Chapter 143: The Wilson Group - Former Couple Rekindling Old Feelings?

Chapter 143: The Wilson Group - Former Couple Rekindling Old Feelings?

Charlotte didn't know what to do for a moment. If she ran away, people might say she was acting like a diva and wasn't down-to-earth. But if she didn't leave, she was afraid of ending up on TV with dating rumors—especially since that jerk Alexander was still around!

Whatever.

She adjusted her sunglasses and headed in the opposite direction, but she still made the news anyway. When she got back to her car after taking a long detour and checked her phone, she felt miserable. These reporters and media people were way too fast—it had only been an hour and the story was already out. Those high school students in uniforms earlier probably weren't actually students. This sucked!

Charlotte was on the verge of tears. Looking at the big photo of her and Alexander walking side by side, she wanted to bang her head against a wall. They just ran into each other once—was this really necessary?

"Charlotte and Alexander spotted together, old flame possibly rekindled."

"Wilson Group CEO Alexander secretly meets ex-wife Charlotte, showing affection on quiet street."

"Alexander and Charlotte holding hands and kissing on the street, getting back together."

The phone rang and as soon as Charlotte answered, Amelia tore into her. "Charlotte, what have you done? Have you seen the news?"

"I saw it." Charlotte stuck out her tongue.

"What were you doing with Alexander? You two didn't actually get back together, did you!" Amelia's face looked terrible. This damn girl—she'd only been back for how long and already caused this kind of trouble. How was she supposed to deal with this?

Charlotte quickly protested, "Of course not! Don't you trust me?"

"Then what's with the photos? You're supposed to be at the company rehearsing—what are you doing out there!"

Charlotte was at a loss for words.

"You're not with Alexander right now, are you?" Amelia asked, her voice probing.

Charlotte swallowed and answered weakly, "Yes..."

Before she could finish, Amelia's angry voice came through. "Charlotte, what are you trying to do!"

"Amelia, let me explain. Alexander and I really didn't do anything. Elsa is here too. We just had to go out for something, but who knew... It's my fault, I know I was wrong." Amelia rarely got angry with her, so this must be a huge mess. What should she do!

"Get back here right now. Of all the people you could be linked to, why does it have to be Alexander?" Amelia immediately hung up.

Of all the people to have dating rumors with, it had to be Alexander. How was she going to explain this to Liam? Just thinking about Liam's stern face made Amelia shudder. Charlotte always caused her trouble.

Charlotte scratched her head in frustration. When Alexander got in, he was met with her resentful glare.

"I have an emergency and need to get back to the company right away. You and Elsa can come back later." Charlotte looked away and said flatly.

Alexander's handsome brow furrowed, his voice cool. "I don't have a car."

"Call your secretary to pick you up. I have to go. Get out now, and tell Elsa I had something really important and had to leave first."

Alexander didn't move, looking at her calmly. "What could you possibly have to do? You don't have any appointments today, right?"

"I just have something to do, okay?" She didn't feel like explaining.

Alexander got out of the car cleanly. But inside he was annoyed—it was just a little gossip, was it really that big a deal?

Charlotte drove off. She was actually pretty worried about Elsa, but she'd just returned to the country and already caused such big trouble. If it were anyone else it would be fine, but it had to be Alexander. Looked like the next few days wouldn't be peaceful. Just thinking about it made her anxious and frustrated.

She shouldn't have gotten so close to that jerk.

Elsa sat in a chair in a flashy outfit, looking sultry. Across from her, Rainey glared coldly. This damn little bitch had actually set her up. How ruthless!

"If you're done looking, sign it. I'm busy." Elsa took a sip of coffee and glanced at her flashy gold women's watch, her face calm.

Rainey wanted to pour the coffee in front of her right over her head, but the current situation didn't allow it. She had to endure it no matter what—otherwise no one could pay back that huge sum of eight hundred thousand dollars.

