Enchanting, breathtaking, mesmerizing.
These words were meant to emphasize the indescribable beauty of Elara as she entered the registrar’s office, dressed in a shimmering golden gown, with a bit of sweat glistening on her forehead, making her look even more appealing.
The soft expression on her face was enough to make even the hardest rocks melt and make men want to protect her.
She was beautiful without even trying.
Andrew kept looking at the girl, who looked around, looking adorable, her bodyguard following her with her purse as she adjusted her dress.
And for the first time, she felt an emotion explode in his heart that he had never felt before.
Love.
It has to be that. Nothing else could explain what he was feeling in that moment: the fast heartbeats, nervousness, sweaty palms, and a strong unwillingness to let go of her.
The man licked his bottom lip as he kept looking at her until her gaze stopped at him, making him quickly look away.
If one hadn’t known she was here for the divorce, she would have looked like someone ready to be a beautiful bride, here to register her marriage.
"There you are. Thank god I am here on time. Let’s go," Elara said, standing before him, her gaze urgent as if she couldn’t wait to end ties with him.
The thought alone made his chest pierce with a painful arrow.
"About that, Elara, I was wondering if we could talk it out. I know you made the decision in anger and because you were done with my excuses, but give me this chance. I haven’t been the best husband; I know that. There were so many times I took you for granted. But I assure you—" Andrew couldn’t complete his sentence when Elara raised her hand to signal him to stop.
She narrowed her brows, her forehead wrinkling in annoyance and confusion.
"Why are you saying all this, Andrew? Just because I have been easy on you with this divorce doesn’t mean what I suffered was anything your words can fix. Let’s get this over with. I have to deal with other things too," she said impatiently.
She didn’t have it in herself to act politely with him when he was bringing up the past like this.
Good husband? He didn’t even respect her as a human, always believing others, always finding fault in her, and punishing her for sins she didn’t even commit, all because those people he valued more would say something against her.
Andrew looked at the girl’s impatient expression and took a deep, shaky breath before extending his hand to hold hers.
"A divorce isn’t something you can come back from, Elara. Yes, my grandfather played a vital role in this, but you wanted to marry me too, didn’t you?" Andrew asked.
Elara pressed her lips into a thin line.
Rather than answering him, she turned to the registrar and asked him where she needed to sign.
She thought that was the best answer she could give him at that moment.
Elara swept her gaze over the words casually before gulping and writing her name in the space in clear handwriting.
Elara Frost.
She signed the date under it, her eyes brimming with tears, not because she cared for Andrew, but because the date was a reminder of how much time she had wasted in her little love fantasy with the wrong person.
"Your family never fancied me. You liked Beatrice, too. Now I’ll be out of your way. You can have anyone you like. I won’t force you to live by my fantasy anymore," Elara said before forcing a smile on her face.
Andrew looked at the sadness in her eyes and pressed his lips into a thin line.
"It’s too late to say I don’t want you to go, right?" He asked.
Elara bobbed her head up and down.
"Yes,"
Andrew hummed at her answer before he picked up the pen and signed his name, his hands trembling and vision blurring with tears that he never thought he was capable of shedding for anyone other than his family.
He blinked his eyes furiously, confused as to why he was suddenly starting to feel so heavy-hearted just at the thought of her leaving.
"We can be friends at least, can’t we?" Andrew asked.
Elara looked at his name on the papers before smiling.
"Let’s not do that. As good a friend as you can be, like I have already witnessed, I don’t want you to do the same thing with Beatrice as you did to me," Elara said.
Andrew stood there for a few seconds before opening his mouth to explain to her that nothing was going on between him and Beatrice when the girl turned and left the registrar’s office.
"If you loved her so much, why would you betray her? I don’t understand men. They act like they are in love, then betray the person they love. How hypocritical." A female from behind him said.
Andrew turned to the woman who was here to file for a divorce, too.
Rather than explaining anything to her, Andrew just took a deep breath and walked out of the registrar’s office.
He was about to ask Jason to bring the car when he noticed something that made his pupils dilate as he took in the scene in complete surprise.
Nearly ten black SUVs approached the girl, whom he recognized all too well as she stood near the road.
Twenty men dressed in black from head to toe stepped out of the car, followed by a man in a blue coat and black pants, who faced the girl.
He couldn’t see the man’s face, but he looked to be in his early sixties.
Anyone would’ve thought something bad was about to happen and that those people were there to harm her, but in the next second, the twenty or so men bowed to Elara as if to show their respect. In contrast, the man in blue extended his hand to hug the girl, who immediately accepted it.
"Sir, what is happening?" Jason asked, flabbergasted.
Andrew swallowed hard. He looked at the main car in the middle, which looked like the boss’s car.
Jason, who was trying to find out who they were, paused when he recognized the car number from recent news reports.
"Sir, that’s our nation’s current army general’s car. The man is known for his strictness, and not even the most elite people can easily schedule a meeting with him. How does Miss Elara know him?" Jason asked.
Andrew kept looking at the girl who had gotten into the car, his gaze dark and unpredictable.
Inside the car, Elara looked at her maternal grandfather in surprise, who had not met any family member for the last eight years.
"Grandpa, what are you doing here? It was such a pleasant surprise." Elara looked at him with wide eyes, but the man glared at her.
Usually, his glare was enough for the toughest soldiers to get on their knees, but Elara knew she was his favorite and didn’t even flinch.
"There’s so much your mother has to explain to me." The man crossed his hand before his chest, and Elara smiled, blinking her eyes nervously.
This wasn’t going to end well.