LOVE BEYOND WEALTH

ge. Inside, Ellie and Alex sat side by side on an old, worn-out couch near his workbench, the air filled with the f

den. "So," Alex began, his voice breaking the silence, "what's it like being Ellie Evans?" Ellie looked at him, her lips curving into a wry smile. "The heiress?" He shrugged, leaning back against the couch, his arms resting along the back. "Yeah. The girl with the billion-dollar family. The one everyone expects to have it all figured out. "She chuckled softly, though there was litt

re's so much pressure. So many expectations. My family... they're not just wealthy-they're powerful. They expect perfection, and anything less

watching, waiting for you to slip up. And it's not just about money-it's about the legacy. My parents built an empire, and now they expect me to carry it forward. But sometimes... I don't know if that's what I want. "Alex leaned

understanding more than he could say. "That makes sense. It sounds like you've been carrying a lot on your shoulders." Ellie smiled faintly, appreciating his empathy. "I guess I have. But what about you, Alex? You're always so calm, so in control. How do you do it?" He let out a quiet laugh, shaking his head. "Trust me, I'm not always in control." Ellie looked at him curiously. "You seem like you a

ex's life had been hard, but hearing it confirmed still tugged at something deep inside her." I learned early on that nothing'

the boy Alex had once been, struggling to survive in a world that didn't make it easy for him. "That sounds... lonely." Alex glanced at her, surprised by the

hared: a deep understanding of what it meant to carry burdens, to be shaped by forces beyond their control. "Sometimes," Alex said after a moment, his voice quieter now, "I wonder what it w

family's money, Ellie. You're more than that." The sincerity in his words made her chest tighten. "You really think so?""I know so," Alex said firmly. "The fact that you're even questioning all of this, that you want to figu

wealth and status. "And you're more than your past, Alex," she said, her voice gentle but firm. "You've built something for yourself, something real. That's not something everyone can say." He gave her a small, appreciative smile, but there was still a

'getting by.'"Alex looked at her, his gaze searching hers for a long moment before he finally nodded, his expression softening. "Maybe you're right." They fell into a comfortable silence

en light, Ellie felt a sense of peace wash over her. She didn't know where things with Alex were going, but for the first time in a long while, she wasn't afraid of the unknown. Here, in this small corner