Chapter 14
Tense Encounter
Elena
The air was thick with tension and I felt the air flow heavily around me. Sarah's first words had heated the room significantly.
"Hmmm," Albert's expression turned black and I almost thought he was going to bite back. His face suddenly relaxed and he snorted, leaning back in his seat.
"What are you doing with her?" He asked suddenly, directing his gaze to me. I looked away, not able to meet his scorching gaze and I shifted uneasily on my feet, not quite sure if it was okay to come forward and take a seat.
"Isn't it obvious?" Sarah spoke calmly, her pose relaxed as she sat leisurely. "I'm here to give her justice."
"Justice?" A bizarre expression appeared on Albert's face and he glanced at me. "What's all this about?" He demanded, his cold eyes boring into mine.
"How dare you leave your husband's house?" He thundered, his sudden outburst made me flinch. "Do you have any idea what you've done?" He raged, his eyes reddened with rage.
"I…" I stuttered, not able to string a complete sentence together under his angry gaze.
"Speak to me," Sarah snapped. "You're frightening the poor girl."
Albert didn't reply, his angry gaze still fixed on me. "What do you want?" He moved his gaze back to Sarah and he folded his arms as he waited for an answer.
"I want her to divorce that kid you married her off to," Sarah began, her eyes twinkling. "Then you'll also put her to good use within the company. Don't mistreat the one good thing my sister left in the world."
Silence. My heart thudded in my chest and I watched the two of them with held breaths. I felt a small warmth fill me when Sarah called me her niece.
"Hahaha," Albert burst into laughter suddenly, but his eyes gradually became cold and his laughter faded. "You don't tell me what to do, Sarah, you'd be a fool if you think that."
"I'm neither a fool nor a dictator, Albert," Sarah's eyes flashed and she slowly sat up. "I turned a blind eye to a lot of things. I didn't intervene all this while—"
"And yet you do so now," Albert snapped. "Why?"
"Because what you're doing isn't in her best interests," Sarah glanced at me. "I promised my sister I'd look over her daughter."
My breath caught in my throat at her words and I froze, she hadn't told me that.
Albert's expression didn't change in the slightest."And you promised me you would stay out of my affairs, has that changed?"
"She deserves better," Sarah ignored Albert's question and she hissed. "I wouldn't poke my nose in whatever you have planned but this is the height of it."
Albert rose to his feet in one swift motion, his hands on his desk. "Tread carefully, Sarah," he warned, his voice low and dangerous.
"Or what?" Sarah glanced up at him, her expression cold and she ignored the hidden threat in his words.
"You did what you did to my sister, do you think I'm some pushover?" Sarah rose to her feet and she glared at Albert, not backing down.
I stared, dumbstruck with my heart in my throat as I watched them face off. They were discussing my future but I felt like an onlooker, watching to see which way it swung.
Sarah's expression was cold and indifferent while Albert's face was dark like the storm with anger brewing within him.
"Father," I suddenly spoke up, mustering my courage. My words made them pause and Albert's eyes flickered as he glanced at me.
"Please," I whispered, my voice cracking with emotion. "I couldn't remain there. Damien, he…" I blinked back tears. "He tried to hurt Lily. I just want to be happy," I mumbled, not completely sure of what I was saying.
"Hmph!" Sarah's expression worsened at the mention of Lily.
"It doesn't matter," Albert stared at me, his expression not changing one bit. "You're married to Damien and that's not going to change, that's my decision and it's final."
I felt my heart break into broken shards that pricked at me and my vision blurred with tears.
"Your decision? It's my life," I whispered, sobs wracking my body frame. "You—"
"Shut up!" Albert snapped, glaring at me. "You're fortunate your aunt's here with you or else I'd take some serious actions."
"But—" I was about to protest but Sarah spoke up at that moment.
"You should step out for a moment, Elena," she glanced at me, but her intention was obvious. She wasn't asking.
"I…" I wanted to refuse but a subtle shake of her head discouraged me. She'd come this far, I shouldn't mess things up.
I nodded slowly, still dabbing at my misty eyes before I turned on my heel and walked out, closing the door with a soft click behind me.
It took everything in me not to break into tears the moment I stepped outside, my heart ached so badly that even breathing felt difficult.
Albert's words echoed in my mind; 'you're married to Damien and that's not going to change…'
The words seemed to have taken the wind out of me. I'd come with the faintest of hopes that Sarah could make Father compromise.
I'd thought wrong.
I didn't know how long I sat outside, waiting for the outcome. I silently wondered what Sarah had to discuss with Father in private. I'd nearly reached the limits of my patience when the doors opened and Sarah walked out.
"What happened?" I asked, rushing forward to meet her, my pulse quickened as I stared at her, searching her expression.
"It's very difficult," Sarah's first words made my heart sink and she frowned. "I tried to speak sense into him, and…" she paused.
"And…?" I pressed, wanting to hear the rest.
"It's complicated," Sarah sighed, her expression looked difficult. "But there's something you need to do."
"Me?" The sudden switch caught me by surprise.'What could she possibly want me to do?' I wondered.
Sarah's expression was serious when she met my gaze. "You're going to go and see Damien and…" she briefly explained what I was to do.
Before she was done explaining I was already shaking my head.
"No, no, no," I whispered, her words making me incredulous.
"It's this or you do as your father wishes," Sarah snapped, her patience wearing thin.
"But…" I hesitated, feeling deeply conflicted.
"This is the only way," Sarah glanced at me. "Make your choice," she didn't say anymore and she walked away, leaving me standing alone.
With a choice to make.