Chapter 51 Thats Not What You Said When You Married Me
Elsa opened the door.
Her first reaction when she saw Alexander was to shut it again.
Alexander moved faster. Just before the door closed, he pushed his way inside.
They had been husband and wife for three years, and they had not seen each other for a week. For a moment, they simply stared at each other.
His gaze made Elsa deeply uncomfortable.
"What are you doing here?"
She had already signed the divorce agreement she left behind. The one billion had been deposited into the account. Serena was eager to take her place with that child, so surely she had already passed everything to him.
Other than a divorce certificate, Elsa saw no reason for them to meet again.
Alexander glanced around the small staff apartment.
Then he walked toward her and took a diamond necklace from his pocket.
"I brought you something from my business trip. Let me put it on for you."
Elsa raised an arm to stop him and stepped back.
"Alexander, after three years of marriage, we've come this far. You don't need to keep acting in front of me."
His brows drew together. He bent and placed the necklace on the coffee table.
When he spoke, fatigue weighed on his low voice.
"Elsa, Serena and I really aren't what you think."
Elsa had no desire to talk about Serena, but she couldn't stand seeing him pretend anymore.
Suppressing the ache in her chest, she said, "You say it isn't what I think? Then answer me. You lied to me for a month and didn't come home. You rented out all of Emerald Bay for the woman you love and her child. The yacht. The flowers. The blueberry cake you made yourself.
And that loving post on your social feed. Were all of those fake too?"
Alexander unlocked his phone, opened his social feed, and held it out to her.
"I admit I lied to you because of Serena and Ethan. Once. And I admit that post was actually on my account—but for one minute. Only one minute."
When Serena had first returned, seeing her again after six years had unsettled him.
But he had never once considered divorce.
He had also realized that the feelings he once had for Serena were no longer what they had been.
Months had passed. The post was long gone. Yet hearing Alexander admit it with his own mouth still hurt Elsa badly.
"One minute is still one minute. It still happened."
Before he could answer, she continued, "I've been your wife for three years, and you haven't done as much for me in all that time as you've done for Serena in the few months since she came back."
Alexander's lips moved, but no words came.
Elsa forced back her tears.
"Alexander... I've loved you for more than twenty years. For that alone, can't you let us end this without destroying each other?"
Alexander stepped toward her with visible difficulty and reached for her hand.
Elsa pulled away as if she couldn't bear his touch.
His hand fell to his side.
"Elsa, I know you've misunderstood me. I also know you don't like Serena and Ethan. I've already had them move out of our house. From now on, I'll keep as much distance from them as I can so you don't have to think about this."
He paused, then reached for her again.
"Stop fighting with me. Come home."
Elsa knocked his hand away.
"You can tell whether someone loves you by the details. I felt how much you care about Serena and her son. You said yourself that you have to take responsibility for them. They can give you the happiness you want. Divorce me. The three of you can be together. That's the best ending for everyone."
Alexander saw the despair and grief in her eyes clearly.
A dull pain struck his chest. He stepped closer and caught both her hands.
"Elsa, I admit that when Serena first came back, I let the shock of seeing her again cloud my judgment. She and the child were both sick. I looked after them day and night. She said I owed her one public post, so I made one for her to see. I deleted it after a minute.
I hid it from you because I knew you'd overthink it."
He tightened his grip slightly.
"I stayed away from home after she came back, yes. But I never slept with her. I haven't touched her, and I never will."
In his third year of university, Alexander had been kidnapped. Serena had risked herself to save him.
Later, she had pursued him, and he had agreed to try dating her.
As he got to know her, he found her upright, innocent, kind, and brave. Around him, she was obedient and accommodating. He had liked her very much. At one point, he had genuinely considered marrying her.
But three years ago, when he chose to marry Elsa, he believed he had put those feelings away for good.
There were too many things to accomplish in a lifetime. Alexander had never been a man who put romance above everything else.
Elsa stared at him numbly.
"Real love is what you're willing to give, not what you're willing to possess. All you've proved is that you love Serena more than you realize."
Alexander's hands moved from her arms to her shoulders.
He was silent for a long time.
"Do you have to see it that way?"
Elsa looked directly into his eyes.
"Then tell me. Have you ever loved me? Even for one minute?"
Silence swallowed the room.
Alexander lowered his eyes. His hands slowly slipped from her shoulders.
Elsa lifted her chin, refusing to let her tears fall.
She had always known he didn't love her.
But having him stand in front of her and answer with silence still hurt more than she could bear.
She turned and walked toward the bedroom door.
Without looking back, she said, "Leave. I don't want to see you."
Alexander remained where he was, staring at her thin back. Then he crossed the distance and wrapped his arms around her from behind.
He didn't even know what he wanted to say.
He only knew he wanted to hold her.
His chin rested against her shoulder.
"Elsa, how long are you going to keep this up?"
She struggled furiously.
"Alexander, I want a divorce!"
He turned her around to face him.
"That's not what you said when you married me."
Tears spilled from her eyes.
"Then I regret it! Am I not allowed to regret it?"
His grip loosened a fraction.
"I know you don't. Stop saying things just because you're angry."
Elsa stopped crying and tore herself free.
She spoke slowly, every word clear.
"Alexander, you admitted you still have feelings for Serena. You don't love me. Why shouldn't we divorce and let the three of you become a family?"
Alexander stood in front of her, exhaustion written across his face.
"Elsa, we're adults. If you can accept Serena and Ethan's existence, the position of Mrs. Horton remains yours. I can transfer all my assets to you. You'll have every right, privilege, and honor that comes with being the lady of the Horton family."
He held her gaze.
"Elsa, why can't you let go of unrealistic ideas about love and be practical?"