Chapter 34 Noah, Ill Be Your Only Brother-in-Law
After days of suffering, Elsa finally felt something like hope again.
Her parents were right.
It was only a divorce.
Her life wouldn't end because of it.
She washed her face, forced herself to regain some energy, and went outside to take out the trash.
Near the door, she recognized Noah's backpack lying on the floor.
Elsa searched the stairwell above and below but couldn't find her brother.
Something felt wrong.
She carried the backpack inside. "Dad, Mom, Noah must have heard us talking."
Margaret put down the plate in her hands and helped Harold remove his apron. "That boy is stubborn. Don't let him cause some disaster."
Within minutes, the three of them left the apartment.
The Winters family had been fallen for years.
Both materially and emotionally, Elsa's parents had changed enormously.
If Alexander acknowledged them as his in-laws, they were connected to one of the wealthiest families in Saintville.
If Alexander didn't, they were ordinary citizens with no money or power.
If something happened, they had little ability to protect themselves.
A little after seven that evening, at Elsa and Alexander's city residence, Alexander and Lucas were talking in the living room when Violet went to answer the door.
She saw Noah storm in and glanced behind him. "Noah, did you come alone?"
Noah didn't answer.
He marched into the living room, picked up a glass of alcohol from the coffee table, and threw its contents straight into Alexander's face.
Violet screamed.
Then Noah grabbed the bottle, smashed it against the table, jumped onto the coffee table, and raised the broken half toward Alexander's head.
Lucas caught him around the waist and snatched the bottle away.
"Noah, no. We're not smashing anyone's skull today."
Noah was tall and lean, dressed simply in casual pants and a white T-shirt. Red-and-black headphone wires curled around his ears, making him look every bit the angry teenager he was.
His eyes were red as he pointed at Alexander.
He still hadn't gotten used to calling him anything else.
"Brother-in-law, my sister loves you so much. Why did you betray her?"
Alexander wiped the alcohol from his face and walked toward him.
He reached out to straighten the tangled headphone wire.
Noah jerked his head away. "Don't touch me!"
Alexander sighed. "Does your sister know you're here?"
Lucas still had one arm around Noah.
Noah kicked toward Alexander. "You don't deserve to talk about my sister! I'll sell my blood if I have to. I'll repay every cent so she can divorce you!"
Alexander frowned wearily.
Then he spoke slowly and clearly.
"Noah, I'll be your only brother-in-law in this lifetime. I'm not divorcing your sister."
He gestured for Lucas to release the boy and reached for Noah's arm.
"Come on. I'll take you home."
Noah suddenly spun and launched a high kick toward Alexander's head.
Alexander turned and blocked the strike with his forearm.
Then he caught Noah by the shoulder and locked him in place before the teenager could attack again.
"I know you're good at taekwondo. If you want to beat me, you still need a few more years of practice."
"Alexander, you bastard!"
Elsa arrived just in time to see him restraining her brother.
Alexander immediately let go.
Elsa rushed forward, shoved him hard, and pulled Noah behind her.
She checked him over anxiously. "Noah, are you hurt?"
The tall boy stood in front of his sister looking both fierce and strangely obedient.
"Sis, when I'm older, I'll beat him for you."
Margaret and Harold entered behind them and immediately moved to take both their children home.
Seeing Elsa turn to leave with her family caused a painful tightness in Alexander's chest.
He took two steps forward and caught her wrist.
"Elsa."
She looked up at him.
"Alexander, I'll be staying with my parents for a while. I'll repay the money as soon as possible and then divorce you. Think about whatever conditions or concerns you have. When the time comes, tell me. I'll cooperate as much as I can."
Alexander stared at her determined face.
Slowly, he released her.
Violet immediately distanced herself from her brother. "Elsa, he's the one who messed up. You're not going to stop talking to me too, right?"
Elsa looked at her firmly. "Violet, even if I divorce your brother, we'll still be friends for life."
Before leaving with Noah and her parents, Elsa also nodded to Lucas. "Lucas, we're going home."
Lucas and Violet walked them to the door.
After Elsa left, Violet glared at her brother, grabbed her handbag, and left too.
Once everyone was gone, Lucas looked at Alexander.
"Elsa sounded very certain just now. Did she find the money?"
Alexander sank back onto the sofa and poured himself a drink.
"Her mother has a set of jewelry worth more than a billion."
Elsa's parents had worshiped the ground she walked on since she was a child.
She must have told them everything.
If their daughter wanted a divorce because she had been hurt, they would give her the jewelry without hesitation.
Otherwise Elsa would never have spoken with such certainty about repaying him soon.
Lucas leaned against a cabinet. "She's already preparing to divorce you. Are you still not going to explain?"
Alexander rubbed his brow.
"Six years ago, my grandfather threatened Serena behind my back and forced her to leave the country and marry someone else. He cut off every possibility between us. Serena left silently because she wanted me to inherit the Horton family and protect my future.
She suffered a lot during those six years. If she hadn't run out of options, she wouldn't have come back to me."
He continued, "If I clarify my relationship with Serena and her son, Grandpa will never allow them to remain anywhere near my life. For the sake of the Horton Group and the family reputation, he'll remove every possible problem without mercy."
"Only if I make him believe Serena's child is mine will Grandpa and Dad tolerate their presence and leave them alone."
Lucas frowned. "Then move them to another city."
"I tried. Serena won't go. Her mother and brother won't leave either. And she refuses money."
Lucas blurted, "She accepts your house, gifts, and help, claims she's terrified of interfering in your marriage, but refuses to leave? Alexander, that woman is doing it deliberately."
Alexander lowered his head. He looked completely exhausted.
"She's been through too much. She has fears I can't dismiss. She's terrified of my grandfather. I understand that."
Lucas nearly lost his temper. "So you're going to give up Elsa and divorce her instead?"
Alexander answered instantly. "I'm not divorcing her."
He knew Elsa couldn't accept what he was doing right now.
If she wanted to stay with her parents for a while, he would give her time to calm down.
She had loved him for more than twenty years and had been his wife for three.
In Alexander's mind, she simply couldn't leave him.
Their marriage had been good before Serena returned.
He wasn't going to let Elsa walk away from it.