Chapter 5

Aaron should have felt like a weight had left his shoulders, but seeing the divorce papers well signed by Elena his face went cold again.

Why?

He took another gulp of his drink. After the scene at the restaurant Aaron had been drinking.

He knew how much Elena loved and doted on him in the past so he never expected that she'd accept the divorce and also move on so fast.

He needed explanations, her family couldn't just pop out of the blue right at the time they were separating.

Aaron slammed the glass on the counter hard, spilling its contents.

"You should stop drinking Aaron. There is no way Elena can be one the Andersons. I can tell you she's a bitch sleeping around with men. " Tiffani said as she'd been watching him drowning himself in alcohol since, she only stayed back hidden to watch him get vulnerable.

“Stay away from me!” Aaron declared as he stood up from his seat leaving the bar.

Aaron almost fell as he was walking. Tiffani helped him into the master's bedroom. She took off his clothes leaving just his underwear.

She also took off her clothes, she went into the bed with him and spread her hands in his body. She took some pictures and sent them to Elena.

★★★★★★★

Martins found Elena in the living room, scrolling through her phone. She didn't look happy.

"Don't you feel bored staying at the mansion all day?" he asked, leaning against the doorframe.

She looked up. "A little, I guess."

"Perfect. Let's go shopping."

"Shopping?"

"You're resuming work soon. You'll need outfits. Lots of them." He jangled his car keys. "Come on, my treat."

Twenty minutes later, they pulled up to the largest shopping mall Elena had ever seen. The glass building stretched towards the sky, and the parking lot was filled with luxury cars.

"This place is huge," she said with wild eyes.

"Wait until you see inside." Martins grinned as his phone buzzed. Then he said to Elena "Go shop for anything. I need to take a call, but I'll catch up with you."

The electronic door opened. Elena wandered through the designer section, running her fingers over fabrics that felt like liquid silk. She selected blazers, dresses, blouses, and trousers enough for a complete professional wardrobe. The pile in her arms grew.

She made her way to the counter, setting everything down carefully.

The salesgirl behind the register looked up from her phone. Her eyes traveled from Elena's face to her simple outfit, and her expression shifted.

"Can I help you?" Her tone was defiant.

"I'd like to purchase these, please."

The girl picked up one of the blazers, checking the tag. Her lip curled. "Do you know how much this costs?"

"I saw the price, yes."

"And you still want to buy all of this?" The skepticism was thick in her voice.

Elena felt her patience thinning. "Yes. That's why I brought them to the counter."

The salesgirl laughed, "Right. Sure." She started picking through the items. "This jacket alone is two hundred thousand dollars. This dress? Same amount. And you expect me to believe you can afford this?"

Heat crept up Elena's neck. "Excuse me?"

"Look, I've worked here long enough to spot people who are just trying on clothes for I*******m photos or whatever." She pushed the pile back toward Elena. "Why don't you return these before we have a problem?"

"I'm not returning anything. I'm buying them." Elena kept her voice low while the sales girl kept her voice on a high pitch.

The girl's eyes narrowed. "With what? Do you have any idea what kind of clientele we serve here? These clothes are for people with money. Real money."

Other customers were starting to stare. Elena felt their eyes on her, judging, assessing.

"I'd like to speak to your manager," Elena said quietly.

"I don't need to get my manager. I'm telling you right now, take these clothes back to where you found them."

"I'm a paying customer."

The salesgirl leaned across the counter, her voice dripping with disdain. "Are you though? Because you look like someone who shops at discount stores, not here. Who do you think you are? One of the Anderson family?" She laughed loudly, and a few other customers snickered.

Elena's hands clenched into fists. The humiliation burned through her chest.

"Actually," she started.

"Actually nothing," the girl interrupted. "Get out before I call security. We don't serve your kind here."

"What's going on?"

Martins's voice cut through the tension like a knife. He strode toward the counter, his expression dark.

The salesgirl's entire demeanor changed in an instant. Her face lit up, and she smoothed her hair back. "Oh, Mr. Anderson! I didn't know you were here." She batted her eyelashes. "How are you today, boss?"

Boss?

Elena's eyes widened.

Martins stopped beside Elena, his jaw tight. "I asked what's going on."

The salesgirl gestured dismissively at Elena. "This lowlife was trying to steal these clothes. Obviously she can't afford them. I was just handling the situation before it escalated." She smiled at him sweetly. "Don't worry, I've got everything under control."

The silence that followed was deafening.

Martins's expression turned to ice. "What did you just call her?"

The salesgirl's smile faltered. "I... lowlife? I mean, she…"

"You just called one of the Anderson family a lowlife."

The color drained from the girl's face. "What?"

"This is my sister. Elena Anderson." His voice was deadly calm. "And you just insulted her in our store."

