The next day~~~
Elara sat in the coffee shop, looking at Andrew, not just looking but analyzing, not the man but her past self, who really fell in love with this man.
Last night, her mother didn’t stay long after she took the promise from her that she would return with the same name and fame she had four years ago, when she had gone live as ET.
She didn’t want to hide under any anonymous name this time. She wanted to go out as Elara Frost, the daughter of Gabriella and Logan Frost.
In return, Gabriella demanded that she wouldn’t leave her family, no matter what problems arose this time.
They would face it all like family, never leaving each other.
Elara had decided to go shopping this morning because she didn’t really have any fancy dress she could wear without appearing too flashy and attention-seeking when she received a call from Andrew.
The man wanted to meet and talk about something important related to the divorce, and she couldn’t deny it.
However, who would’ve thought the ’thing’ he really wanted to talk about was to have her withdraw from the Fallen Star?
"There is no way you’ll agree to this, ma’am," Antonio, who had been standing behind her protectively, immediately chimed in.
Andrew looked up with annoyance written all over his face.
"You don’t need to intervene in your boss’s private affairs," Andrew said, still not understanding why she needed a bodyguard even when she came to meet him.
Did she think he would harm her?
"Well, I am someone who saw how hard she had worked, waking nights for this competition just to get that role, so I have the equal right to say something in between," Antonio challenged Andrew.
Andrew gritted his teeth and looked at Elara.
"Look, I know you worked really hard for this, but you know how bratty Carla can be. I promise, no, I guarantee you that’ll get you a better and higher-paying role as a singer," Andrew said, his eyes almost pleading, afraid she would change her mind.
Elara didn’t say anything for some time. She just sat there and took a sip of her juice, placing the glass on the table elegantly.
With a slight tilt of the head, she looked straight into his eyes.
"You watched all the phases, didn’t you? Do you agree I acted really well?" She asked.
The sudden shift from singing to acting took Andrew off guard, and for some reason, he felt he knew where this was going.
"Elara, don’t make this hard for me," he said.
Elara pursed her lips, blinking her eyes innocently as she supported her head on her fists while looking at him.
"You know I worked really hard for this, yet you are asking me to give up the role. I am ready to do it if you get me the female lead role. I am ready to sacrifice the singing part. Can’t your best friend sacrifice the acting role? I don’t doubt your resources and absolutely believe you can get her any role in any big drama," Elara said.
Andrew sat there, looking at Elara. Her face, her structure, everything was the same as before, but even after that, looking at her made him feel like he was seeing someone completely different today.
She wasn’t the same woman who was madly in love with him, no longer willing to make any sacrifices for him.
She talked as if she were here to strike a business deal.
"You know Beatrice has been dreaming of this role and—" Andrew started to explain, but Elara’s light chuckle stopped him from continuing.
Elara clapped her hands, wiping the corner of her eyes with the handkerchief.
"Seriously, Mr. Lloyd. Your best friend’s dreams are important. Your sister’s attitude matters, but my ambitions do not. They are negotiable and buyable. Kudos to the thought process of a rich man," Elara exhaled sharply before taking a long breath, evening her composure.
"No matter how you acted towards me, I always thought you still had some kindness in your heart, but I guess I judged you wrong." Elara picked up her clutch and was about to leave when Andrew said something that made her freeze in her place.
"Elara, you want to divorce me. Don’t forget that I still have some say in it," Andrew said.
Elara looked at the man in disbelief.
Andrew, who thought he had no choice, tried his last resort.
Though he said these words, he dearly wished it would not make her fear it. That she would say he could withdraw all he wanted and that it wouldn’t affect her, but she wouldn’t bend to his wishes.
This way, he would get some time to make things right slowly once he withdrew the application, and it would be in her.
Once this role drama was over, he would try to patch things between them by slowly becoming the man, the husband, that he should have been.
He really thought this threat would ground her, break her, or at least have her show some emotions, but he had never thought of the plan to backfire.
Elara didn’t panic. She didn’t become angry or ask him to withdraw if he wanted because she wouldn’t give away the role.
Instead, she looked at him like she had expected him to pull a move like this, like she had expected him to stoop so low, or lower.
The look she gave him broke something inside him for the first time, and she quickly stood to mend what he said.
However, words were like arrows. Once they leave, nothing can be done.
"Elara, I didn’t mean it like that. Look, I don’t know what’s going on around me. Everything is so confusing, and they are pressuring me to make such decisions. I don’t really want to hurt you, and I know that you deserve it, but —"
"I dare you to try it," Elara said after some time.
"Hmm?" Andrew paused, frozen in his place as he looked at her in surprise.
"I dare you to stop the divorce, Mr. Andrew Lloyd. You don’t cease to amaze me with your favoritism for your family. You can do everything and anything for them, even if it means destroying someone inside out, no?" Elara asked.
Andrew shook his head. He opened his mouth to explain what he meant, but Elara just turned around and left.
Andrew stood there, watching her back as she walked out of the cafe to her car.
He saw her sitting in the back seat before the car left. He didn’t just see her go. It was almost like a part of his sanity left with her.
"Sir, did Miss Elara agree with the deal?" Jason walked over to Andrew when he saw the man standing by the window, looking out.
Andrew snapped out of his thoughts, his gaze flickering to his assistant for a brief second before he walked to the table.
He looked at the mango shake Elara was drinking and paused.
"I thought she didn’t like them," he whispered to himself, but loud enough for his assistant to hear.
"Miss Elara loved mangoes. I caught her enjoying them with your grandpa. She never allowed them inside the house and even said she disliked them because you had an allergy to them and didn’t want anything to inconvenience you." Jason explained.
The secretary grabbed the document file while Andrew stood there watching the empty glass with his empty heart.