[BL] Dear Hushand, I want divorce-Chapter 46: Is Mr. Grumpy shy?

Ash’s pov ;

I walked into Elijah’s office, still puzzled about why the shoot was suddenly postponed today.

"Mr. Stone will be here shortly after his meeting," Daniel informed me.

"Alright," I nodded in understanding as he walked away.

As I stepped inside, the familiar surroundings brought a new wave of unease and curiosity. Wandering around his office was an old habit of mine, something I did every time I visited here. And Elijah never seemed to mind it, he never showed any kind of dismay.

I let my fingers trail across the surface of Elijah’s polished desk, glancing at the neatly organised papers and the array of expensive pens. The place reeked of his meticulous nature. Humph! Clean freak.

I moved around the room instead, my eyes landed on a file cabinet. My stomach churned abruptly. What if I found something again? Something like those secret investigative files about me I stumbled upon last time?

The memory of that discovery still haunted me. I hadn’t fully processed it, and the details of my past mentioned in it gnawed at my mind. What were Elijah’s true intentions at that time? Or even now? Why does he have those files, and what is he planning?

I shook my head, trying to push the thoughts away. I shouldn’t snoop around for the sake of my own peace even if the temptation is strong. The cabinet seemed to call out to me but taking a deep breath, I decided against it and turned away. Instead, I focused on the rest of the room.

I noticed a few personal items: a framed photo of Elijah’s graduation day, a couple of awards on a shelf, and a small plant in the corner. The plant looked well-cared for, just like everything else here.

Why did he call me here today though? What did he want to talk about so suddenly?

Suddenly, my eyes landed on something familiar. Tucked away in the corner of Elijah’s desk was a small, delicate bracket. My heart skipped a beat as I recognized it immediately. It was the special and limited edition couple bracelet I had gifted Elijah on his birthday.

I have one too, but I never told Elijah about it. I was too ashamed and insecure, afraid that if Elijah found out it was a couple pair, he might not accept it.

I walked over and picked it up, fidgeting the bracelet between my fingers. A small smile appeared on my face as I looked at it. Elijah might never have valued these little things, the couple gestures that I cherished, dates, and giving each other cute and memorable gifts, but to me, they mattered a lot.

But Elijah was just a workaholic and unromantic old man.

All my life, I just craved a stable relationship, but due to my bad luck, I never got one. This bracelet symbolised a connection I longed for, a bond I hoped we could share. But now, even this beautiful bracelet is abandoned, just like me.

Finding it here gathering dust makes my heart ache. The poor bracelet is just like me, forgotten and neglected. It’s covered in a fine layer of dust, proof of its abandonment.

Did Elijah really throw away something so precious? How mean.

Sometimes I couldn’t stop myself from deluding and believing in a reality that might never come true. No matter what, I couldn’t stop myself from having feelings for someone who might never like me back. Even last night, when he let me sleep in his arms, I couldn’t stop my fluttering heart. I didn’t sleep the whole night because I was afraid of missing a single second of being snuggled in his soothing embrace. His warmth, the endless rhythm of his breathing, everything about that moment felt perfect.

But it was temporary, sadly. Just like this bracelet, it felt like a small, precious moment destined to be overshadowed by the harsh realities of our relationship. I knew I was just fooling myself, but I couldn’t help it. Elijah was everything I wanted, and yet, he was always so far out of reach.

A sudden creak of the door made me jump, causing the delicate bracelet to slip from my grasp and clatter softly against the desk. Elijah’s sharp eyes snapped up to mine, his frown deepening at the sight of my confused self.

"Why do you look so terrified?" he asked, a hint of amusement in his tone. "Were you up to something suspicious?"

My cheeks flushed with embarrassment as I shook my head. "No, nothing like that."

As Elijah settled into his chair, I walked over to him and extended the bracelet towards him. His eyes widened as soon as he saw it, a mixture of surprise and recognition crossing his features.

"Where did you find this?" he questioned, taking the bracelet from my hand.

"I found it in that drawer," I replied, gesturing towards the open drawer on his desk. A glimmer of hope sparked in my chest as I wondered if he really had unintentionally put it there and forgotten about it. Or really just throw it away, thinking it’s just trash. I observed his expression closely.

He nodded, examining the bracelet closely. "I remember taking it off one night when I showered here and thought I had lost it. Maybe Daniel accidentally placed it there."

