Chapter Four: The Ex-Husband

It was a very good start for her and Tan. The first time they met by chance felt like a scene from a movie. She ruined that perfect start. However, she will do everything she could do to set things right. To compensate for all the things she had done to him. That she had no other intentions but to be ever in his arms again. To make him love her again and love him more than she did before.

She startled when her phone buzzed. "I'm almost there," she said, letting out a deep breath before reaching out for the door handle and headed out.

She widened her smile as soon as she reached the Ainsdale Boutique. The upcoming days will be hectic for her. At any cost, she will pursue Tan. He had no other choice anyway. For sure, Tan is busy protecting the welfare of the company. And Elaine would use all of her advantages of his textile problem just to get closer to him. 

"WE'RE running out of time, Tan," Atty. Ramas reminded him. He called for a meeting together with this twin brother, Sean, at a four-seat table in a Japanese restaurant just around the outskirts of Ortigas. 

Tan took a deep breath. He already knew about it. They have only less than fifteen days left before the company falls into bankruptcy. All the efforts that the past successors of the company are most likely to put to waste. Tan had to do something to retrieve all those efforts.

"How big is the chance we have to keep the company back to its state if my father would write his will testament instead?" Sean asked.

"Only a slight. Well, Chase can, obviously. However, 60% of the testament's original content is impossible to be changed by any future successors. Your late grandfather stated it clearly and firmly in the papers. One of the things that aren't bound to alter is changing the marital status of the following descendants,"

Tan pressed his temple. Out of all conditions that were written in there, they weren't eligible for the two of them, he reckoned. One, they must be married at age 35. Two, They can only marry once, and to one particular woman only. He did not know Daniel could be that romantic.

The twins will be turning thirty-five. They didn't know about the will until his father, Chase De Marco retired due to constant sickness. 

The senior De Marco was confined in the hospital for two weeks when hypertension afflicted him. Recently, he was discharged from a private hospital in Italy. 

It was absurd. Tan could not fathom the idea about the condition written in the papers. What does marital status have to do with the business? He sure needed an answer. But Daniel De Marco was long gone. No matter how much he wanted to ask him, he knew it's already impossible.

Sean would be the best option. In fact, his supposed inheritance in the company has been long decided by their parents. But he could not pinpoint where his estranged wife, Thera De Marco is hiding.

Sean was as busy as a bee ever since he became the Palace Mall and Hotel CEO. Aside from that, his coffee shop business is making huge progress over time. Sean and Tan's Teacaf started branching in and out of the Philippines.

Tan was a Doctor. A successful surgeon at Ara Manzano Medical Hospital for years. In his second year of residency at a hospital in the US, he was appointed to AMM Hospital.

Not only does he work as a doctor in AMM, but also he's one of the stockholder members on board. But ever since he figured out about the will, Tan became restless and unable to focus, and so he handed over the operating room to the capable doctors of AMM.

He had no interest in the world of business. He was more than willing to give it to his twin brother, but it seemed like nothing fell into the right place.

"Elaine..."

Tan's jaws tightened. By his initial reaction, the lawyer could tell what it means. Attorney Ramas couldn't help but sigh.

"Call me once you’ve made up your mind," the lawyer stood from his seat and stormed out of the premises, leaving the table to themselves.

"If it's really this burdensome, why don't you consider Attorney Ramas' suggestion?"

Tan gave him an are-you-serious look. "You don't expect me to reunite with my ex-wife just because of that damn will, do you?"

His twin took a heavy sigh. "I know how you feel, Tan. Yet, from what I see, it's more likely you won't allow yourself to just leave flat the company's welfare. I know it must be really tough for you, but it is not my decision to make in the end. I won't push you into reuniting with Elaine, but if you want to save Textile there is no other way,"

He couldn't help but rub his face in frustration. Then, he drew a deep breath before he muttered. "Elaine is willing to help..."

Elaine didn't say anything about it the last time they've met but Tan knows her too much. One year of marriage may not be enough to know everything about her, but she's pretty much easy to predict when it comes to money.

Elaine would give her all if the price was right and if she knew she could get profit from it. For her, money and power are what make the whole world go round. Nor did she ever believe in love— that, for him, was yet uncertain. 

"Why did you let her sign a lease with the Palace, Sean?"

