Reluctantly, Elizabeth stopped, lifting her gaze to meet his with a weary sigh. She wondered if their frequent encounters were coincidence or Elijah's deliberate design. In the past, she had longed for glimpses of him, which were rare. Now, despite her efforts to avoid him, he seemed to appear constantly.

"Grandma's birthday is at the end of the month. I'll take you back with me," he stated flatly, his tone devoid of warmth, as if relaying an immutable fact.

"I'm not going," Elizabeth replied, her voice soft but resolute. "I already told her about the divorce during my last visit. There's no need to maintain the pretense of a happy marriage. I'll send her a gift myself."

Elijah's expression grew colder. "Why involve Grandma in our problems?" he demanded.

Elizabeth met his gaze, her eyes filled with quiet sorrow. "We're discussing a divorce. Do you understand the gravity of that? It's not a trivial disagreement. Isn't it better to be honest with family about such significant matters?"

In a tone as cold as steel, Elijah retorted, "We haven't signed any papers yet. Do you really think the world revolves around your whims?"

"There are no whims here!" Elizabeth replied firmly. "A divorce is inevitable, sooner or later! It's only fair to be truthful now, to minimize the deception, for everyone's sake." Her emotions swirled. Striving for a fulfilling marriage had been difficult enough; letting go proved equally challenging. She knew Elijah didn't genuinely oppose the divorce or misunderstand her intentions; it was the loss of control he couldn't tolerate.

Elijah stared at her with unreadable intensity. "Why are you so determined to end this? If it's still about the fire, I've apologized countless times. Why can't you just forgive and move on?"

Despair washed over Elizabeth. Elijah consistently reduced their complex marital problems to his absence during that incident. Their relationship lacked love, overshadowed by another woman, yet he always sidestepped the significant issues between them.

Exhausted, Elizabeth averted her eyes, falling silent. Suddenly, a thought ignited in Elijah, growing into a resolve. He pressed his palms against the wall behind her, trapping her between his arms and the wall. Looking directly into her eyes, he asked the question he dreaded most: "Is there someone else?"

Startled, Elizabeth's mouth fell open before she scoffed coldly. "Do you really think I'd behave like you?"

Elijah's patience snapped. "Stop evading the question! Just answer me—yes or no?"

"What on earth do you think you're doing?"

At that moment, Asher, anxiously awaiting Elizabeth's return, arrived just in time to see Elijah cornering her in a threatening manner. Fueled by protective instincts and assuming Elijah was harassing Elizabeth because of Sandra, Asher's anger erupted. He charged forward, his fist aimed at Elijah's jaw.