Billionaire Lawyer's Secretary - Chapter 73: Chapter 73

At these words, both Elara and Julian felt a sharp pang in their hearts.
Elara thought, 'Nancy's nothing but a brainless idiot. All she ever does is use Dylan's safety as leverage against Alex. I bet every single time they argue, she pulls this card.'
Alex had always been outstanding, and equally strong was his pride. For Dylan's sake, he'd already given up all his dignity to marry into the Hartley family.
Seeing Nancy say such humiliating words to Alex right in front of the friends he had grown up with, Elara and Julian felt that it must have hurt Alex deeply.
Like a broken man, Alex forced a smile while coaxing Nancy. He said, "How could I forget? Next week, I'll officially be joining the Hartley family. Things have been hectic lately.
"Sadie said that once I'm in, she'll put me in charge of the East District branch. So I need to prove myself and deliver solid results now. Then, when I take over directly, I can earn the respect of the veteran employees there."
Nancy's sharpness faded as she frowned at Alex. She said, "Really? But I have the Hartley family behind me, and since you're my husband, you don't need to push yourself so hard.
"We've got more money than we could ever spend. All I want is for you to stay by my side."
Alex said, "But I don't want that. I want to work hard and give you a better life myself, not just rely on your family."
Julian and Elara stood there speechless, watching as Alex sweet-talked Nancy into a daze.
Elara had never heard Alex say such sweet things before. She thought, 'Turns out, he could be romantic after all, just never to me. And now, thanks to Nancy, I finally got to hear it.'
Elara had heard enough, and her mood soured. She snatched up her trampled jacket from the floor, grabbed her bag, and was about to leave when Nancy blocked her path.
"Elara, where do you think you're going?" Nancy demanded.
"None of your damn business!" Elara snapped.
Elara was determined to leave, but Nancy gripped her wrist like a vice, refusing to let go.
Alex held Nancy back and said, "Nancy, let Elara go."
Nancy snapped, "Elara again! She's all you ever care about!" She flew into a rage again.
Alex felt utterly drained and weary. He let out an exhausted sigh and urged patiently, "Nancy, let Elara go."
Nancy snapped, "No! She had the nerve to meet you behind my back today. I haven't even settled the score with her yet!"
Elara finally lost her patience. She shot back, "Are you out of your mind, Nancy? I'm telling you this one last time, I did not ask Alex out today!
"If you're so paranoid about your fiancé cheating, then cling to him like a damn koala 24/7, but stay the hell away from me!"
Nancy scoffed, "If you weren't with Alex, then who else? Some other guy?"
Elara retorted, "Since when is it strange for me, Elara, to have a boyfriend?"
Nancy said, "Getting a table at this place is practically impossible. Other than Julian, who else could've gotten you a reservation?"
Elara laughed in exasperation. She asked, "And why the hell couldn't I get a reservation myself?"
Nancy scoffed, "This restaurant only grants VIP memberships to our Hartley family, the Heaton family, the Quinn family, and the Montgomery family. Only VIPs can walk in anytime. Everyone else has to book three months in advance.
"Three months ago, you were still in Landblic, so how on earth could you have reserved a table here?"
Elara rolled her eyes. She snapped, "Seriously? What makes you think my boyfriend couldn't be from one of the four families you mentioned?"
Nancy sneered, "Elara, are you really that desperate to save face in front of me? You'd make up such an outrageous lie? Your boyfriend is from one of the four families? Is it Neil Heaton? Victor Montgomery?
"Or maybe this Julian here? Or are you claiming it's someone from their parents' generation?"
Without warning, Elara landed a heavy slap across Nancy's face. She hit so hard that her own palm throbbed with pain.
She said, "Nancy, don't think being the Hartley family heiress gives you the right to look down on everyone and do whatever the hell you want!"
Elara pulled an exclusive VIP black card from her bag and slapped it right onto Nancy's face. She said, "Look closely, this card was issued by this store just for my boyfriend, Adrian. The Hartley family isn't just about you and Sadie.
"Just because your mother slept her way to the top doesn't mean she can take over the Hartley family. Sooner or later, Adrian will come back and kick you two bastards out! Just try messing with me again!"
With that, Elara wrenched her hand free from Nancy's grip.
Nancy stumbled, lost her balance, and crashed to the ground. Her outstretched arm landed right on a shard of broken glass.
Nancy's face twisted in pain and fury as she pointed her bleeding hand at Elara. She said, "You did this on purpose! Just wait, I'll have my dad end you!"
Elara snapped, "Go ahead! Let's see if he'd kill his own biological son's girlfriend just for his mistress's daughter like you."
Seeing that she couldn't win the argument, Nancy cried and tugged at Alex. She said, "Alex! This is a good friend of yours. She insults me and even hits me.
"If you want your dad to get out safely, make her apologize to me right now!"
Elara snapped back, "You're the one acting like a spoiled brat, clinging to me and refusing to let go. Why the hell should I be the one to apologize?"
Nancy said, "You hurt me, that's why!"
Elara shot back, "You had it coming!"
Nancy snapped, "What did you say?"
Alex helped Nancy up from the floor, smoothing her disheveled hair before casting a sidelong glance at Elara. He said, "Elara, like it or not, Nancy will be my wife. You shouldn't have hit or pushed her. You owe her an apology."
Hearing that, Elara felt as if a knife had been plunged into her heart, bleeding out inside.
Julian cut in anxiously, "Alex, how can you blame Elara for this? Look at her face, it's all swollen! She's the one who got bullied here!"
Alex knew perfectly well what was going on, but with their engagement just days away and success within reach, he had no choice but to placate Nancy for now.
He thought, 'I can make it up to Elara with a proper apology once everything is settled. This would all blow over eventually.'
Alex demanded, "Apologize."
Elara turned her head away, fighting back the tears that threatened to spill.
Alex continued, "Elara, after all I've done for you these years, you can't even bring yourself to apologize to my future wife?"
A surge of malicious satisfaction washed over Nancy as she watched Elara so deeply wronged.
The ones who could truly hurt Elara were rarely strangers, but rather the cherished friends and family closest to her. She always saved her softest, most vulnerable side for those she cared about.
That's why she hadn't shed a single tear during her fight with Nana, but now, just a few cruel words from Alex were enough to break her down and make her cry.
Alex insisted, "Elara! I'm ordering you to apologize."
Suddenly, Adrian's voice came from outside, demanding, "Who dares to demand my girlfriend apologize?"
Adrian strolled in with a cigarette between his fingers. Spotting Elara looking so aggrieved, he clicked his tongue and teased, "Who made my precious pearl shed her pretty little tears this time?"