Billionaire Lawyer's Secretary - Chapter 167: Chapter 167

"I don't want to keep it. If I have the baby on my own, she'll be a single-parent kid. If I end up with Victor, she'd still be a child without any real status, someone people would just look down on as a... "
Ruby glanced at Julian, her words trailing off. "Anyway, I just don't want her to suffer."
Julian understood all too well the pain of being an illegitimate child, especially in a rich family.
"Then let's end it. We don't owe the Montgomery family anything," he said.
Elara nodded. "We're still young, we've got our whole lives ahead of us. So, let's do it that way. Ruby, you pick a day, and I'll go with you."
Elara nodded. "Okay."
"God, Elara, did you dump the whole salt shaker in here? It's so salty," Julian said, making a dramatic face as he took a bite of the noodles.
"Is it that salty? I couldn't taste anything when I tried it." Elara paused, and then remembered, 'Oops, I forgot I can't taste anything with this cold.'
"Let me make you another bowl of noodles," she offered.
"No thanks, I can eat it," Julian replied. He was never picky.
"Sorry to make you suffer, kiddo." Elara teased.
Julian shot her a look. "You have a twisted sense of humor."
After dinner, the three of them sprawled out on the big couch, just shooting the breeze. It had been forever since the three of them got to hang out.
Julian's schedule was always packed to the brim, so it was a rare treat for them to all be together.
"My mom's back," Elara said, setting up her pot on the coffee table to brew some stewed pear to soothe her throat. She poured a bowl of stewed pears for each of them.
Julian was gaming with a controller, and Ruby was munching on junk food. They both glanced at Elara with sympathetic looks. "These days must be tough for you," Ruby said.
Elara took Ruby's snacks away with a smile. "It's rough, but I'll manage. And you should cut back on junk food." Ruby pouted.
"I found out something even more shocking today," Elara said.
"What?" they both asked.
"Alex has actually liked me all along.
"Right after the college entrance exams, he showed up at my house with roses to express his feelings for me, but my mom caught him, kicked him out, and told him he wasn't allowed to date me all through college."
Ruby's eyes widened. "And Alex just listened to your mom? He didn't date you for all four years of college, even though he liked you."
Elara smiled. "My mom said if I was still chasing after Alex after I graduated, she'd let us be together. But after I just graduated, Dylan got into trouble, and then Alex married Nancy."
Julian had always known Alex liked Elara, but he had no idea Alex ever tried to tell her.
Hearing this, he looked completely stunned. "Why did Alex take your mom's word so seriously? Couldn't he have just dated you in secret and told her after you graduated?"
"Maybe because my mom has bipolar disorder, and he was worried she might have a breakdown if she found out. Plus, she was his professor in college, so he felt like he owed her that respect," Elara explained.
Ruby let out a sigh. "Too bad it's all water under the bridge now. I used to think Alex just didn't like you, but turns out your mom shut things down between you two."
Elara just smiled and kept eating her stewed pears, saying nothing.
"So, how do you feel about it now?" Ruby asked.
"What else is there to think? I don't think about it anymore," Elara replied.
"Doesn't it make you feel something, knowing Alex liked you too?" Ruby pressed. She remembered just how crazy Elara used to be about Alex—she'd practically lost herself over him.
Now that she knew Alex had feelings for her too, Ruby couldn't help but wonder if Elara might wait for him to come back to her.
"Feel what?" Elara replied with a smile.
"If Alex manages to get Dylan out, gets divorced, and comes back for you, would you be with him?" Ruby asked.
Julian cut in, "What are you talking about? Is Elara some unwanted reject? Even if he comes back, it doesn't mean she's supposed to be with him."
Ruby hurried to explain, "No, that's not what I meant. It's just... It's Alex. You know how crazy Elara used to be about him."
Julian had no idea what Elara would do, but if she was even willing to be with a guy she used to love, then it was meaningless for him to wait around for her.
"I wouldn't," Elara said. "I'm with Adrian now."
Julian's expression changed for a moment, but he just went back to eating his stewed pears as if he had heard nothing.
"But isn't he still engaged?" Ruby asked.
"Yeah, but he'll do it in October," Elara replied. "He also promised me he'd bail Dylan out."
Ruby nodded. "That's awesome. With Adrian on our side, Dylan will be released. Aren't we going to visit him tomorrow night? Julian, don't forget. You always forget our appointment."
"Got it," Julian replied.
After chatting for a little while longer, Ruby started getting sleepy, so Elara went with her to the bedroom to crash for the night.
An hour later, Elara came out of the bedroom and saw Julian still playing video games on the couch with the lights off. "Why not sleep, master?" she teased.
