Chapter 7 Will You Leave on Your Own,Should I Have Security Escort You Out?
"If you've calmed down," Alexander said, "then we can talk properly."
Elsa felt as though she had been crushed beyond repair.
She didn't have the strength to answer. She simply closed her eyes and lay there like someone barely alive.
Alexander hesitated, then got up and went to clean the bathroom.
It wasn't as though he and Elsa had never fought before.
But Elsa had never smashed things.
And she had never needed him to coax her for long.
Once her temper cooled, she always came looking for him first and made up with him.
In the end, it was because she loved him too much.
He had missed their third anniversary. Naturally she was angry enough to reject the gift he'd bought to make up for it.
Alexander showered, changed into sleepwear, went downstairs, and brought a bowl of porridge back to the bedroom.
He placed it on the nightstand. "Get up and eat."
Elsa rolled over with her back to him.
Alexander sat down and simply pulled her upright, forcing her to lean against his chest.
"Eat the porridge like a good girl. If you do, I'll let go of the fact that you pretended to faint and complained about me to my mother."
Elsa's voice was hoarse, her expression empty. "Alexander... if I died, would you still think I was pretending?"
Before the Winters family went bankrupt, it was true that she'd been spoiled, impulsive, and impossible whenever she didn't get her way.
But in the three years since marrying Alexander, she had long stopped being that carefree heiress.
Alexander turned her to face him. "Apparently you still haven't calmed down."
"I can't calm down when I see you."
He released her and stood. "Then I'll stay somewhere else. When you've finally calmed down, we can talk."
Alexander walked into the dressing room to change.
A few minutes later, he emerged fully dressed.
He stopped at the foot of the bed and stood there silently for a while.
When Elsa remained lifeless beneath the covers, he turned and left without looking back.
Leaving her alone with emotions she had nowhere to put.
The next morning, Violet came to see her.
Elsa hadn't even gotten out of bed.
Violet was worried but didn't dare say much. She pulled Elsa up, made sure she ate breakfast, and took her outside for a walk.
Alexander had always been strict with Violet.
If she told Elsa the truth after he'd warned her not to, he really would cut off every cent of her allowance.
The fresh air helped Elsa feel slightly better.
Violet brought her to a luxury shopping center owned by the Horton family.
"Elsa, you still haven't said anything to my brother about that woman?"
Elsa didn't want to discuss it. "Violet, I'm in a terrible state right now. I need time to calm down and think."
Violet had never been able to keep a secret.
If Elsa told her she planned to divorce Alexander, the entire Horton family would know within hours.
And once the Hortons knew, Elsa's parents would inevitably hear too.
Her mother had not yet been discharged. Elsa could not let that happen now.
Violet hurriedly changed the subject. "Fine. Then we'll shop. This place belongs to our family, so pick whatever you want. Alexander can pay for it."
Elsa nodded without interest.
Nothing appealed to her anymore.
She didn't even want to buy anything.
When the two women reached the entrance, security guards blocked their path.
"I'm sorry, but the shopping center has been reserved for a private guest today."
Violet stared at them in disbelief. "In Saintville, who exactly has enough power to close down the Horton family's most exclusive mall?"
Elsa tugged at Violet. "Forget it. We can go somewhere else."
She had only come out for air, not to shop.
Violet refused to move. "Go ask who reserved it."
The guard noticed the quality of their clothing and did not dare be rude. "I'm sorry, ladies, but we're not allowed to disclose the guest's identity."
Violet's expression turned sharp. "This shopping center belongs to my family. I'm Violet Horton. If you keep blocking us, you'll all be fired before lunch."
The guards immediately hesitated.
Violet seized the opening, pulled Elsa past them, and entered the mall.
She dragged Elsa into an elevator. "Come on. Let's look at shoes on the third floor."
The elevator doors opened.
Elsa and Violet stepped out—and saw Alexander.
He was crouched in front of a woman, helping her try on a pair of shoes.
The woman had her head lowered, long hair falling over half her face. Elsa couldn't clearly see her features.
Alexander carefully fastened the strap around Serena's ankle, his movements patient and gentle.
Elsa pressed a hand over her chest.
Her already pale face went completely white.
There was only one woman in the world for whom Alexander would kneel to put on shoes.
Serena.
So when he'd said he would stay elsewhere for a few days, he'd meant he wanted to make it easier to be with her.
In three years of marriage, Elsa had always been the one serving Alexander, pleasing him, taking care of him.
Alexander had never helped her put on a pair of shoes.
He had never even handed her slippers with this kind of thoughtfulness.
The scene hit her so hard that she forgot how to move.
She simply stood there, stunned.
"Elsa..."
Violet caught her as her body swayed, grinding her teeth in fury.
Elsa grabbed Violet's arm and tried to turn away.
She couldn't make a scene.
She had to think about her parents at the hospital.
She had to preserve Alexander's dignity.
Violet, however, had reached her limit.
They had run into this with their own eyes. This time Alexander couldn't accuse Violet of gossiping or threaten her allowance.
She tore free from Elsa, whipped off her handbag, and hurled it at Serena.
"You shameless bitch!"
Violet charged toward her.
Elsa hurried after her.
Alexander reacted instantly. Before Violet could reach Serena, he pushed Serena into a fitting room and closed the door.
Then he turned to Elsa.
There wasn't a trace of guilt in his eyes.
"You followed me?"
Elsa opened her mouth. Hurt filled her gaze. "Alexander, you're supposed to be at work right now."
Instead, he had shut down an entire shopping center so he could accompany the woman he loved—and kneel to put shoes on her feet.
Alexander did not explain. "Take Violet home."
He stood in front of the fitting-room door, blocking Elsa from going near it.
Violet couldn't bear another second. She lunged for the handle. "Move, Alexander! Let that home-wrecker come out here!"
Alexander shoved her back. "Shut up."
His eyes turned warningly cold. "Take your sister-in-law home."
Violet exploded. "She loves you this much and you can still treat her like this?"
A pulse jumped in Alexander's temple.
Unable to reason with his sister, he turned back to Elsa.
"Elsa, take Violet and leave. Whatever you want to say, we'll discuss it at home tonight."
Elsa's vision blurred with tears, but she stared at him without looking away.
"Since we're already here, I want to meet her."
"There's no need."
"And if I insist?"
Alexander spoke each word slowly. "Will you leave on your own, or should I have security escort you out?"
Their eyes locked.
Tears of humiliation spilled down Elsa's face.
"Fine. I'd like to see exactly what the great CEO is willing to do to his own wife for the woman he loves."
Impatience entered Alexander's low voice. "Elsa, don't make me regret marrying you."
She stared at his face, biting her lower lip until she tasted blood.
Regret marrying her?
He had probably regretted it from the beginning.
A second later, Elsa turned away and fled.
Something caught in Alexander's chest as he watched her go.
Violet burst into furious tears. "Alexander, if Elsa really leaves you one day, I'll buy milk tea for every person in Saintville to celebrate!"
Then she spun around and ran after Elsa.
Alexander remained in front of the fitting-room door for more than a minute before opening it.
Serena stepped out and immediately looked frightened by his expression.
Guilt softened her voice. "Alexander, why wouldn't you let me meet your wife? The more you hide me, the more she'll misunderstand us."
Alexander pinched the bridge of his nose tiredly. "She has a temper, and Violet is even worse. I was afraid you'd get hurt."