Chapter 12 He Knew Exactly Where to Hurt Her
Elsa froze.
Alexander closed the front door, took the suitcase from her hand, and pulled her toward the living room.
She tore her hand free. "What did you mean just now?"
He reached for her again. "We'll talk upstairs."
"I'm not staying here."
Alexander reminded her, "Elsa, we're still married."
Her emotions hovered on the edge of collapse.
Suddenly she shoved him and ran for the door.
Alexander caught her around the waist, lifted her over his shoulder, and carried her upstairs.
Elsa fought him the entire way, but he brought her into the bedroom and set her on the bed.
By then, he'd worked up a sweat dealing with her.
"Calm down. I'm going to shower."
Before entering the bathroom, Alexander temporarily changed the code on the bedroom door.
Elsa was locked inside.
All she could do was wait.
Listening to the shower running behind the bathroom door, Elsa felt the last of her strength drain away.
This was how things had always been between them.
Calling their arguments fights wasn't even accurate.
Most of the time, Elsa was the only one fighting.
Alexander was always calm.
Always controlled.
His voice never rose, no matter how much hers did.
When he'd said she couldn't afford to divorce him, he had to mean money.
Alexander came out after his shower wearing sleepwear.
Elsa was sitting at the vanity, lost in thought.
He straightened the pillows and bedding, then walked over to call her to bed.
When he reached for her hand, he noticed her wedding ring lying on the vanity.
Alexander picked it up and slid it back onto her finger without asking.
Elsa tried to remove it again, but he caught her wrist.
"Marriage isn't a game, Elsa. You chose to marry me. Whether this marriage ends isn't something you get to decide by yourself."
She had nothing left to lose.
"Alexander, I'm divorcing you. I know the Winters family owes you. I'll pay you back."
Alexander slowly released her and sat on the edge of the bed.
His gaze locked onto her face, faint contempt in his voice.
"With what?"
Their eyes met.
Pain crossed Elsa's expression.
She had married Alexander immediately after graduating from university and agreed to become a full-time wife.
For years, Alexander had supported her, her parents, and her younger brother.
Right now, she truly did not have the ability to repay him.
Alexander stood and walked closer.
He braced one hand against the vanity and the other on the back of her chair, half enclosing her in his arms.
"If you can't think clearly, I'll do the math for you."
His voice slowed.
"When the Winters family went bankrupt, I paid more than nine hundred and seventy million in outside debt for your parents.
The apartment I arranged for them and Noah downtown is worth more than eleven million.
Finance transfers one hundred thousand into your parents' account every month.
Your brother's elite private school costs me more than a million a month in total expenses."
He paused.
"And that doesn't include a single thing I've spent on you."
It felt as though something had tightened around Elsa's heart.
She struggled to breathe but forced herself to keep looking at him.
"When you married me and helped the Winters family, you gained a reputation from it too. We never signed a prenup. You're the one who betrayed the marriage. I'm still willing to leave with nothing. I'm not asking for any marital assets. What more do you want from me?"
Alexander did not hide his intentions.
"Elsa, I'm a businessman. I didn't marry you expecting nothing in return. And I didn't ask you to sign a prenup because I was confident you would never be able to take any of my assets anyway."
His voice was cold, almost merciless.
Elsa had nothing to say.
So this was what remained once a marriage reached the end.
Calculation.
Interest.
Debt.
She fought to keep the tears in her eyes from falling, then pulled a notebook and pen from her bag.
Her voice trembled badly.
"Fine. Tell me how much I owe you, including interest. I'll write an IOU."
Alexander took the pen from her hand.
"When I paid the Winters family's debts, I paid real money. A piece of paper isn't enough to settle it."
Elsa finally broke.
She had never imagined that one day Alexander would corner her like this.
"Then what do you want from me?"
Alexander straightened, his posture suddenly businesslike.
"You want a divorce? Fine. Since you were my wife for three years, I'll give you a discount. One billion. Cash only."
Elsa's eyes reddened. "I can't do that right now."
Alexander placed both hands on her shoulders, softening his voice.
"Then be Mrs. Horton and stop filling your head with nonsense."
Elsa shoved him away. "I can't do that either!"
Alexander let go of her.
His next words were brutal in their calmness.
"Elsa, I was willing to spend money on the Winters family because it helped keep our marriage stable. If you can no longer maintain a stable marriage with me, then the Winters family has to return what I gave. You can't have everything both ways."
Elsa stared at the man she'd loved for so long.
So their marriage had truly been nothing but a transaction to him.
Alexander continued.
"And before you make any decisions, think carefully. Your mother was just discharged after heart bypass surgery. Her follow-up treatment and medication won't be cheap. If I take back the apartment, where will your parents live?"
He watched her face.
"And Noah. His teacher called me recently. He's consistently near the top of his year and apparently has exceptional talent in mathematics. If he leaves that school, I can't guarantee what happens to his future."
Elsa stood completely still.
No reaction.
Alexander knew exactly how to control her.
If she told her parents that she and Alexander were divorcing and he wanted the apartment and money returned, they would move out immediately.
Even if they had to borrow at terrible interest or sell everything they owned, they would do anything to buy Elsa her freedom.
And Noah worshipped Alexander like an older brother.
With Noah's stubborn personality, if he learned Alexander was using money to trap Elsa, he would drop out of school before allowing himself to become a burden on her.
Alexander understood Elsa too well.
And he understood her family just as well.
Seeing her fall silent, he bent down and lifted her onto the bed.
"Elsa, if you want a divorce, I agree. But as long as we remain married for even one more day, you are still Mrs. Alexander Horton. You still have the duties of a wife. Do you understand?"
Elsa lay on her back and looked up at him.
"No."
Alexander sat on the edge of the mattress and took her hand.
His thumb slowly rubbed over the wedding ring on her finger.
"While this marriage exists, remember who you are. Don't say what you shouldn't say. Don't do what you shouldn't do."
Elsa asked, "You don't plan to give Serena and her son an official place in your life?"
Alexander's voice remained even.
"You are not allowed to ask about Serena. You are not allowed to see her. You are not allowed to cause trouble for her. And you are not allowed to fight with me because of her. Pretend she doesn't exist. Can you do that?"