Chapter 2: Three Months Later, We Divorce
Elara's POV
My father never calls me before ten in the morning. Not unless someone has died. Or unless the Group's interests are about to. Today clearly fell into the second category.
I looked at Austin. "Come back to Litton Manor with me. Please?"
He picked up his glass. "To explain yourself to your father?"
"The news today needs a response."
"Or is this about the inheritance three months from now?"
I paused. "That's part of it."
His smile faded. I didn't tell him that the moment my father's call came through, my first thought had been that with him beside me, at least it wouldn't be so hard to endure.
"Go on." He set down his glass.
"For the next three months, we maintain the appearance of a stable marriage in public. When necessary, you accompany me to the Richter estate to clean up today's scandal."
"And then?"
"Three months from now, whether or not I've secured the inheritance, we divorce."
When I finished, I looked down and straightened the strap of my bag. It wasn't crooked. I just needed something to do with my hands.
Ten years. I couldn't even bring myself to change his text tone. And yet the word divorce had taken me less than a second to say.
I looked up at him anyway. Would he ask why it had to be divorce?
The amusement in Austin's eyes dimmed.
"What's in it for me, playing along for three months?"
"First, today's news won't keep snowballing into a marriage scandal for the head of Thorne Group."
"I could bury that in a day."
"Second," I continued, "BR's exclusive collaboration resources for the European market next quarter. I can give Thorne's new consumer brand priority negotiating rights."
He watched me without speaking.
BR's channel resources were exactly what Thorne's new brand needed. I knew he'd heard me. But I felt no relief of a deal closed.
When I'd asked him to come with me, he hadn't agreed. Only when the terms came out did he start listening.
"If you're not willing, I'll explain to my father myself. This afternoon I'll have PR announce that we're negotiating a divorce, so they stop hounding the team."
Austin's eyes darkened. "You know what that would affect."
"I do. My inheritance. Your family fund partnership." I met his gaze. "But I can't keep telling everyone we're fine."
He stared at me as if trying to find something in my face.
"Elara. You've calculated even the consequences."
I almost said, No. I hadn't calculated why, having already decided on divorce, I still wanted to hear him say he wasn't willing.
He watched me for a long moment.
"Three months."
"Not a day more."
"Divorce if you get the inheritance?"
"Divorce even if I don't."
His fingertip paused on the rim of his glass.
"Fine."
My heart still caught, unprepared. Quick as a needle prick.
I picked up my bag and looked down, giving the ache no time to spread.
"Then I'll wait for you to change."
He didn't move. "That's it?"
I looked up. Maybe he had more to say. Maybe not about the three months, not about BR.
His gaze rested on my face, then he only said, "Fifteen minutes."
"Okay."
As I turned, I realized I was still waiting. I slowed my steps, and until the bedroom door closed behind me, no sound came after me.
＊
Fifteen minutes later, Austin emerged on time. Black suit, tie immaculate, every trace of the morning's languor gone. As he reached me, his phone rang. He glanced at the screen and answered. I couldn't hear what was said. His expression went cold in an instant.
"Don't move. I'm on my way."
He headed for the elevator.
I took two steps after him. "Austin, we still need to go to the estate."
"Something's happened to her."
"Who?"
"Luna. Someone's following her."
I looked at the hand gripping his phone. He hadn't moved that fast when he agreed to the divorce.
"Send security," I said. "Or Miles. They're close."
"I need to confirm—"
"You said there was nothing between you."
He stopped. I'd meant to remind him of our agreement, but what came out was something else.
"Today, just come with me. Please?"
The elevator doors opened. He didn't step in. His gaze dropped to my hand. I'd reached for his sleeve without thinking, and now I let go.
"Elara, do you actually want me with you, or do you need me sitting there so your father shuts up?"
"Do you have to draw the line so clearly?"
I didn't know how to answer without sounding pathetic. I did want my father to shut up. And I did want him to stay because he chose to. With Luna, I could say every word perfectly. With him, even stay felt like exposing something.
"I can go back alone." I withdrew my hand. "But you promised me. I don't want to find you another excuse not to show up."
He looked at me for a moment, then raised the phone again.
"Miles, handle it. Call me once she's safe."
I looked up. He held the closing elevator door, waited for me to step in, then took his place beside me.
"Can we go now?"
"Mm."
