evening, having swiftly showered and pinned part of my hair back, I went over to the wardrobe to pick out a simple dress for dinner. It was nothing too formal but it was one of the ones that Claire had designed specially for me.

I’d gotten used to Alexander being the one to pick out my clothes, mainly because I thought it was somewhat cute and funny. But I needed him to be made aware that I was fully capable of dressing myself when the occasion called for it.

When I heard the gentle knock on the door, I rushed over to answer it, finding Alexander patiently waiting. His eyes roamed over me, taking in my appearance and gently nodding his head.

“Very nice,” he said smoothly.

The two of us headed to the dining room where I was then able to display my intel on knowing what silverware to use along with my posture in mind. The conversation was kept light and casual but I could tell that Alexander was impressed by my performance from the notable smirk on my face.

It made me feel warm inside.

As dinner came and went, Alexander offered to walk me back to my room like had been for the past couple of days.

“As much as I would like that, I’m actually headed to the library,” I said.

He gave me a questionable look. “Why the library?”

“There’s a few books I’m looking to check out.”

He narrowed his eyes in suspicion. “On what?”

I gave him a calm smile. “I’m thinking about trying out a new tea.”

...

After many hours of research and ongoing trials in the kitchen, I managed to master the art of making the perfect Louis-Bosch tea latte.

It was an ideal alternative for all the coffee Alexander had been drinking lately. Wendy was kind enough to sample a few of the first trials I had gone through. It was already late but I was deeply hoping that he would at least give it a chance.

As I finished pouring the warm foam over the top of the mug, I turned to one of the staff members.

“Do you know where I’d be able to find Alexander at this time?”

“He’s likely to be in his office, but he doesn’t like to be disturbed.”

Wendy waved them off and shook her head. “They’re right about him being in his office. Just knock before you go inside.”

I nodded my head and carefully picked up the latte.

When I made it to his office, I gently knocked on the door but never heard a response. I bit the inside of my cheek and made the bold decision to open the door. The second I slipped into the room, I spotted Alexander asleep at his desk.

As I got closer, my eyes widened and nearly let the the glass mug slip from my hands.

What the hell?!