Chapter 73 Thats Not a Joke You Should Make
Alexander followed Ethan's pointing finger.
Across the road, Elsa stood in an ivory coat. Her long hair fell smoothly down her back, the ends curled slightly.
Their eyes met across the distance.
Elsa's expression did not change.
She lifted her phone, focused the camera, and took a photograph.
Alexander's gaze darkened.
He handed Ethan to the driver and started toward Elsa.
Before he had taken more than a few steps, Elsa got into a taxi and left.
Three years of marriage.
Nearly half a year of separation in total.
When they finally met again, silence replaced everything.
Perhaps neither of them had imagined their reunion would happen like this.
"Uncle Horton, I want fast food."
Ethan hugged Alexander's leg and called several times before Alexander returned to himself.
He put the boy into the car.
"Take us to a fast-food restaurant."
More than an hour later, Lucas found Alexander outside the residential complex where Serena rented her apartment.
Lucas pointed toward the gate.
"Elsa is back in the country. Why aren't you looking for her? What are you doing here?"
Alexander gave him a complicated glance and got into the car without answering.
Lucas remained outside.
"Elsa's back. Do you at least have that absurdly expensive pink-diamond ring you bought before her birthday?"
Alexander answered something else.
"I saw her outside Ethan's kindergarten today."
Lucas stared at him.
"Your wife spends half a year abroad and you barely see her, but you're busy playing father to someone else's child. If I were Elsa, I'd be sick."
Alexander's expression barely changed.
"Serena's mother went back to her hometown for a few days. Serena couldn't get time off work, so she had no one else to ask."
He spoke calmly.
"Elsa is back for good this time. We have plenty of time."
Lucas gave up.
"I'm throwing her a welcome-home dinner tomorrow night. Show up."
The next morning, Lucas invited Elsa.
She refused.
Her reason was simple: she did not want to see Alexander.
At around seven that evening, Violet appeared at the Winters home and used every combination of pleading, whining, and emotional blackmail she knew.
Elsa finally gave in and went with her.
At eight, they arrived at the Crown Club.
The moment Violet pulled Elsa into the private room, several women surrounded her with excited compliments.
Elsa glanced around.
She knew almost everyone there. Most were old friends from the same social circle.
Alexander sat on the central sofa in a dark suit, posture composed, presence unmistakable.
The seat beside him was empty.
Once, that seat had always been hers.
Their eyes met.
Elsa turned away and sat at the far edge of the room.
That tiny choice chilled the atmosphere immediately.
Everyone exchanged glances.
Lucas deliberately said, "Elsa, the seat beside your husband is being saved for you. You're sitting in Mia's place."
Elsa answered lightly.
"Lucas, other people might not know, but you do. Alexander already has a wife and child somewhere else. There isn't a place beside him for me."
She had retreated again and again.
All it had earned her was more pressure.
If a peaceful ending was impossible, then she would stop protecting everyone else.
She had less to lose than they did.
The room went dead silent.
Alexander's expression slowly stiffened.
Lucas glanced at him and awkwardly touched his nose.
"Elsa, you and Alexander have been married three years. That's not a joke you should make."
Others rushed to smooth over the moment.
"Elsa, everyone knows how much Alexander spoils you. If he has another woman outside, I'll write my name backward."
"He's successful and family-oriented. He's practically the standard everyone compares husbands to."
"Exactly. Mr. Horton is famous for keeping his private life clean."
Elsa listened calmly.
Then she looked directly at Alexander.
"We're already in divorce proceedings. If you don't believe me, ask him."
Every eye turned toward Alexander.
He set down his glass and stood.
Alexander walked to Elsa, picked up her handbag, caught her wrist, and led her out.
In the corridor, they faced each other while half the guests hid near the doorway to watch.
Alexander suppressed his irritation.
"Let's go somewhere private and talk."
Elsa answered seriously.
"The two of us never reach an agreement. Bring the woman you love too. Maybe with all three of us present, we'll finally get somewhere."
Alexander's face darkened.
"Elsa, why do you insist on dragging someone else into matters between husband and wife?"
She pulled free and took back her bag.
"She's not someone else. She's the woman you love. She's the mother of your child."
They stared at each other from only a few feet away.
The tension was suffocating.
Alexander's lips tightened. He did not explain.
Elsa's warning was cold.
"Even if you control half of Saintville, even if Horton Group has the strongest legal team in the country, you can't erase the fact that you cheated during our marriage and have an illegitimate child."
She continued, "I came tonight to remind you. The hearing is in three days. If you don't appear on time, I won't just destroy your reputation. I'll make sure the woman you love is publicly branded as a home-wrecker for the rest of her life."
Elsa turned and left.
Alexander did not follow.
Lucas came out, reached into Alexander's pocket, and took the pink-diamond ring.
He shoved it into Violet's hand.
"Catch Elsa. Give her this for your brother. See if she takes it."
Violet ran after her.
Lucas had the music downstairs stopped and requested a song.
Then he dragged Alexander to a corner of the second floor overlooking the lobby.
"Listen. If Elsa accepts your ring, she still has feelings left. If she refuses it, stop torturing both of you and divorce her."
Alexander stood rigidly in the corner, eyes fixed downstairs.
Violet caught up to Elsa in the lobby.
She held out the ring.
"Elsa, my brother bought this pink diamond at auction a month before your birthday. He brought it tonight, but you two started arguing before he could give it to you. I'm giving it to you for him. Please—just because you've known each other more than twenty years—give him one more chance."
Before Elsa could refuse, Violet forced the ring into her hand and ran away.
The pink diamond glittered beneath the lights.
Through its brilliance, Elsa saw pieces of her life with Alexander.
Warmth.
Pain.
Laughter.
Tears.
Despair.
The club singer's voice rose through the lobby.
Elsa recognized the song.
She leaned back against the wall, lifted her face slightly, and closed her eyes.
At the emotional peak of the music, she opened them.
She looked down at the ring.
Then raised her hand.
Her fingers opened.
The diamond ring fell to the floor as Elsa turned and walked away without looking back.