Elsa felt great seeing the mother and daughter angry but unable to do anything about it. This is what you get for always acting so smug...

"Thea, are you really abandoning me?" Jesse looked at her with a face full of sorrow and pain, trying to make her feel guilty and change her mind.

Elsa smiled, holding back her disgust. "My last name is Grey and yours is Ellis. How could you be my father!"

"Thea, how can you be so cruel? We may not be perfect but we're still your family. Now that you're successful you don't want us anymore. How can there be someone like you in this world!" Juniper glared at her, the blazing fire in her eyes making people nervous.

Elsa laughed instead of getting angry. These kinds of people weren't worth getting upset over. Plus, if you got angry, you'd be playing right into their hands. The best way to irritate people was to act happier the angrier they got. That way they'd get even more upset.

Of course, Charlotte had taught her this method, and it was working great now. Seeing Juniper's distorted face made her feel amazing.

"My success seems to have nothing to do with you guys. And when were you ever my family? Forget it, I wouldn't dare associate with people like you." Elsa waved her hand, laughing freely.

Rainey got so angry she reached out to hit her, but Elsa reacted faster and grabbed her hand, smiling lightly. "Pregnant women shouldn't be so rough. If something happens to the baby in your belly, what will you do? Are you going to blame me for that too?" She flung her hand away forcefully, tossed her hair, and sat back down in her chair.

"Thea, you can't abandon me. You're my only child." Jesse suddenly knelt down and reached for Elsa's leg, but Elsa coldly moved away.

In the past she might have softened, but not anymore. Ever since he dragged her back from the Taylor family at seventeen and forced her to work at a bar, she'd sworn to leave this disgusting family. Fortunately, she later met someone from a talent agency who agreed to help her debut, but she paid a heavy price for it. During the best years of her life, she did the most shameful things—being a mistress, having secret affairs, having several abortions.

It was all because of these people. If not for their persecution, she wouldn't have become like this. Luckily, five years ago when she went abroad, she decided to completely reinvent herself. Now they wanted to threaten her like before? Absolutely not!

They shouldn't even think about it!

"I'm counting to three. Whether you sign or not is up to you. People from the Rogers family are still waiting outside. If you're not afraid of dying, you don't have to sign. I don't care either way." She shrugged, smiling easily.

Rainey stood up with her big belly, glaring at her through gritted teeth. "Do you believe I'll tell reporters about your past? If everyone knew you'd been pregnant, had abortions, and been a mistress, what do you think would happen to you?"

Elsa laughed loudly. "Say whatever you want. I'm not Thea anyway. Also, if the judge finds out you were the ones behind it all, what do you think will happen? Thirty years in prison? Fifty years? Or maybe life in prison."

"Of course, if you can't make it out there, you can tell me. I'll definitely send you in for free to spend your old age." She smiled, her cold and arrogant manner making the mother and daughter freeze.

Either be the butcher or be the lamb—you forced me to this!

"You, aren't you afraid you won't be able to survive in the entertainment industry!" Rainey still looked up at her arrogantly, but her tone was much less confident.

Elsa didn't even look at her, patting her shoulder. "What do I have to be afraid of? Do you think I'm still the Thea you could beat and humiliate however you wanted? If you're tired of living, go ahead and tell the reporters. I don't care."

"Thea, why are you such a bitch!" Juniper couldn't help cursing.

Elsa looked at the fat man who'd been kneeling by her legs. "Are you going to sign or not?"

"Thea, don't force me..." Jesse continued using his sympathy ploy.

"One." Elsa started counting.

"Thea, I'm your father, your only family in this world!"

"Two."

"You, how can you be so heartless!"

"Three." Elsa picked up the severance document from the table without hesitation and turned to leave.

Jesse's voice came quickly. "Okay, I'll sign."

"That's more like it. Don't fight with anyone except money." Elsa smiled sarcastically—that was this disgusting family's favorite saying.

