Chapter 62 I Came to Pick Up My Wife
Lucas delivered Elsa home safely, then returned to Alexander's apartment.
In the study, Alexander handed him a drink.
They stood side by side in front of the floor-to-ceiling windows.
Lucas asked, "Want to know what she said to me?"
Alexander glanced at him.
"She asked you to persuade me to divorce her."
"Half right."
Alexander drained his glass.
He rolled the empty tumbler between his fingers, his tone unreadable.
"If you remove Serena and Ethan from the equation, there is no real problem in my marriage with Elsa."
Lucas gave him a look of pure disbelief.
"Except Serena and Ethan created a crack wider than a canyon. You really think you can contain that?"
Alexander returned to the sofa and poured himself another drink.
"Elsa has depended on me since childhood. Give her enough time to calm down and she'll understand."
Lucas sat opposite him.
"Oh, she understands. Tonight she told me that if she'd known you'd treat her like this, she would've rather married me."
Alexander's hand stopped halfway to his mouth.
Lucas finally tried to speak seriously.
"Alexander, Elsa grew up following the two of us everywhere. We watched her go from a carefree little girl to a beautiful young woman, and then you married her. She loved you from the time she could barely talk. She called you her Alexander for more than twenty years.
You shouldn't have hurt her this badly for Serena. You shouldn't have frozen her out."
Alexander's gaze sharpened.
"She said all that to you?"
"She said more than that."
The two men looked at each other.
Lucas's expression became grave.
"She said if she can't get divorced, she'll kill herself."
Alexander's face slowly stiffened.
He set down his glass. His fingers shook enough that it took several attempts to pull one cigarette from the pack.
Smoke blurred part of his face.
"When I married her, yes, I weighed the advantages and disadvantages. But in these three years, I've done everything I could for her and her family. Since marrying me, she's had whatever she wanted. I don't gamble, I don't chase women, and I've never restricted her.
I believed she had a happier marriage than most women."
He exhaled.
"I handled Serena and Ethan badly. I admit that. But it isn't as serious as Elsa makes it sound."
Lucas stared at him as if he had lost his mind.
"Will it finally be serious when Elsa dies in front of you?"
Alexander lowered his eyes.
"She won't."
Elsa loved her family too much.
Even if only for her parents and Noah, she would keep living.
For once, Lucas—who could usually talk anyone into the ground—had no words.
He left in anger.
Late that night, Alexander lay on his side in the large bed and reached toward the empty space beside him.
The lingering ache in his shoulder reminded him that Elsa had been here only hours ago.
The next morning, Elsa went out to buy anti-inflammatory medicine for Noah and unexpectedly ran into Serena.
Serena wore high heels, a fitted dress, and flawless makeup. Nothing about her suggested she had recently been hit by a car.
She approached Elsa first.
"Miss Winters, is your brother's wrist better?"
Elsa looked at her and said nothing.
Serena went to the counter and bought two boxes of condoms.
Outside the pharmacy, she caught up to Elsa and held one box out with an embarrassed little smile.
"You and Alexander haven't seen each other in so long. I thought you might need these."
Elsa's gaze moved slowly from the box to Serena's openly provocative eyes.
Her lips twitched.
Then she slapped Serena across the face.
The box dropped to the ground.
Elsa's voice was icy.
"Serena, at least for now, Alexander and I are still legally married. Provoking me like this does you no favors."
Serena held her cheek.
"If I tell Alexander you hit me, he won't let you get away with it."
Elsa took out her phone.
"Would you like me to call him and tell him to come right now?"
Serena glanced at the fallen box, hiding a flicker of panic.
Then she smiled again.
"Miss Winters, I was only being kind. Since I returned, Alexander has spent most of his time with me. You two haven't seen each other for so long. If he occasionally sleeps with you to soothe your emotions, I can understand. I certainly won't be jealous."
Elsa turned to leave.
Serena added, "Alexander promised me he would never let you get pregnant. That's why I thought I'd give you a box. I assumed you'd need it."
Elsa stopped and deliberately smiled.
"Last night he did pin me down on the bed, but he didn't use one. I told him to divorce me and make you and your son legitimate. He refused. Maybe you should work a little harder in his bed and convince him. It would help both of us."
Jealousy flashed in Serena's eyes.
"You don't need to provoke me. Alexander refuses to divorce you because of the larger situation. We love each other, and we understand each other. For Alexander, Ethan and I can live without a title forever."
Several black luxury cars pulled up beside the road.
Elsa frowned when she saw Alexander get out.
Serena hurriedly picked up the box and hid it in her handbag.
She went toward him smiling.
"Alexander, what are you doing here?"
His gaze settled for several seconds on the clear finger marks across her cheek.
Then he said, "I came to pick up my wife."
A rear window of one of the cars lowered.
Serena saw Eleanor inside and immediately looked uneasy.
Guilty, she rushed to explain.
"Alexander, I only came to buy medicine and happened to run into your wife. I just said hello."
She found an excuse and left quickly.
Alexander walked toward Elsa.
"My parents want to meet yours."
Elsa watched Serena's hurried retreat.
"Aren't you going to ask who slapped her?"
Alexander frowned.
"Elsa, I'm talking about us."
She refused immediately.
"If this is about divorce, there's nothing to discuss. If you agree, we can sign today. If you don't, wait for the court summons."
Alexander lowered his voice.
"My grandfather is here too. You know his temper."
Elsa lowered her eyes.
Horton Group was publicly listed, and her marriage to Alexander was public knowledge.
If she pursued a divorce through the courts, evidence of Alexander's affair would inevitably become part of the public record.
Old Mr. Horton cared above all about the family's name and the future of the company. He would intervene forcefully.
There was no avoiding a meeting between the two families.
Knowing the Horton patriarch and Charles had not come with good intentions, Elsa called her father first.
A little over ten minutes later, she led the Horton family into her parents' home.