Chapter 40 I Remember
The next morning, Elsa woke to a message from Alexander saying he had checked out early.
She took a deep breath, pushed aside the irritation in her chest, and threw herself into work.
The week passed quickly.
Almost as soon as Elsa returned to Saintville, the auction house called with the appraisal for her mother's jewelry.
After discussing it with her parents, Elsa set a reserve price of 1.5 billion and authorized Sterling Auctions to handle the sale.
At that minimum price, she could repay Alexander, complete the divorce, and escape her current life.
There would also be enough left for Noah to finish his education at the elite private school and for her parents to live more comfortably.
After that, Elsa would have one goal.
Work hard enough to buy the jewelry back while her parents were still alive to see it returned to the family.
The next morning, Elsa reported for work as usual and was immediately called to the hospital director's office.
The director addressed her respectfully as "Mrs. Horton" and, with obvious discomfort, suggested that she resign.
Elsa didn't make things difficult for him.
She left his office politely, but her heart sank.
At the Horton estate, Old Mr. Horton had given her one week to quit. Otherwise, he had said he would personally call the hospital director.
Apparently, when she refused to resign, he had followed through.
Elsa stepped out of the director's office and reached the elevators.
Then she stopped.
Alexander was there with Serena and Ethan.
Alexander held the boy in his arms.
Serena stood close against his side.
Anyone passing them would have assumed they were a happy family of three.
Elsa had already decided to leave, but the sight still hurt more than she wanted to admit.
The moment Alexander saw her, his eyes tightened.
He immediately lowered Ethan to the floor and instinctively moved toward Elsa.
Serena caught his arm.
"Alexander, your wife probably doesn't want to see Ethan and me. He's still feverish. Take us upstairs first, then come back and explain to her, okay?"
The elevator doors opened.
Alexander looked back at Elsa.
After a moment's hesitation, he picked Ethan up again and entered with Serena.
As the doors slowly closed, Elsa turned away.
Her heart felt as though it had been broken into pieces all over again.
Inside the elevator, Alexander watched her retreating back and felt his chest tighten.
He had gone to Helen City intending to talk properly and persuade her to move home.
Serena's phone call had ruined it.
Now, after not seeing Elsa for a week, she had returned only to find him at the hospital with Serena and Ethan again.
Alexander delivered them to the door of the hospital room but didn't go in.
"If anything feels wrong, call the doctor. I need to leave."
Serena stood at the doorway and watched him hurry away, biting her lower lip.
If she hadn't deliberately called Alexander that night in Helen City, she never would have learned how strongly he opposed the divorce.
He didn't merely want to remain married.
He wanted Elsa to have his child and strengthen their marriage.
Serena couldn't continue following Alexander's instructions.
She needed Elsa to leave him willingly.
Otherwise Serena would never have a chance.
Alexander went to Elsa's department and couldn't find her.
He called.
To his surprise, she answered.
Elsa was standing beside the narrow river in the small park behind the inpatient building when she saw Alexander running toward her.
They had grown up together.
For years, Elsa had run toward him countless times.
When she was happy, she laughed.
When she was sad, she cried.
But she always ran to Alexander.
As long as she could throw herself into his arms, she had felt happy even when he complained, warned her off, or scolded her.
"Elsa."
Alexander stopped in front of her.
A tear rolled from the corner of her eye.
He reached out to wipe it away.
Elsa turned her face aside and only then realized she was crying again.
Alexander placed both hands on her shoulders and searched her expression.
"Let's find somewhere to sit and talk."
Elsa pulled free and gave a bitter little smile. "I'm fine. I just suddenly remembered something from when I was young."
She did need to talk to him.
About signing the divorce papers.
They stood side by side near the river.
Elsa looked at the water.
Alexander looked at her.
He remembered the day she first learned to walk.
Her parents had carried her to his house, delighted, while a room full of adults encouraged the toddler to take steps toward them.
Elsa ignored everyone.
She tottered straight toward Alexander, laughing, and fell into his arms while clumsily calling him by name.
She had been like that ever since.
Whether people were watching or not, she wanted to hug him, touch him, be close to him.
She had never hidden her feelings or cared what anyone thought of them.
But from the day he returned after pretending to be on a business trip while spending a month with Serena and Ethan, Elsa had never willingly embraced him again.
Alexander finally spoke.
There was an unfamiliar tenderness in his voice.
"Elsa, I don't want to explain Serena and Ethan. But after three years of marriage, even if you have no trust left in me, can you at least give us time to calm down before rushing into divorce?"
Elsa looked at him.
Her voice was calm.
"When I first discovered what I believed was your affair, I wasn't calm."
She continued, "I couldn't sleep night after night. I couldn't stop imagining things. I screamed at you, fought with you, and even thought about ending my life."
Alexander's throat moved.
He cautiously reached for her hand.
Elsa stepped away.
His hand fell empty and slowly lowered.
She lifted her face to meet his eyes.
"While I was suffering so badly I thought I couldn't survive it, you decided I was being spoiled. Dramatic. Difficult. Every time you looked at me like none of it mattered, I hurt more than if you'd hit me."
For the first time, Alexander seemed to truly feel the depth of what she was saying.
He wanted to embrace her.
His feet wouldn't move.
Elsa turned to face him completely.
"Do you remember the day we returned from our honeymoon and went to the Horton estate?"
His voice came out hoarse. "I remember."
"I heard the conversation between you and your father."
Something flickered in Alexander's eyes.
"Elsa..."
She repeated the words she had carried for three years.
"You said helping the bankrupt Winters family gave you both reputation and profit."
Alexander stepped forward and gripped her shoulders. "Elsa, stop."
She didn't.
"You said marrying me was a calculation. A second choice. Something you did because there wasn't a better option."
Tears finally spilled down her face.
Alexander pulled her into his arms.
His chest felt as though a hand were crushing it.
Elsa didn't struggle.
She stood quietly against him and spoke into his shirt.
"After that day, I stopped daring to be spoiled. I stopped daring to make trouble. I tried desperately to please you. I watched every expression in the Horton family because I was afraid you'd think I was a burden. Afraid you'd stop wanting me."
Her voice trembled.
"Alexander, I stopped being that arrogant, reckless Winters heiress years ago."
She raised her face.
"Did you really never notice?"