"I'm your father. Shouldn't you give me a few hundred thousand more dollars for raising you?" Jesse spoke up, his eyes no longer showing that kind and sorrowful expression from before.

Elsa laughed coldly. That was Jesse for you—never willing to pass up an opportunity to make money, no matter when or where.

"Have you ever taken care of me? All these years you've been spending my money and living off me—isn't that enough? I'm being generous by not holding it against you. Take the eight hundred thousand dollars and be smart about it. Don't even think about getting another cent from me!" She glared at him coldly, an expression that made Jesse feel both unfamiliar and chilled.

Seeing that she wouldn't budge, Jesse could only swallow his anger and sign. Eight hundred thousand dollars was eight hundred thousand dollars—better than nothing.

Elsa looked at the document in her hand and finally relaxed. From now on, she didn't have to fear their threats anymore.

"You took my money, so keep everything about me secret. If anything leaks out, I'll come after all three of you. Now you're the ones with something to lose. Think about that." Elsa threw a check on the table and swaggered out.

"Thea, you're so disgusting! We never want to see you again in this life!" Rainey glared at her with red eyes. Why could someone as dirty as Thea become a big star? She'd always been better than her since childhood. Why? Why!

Thea turned back and looked at her with disdain. "No matter how disgusting I am, I'm not as disgusting as you. Getting together with your own stepfather and even getting pregnant—does that feel different from normal people? A mother and daughter sharing one man—this is my first time seeing that!"

Juniper's face instantly went pale. She reached out and slapped Rainey. "You two, you..."

"Mom, I know I was wrong..." Rainey couldn't be bothered arguing with Elsa anymore. With her big belly, she knelt in front of Juniper.

Elsa smiled coldly, swayed her hips, and walked out in her high heels. She looked up at the sky—the sun was bright, the weather was clear.

Outside the courtyard, Zack walked toward her. "Ms. Grey."

"Thanks for your help. Take a hundred thousand dollars from that money as payment. I don't want to let those people off easy."

Zack smiled. "We're just doing this for Mr. Wilson. We appreciate the hundred thousand, but we really can't take it."

"Why so much talk? This is extra from me. Consider it buying me a favor—help me out again if something like this comes up next time." Elsa laughed, her smile bright.

Zack paused. "Then thank you, Ms. Grey."

Elsa walked out of the Ellis house with her head held high. Actually, she'd already paid back the money. Alexander had used this situation to help her break free from Jesse. She'd give Zack a hundred thousand and the rest would come back to her. How could she let those disgusting people off that easily?

She looked back at the house with people crowded at the door and laughed.

Finally free this time.

When she got back to where they'd been earlier, Charlotte's car was gone, replaced by a super cool black Bugatti Veyron. She swallowed and walked over.

"Mr. Wilson," she called out weakly.

Alexander didn't look up from the documents in his hands. "All done?"

"Yes, thank you, Mr. Wilson." She thanked him sincerely.

"Get in."

Alexander looked around but didn't see Charlotte, only John. Just as he was about to speak, John said, "Ms. Harris had something to do and went back first. She asked me to apologize to you."

Elsa nodded and sat in the passenger seat. Being close to Alexander made it hard for her to breathe—the cold aura he gave off was really scary.

The car headed toward the Wilson Group. Elsa opened her tablet and was shocked by the big headline that popped up.

Alexander and Charlotte holding hands and kissing on the street, getting back together?

What was going on?

Elsa frowned. Not caring whether Alexander was there or not, she picked up her phone and called Charlotte. This girl was in big trouble. Why would she wander around on the street with Alexander for no reason!

"Hello." Charlotte's weak voice came through the phone.

"What's with the news?" Elsa asked quietly.

"I don't know how to explain it. Amelia just finished chewing me out and I don't have the energy to explain. How did your thing go?"

"It's all good. Really, thank you and Mr. Wilson so much." Elsa was genuinely grateful. Without their help, who knows what would have happened!

