Elara was already in a bad mood because, once again, she was misunderstood by someone, and when Andrew's number flashed on her screen, her mood turned even more sour.
She picked up the call and put the phone to her ear.
"Where are you? Didn't you see my message that Beatrice would be staying with us in the villa for a couple of days because she has sprained her foot? Come home. You didn't prepare anything for lunch. It's okay. I'll order something for us. Just come back, okay?" Andrew said one after the other without even waiting for her answer.
Elara looked at the message notification and scoffed inwardly at its contents.
"Beatrice will stay with us because of her injury. It would be good for her to have someone look after her."
The message said.
Rather than answering Andrew and giving him a piece of her mind, ruining her day as it already was, Elara ended the call before blocking his number.
On the other hand, Andrew, who hadn't expected Elara—the woman who always yapped about how he never called her during work hours—to end his call, looked at the phone with mixed emotions.
She was really getting out of hand with her act to catch his attention, no? He wondered before he dialed her number, only to hear a beep sound.
She blocked my number? Andrew looked at the name on the screen in disbelief.
"Is something wrong?" Beatrice's soft voice reverberated from behind him.
Andrew turned around and gave her a small smile before telling her it was just a minor issue at one of the branches, nothing he couldn't handle.
Unable to reach Elara anymore, Andrew walked out of the guest room of their villa to find his assistant.
"Jason, give me your phone," Andrew demanded as soon as he spotted his assistant talking to the guards outside in the garden.
Jason pulled out his phone, a bit startled at the sudden demand.
Andrew dialed Elara's number on his phone and noticed Jason had saved it as 'Miss Elara.' His brows furrowed.
"Miss? Was your boss's woman unmarried in your eyes?" Andrew asked as he called the number.
"No, sir. It was like that from the very beginning, and I never changed it," Jason quickly explained with wide eyes, but stopped when Andrew raised his hand.
"Hello?" Elara's cold voice came from the other side, and Andrew felt struck for a second.
Why?
Because he had never heard Elara's voice so cold, detached, and stoic.
"It's me." Andrew cleared his throat.
"Oh," Elara said.
"What did you mean by blocking my number? You are going too far, Elara. How can you—" Andrew started, but Elara, on the other hand, just chuckled.
"I am going far? You bring a woman who is rumored to be your ex-lover to the matrimonial house, hoping I would become her personal maid to cater to her needs while she is healing from her so-called injury that didn't stop her from wearing heeled boots and riding a horse," Elara cut him off mid-sentence.
Every sentence she spoke was a slap to the hypocrisy Andrew was forcing on her.
"I understand that you care about your friend, Andrew, but I never knew you had such dysfunctional eyes. If a person's foot is sprained to that level, they can't even stand, let alone do everything your precious secretary, I mean, friend, did in the arena." Elara looked at her nails to control her rage and emotions, then took a deep breath to calm herself.
"I already signed the divorce papers and submitted them. So cut this bullshit and do both of us a favor. Choose her once and for all because I don't want you anymore."
Elara's words cut deeper. Andrew's expression froze.
Jason, who was standing close to his boss and could hear every word Miss Elara said, froze too.
He looked at his boss, who seemed too shocked to say anything, and didn't know what to say about the matter.
The robotic sound of the call ending made Jason clear his throat.
"Sir, she ended the call," Jason said.
Andrew's expression darkened. Never in his life has anyone treated him like that woman who used to be head-over-heels for him and talked to him just now.
What made her so angry? What did he do so wrong?
She was the one full of insecurities, constantly competing with Beatrice and losing, and always jealous and envious of her. He even assured her time after time that no one would shake her position as his wife. Then what happened suddenly?
"Did something happen recently? Why is she acting like this out of nowhere?" Andrew asked.
Jason looked at his boss for a couple of seconds before he told him he would look into it.
That was the only answer he could come up with for a man who refused to see the truth himself.
Was cheating by sleeping with another person the only way people ended their relationships? Jason wanted to ask his boss, but kept his thoughts to himself.
As a subordinate, it wasn't his place to advise his boss unless he asked for it. But probably if he had been in Miss Elara's shoes, he would've left his boss way before.
Jason shook his head when he saw Miss Beatrice descending the stairs with the help of the railing and crutches.
"Andrew, is everything really alright? Things don't look good? Do you need me to come to the company?" Beatrice asked.
Andrew, deep in his thoughts, looked up before giving her a stiff smile.
"You already did more than enough. Don't worry about it. I'll look into it. You just have some rest. Elara had gone to her friend's house for a few days. I'll arrange for a caretaker for you," Andrew said to Beatrice before he sat in his car and left.
He was unaware of the hatred brewing in Beatrice's chest when she heard she couldn't treat Elara as her maid, like she had wanted to.
Beatrice smiled at Jason, who was looking at her before she turned to walk inside.
Jason's brows narrowed when he noticed how different and unmatched Miss Beatrice's way of walking when she descended the stairs was from how she was walking now, looking much more comfortable.
There was a good reason why Senior Lloyd disapproved of this girl. It happened four years ago, and he only knew the gist of it, but seeing Miss Beatrice act these days, even he had doubts about her intentions.
At the same time, Elara, who had been waiting for her friend to show up, stood as soon as she arrived.
"Elara, where did you go so suddenly? I looked for you everywhere. I was even afraid you ditched me again and wouldn't be in reach." Candice quickly hugged Elara, and the girl chuckled at her pouting, sad face.
"How could I not be in touch with my best friend when I am returning to my previous self? You were, have, and will always be an important person in my life, Candice. I heard you wanted to meet Mr. George Frost for the project but couldn't because of the commotion with Mr. Macros. I arranged your meeting," Elara said.
Candice frowned.
She always knew Elara was an elite, someone from a wealthy family, because of the branded clothes and items she always carried. Even her pajama sets when they were in college were from an international brand.
Elara, however, never mentioned to her who they were, and Candice, who was herself an heir to Stewart Tech. Knew how vital identity was, didn't ask either.
"Hey, just because you have good connections doesn't mean you need to spoil them on me," Candice said with a soft smile, not complaining either.
Elara chuckled.
"Well, it's nothing. I just told him about your idea, which I heard you explained to another company. He said it's good, and that's why I arranged the meeting on such short notice. You'll know the rest when he is here," Elara grinned, happy that she could help her friend in establishing her new idea.
"The food is on me," Candice said, and Elara raised her brows.
"Are you sure? You know I am a foodie, and I am going to eat a lot. I feel like I haven't eaten properly in a long time," Elara said, her eyes saddened at the last sentence.
Candice's gaze softened, and she placed her hand over her friend's.
"Hey, everything is going to be alright. You'll get over it," she said, and Elara smiled before humming, hoping the divorce would be finalized soon and she would be free from the shackles she had clamped her own hands and feet with.