"Can't sleep. What about you? Why are you up?" he replied.
Elara sat down next to him with a cup of hot water. "I've got a bit of a cold. I wanted to cough, but I was afraid I'd wake her up."
"With how soundly Ruby sleeps, do you think you could wake her up?"
"I'll just sleep out here on the couch with you. I don't want to get her sick. It's better to be careful since she's pregnant."
There were two big couches in Ruby's living room, so Elara could sleep there too.
"Good, you can keep me company," Julian said.
Elara watched the fight scenes on TV. "This game is so old. How are you still obsessed with it? There are tons of new games with way better graphics. Why not give those a shot?"
"Can't help it, I'm just a sucker for the classics."
Elara took a sip of water, listening to the click of his controller. "Julian, are you and Alex secretly cooking up some big scheme behind my back?"
Julian paused, shooting her a roguish grin. "Why are you always trying to get in on the grown-ups' secrets?"
Elara flicked him on the head. "Just answer me!"
Julian winced, shrinking back. "What makes you think I'm plotting something with him?"
Elara sighed. "He's told me more than once that after everything's over, he'll take me abroad to live. According to the way he says it, I think he's got something up his sleeve."
'How could he possibly get away clean from the Hartley family and Nancy, especially now that Nancy's pregnant?' Elara thought. 'But there was a certainty in Alex's words—he was sure he could break free. That means he has a plan that he thinks is foolproof.'
Elara couldn't figure out what it was, but she just had a bad feeling about it. Julian had been in constant contact with Alex lately, so Julian was definitely in on it, too.
"Yeah, there's a plan, but I promised Alex I wouldn't tell you," Julian said.
"Just don't do anything stupid. If you guys can't handle it, I'll just get Adrian to help—" Elara started.
Julian went back to his game, his tone dripping with sarcasm. "What, trying to brag about what your boyfriend can do now?"
"What?"
"So only your boyfriend is impressive, huh? Alex and I are just nobodies?"
"Julian, can you not twist my words? That's not what I meant," Elara shot back.
'Wasn't the whole reason I got close to Adrian in the first place to help Alex? Now that I'm with Adrian, why am I suddenly not supposed to let him help?' Elara thought, feeling a little frustrated.
"Elara, Alex, and I don't need you worrying about us. Just take care of yourself." For a split second, Julian's eyes turned serious, but he quickly slipped back into his usual lazy, roguish self. "Elara."
"What is it now?" she huffed.
"Do you fall for him?"
"Yeah."
He let out a mocking laugh. "Your taste is as mediocre as ever."
"Oh, so Alex is just mediocre, too, huh? Would you dare say that to his face?" Elara shot back. Julian was kind of a fanboy when it came to Alex.
"As my bro, he's the perfect guy. But as your boyfriend, he's nothing special."
After chatting a bit longer, the two of them each crashed out on the couch, since they had to take Ruby for a check-up first thing in the morning.
The next morning, Julian's phone started ringing, waking both up. Julian, still half-asleep, answered in a raspy voice, "Hey, Alex?"
"Is Elara with you?" Alex asked.
"Yeah, she's here. What's up?"
"Put her on."
Julian crawled over to the other couch and nudged Elara awake.
Elara, annoyed, grumbled, "Julian, stop bugging me. I'm trying to sleep."
"Alex says he needs to talk to you. It's urgent," Julian said.
Elara frowned as she took the phone. "Hello?"
"Has your mom tried to reach you?" Alex asked.
Elara fished her phone out from between the couch cushions and checked. "No, she hasn't."
"The night before last, after you left, her blood pressure was a bit high. I gave her some meds before I left. This morning, I tried to check on her, but she hasn't replied to my messages or answered my calls."
"Alright, I get it. I'll head back now and see how she's doing."
She handed the phone back to Julian. "I'm going home. Julian, you take Ruby to her check-up today, and make sure to ask the doctor if she's okay to go through with the abortion. And drive safe, alright?"
"Got it," Julian replied.
Elara drove to the Flowery Apartments garage and ran into Alex, who was just getting out of his car. "Did you get the call?" Alex asked.
"Not yet," Elara replied.
The two of them hurried into the elevator, both reaching for the button at the same time. Their hands accidentally touched, and Elara quickly pulled hers back. Alex hesitated for a split second before pressing the button.
When the elevator arrived, Elara picked up her pace and rushed to the door. She pushed it open, stepped into the living room, and called out, "Mom? Mom." There was no one in the living room. Elara hurried toward the bedroom, calling, "Mom!"