Elara kept looking at the man for some time, waiting for him to explain his motive behind the absurd statement, and he didn’t disappoint her.
"I am sorry for neglecting you all these years and prioritizing my work. There was so much to you that I didn’t see, so much I didn’t know, and I am sorry for that," Andrew said.
His sudden apology made Elara arch her brows.
Her heart would’ve leaped in joy if it were the same Elara from a couple of months ago, but now she felt nothing hearing those empty words that meant nothing.
"I know you are doing this to catch my attention, something that you naturally should’ve had as my wife without trying so hard for. You don’t have to compete with anyone for it. Let’s make a baby. That will erase your insecurities about your position as my wife. I will endorse your future singing if that’s what you want," Andrew said.
Elara didn’t say a word even after he stopped. She kept staring at him, which made him a little uncomfortable.
After a few seconds, she took a deep breath before walking to the couch and sitting on it leisurely.
"Okay. You have said the appeal; now tell me what you really want from me," she said.
Her cold, calculating eyes, watching her every move, made him uneasy.
"Don’t press charges against Carla for the song. I know it’s yours. I have heard you singing it earlier," Andrew said.
Elara raised her brows.
"That’s my song that your sister stole, but rather than asking her to offer me a formal apology, you are asking me to press the charges, which, I must mention, I haven’t even pressed," Elara said before she clapped slowly, her actions full of mockery.
Andrew’s jaws clenched, but he kept his cool, the dominant, stoic nature that she only saw soften only before Beatrice.
He knew talking to her wasn’t going to be easy, but he still wanted to give it a shot.
"She is your family, too. How will it look when people find out? The sister-in-law pressing charges?" he asked.
Elara’s smile widened at his words.
How will it look? Well, how did it look when Carla humiliated her in front of her friends all the time? How did it look when she was treated as less than a maid working at their household? When they stole her hard work and still called her a bitch?
Was it all good-looking?
She wanted to ask, but those questions didn’t mean anything.
Why? Because no kind of answer could calm the storm in her heart, make her forget the humiliation, or make her forget the loss of her hope of having the baby.
And how dare he come here and casually say ’Let’s make a baby’ when he didn’t even remember the night they shared, and she actually conceived?
He might not know about it, but the least he could be after neglecting her all these years was respectful. He could show her some respect.
"Not my problem," Elara dismissed.
Andrew sighed.
"Fine. I believe you don’t care about any of us. But what about Grandpa? Do you not care about him either?" Andrew asked.
Elara’s expression softened at the mention of the old man, making Andrew sigh in relief.
"Your sister can’t keep using the old man as an excuse all the time. I let you speak for so long because I am not like you. But what you want can’t happen," Elara said.
Andrew opened his mouth to speak again, but he looked at her stern expression and couldn’t help but sigh.
He really expected he wouldn’t have to use his influence and money to get the judges on his side, but now he was left with no choice.
As he turned to leave, Elara exhaled sharply, catching his attention.
"I won’t press any changes, but Carla can’t use this song, not now, not ever. She will publicly apologize to me. She can say she took the song before leaving and didn’t know it was mine, or that she didn’t know I wouldn’t allow her to use it, since I have been writing to her for years. You can use any excuse," Elara said.
Andrew nodded in agreement. That sounded reasonable to him.
Carla indeed made a mistake, and this was a better solution. This way, neither party would be harmed, and the little backlash Carla might face will also teach her a lesson.
"Thank you," he said.
"I was serious about what I said earlier," Andrew added.
Elara nodded.
"You lost the chance long ago. You can leave," Elara said before she grabbed a random document, a clear indication she didn’t have any heart to talk to him anymore.
Andrew left after one last look.
As soon as the man left, Elara’s strong facade crumbled.
Tears welled in her eyes, and she placed her hand over her face to control her sobs.
Just how easy was it for that man to come around and ask her if she wanted to have a baby? How can someone be so ignorant of one’s feelings?
She was dying to have a baby just a few weeks ago. And she indeed had a baby that died without even seeing this world, the baby she failed her duty to.
"I am so sorry," Elara said to no one in particular as a sob left her mouth, her shoulders shaking from her controlled emotions.
Antonio, who had gone to buy some food, opened the door, freezing when he saw Elara sobbing.
"Hey, what happened?" He rushed to her side and placed the food on the table before holding her hand, kneeling before her.
"Miss Elara, tell me what’s wrong. Did anyone say anything? Did anyone try to hurt you while I was gone? Where are the others? Why did they leave you alone?" Antonio asked one after the other, but Elara shook her head, feeling too emotional.
The song she had chosen to sing today—the one she had been working so hard on, the one that sounded like a goodbye to a loved one—was actually the one she wrote for her baby.
It was her apology to her baby, a way to remember him through that song. It was supposed to show her sadness, her solemn love, and a goodbye.
That was why it hurt so much when Carla tried to take it away from her; that was why she wouldn’t have settled for it and allowed Carla to have it, even if Andrew had offered his life for it.
Drowning in her emotions, Elara lifted her head when she heard her phone vibrating.
Daniel Macros. The name flashed on the screen, and she contemplated picking up.
However, knowing how that man could be, she picked up nonetheless.
"Hello," his familiar voice reverberated.
She didn’t say anything, barely controlling her sobs.
The man, who was about to eat and didn’t want to feel alone, paused, his fork midway, before he placed it on the plate slowly.
"Who made you cry?" He asked, his voice cold.
"I just feel sad," Elara said, not wanting to share anything.
Antonio looked at her and walked out of the door to guard it, giving her privacy because she definitely looked like she needed it.
"On the scale of 1-10. How much?" He asked.
"9. It hurts just so much. It’s..." Elara choked on her words as she remembered the pain of losing her child, Andrew’s words having triggered something that she tried so hard to bury.
"Want me to come over?" He asked.
"No. Just... stay on the line," Elara whispered, unsure why she even asked him to do that.
"Always," Daniel said before going silent, letting her calm down while he waited on the line, not even touching his food because he wanted to give her his utmost attention.
He occasionally sipped his wine, his mind playing with how he could kill all those who hurt her in the cruelest ways, but was holding back just because of her.