"We're friends, no need for that. You don't have any work today, right? I'm going home to cook—want to come over for dinner?"

Elsa nodded eagerly. "Of course! Can't pass up Chef Gu's amazing cooking."

"Okay, I'm hanging up. I need to reboot my brain—I think the hard drive is broken." Charlotte was completely frazzled by Amelia's relentless questioning.

Elsa put away her phone and looked at the big gossip story on her computer, really worried for her friend.

"Ms. Grey and Ms. Harris have a pretty good relationship, huh?" John asked.

Elsa nodded. "Yeah!"

"You two aren't..." John didn't finish. He'd just blurted it out without thinking. As a qualified executive secretary, asking such questions was unprofessional.

"You don't think we're actually gay, do you? No, no, absolutely not." Elsa quickly spoke up. She'd been asked this question so many times she was scared of it.

John saw how anxious she was and got more curious. "Really?"

"Of course."

The two chatted casually. John genuinely felt that Elsa was much easier to get along with than Poppy.

Elsa got out halfway to go back to her place. Alexander and John continued to the Wilson Group. Suddenly Alexander thought of that little kid named Ethan from the other day. He'd had to go back to the company to handle some things, so he hadn't stayed with him. He wondered how he was doing now.

He looked at the time—it was already four-thirty. School would be out soon.

"Not going back to the company today. Stop up ahead and take a cab back yourself." He put the documents aside and rubbed his temples.

"Yes, sir."

Alexander took over the wheel and quickly disappeared from John's sight. John shrugged, not knowing what he was up to, and hailed a cab.

Alexander quickly arrived at the school. If he remembered correctly, that little guy was Emily's desk mate, which meant they'd be meeting soon.

School wasn't out yet when he arrived. Alexander got out and walked toward Emily's classroom. The teachers he passed all smiled at him warmly. Everyone knew Alexander—the library, swimming pool, and sports equipment at the school were all funded by the Wilson Group, so it was hard not to know him.

Through the bright window, he spotted Emily right away. His brow furrowed in displeasure—she was sleeping. His gaze finally settled on her desk mate, the little guy. He was sitting up straight, listening carefully to the lesson, his eyes on the blackboard, his little face very serious. Alexander felt a bit dazed. He realized this kid really did look like himself as a child. When he was in school, he'd been just as focused.

Emily's head tilted and she saw Alexander standing outside the window. Her head suddenly shot up and she reached out with her small hand to wipe the drool from her mouth.

Alexander—so scary.

"Ethan, why didn't you wake me? My cousin saw me sleeping." Emily pouted and complained.

Ethan's gaze finally moved from the blackboard to her face. "Awake now?"

"My cousin is here and you didn't tell me. I'm going to be in trouble now." Emily looked pitiful. Alexander was really strict about studying, so when she didn't understand homework problems at night, she didn't dare ask him. When he got angry, he was really scary.

Thinking about this, Emily couldn't help but shudder.

Ethan turned and saw Alexander. His mouth twitched but his face showed no reaction. He calmly turned his attention back to the blackboard.

"This kid." Alexander couldn't help muttering.

Finally school let out. Ethan calmly stuffed his textbooks into his backpack and walked out of the classroom with his classmates.

"Ethan, Ethan, wait for me!" Emily's voice came from behind.

Ethan turned around helplessly and looked at her. "Your cousin is here to pick you up, so I'm going first. My mom is waiting for me to come home for dinner!"

Emily came over and grabbed his hand, laughing coyly. "Take my cousin's car home. The school bus is so uncomfortable every day. I'll have him drop you off."

"No need, I like taking the school bus." He pulled his hand back and turned to leave.

Alexander, standing at the door, reached out and blocked his way. "Kid, we meet again. What a coincidence."

"Hello." Ethan greeted him and walked around the other side.

Alexander's mouth twitched. This kid was pretty cold—his personality was kind of like his own!