Billionaire Lawyer's Secretary - Chapter 38: Chapter 38

Alex stood up from the couch, looking completely worn out. His hair was messy and his white shirt creased from the long day.
He rubbed his temples, trying to soothe his pounding headache as he looked at Ruby and Nancy sitting on the floor. "What are you guys doing here?" His voice came out hoarse with exhaustion.
"Can't you just leave Alex alone?" Nancy said from her spot on the floor. "You're interrupting us. God, you're so annoying."
Ruby rolled her eyes. "We wanted to check on Alex," she said, pointing to the bags of food. "We brought barbecue and some pumpkin bisque. Thought we could all have dinner and drinks together."
"No one asked you to come," Nancy snapped.
Alex stepped forward and helped Nancy and Ruby stand up. "Get up first," he said.
His gaze shifted to Elara, who stood frozen with an ashen face, while Julian loomed protectively behind her, his expression dark. With another weary sigh, he turned back to Nancy. "It's getting late. You should head home now."
"I'm not leaving," Nancy said firmly. "I'm staying with you."
Alex rubbed his temples with a tired sigh. "Nancy, this was only supposed to be for show," he said, his voice strained.
Nancy stomped her foot in frustration. "You have the whole day off tomorrow, and you promised to take me to the mall. Doesn't that count?"
"Since I promised your sister, I'll follow through. I'll pick you up tomorrow," Alex replied.
With a sharp exhale, Nancy shoved her feet into her shoes and stormed out.
The bright light cast stark shadows across the room, accentuating Alex's weary expression. He attempted a weak smile. "I should've mentioned earlier that I had too much at the company party tonight."
He poured himself a glass of water. "Why are you suddenly in the mood for a barbecue?"
Ruby picked up her dropped snack, now cold and unappetizing. "We came here to help you forget about Dylan's mess," she muttered. "Now Nancy's ruined everything."
Julian scoffed. "Sounds like we interrupted your little romantic evening with Nancy."
Ruby's eyes widened in disbelief. "Julian, why are you directing your anger at Alex? Nancy's the one behaving badly here."
Julian's voice rose sharply. "A decent man doesn't come home drunk with some woman he has no feelings for—especially one who's been pursuing him for years."
His expression hardened as he addressed Alex. "I trusted you with Elara, and this is how you repay that trust?"
Elara stepped between them. "Julian, Ruby, please leave. Now."
Julian gaped at her, betrayal flashing across his face. "After everything, you're still defending him?"
"Go home," Elara repeated firmly.
With a final glare, Julian turned on his heel and marched out, Ruby trailing behind.
The door's slam echoed through the suddenly too-large living room.
The once-appealing aroma of barbecue and street food now made Elara nauseous. Without a word, she collected the takeout boxes and threw them all away—except for the pumpkin bisque.
Alex called after Elara, but she continued silently to the kitchen, bisque in hand, with Alex following close behind.
She turned on the gas burner, pouring the pumpkin bisque into a heavy pot to keep warm.
Then she pulled a sports drink and coconut water from the fridge, pouring them over ice with fresh lime wedges. After stirring in a pinch of salt for electrolytes, she filled a kettle—the warm steam would help settle her nerves while the cold drink revived Alex.
Alex propped himself against the kitchen island, observing her quiet movements. There was an effortless grace to her slender form that transformed ordinary chores into something almost beautiful.
Over time, Elara had carefully shaped herself into what she believed Alex wanted—ambitious yet composed, strong yet sensible, disciplined in all things.
The kitchen held its breath. Only the whisper of flames and the kettle's rising whistle filled the silence.
Alex recognized this stillness for what it was. Years of unspoken tension between them were coming to a head tonight.
He knew he had to tread carefully—she was the type to cry easily, and the last thing he wanted was to leave her upset all night. If cheering her up meant humoring her a little, then he would do it.
She turned off the stove, ladled the bisque into a bowl, and set it in front of him. "You barely touched your dinner, right? Try this. It's from that place near the high school. You always liked it."
He took the spoon she offered, pulled out a chair, and sat down. "Thanks," he murmured.
While he ate, she set the electrolyte drink before him, condensation already forming on the chilled glass.
Alex took a sip and nodded. "Tastes just like it used to."
"You still like it?" she asked.
"Yeah," he said, smiling. "After all those fancy client dinners, this is still the one thing I'd never turn down."
Elara grinned. "What if you had to pick? Fancy meals or pumpkin bisque?"
Alex knew what Elara was getting at, but he brushed it off with a dismissive answer. "Life isn't some multiple-choice test. I can manage both," he said.
Elara shook her head. "Life isn't about choosing between fancy dinners and bisque," she shot back.
Alex set down his spoon and looked at her. She held his gaze without flinching.
"So, you've made your decision, then?" Elara asked, her eyes fixed on his.
Alex couldn't hold her stare. He dropped his gaze, his voice tense.
"You've been sober for a while, haven't you?" Elara asked.
Alex went quiet, his face turning stony.
"Or maybe you weren't even drunk," she pressed.
Without waiting for his reply, she continued, "You just let Nancy say those things. That means you agreed with her, right?" When Alex's silence lingered, she had her answer.
"Alex, I've been chasing after you for years. I know your self-control better than anyone. Nancy never would've gotten close if you hadn't allowed it. Or tonight was all just an act?
"What you really want is for the three of us to back off, especially me. But you can't bring yourself to say it outright."
Elara's voice remained steady, her calm demeanor almost unsettling. "Nancy was right about everything. What she said hit home for all of us."
A knot formed in Elara's stomach as she poured herself a cup of warm water. Her hands felt like ice as she wrapped them around the cup, letting the heat seep into her fingers.
"The owner at our old barbecue joint asked about you today. We told him we were going to see you with the food. We thought we were still kids who could show up unannounced whenever we wanted."
Alex rubbed his tired eyes, his voice gravelly with exhaustion. "Elara, nothing's changed. You know you're always welcome here."
Elara smiled and shook her head. "It's strange. We've always been independent, but around you, we can't seem to maintain that. You've cared for us so completely that we've forgotten how to fend for ourselves," she said quietly.
She drank some warm water, feeling it settle her empty stomach. "Truth is, you've really hurt us. All three of us take things too personally when it's about you."
Her grip tightened on the cup. "Right now, we're not handling things well. We've just been making things harder for you. So I'm sorry, for me and for them. For all of it."
"Elara, don't," Alex said, his voice tight.
"Let me finish, Alex," she said, pausing to meet his eyes.
His face twisted with pain as he stared at her.
"I'm the one who owes you the biggest apology," she continued. "If I'd known you went abroad to escape me, I wouldn't have pursued you so relentlessly."
"That's not true. I wasn't escaping you," Alex murmured.
"Really? You applied to overseas companies without telling anyone. If I hadn't seen that job offer in your email, would you have just vanished? Or were you already involved with Nancy back then?" She held his gaze, unyielding as she waited for his answer.