El came downstairs,
"Hi Ricky, you are early" she said sarcastically.
"You alright?" He asked, looking at her.
"Yeah" she nodded.
"Where is Alec?" she asked, looking around.
"Alec huh" Ricky teased,
"No mister Wilson?"
"How is your search for a date going, found any gold digger" she teased him back.
"Not as good as you, gold digger" he said addressing her as 'good digger' El chuckled
"Yeah, sure" she said rolling her eyes playfully.
"You still didn't tell me where Alec is and did his mother leave?" El asked.
"No, they are in the study," Ricky replied. "
All of them?" El's face constricted. Ricky nodded.
She marched towards the study but was stopped by Carolyn's guard.
"You can't go in Miss. El, Mrs. Wilson has asked to not allow anybody inside."
She glared back him fiercely and said,
"I'm Mrs. Wilson as well and this is My House, so don't you dare stop me."
At that moment Moira and Kaitlyn were getting out of the study.
El swiftly dodged the guard and made her way in. Ricky was baffled at her words and actions.
"I can't have that filthy lowborn as your legal wife. Sign them, end the marriage and you can do whatever you want with her after that." El heard Carolyn say this to Alec.
"Your father has already agreed for your wedding with Kaitlyn. You sign this and I'll take care of the rest."
El kept looking at Alec. Intense pain was evident in her eyes.
Alec noticed El standing near the door. His heart clenched to look at her hurt face.
Seeing that Alec wasn't saying anything El felt further disheartened, Carolyn turned around and saw her, unable to handle her pain, El turned around to leave.
"Stop right there" Carolyn said loudly, making El stop her tracks.
"Now that you are here, I'll tell you as well."
"Kaitlyn's father, Mr. Miller is one of the top billionaires of Valhigh city. She is an only child. If Alec marries Kaitlyn, all the Miller's businesses and property will be his. It'll provide a tremendous momentum to the Wilsons. We'll be close to surpassing all top billionaires in the country like the Andersons or the Fords." Carolyn said.
Although she had the bloodlines of both the families running in her veins, Michelle couldn't bring herself to say anything in her defense, she could only smile at herself in a self-deprecating manner.
"Marrying Kaitlyn will help Alec to reach new heights in his career, you on the other hand are no more than a liability, what good can you even do to Alec? You don't even know who your parents are, or what family you belong to"
El's face fell when she heard that. Carolyn's words made her feel like she had no one to call her own.
She wrapped her hands around herself to stop trembling. Alec felt an agonising pain to see El in that condition.
He walked closer to her.
"Don't"
She said sternly but with a whimpering voice.
"I'm glad that you understand." Carolyn said.
"I don't care what kind of relationship you both keep after your wedding with Kaitlyn, you can part ways with her, or keep her as your mistress or get rid of her, but I can't have her as your Legal Wife." Carolyn continued.
Alec shot Carolyn a glare when she said mistress. El was visibly trembling after hearing her recent words.
"MOTHER"
Alec called out in an extremely intimidating voice.
"I've been patiently listening to you all this while but you can't talk like that with my wife." Alec said, emphasizing each word.
Carolyn knew she had crossed a line, however she wanted to convince Alec for the marriage
"But Alec.."
"Not another word Mother" Alec scorned.
He got closer to El and said, "I'm already married and I don't intend to divorce El. There won't be a business deal or a wedding with the Millers. I hope everybody in this room gets this into their head and doesn't persist with me otherwise." Alec said firmly.
Turning towards his mother he said "Is that understood mother?"
"B.." before Carolyn could even complete her word Alec glared at her with perilous eyes. Carolyn nodded.
"Please leave mother," he said, turning back to El.
El was still in the same state as before. Alec picked her up holding her close to him and hurried upstairs to his room.
On the way he kept calling her
"El, El. " She was awake but she didn't reply.
"What happened to her?" Ricky asked.
"I don't know" Alec said and hurried to his room.
He laid her on her and put the blanket over her. She clutched the blanket pulling it closer. She was still shivering but she didn't say anything.
"El, please say something," Alec pleaded.
El closed her eyes to avoid him. Ricky was there as well, he glared at Alec asking him for an explanation.
"My mother said some very mean things to her and.."
"and you stood still?" Ricky questioned.
"Tell me Alec, didn't you say anything?"
"I did but it was too late ." Alec said with a guilty voice.
El was still clutching at her blanket and shivering.
Seeing this, Ricky started rubbing her feet.
Eventually she stopped trembling.
"El" Alec called out with concern.
"Your mother is right Alec."
"I'm nobody for people like you"
She started thinking about the day her parents abandoned her.
Carolyn's words made her confront those feelings that she has been avoiding for years.
"I'll only be a liability to you without bringing anything substantial to this marriage."
Alec signalled Ricky to leave the room.
"I'm not fit to be your wife Alec" El sobbed.
Alec grabbed her chin tightly and turned her face towards him.
She tried to avoid his gaze, "Look at me when you are talking to me" Alec seethed.
He leaned forward and kissed her roughly.
El struggled underneath him.
"Stop, or I'll warm you up in my own way" he warned her.
She stiffened at his words..
Alec's kiss grew softer as she stopped resisting him.
He deepened his kiss when they heard a knock on the door, it was Patty. Alec let go of the kiss and tidied her hair.
"Come in," Alec said. El sat upright on the bed. She looked much better than she did a few minutes before.
"I bought soup for you Miss. El", Patty said.
El looked at her with scrutinizing eyes and asked
"Why don't you refer to me as Mrs. Wilson?"
She looked at Alec and said,
"Not only your mother but also the people who work for you don't treat or respect me as your wife."
Alec glared at Patty,
"I'm sorry M..Mrs. Wilson",she corrected herself.
"Keep the soup and leave." Alec instructed and Patty quickly followed through.
"Drink it, you'll feel better," Alec said.
"I'm already feeling better," she replied.
He took the bowl and placed the spoon filled with soup in front of her lips,
"drink" he said firmly,
El quietly obeyed.