The salesgirl stumbled backward, "I….I didn't know…. Mr. Anderson, I'm so sorry…… I had no idea….."

"You should never treat any customer like that, regardless of who they are." Martins pulled out his phone. "What's your name?"

"Please, I'm sorry! I made a mistake!" Tears started streaming down her face. "I need this job, I have bills…."

"You should have thought about that before humiliating my sister." He didn't even look at her as he typed. "You're fired. HR will contact you about your final paycheck. Leave now."

"No, please!" The girl rushed around the counter, falling to her knees. "Miss Anderson, I'm so sorry! I didn't mean it! Please, tell him….."

Elena looked down at her, remembering every cutting word, every mocking laugh. "You told me to know my place. Now you know yours."

Security appeared within seconds. They escorted the sobbing salesgirl out while the other customers watched in stunned silence.

Another employee rushed over, professional and apologetic. "Miss Anderson, I'm so sorry for that experience. Please, let me bring these up for you. Everything will be complimentary, of course."

"That's not necessary….." Elena began.

"It is," Martins said firmly. "Bag everything. And add the matching shoes and accessories."

Twenty minutes later, they were in Martins's car, bags filling the entire backseat.

Elena stared out the window. "Do we own that mall?"

"Yeah."

"Just that one?"

Martins merged into traffic. "We own the chain. Fifty-seven locations worldwide. That's the smallest branch."

"Oh." She processed that. "Are you kidding me?"

"No sister I'm not. You will know all about our family wealth."

They drove in silence for a while. Elena expected him to head back to the family house, but instead, he took an unfamiliar exit.

"Where are we going?"

"You'll see."

He pulled up in front of a stunning modern house with floor-to-ceiling windows and a manicured lawn. The neighborhood screamed wealth and exclusivity.

Elena looked at him questioningly.

Martins killed the engine and pulled out a set of keys. "This is yours."

"What?"

"Your house. Well, one of them. You also have an apartment downtown if you prefer city living. But I thought you might like having your own space instead of staying at the family house. We all have our homes, we visit the family house when necessary."

Elena took the keys with trembling fingers. "Martins, this is too much."

"It's not too much. It's what you deserve." He smiled. "You are an Anderson, Elena. It's time you start living like one."

She stared at the house, then back at the keys, then at her brother. "I don't know what to say."

"Say you'll come look inside. The interior designer did an amazing job."

They walked up the stone pathway. Martins unlocked the door and gestured for her to enter first.

The foyer alone was bigger than her old house with Aaron. Marble floors, a crystal chandelier, and a curved staircase that looked like something from a magazine.

"Four bedrooms, five bathrooms, chef's kitchen, home theater, gym, pool in the back." Martins led her through the rooms. "Everything's furnished and ready. You can move in today if you want."

Elena ran her hand along the granite countertop in the kitchen. "Is this really mine?"

"Completely. It's already in your name." He leaned against the counter. "You spent too long making yourself small for someone who didn't appreciate you. That's over now. You're home. You're family. And the Anderson family takes care of their own. Grandfather wanted you to have it as an early birthday surprise."

She felt tears prick her eyes. "Thank you."

"Don't thank me. This is what we do." He grinned. "Besides, wait until you see the garage. I had three cars delivered this morning. You'll need to choose which one you want to drive first."

"Three cars?"

"Well, you can't drive all of them at once." He laughed at her expression. "Come on. The Aston Martin is my personal favorite, but the Mercedes is more practical for everyday use."

They walked toward the garage, and Elena couldn't help but laugh.

"Martins?"

"Yeah?"

"Does everyone in the family have houses like this?"

"Most of us have several. You'll get used to it." He opened the garage door, revealing three pristine vehicles. "Now, which one do you want to take for a spin?"

Elena looked at the cars, then at the house, then at her brother who'd defended her without hesitation.

"The Aston Martin," she decided.

"Excellent choice." He tossed her the keys. "Let's see what she can do."

As they pulled out of the driveway, Elena caught her reflection in the rearview mirror. She looked entirely different..

And for the first time in years, she felt like she was exactly where she belonged.

"So," Martins said casually. "Tomorrow we're going to get you set up at the office. Are you ready to start running things?"

"Running things?"

"Yeah. You didn't think we'd just give you a house and call it a day, did you? You're family. That means you have responsibilities. Power. Influence." He grinned. "And a corner office with a view that'll make you dizzy."

Elena pressed down on the accelerator, feeling the car respond with a satisfying purr sound.

“Elena, what do you think about getting your revenge on Aaron? I mean, he's done a lot to you. Why don't we start making him pay?” He asks.

Elena stared at him with a gaze, sharper than a knife. “How do we begin?”