Chapter 63 Surely the CEO Isnt Expecting Me to Work for Free?
The Winters family now lived in an apartment of barely a thousand square feet.
When the Horton family entered the living room, the space immediately felt crowded.
Margaret patted Elsa's shoulder reassuringly while Harold invited the elders to sit.
Alexander walked straight to Noah.
His gaze settled on the boy's left wrist.
"How is it healing? Do you need another hospital examination?"
Noah looked at him with open hostility and instinctively reached for the small stool nearby.
Elsa stopped him.
She pushed her brother into his room.
"They're here to discuss the divorce. Stay in here and don't come out."
Noah forced himself to nod.
Elsa closed the door, glanced at Alexander, and walked toward the living room.
His complicated gaze followed her. He said nothing and joined the others.
The two families sat facing one another.
Elsa sat beside Margaret. Alexander occupied a single chair near her.
At a glance from Old Mr. Horton, Eleanor began.
"We're here today to discuss the children's divorce."
She hesitated, clearly uncomfortable with the role she had been assigned.
"Our families have known each other for generations. Alexander and Elsa also grew up together. It would be a pity for such a long relationship to end this way."
Eleanor looked toward Margaret and Harold.
"We failed to teach our son properly, and Elsa has been hurt. I apologize on behalf of the Horton family. We came because we also wanted to hear your thoughts. Perhaps you could persuade Elsa to give Alexander one more chance."
Margaret looked at her daughter once.
Then she answered without hesitation.
"There's nothing to persuade. We support Elsa's decision to divorce."
Every elder on the Horton side changed expression.
Alexander's eyes remained fixed on Elsa.
Elsa sat quietly beside her mother, looking down.
If Eleanor had come alone, Elsa might have believed this visit was genuinely meant to reconcile them.
But Alexander's father and grandfather were both here.
Nothing good would come of that.
Sure enough, Charles's first words were hostile.
"When the Winters family went bankrupt, if my son hadn't intervened, you could have sold everything you owned and still failed to pay those debts."
Elsa started to rise.
Margaret pulled her back into her seat.
Charles continued, "A bankrupt heiress marrying into the Horton family was marrying far above her station. Surely none of you can deny that."
Harold shot to his feet.
"It's true that our daughter married into a family wealthier than ours. But we never begged your family to marry her!"
Charles sneered.
"Then if you know she married up, she should know when she's fortunate."
Margaret fired back, "Even if the Hortons are the richest family in Saintville, we won't let our daughter suffer this humiliation any longer. They are divorcing."
Charles's eyes widened.
"If you're the ones demanding a divorce, then she leaves with nothing."
Elsa looked up and unexpectedly met Alexander's dark gaze.
More than twenty years of growing up together.
Three years of marriage.
And he sat there in silence while his family humiliated her and her parents.
A bitter smile touched Elsa's lips.
She felt as though she could barely breathe.
Slowly, she stood.
"Mr. Charles Horton, your son already calculated how much money the Horton family spent on mine. We prepared the one billion he demanded. If Alexander signs the divorce agreement, we'll return it immediately."
Alexander did not speak or move. He only looked up at her.
The small room felt oppressive.
After several seconds, Old Mr. Horton looked toward Carson.
The butler placed an account statement on the coffee table.
The patriarch finally spoke.
"I had Alexander's accounts from the past three years investigated. He spent far more than one billion on the Winters family."
Margaret and Harold exchanged a look.
Margaret turned toward the bedroom.
Elsa understood immediately what her parents intended to do.
With tears in her eyes, she took out the bank card Alexander had forced into her pocket the night before.
"Since you checked the accounts, Mr. Horton, you must know the exact number."
Old Mr. Horton's face was grim.
"If you want a divorce, I won't stop you. The principal was 1.45 billion. With interest, the total is 1.5 billion. Repay it, and I'll have Alexander sign."
Elsa's mind went blank.
Her knees nearly gave way.
Her mother's heirloom jewelry had sold for exactly 1.5 billion.
If they returned every cent, her parents would have no financial security in old age and Noah's education could be interrupted.
Alexander moved quickly and caught her.
His eyes searched her suddenly pale face.
"Elsa."
He started to pull her into his arms.
Harold shoved him away and helped his daughter sit on the sofa instead.
When Margaret emerged holding another bank card, Elsa lowered her head in guilt.
She was the one who had loved a man she should never have approached.
Now her parents and brother were paying for it.
Margaret took Elsa's card and set both cards on the coffee table.
"We'll repay it. Write us a receipt and take the cards."
Old Mr. Horton rose with Carson's support.
"If your decision is final, there is nothing more to discuss. You may divorce, but the Winters family must bear every negative consequence that follows."
In other words, Elsa could leave Alexander only by returning every dollar.
And to protect Alexander's reputation, Elsa would have to be presented as the party at fault and absorb the scandal.
Harold's face turned livid.
"Don't push people too far!"
Margaret looked at her daughter with tears in her eyes.
Elsa tried to comfort them.
"Dad, Mom, as long as I can get divorced, I'll do anything."
Alexander turned his face away. His chest felt unbearably tight.
Old Mr. Horton continued, "Next month, Horton Group has a major project signing with Avery Group. Once that is complete, I'll personally arrange lawyers to process the divorce."
He looked toward Charles.
Charles immediately took out paper and began writing a receipt.
Carson stepped forward for the bank cards.
But just as the cards reached Charles, Elsa snatched them back.
Every eye turned toward her.
Old Mr. Horton frowned.
"Changed your mind?"
Elsa looked at him once, then turned toward Alexander.
A spark appeared in Alexander's eyes.
He stepped toward her and caught her arm.
After three years of marriage, he knew she couldn't truly bear to leave him.
Elsa looked into his eyes.
"I'll repay the principal. But not one cent of interest."
The faint relief in Alexander's face vanished.
Charles scoffed.
"Do you know how much profit Alexander could generate from 1.45 billion over three years? We're charging only tens of millions as symbolic interest. If we calculated the real opportunity cost, your family couldn't repay it at all."
Elsa ignored him.
She stared at Alexander, eyes red and swimming with tears.
No matter what happened, she had to keep enough money for Noah's tuition.
Her lower lip trembled.
"With my face and my body, I could have slept with any rich man for three years and earned more than that interest."
Her face was white, her voice breaking.
"I've slept with a CEO for three years. Surely the CEO isn't expecting me to work for free?"