Chapter 71 Were Husband and Wife, Not Enemies
Elsa stopped what she was doing when she saw Alexander's message.
Alexander never acted without a purpose.
Her attorney had already submitted all of the evidence to the court, and the hearing was scheduled for the following week.
If Alexander had flown to Taren this late at night, Elsa could think of only one reason: he wanted to protect his reputation—and Serena's—and convince her to abandon the legal route.
After thinking for a long time, Elsa left the kitchen, turned off every light in the apartment, and went to her bedroom.
She was about to get into bed when her phone rang.
A female colleague who lived nearby told her someone was standing outside asking for her.
Elsa sat on the edge of the bed in silence.
Then she got up.
Everyone in this building worked at the hospital. She couldn't allow a late-night visitor to disturb them.
Besides, she wasn't the one who had done something wrong.
Avoiding Alexander wouldn't solve anything.
Elsa took a deep breath and opened the door.
She met Alexander's dark eyes.
They had not seen each other for some time.
Once, Elsa had been the lively one who never stopped talking whenever she saw him. Now she stood quietly inside the doorway.
Once, Alexander had been the silent, distant one who rarely approached her first. Now he was standing outside her apartment holding a cake.
Neither moved.
Finally, Alexander said, "Happy birthday."
Elsa's gaze lowered slowly to the cake in his hands.
Alexander followed her eyes.
And in Elsa's mind came Emerald Bay—the beach, the yacht, the flowers, the blueberry cake, and the social-media post full of words about love.
Pain clenched her heart.
The color drained from her face.
Alexander spoke gently.
"Matcha. Your favorite. I brought it from Saintville for you."
Elsa pointed outside.
"Take it away."
His brows drew together slightly.
Then he stepped inside.
Elsa's emotions exploded.
She lunged for the cake and raised her voice.
"I said take it away!"
Alexander set the cake down and closed the door.
He caught her wrist.
"I flew all night to celebrate your birthday and this is how you treat me?"
Elsa stared at the cake on the coffee table.
She lost control.
She tried to grab it and throw it away, but Alexander locked her in his arms.
She struggled violently.
"I don't need you to celebrate another birthday with me for the rest of my life! And I'll never eat a cake you give me again!"
Alexander caught the back of her neck with one hand and forced her to look at him.
"Elsa, we're husband and wife, not enemies. How long are you going to keep fighting me?"
Tears shone in her red eyes.
"From the moment you secretly made a blueberry cake with your own hands for the first love you adored, there was already no place for your wife in your heart. Stop pretending now."
They stood so close their breaths mingled.
Something tightened in Alexander's chest.
He pulled her into an embrace.
His low voice sounded beside her ear.
"The day I decided to marry you, I decided I would stay married to you for the rest of my life. You're my wife. You always will be."
His hand moved over her back in an attempt to soothe her.
"I brought you a birthday gift too. Want to see it?"
He reached toward his pocket.
Elsa used the opening to tear free.
She stepped back, creating a clear distance between them.
"Alexander, whether it's a gift or a person, I only want what is clean, one of a kind, and belongs to me alone."
Her eyes were cold.
"Anything connected to you means nothing to me now."
Alexander's hand stopped inside his pocket.
He withdrew it empty.
For a long time, he only stared at her.
Then he asked, "Tell me what you want. What will it take for you to let this go?"
Elsa stepped farther back.
"Your lies. Your blueberry cake. Your public declaration of love. Your first love. Your illegitimate son. None of it will ever be something I can 'let go.'"
Alexander's eyes darkened.
He moved toward her.
"If you're willing, anything can be put behind us."
Elsa backed away and nearly shouted.
"I'm not willing!"
Exhaustion appeared between his brows.
He reached for her hand.
Elsa shoved him away.
"My attorney has already submitted all the evidence of your affair to the court. The hearing is next week. If you fail to appear, I'll show you what it looks like when I truly decide to fight you."
Alexander frowned.
"You collected evidence?"
"If you agree to an uncontested divorce, the evidence never needs to matter."
They stared at each other in a rigid silence.
Alexander picked up the birthday cake and placed it outside.
Then he closed the door again.
"The cake is gone. Can we sit down and talk?"
Elsa turned her face away.
"There's nothing to discuss. Leave."
Alexander studied her, his expression complicated.
He reached to smooth a strand of hair away from her face.
Elsa pushed his hand aside in disgust.
Alexander caught her arm and pulled her firmly into his embrace.
Ignoring her struggle, he held her tighter.
Feeling how much thinner she had become, pain clouded his eyes.
His voice softened almost unbearably.
"Elsa, everyone has a past. Serena is part of mine. So is that child. You don't need to keep punishing us for my past."
Unable to break free, Elsa bit his shoulder.
Alexander flinched. His arms loosened slightly, but he still did not release her.
Elsa's fingers twisted into the edge of his suit jacket until her knuckles turned white.
"You betrayed me for them during our marriage. That's the present. You promised to take care of them for life. That's the future. I'm not obsessed with your past. You are the one who has put Serena and Ethan into your past, your present, and your future."
The silence between them became suffocating.
Alexander tried again.
"Taking care of Serena and Ethan doesn't mean I'm abandoning our marriage. It doesn't mean I'm abandoning you."
He continued, "I made mistakes after Serena came home. I admit that. But what exists between her and me isn't what you think."
Elsa looked into his eyes with numb exhaustion.
"You said it yourself, Alexander. Serena was the woman you wanted to marry. You don't love me. If you don't love me, then let me go."
Alexander's face grew steadily darker.
"Is love really that important to you?"