Our reflections stood shoulder to shoulder in the mirrored walls. He reached over and smoothed down the collar of my coat that had folded inward, his knuckles brushing my neck. I didn't flinch, and I didn't remind him that no one here needed us to perform.
"Not enough standing around at the press conference? Your shoulders are wound tight."
"You're watching closely."
He withdrew his hand. "With that many eyes on you, it's hard not to notice."
I watched the numbers climb and let the slight curve of my mouth fall. So that was it. I'd almost let myself read too much into it again.
＊
Half an hour later, we walked into Litton Manor together. My father sat at the center of the living room, his face dark. Hunter stood to one side. When he saw that Austin had actually come back with me, the flicker of disappointment in his eyes was barely hidden. I walked over and set the tablet on the coffee table before my father could speak.
"Press conference pre-sales hit one hundred and thirty-seven percent of target. The trending topics are ugly, but the product launch buzz hasn't been suppressed."
The reprimand my father had prepared died in his throat.
I continued, "PR will issue a statement this afternoon. The marriage issue won't affect BR, nor the heir assessment."
Hunter couldn't help a sneer. "You say it won't, so it won't? The whole circle's laughing at the Richter family."
"Then you should thank me."
He blinked.
"If you'd been the one on that stage today, BR wouldn't be a joke right now. It'd be a disaster."
Hunter's face fell instantly.
My father slapped the armrest. "Enough."
Then he looked at Austin.
"I want to speak with Elara alone."
I followed my father into the study. As I passed Austin, he took the bag from my hand.
"Come down when you're done. I'll wait."
I nodded, and even my thank you came out barely audible.
The study door closed. My father pushed a document across the desk. I didn't reach for it, waiting for him to speak first.
"I want you to broker a joint development of the Gulf project between Thorne Group and Richter Group."
I didn't agree immediately.
"Why."
His face darkened. "I'm your father."
"But this is a Group project." I pulled out a chair and sat. "If you just want me to beg my husband for a favor, I'm not interested. If you want me to take charge, then spell out the terms."
He stared at me as if noticing for the first time how difficult I was to push around today.
After a moment, he said in a low voice, "Land the partnership, and the Gulf project is entirely yours."
Something stirred in me. Real estate was the true core of Richter Group. BR was my achievement, but the Gulf project was what could decide who sat in that chairman's office.
"Authority?"
"What?"
"Authority over staffing, budget approval, and final pricing in negotiations with Thorne Group."
My father frowned. "Elara, don't push your luck."
"Without those, I carry the outcome but have no power over the process." I leaned back. "That's not running a project. That's taking the fall for someone else."
He was silent for a long while.
"Fine."
"Put it in a board resolution."
His face darkened further. I stood.
"Once the resolution's through, I'll talk to Austin."
As I left the study, I heard Hunter's voice from downstairs.
"Austin, don't tell me you've actually fallen for Elara?"
My steps halted.
He'd said he would wait for me. In the elevator he'd fixed my collar, and I still remembered the warmth of his hand against my neck.
Downstairs went quiet for a long time. I gripped the railing, suddenly afraid to move forward.
"Fallen for her?" Austin's lazy voice finally came.
After a brief pause, he laughed.
"I could fall for a dog before I'd fall for her."
My hand loosened. My nails scraped the wood with a faint sound.
People were still talking downstairs. I couldn't make it out anymore. A moment ago I'd wondered whether he'd tell Hunter the truth. Now that I'd heard it, I only wanted to go back one minute, walk straight down, and shove the question back into Hunter's mouth.
My phone buzzed in my pocket. Molly had sent the media list. The reporter who'd asked the question wasn't on the original invitation list.
I stared at the screen until the words stopped swimming.
[Keep the on-site footage. Find out who added them. Don't pull the product coverage.]
After sending it, I opened my lawyer's chat and asked him to prepare a draft divorce agreement. Assets, shares, and brand rights, all separated cleanly.
The lawyer quickly asked whether to also assess marital asset protection.
I replied "Yes," didn't put the phone away, and switched back to Austin's name. His profile sat right at the top. One tap and I could ask him what those words really meant.
But he'd already made himself clear enough.
I left the manor through the back door and only sent him a message once I was in the car: [Something came up at the office. I left first.]
As the car pulled through the gates, I still looked back.
There was no one at the door.
