Reluctantly, Elizabeth stopped, lifting her gaze to meet his with a weary sigh.
She wondered whether it was pure coincidence or Elijah’s deliberate actions that caused their paths to cross so often.
In the past, she had yearned for glimpses of him, which were rare. Now, despite her efforts to avoid him, he always seemed to appear.
“Grandma’s birthday is at the month’s end. I’ll take you back with me,” he stated flatly, his tone devoid of warmth, as though relaying an unchangeable fact.
“I’m not going,” Elizabeth replied, her voice soft yet resolute. “I’ve already informed her about the divorce during my last visit. There’s no reason to continue the charade of a happy marriage. However, I’ll send her a gift on my own terms…”
Elijah’s expression grew icier by the second.
“Why drag Grandma into our issues?” he demanded coldly.
Elizabeth met his gaze, her eyes filled with quiet sorrow. “We’re discussing divorce. Do you understand the weight of that? It’s not just a trivial disagreement. Isn’t it better to be honest about such significant matters with family?”
In a tone as cold as steel, Elijah retorted, “We haven’t signed any papers yet. Do you really think the world revolves around your whims?”
“There are no whims here!” Elizabeth replied firmly. “A divorce is inevitable, whether sooner or later! It’s only fair to be truthful now, reducing the lies, for everyone’s sake.”
Her emotions swirled as she spoke. Striving for a fulfilling marriage had been hard enough, and now, letting go seemed equally difficult.
She knew Elijah didn’t genuinely oppose the divorce or misunderstand her intentions.
It was the loss of control that he couldn’t tolerate.
Elijah stared at her with an unreadable intensity. “Why are you so determined to end this? If it’s still about the fire, I’ve apologized countless times. Why can’t you just forgive and move on?”
A wave of despair washed over Elizabeth, seeping into her very veins.
Elijah constantly reduced their complex marital issues to his absence during that crucial incident.
Their relationship lacked love, overshadowed by the presence of another woman, yet he always found ways to sidestep the towering barriers between them.
Exhausted, Elizabeth averted her eyes, lapsing into silence.
Suddenly, a flicker of thought ignited within Elijah, growing into a flame.
He pressed his palms against the wall behind her, caging her between his arms and the barrier.
Looking directly into her eyes, he posed the question he dreaded most. “Is there someone else?”
Startled, Elizabeth’s mouth fell open for a brief moment before she scoffed coldly. “Do you really think I’d behave like you?”
Elijah’s patience snapped, his tone rising. “Stop dodging! Just answer me—yes or no?”
“What on earth do you think you’re doing?”
At that moment, Asher, who had been anxiously waiting for Elizabeth’s return, appeared just in time to see Elijah cornering her in a threatening stance.
Fueled by protective instincts and assuming Elijah was harassing Elizabeth because of Sandra, Asher’s anger boiled over. He charged forward, his fist aimed squarely at Elijah’s jaw.