"So, you didn’t throw it away?" I asked excitedly.

He raised an eyebrow defensively. "Why would I throw it away?"

My heart fluttered at his words as I blushed deeply. "Yeah, why would you throw it away?" I echoed shyly, a small smile tugging at my lips.

But before he could respond, a knock at the door interrupted us. Daniel entered and informed Elijah that the director had arrived. Curious about what was happening, I turned to him.

"Why did you call the director?" I asked inquisitively.

He looked at me with an apologetic expression. "Just sit and listen," he said, his voice soft and sincere.

I was taken aback by the genuine sincerity reflected in his eyes and could only nod in response. I settled into a nearby chair, my mind buzzing with a mix of anticipation and curiosity for what was to come.

The director, Lucas, and Daniel entered the room after being granted permission by Elijah. Lucas took the seat beside me, but not before shooting me a tight-lipped expression. He then turned to Elijah with a polite smile, asking, "What is the purpose of this meeting today, Mr. Stone?"

Elijah’s presence alone was intimidating, his calm exterior barely masking a seething anger underneath. His powerful aura seemed to shrink the space around us.

"Daniel read the report," he said smoothly.

Daniel proceeded to read his report. "Mr. Ash has been subject to mistreatment on set. Despite being the lead, his scenes were significantly cut, and he has been isolated during promotional events. The current script revisions diminish his role, which has led to backlash from fans and affected audience reception negatively."

Elijah’s expression grew darker and more dangerous. His eyes blazed with an icy fire.

When Daniel finished reading, he asked in a controlled tone. "Why is it so?"

Lucas started sweating. "The overall urging from the netizens and the other co-stars’ fans demand was too high, so—"

Elijah cut him off sharply. "So you decided to cut Ash’s scenes or maybe not just that, but completely make him nonexistent?"

I was beyond shocked. Did he especially call the director to scold him, just for me? I felt moved, a warmth spreading in my chest despite the tense situation.

Lucas stammered, "Mr. Stone, it’s not that simple. The pressure was immense, and we had to—"

"Immense pressure does not justify undermining the integrity of the production. Ash passed the audition fair and square. He deserves every scene as per the original script." Elijah cut him off again, not giving him any chance to speak.

"But Mr. Stone, the backlash—"

Elijah leaned forward, his eyes narrowing dangerously at the director who stiffened in response. "I don’t care about the backlash. If the script is not restored to its original form, I will stop the entire production. Am I clear to you?"

Lucas looked helpless, his face was turning pale. He nodded, accepting defeat. "Yes, Mr. Stone. I understand. We’ll make the necessary changes."

"Good," Elijah said coldly. "You may leave now."

Lucas quickly exited the room, clearly relieved to escape Elijah’s wrath. Elijah turned to Daniel. "Do not proceed with the shooting until the script is back to how it was."

Daniel nodded and left too.

I sat there, my mind reeling from the events that had just happened. He really stood up for me. Stop beating so hard, stupid heart.

We sat in an awkward silence and I finally gathered the courage to break the quiet and asked. "Why did you help me?"

His gaze shifted away from mine before returning with a hint of hesitation. "I am not helping you as an individual. I am simply fulfilling my duty as the head of this company. If anyone else were in your position, I would do the same."

His words stung deeply, staining my face with sadness and embarrassment, and I could feel my cheeks burning with humiliation. Here goes my delusional self again.

How foolish of me to believe for even a moment that I held any significance to him beyond being just another employee.

Our conversation fell into a lull. Then, out of nowhere, his voice broke through the silence.

"Are you free tonight?" his question posed with nervousness.

Startled, I lifted my gaze to meet his. His usually confident demeanour was replaced with an anxious one, and I couldn’t help but be intrigued by this new side of him.

Is he being shy now?

"Why?" I replied, trying to hide the smile that threatened to spread across my face.

He hesitated again, blinking profusely and fidgeting with his hands as awkwardness crept into his voice. "Ryder’s company has opened a new theatre, and tonight is its inauguration. He asked me to bring you as well."

I couldn’t contain the small laugh that bubbled up from within me at the sight of his ears turning red. He sounds as if he’s trying to defend himself.

"I’m free," I answered, trying to keep my voice steady despite the flutters in my chest.

Relief seemed to wash over his features, and for a moment, I could see a softness in his expression that made my heart skip a beat.