Everyone waited in anticipation, wondering what Elara would demand for dropping the charges.
While Carla and Sophia thought the woman might demand money, shares, or something that would improve her foothold in the family, even fearing she would require her position as Andrew’s wife to be revealed to the world, something she never asked for before, Beatrice wondered if the girl would demand Andrew’s love.
After all, Elara was madly in love with the man, and probably all this drama was just for show.
Elara’s lips stretched into a soft smile, already knowing what everyone in the room was thinking.
Elara looked at her brother briefly before looking at the old man before her. Her eyes became confident; no hint of confusion or insecurity was left in her stance.
"Four years ago, you made me sign an agreement. According to it, I was supposed to give you an heir in place of your grandson, saving me. Life for life," Elara said.
To say her words were like a blow to Andrew would be an understatement.
He couldn’t believe his ears and looked at his grandpa to ensure what she said was right.
When his grandpa didn’t oppose her words and just stood there with a solemn expression, he knew she was telling the truth.
So, was Elara’s adamant decision to marry him and take care of him all because of the agreement? But he thought she loved him. The reason she used to wait for him and bear all that was because she loved him...
Andrew’s gaze wavered as he looked at Elara in a new light.
The girl, however, stayed unfazed.
"From today onwards, the agreement will be nullified," Elara said, and William closed his eyes in regret. He knew she would ask for something like this the moment she mentioned it.
He tried so hard to protect his lineage because he knew if it came down to Sophia choosing the bride for Andrew or Andrew choosing that low character Beatrice, his lineage would be done for.
He had wished he could use this opportunity to have a perfect, powerful heir with a pure, strong bloodline. That was the reason he had tricked Elara into it.
William asked his people to research her after he found out Andrew had saved her and that she had declared her love at first sight.
He found out that Elara’s parents were already planning to hide their daughter’s identity from some threat he didn’t know about. So he manipulated the girl after inviting her to dinner.
Elara had put forward only one condition: that her identity was never to be revealed to the world or his family because she was indeed hiding from something.
Just like she had said, the Frost family declared their daughter dead, and though what exactly was happening at that time was a mystery to him, he never pried deeper. After all, what he wanted had happened.
He did it all for his bloodline, but his grandson was truly a disappointment, since he couldn’t keep such a beautiful, good-character woman by his side.
For some reason, he knew it was going to be this, and he regretted that he couldn’t stop it.
"I am divorcing your grandson in eight days, and no one shall stop me. From today onwards, I have no connection to this family," Elara added.
Sophia clapped her hands at Elara’s words.
"Elara, please give my grandson one more chance. He will—" William’s eyes softened with hope as he tried to plead, but was cut off when Sophia interrupted him.
"Haha, why are you acting so proud as if you are doing us some favor? Do you think we’ll regret it? Where will you go after leaving the family? We will be so happy when you’re gone. I can finally marry my son to someone of good background..."
Sophia started, but before she could complete, William hit his cane on the ground with all his force.
"Shut up! You have no idea what you are talking about. Shut your mouth!" William shouted before he looked at Elara.
"Elara, please reconsider this decision. I know we have truly failed you as a family, but please, for this old man’s sake. Let it be my birthday gift. It will be the best one, and I won’t ask anything of you. If you are angry at this woman, I’ll throw them all out. You can ask for anything but this... please..." William coughed, his words shocking the entire family.
Andrew looked at his grandpa, who was practically begging Elara to stay, confused as to what was happening.
Did his grandfather know something that he didn’t?
His gaze shifted to Elara, whose eyes were calm and so cold, the kind of cold he had never seen before her using at his grandpa, and he gulped.
"I gave this relationship many chances, Grandpa. The night Mrs. Lloyd made me kneel and you said you’ll make it right, the evening Carla threw hot soup on me in anger, and Andrew said she was just throwing a tantrum. I should be the bigger person and forget it... when Beatrice ended up in the same guest room as Andrew in a motel on a business trip...."
Elara listed all the times she had controlled her anger and swallowed her pride, all for the sake of the agreement she had signed with William and because she was afraid of returning to her own life as Elara Frost and facing that man....
Elara took a deep breath before smiling.
"I went through all of it in hopes that your grandson would change one day, but he won’t, and I am done wasting my youth on him. Do you want to know what made me snap and..." Elara stopped when she remembered George was still here and sighed.
"This is my last decision, Grandpa. If you ever respected me even as a person, grant it, or I’ll ensure Carla rots in jail for the rest of her life, and you know I can do it," Elara landed her final blow.
William looked at Carla, who was bawling her eyes out at the thought of going to jail, and sighed with defeat.
"Okay," William nodded at his secretary, who brought the agreement from his safe and gave it to Elara.
Elara walked to him with slow strides, her mind replaying all the moments that led to this, and couldn’t help but take a deep breath as she looked at her signature on the agreement.
With a smile, she tore the agreement into pieces until it couldn’t be torn anymore before throwing the papers in the air, feeling free.
Elara turned to the side and grabbed her gift from the pile of gifts.
"I wanted to give this to you in better circumstances, but your family doesn’t want to see me happy. This is my last gift for you. I hope you like it," Elara said before she turned and nodded at George.
He smiled at his sister proudly.
Elara told the officers she was dropping the charges and was about to leave when William’s eyes widened, his balance lost as a shooting pain struck across his chest.
"E-Elara—" William gasped.
"Grandpa!" Andrew rushed to his grandfather, wide-eyed.