"I didn’t sign it personally. Nor did I know about it until last week. Besides, I don't see any reason why I shouldn't. They provided all the necessary requirements in the first place. And you know your wife very much if she really wants to—"

"Stop referring to her as my wife," Tan wanted to retort, but he kept his mouth shut.

AFTER several attempts of reaching out, Tan's secretary was left with no other choice but to allow Elaine to come into his office. She's been persuading his secretary for fifteen minutes. And Tan wasn't answering his secretary's phone call either. Taking advantage of her charm, she made it through his office in AMM Hospital. Now, she was sitting comfortably on the couch, with her legs crossed. She was even offered to have a nice cup of jasmine tea. She took her time sipping it, inhaling its relaxing aroma before putting it down on the coffee table right next to her.

She can almost hear her heart pounding knowing that she will be meeting him again. But she needed to gather her courage to do so. She needs to win his heart over. She had been trying to get an appointment for three days, but Tan was rejecting all of them. So, Elaine decided to come unannounced.

Her eyes wandered around each corner. She used to hate this room, including everything inside. Starting from books to the very thing she hates the most, the clinical records piled up like a hill on top of his desk.

She spun around when the door slammed open, revealing Tan with furrowed brows when he saw the unsolicited guest in his office. Elaine rose to her seat.

"What are you doing here?" he asked coldly. His voice matched his gaze. He stomped towards his desk while she followed him with her look.

"I'm here to talk about textile," 

"Don't stick your nose where it doesn't belong, Elaine,"

She exhaled deeply. It seemed like her gentle offer would be ineffective discerning Tan's toughness.

"I'm the only solution you have,"

His burning gaze shifted on Elaine's face. He's assuming by now that Atty. Ramas had talked to her regarding Daniel DeMarco's will.

"Look here, Tan. I know you want to save your people. And so do I. They have families relying on them..." 

"The last thing I want to do right now is to let myself be associated with you again,"

"You need me,"

His expression turned dim. "Fuck that,"

"Tan, can't we just pretend that we're okay just for six months? Let's work together to save DM Textile,"

He scoffed, sliding his hand into his pocket while staring at her in disdain. "Work together?"

"Just try to think about the time we used to have that's been wasted. We were happy back then... Please don't hate me too much without knowing why I did such a thing,"

"When will you stop disappointing me, Elaine? You're just as shameless. Happy? All I can see right now is greediness and selfishness every time I laid my eyes on you,"

Elaine blinked. Truth hurts.

"You have no idea but thank you," he looked at her, mocking. "If only time permits, I, for sure, could have signed the annulment papers myself and handed them over to you. But you grew impatient. I would've given you twice the money you were asking. That's how eager I was to break up with you. I'm even willing to give you more, but I couldn't put everything into words. Thanks for your impatience. Gone is the burden I carried for a long time,"

"Lies.." Elaine whispered. Her knees started to get frail, but she knew she needed to be tough still. She met his gaze, still showing no emotions at all. 

"Let's be logical, Tan. I know you're still mad, but can't you just set it aside for a bit and play by the book according to the last will? Marry me again. After you acquire everything to retrieve the Textile, you can file an annulment again. I won't be asking for anything,"

It was Tan's turn to say.. "Lies. You always are a good liar, Elaine,"

"I am not lying," she defended, staring directly at her former husband's eyes. "You know I've always been honest, Tan. When I said I hate your job and want you to quit and stay with me, I was honest. When I said I don't want to get pregnant, I know I was brutal and selfish, but at least I was honest,"

Tan's jaws clenched. And with his blank expression, he grabbed her by the wrist before she could even react. The next thing Elaine knew was him almost throwing her out of his office.

Immediately, his secretary stood straight, unsure of what to do next.

"Until I say so, don't ever allow this woman to enter my office again, Yena,"

The door slammed in her face. She almost wanted to tweak herself, realizing her failure. Stupid her. Why did she let her emotions drown her entirely? Telling those things to him does not help her succeed. She squeezed her eyes shut, trying to come to her senses.

Tan slumped down on his swivel chair almost roughly. With his elbows leaned on the desk, he rubbed his face thinking about what just happened right before him.

Elaine married him because she thought he was the heir of DM Textile. Upon knowing his disinterest in managing the business, she refused to get pregnant with him.

But like a fool, Tan held onto her despite knowing about his wife's real agenda. Foolish heart. He was even willing to give everything to her, but Elaine wasn't as grateful and satisfied as he thought she ever would.