**The Perfect 382**
**Chapter 382**
I leaned back against the plush pillows, a sigh escaping my lips as I watched Alexander rummage through the closet, retrieving his tuxedo with a practiced ease. The fabric glimmered faintly in the dim light, a stark contrast to the swirling thoughts in my mind. My eyelids felt heavy, like lead weights pulling me into the depths of slumber, but I knew that sleep would remain an elusive dream until the night’s events had unfolded.
“Do you remember every step of our plan?” Alexander inquired, his voice steady yet laced with an undercurrent of urgency.
“Absolutely,” I replied, propping myself up on my elbows, a flicker of determination igniting within me. “But I really hope you’re right. I hope this works.”
“It will,” he assured me, casting a firm glance over his shoulder, his eyes brimming with resolve. “We’re breaking that curse tonight, Ella. We’ll do it before anything bad can happen.”
Oh, how I wished with all my heart that he was correct. I yearned to place my unwavering trust in the man I loved, to surrender completely to the bond we shared. But doubt gnawed at me, especially when the very person I relied on appeared to be crumbling under the weight of our circumstances.
“If you’re not feeling up to it tonight, please be honest with me,” I murmured, my voice barely above a whisper. “I know you’re trying to help, but I can manage without you if it comes to that. I worry about you too much.”
“I know you do,” Alexander replied, pulling on his tuxedo trousers over his boxers with a determined flick of his wrist. “But honestly, I’m fine. A little social maneuvering and mingling is nothing I can’t handle. It’s what I’ve always excelled at.”
That much was true, at least. Yet, I couldn’t shake the feeling that he wasn’t just facing a typical evening of socializing; he was battling a curse that threatened to consume him.
I chose not to press the issue further, fatigue settling in my bones like a heavy blanket. Instead, I lay back on the bed, observing Alexander as he meticulously prepared for the gala. Once upon a time, we had delighted in the shared ritual of dressing for such grand occasions, a time when our lives felt so much simpler.

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