She turned around, and saw Samuel’s angry face. So she stopped and didn’t finish her words. Samuel Adler took his arm off from Rania Layne, he took off his suit and threw it in a trash can. Rania Layne laughed at that in secret, Elina was still Sam’s taboo, a joke in Ashford.
‘Sam, let’s go see a movie tonight, shall we?’.’
Samuel Adler seemed relax a little bit, but he didn’t answer Rania Layne. He walked straight up to the gate of the hotel, and he waved at his assistant waiting by the gate.
‘Larry, send Miss Layne back home.’
‘Yes. Mr. Adler.’ Larry nodded his head, and opened the car door by the side for Rania Layne: ’Please, Ms. Layne.’
‘Sam, let’s go together.’ Rania Layne bit her lips, she tried to hold on to Samuel Adler’s arms again, but she failed.
‘You go home. I still have some stuffs to deal with. I can get a cab later.’ As he spoke, Sam Adler walked away and didn’t give her a chance to speak again.
Rania Layne had to give up for tonight, and got into the limo. She was afraid that if she pushed too hard on Sam Adler, she would end up like Elina Bernard.
She had been so considerate to Sam Adler for the past three years, and she did get a lot of help from Samuel Adler for her start-up business. People thought that they would make a perfect couple. But Rania knew that Sam Adler was just doing this to repay the debts he owed her father.
‘Ma! I want that girl in red dress to be my wife!’ The fleshy fat boy cling on his mother and cried like a baby, throwing tantrums.
‘There, there. My sweet little pumpkin pie, Ma will get her for you. Now you be a good boy and stop crying.’ Mrs. Wither was petting him like a dog.
The man in the shadow put off his cigarette as he watched the fat boy getting in the car with his mother. And he waved at a cab, and left as well.
Elina held herself in her own arms, and forced herself not to cry. She thought she was just an i***t. Why would her parents change their attitude all of a sudden? She was always the one being ignored in the family. She could not feel any love in this house.
She smiled in bitterness, and she looked at the river as her mind flowed. She probably shouldn’t come back to here for the first place.
‘Elina! Elina!’ Alice spotted Elina, and rushed toward her. She then held Elina tightly, and tears were all over her face.
‘I am sorry... I didn’t know their plan...If Dad and Mom had told me about this, I wouldn’t ask you to come back with me...’
‘I know you didn’t mean it, Alice.’ Elina knew that Alice was the only one in the world who cared for her except for her grandma.
‘Elina, it is cold and dark out there. Let’s go home for now, and I will send you back to the country tomorrow morning.’
‘Okay.’ The two girls left together.
In the living room of the Bernards was still having the lights on. Carl and Kate Bernad were sitting on the couch, and kept a eye on the door.
The two girls walked in, and Elina walked straight up to upstairs. Alice sat right next to Carl and said:’We are home, dad.’
Carl gave an eye to Kate to talk to Elina, so Kate stood up and walked upstairs to catch up with Elina:’ Where have you been? It is getting dark, we are worry about you, sweetie.’
Elina took her hand off from Kate, and replied calmly:’I am going back to the country tomorrow morning.’
‘You are not going anywhere!’ Carl was infuriated when he heard that.
Elina couldn’t believe what she heard, and she turned her back slowly and stared at her father:’You want me to marry a retard because of money? Is that what you want?’
‘How dare you talk to me like that?’ Carl didn’t know what to say, but he was just mad.
Kate would also want to tell Elina off, but she changed her mind and forced some tears on her face.
‘We don’t want you to marry that moronic Withers, either. But in the past three years, a lot of the things happened. Our business is going downhill, and we are in a lot of debts. We would want to visit you, but we just couldn’t make any time. Bad things are just coming one after another...We don’t want to bother you with this, but we are at a dead end! If we don’t do this, then your dad will go bankrupt, and they will take everything from us! The Withers are now willing to help our business, as long as you...’
Kate cried and choked, but Elina was indifferent to that.
‘You have never treated me as your daughter before, and now you say we are family? Just to sacrifice me to save your business?’
Elina looked at Kate and Carl in hatred. It was warm in the house, but she felt so cold deep down inside.
‘I have nothing to do about this house and your business.’ As Elina spoke, tears rolled down her face. She then turned her head to the side, and wiped them off.
‘Dad, mom! Don’t push Elina no more! I will marry to the Withers.’
Alice yelled at their parents, and that stopped Elina from walking away.
‘Elina is right. I am the big sister, and I got the most from this family. It is time for me to take this responsibility to support our family.’
As Alice spoke, she walked to the side of Carl and said:’Dad, please. Elina doesn’t have to do this. I can take one for the family.’
‘No! Alice, you can’t marry to that retard!’ Elina rushed to Alice, and shouted at her.
‘Then what are we supposed to do with all the debts? The company is going downhill, and Nigel is just ten years old. If I marry to the Withers, I will make sure they give us full support financially. And you don’t go back to the country, you need to stay here to support this family for me!’
Alice’s words were just hammering Elina’s heart. Elina was just so painful.
‘Can’t we just live a normal life? Just forget about the business, the company and stuffs?’ Elina asked.
Alice let out a sigh:’I wish it is that easy. If we close down the business and everything, we can’t afford to pay the debts. How are we supposed to make a living? Dad and mom are getting old... Nigel, Nigel needs to go to school...’Alice chocked, she couldn’t finish it.
Elina held Alice’s hands, and it took her every bit of strength to open her mouth again:’I will do it.’
‘Elina..’
‘Alice! I said, I will do it! I can be a Mrs. Withers. I am doing this for you.’ Elina interrupted Alice, and she gnashed her teeth. Carl and Kate looked at each other, and felt relieved.