21 Chapter 21 – Grandma’s Gambit
In the hallway, Elara spoke first. “You can’t be serious about delaying the divorce.”
“Mr. Sterling.” She nodded politely. “Thank you for meeting me.”
My assistant’s eyebrows shot up as he scanned the document Elara had sent over. “She’s not asking for anything? Not a single penny of the Sterling fortune?”
I slipped the phone back into my pocket, more convinced than ever that my “wife” was hiding something significant. But what?
As night fell, the nurses insisted we let my grandmother rest. I arranged for a private room where Elara could stay the night if she wished to remain at the hospital.
“Until her condition improves or we find a way to break the news gently,” I finished. “It won’t be forever.”
“Nonsense. I feel fine.” The old woman shuffled in and sat on the edge of the bed. “Come closer, dear. I want to share a secret with you…”
“Yes, but her condition is fragile. At her age, with her memory issues, emotional shocks like this could be catastrophic.” He lowered his voice. “What exactly triggered this episode?”
“What about her current situation?” I asked.
“Actually,” I said, watching Elara carefully, “we’ve already discussed that. Elara will be joining us at Sterling Group starting tomorrow.”
Elara’s head whipped around. “Old Mrs. Sterling?”
When my grandmother woke again, we were sitting together beside her bed, maintaining a united front.
A nurse approached us. “Mr. Sterling? Your grandmother is awake and asking for both of you.”
“Mrs. Sterling! You should be resting,” Elara said, rushing to help her.
Something in her explanation seemed off, but I couldn’t pinpoint what. “Alright. But in exchange, you’ll start working at Sterling Group’s main office where I can keep an eye
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on you.”
She extended her hand. “Deal.”
“It’s what my grandmother would want,” I replied stiffly.
She drifted off to sleep shortly after, leaving Elara and me standing awkwardly by her bedside.
“Fair point.” She conceded with a small nod. “Yes, an IPO. And no, I won’t tell you more
than that.”
My blood ran cold. “Grandmother?”
“I don’t know.” I sighed. “Her memories come and go. Some days she remembers everything with perfect clarity. Other days…”
Hours later, I sat in my parked Bentley, waiting for Elara to arrive. I’d chosen a quiet location near the river–private enough for our business, public enough to discourage any dramatic scenes.
We exchanged a glance before following the nurse to a private room where my grandmother lay, looking smaller and more fragile than I’d ever seen her.
Her
eyes widened slightly–good, she hadn’t expected me to know that. “You’ve been investigating me.”
“She works at Hayes Research as a mid–level researcher. Lives in a modest apartment. No visible wealth.” Philip tapped his tablet. “But here’s where it gets interesting–she’s been meeting regularly with investors. My source says she’s preparing for an IPO of some kind.”
“This divorce agreement…” I handed the tablet to Philip, watching his reaction carefully.
“So what’s your plan?” she asked. “Pretend to be happily married until…”
Elara’s head snapped toward me, her eyes wide with shock. ·
“Arthur,” she whispered, her eyes lighting up. “And Elara, my dear. Come closer.”
“I keep my apartment. I keep my job. And I want access to Sterling Group’s research database.”
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“You should help her feel welcome at the company, Arthur. The poor girl barely knows anyone there.”
“Exactly. Request a divorce now, build trust, then strike when you least expect it.” Philip nodded emphatically. “I recommend extreme caution, sir.”
Finally, a doctor pulled me aside. “Mr. Sterling, your grandmother has stabilized, but this was a severe shock to her system.”
“Nonsense! She’s your wife.” My grandmother waved dismissively. “He’s been searching for a brilliant researcher called Aurora. Someone who could help with the clean energy initiative.”
“Indeed.” I turned to leave but paused. “Elara? Whatever game you’re playing, whatever your real interest is in Sterling Group… I will figure it out.”
“Really?” My grandmother looked between us hopefully.
“Yes,” she whispered, looking genuinely distressed. “I’m sorry. I had no idea this would happen.”
I considered his words. “You think it’s a setup.”
“Name them.”
My grandmother’s gaze sharpened. “Don’t lie to me. I may be old, but I’m not stupid. You were talking about divorce, weren’t you?”
“Yes,” I continued, giving Elara a meaningful look. “We’ve decided to work on our marriage instead.”
Relief washed over her face. “Thank you.”
She turned to see Old Mrs. Sterling standing in the doorway, somehow having escaped
her room.
“Professional reasons. I have business plans that would be complicated by an unexpected marital status.” Her answer was practiced but sounded sincere.
Elara nodded sympathetically. “I should get some rest. Tomorrow will be… interesting.”
We shook on it, a business arrangement disguised as a marriage. As I released her hand, I couldn’t help but wonder what game she was really playing–and if I’d just
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made a terrible mistake.
Before I could react, my grandmother clutched her chest and crumpled to the ground. The nurse shouted for help as I flung open my car door.
“I’ve reviewed your agreement,” I said, getting straight to business. “It seems surprisingly reasonable.”
I rolled down my window as she approached. “Ms. Dubois.”
“Think about it, Mr. Sterling.” Philip placed the tablet on my desk and began pacing. “A woman appears out of nowhere, claiming to be your wife of five years. She immediately offers a divorce agreement asking for nothing. It’s textbook reverse psychology.”
“Call an ambulance!” I yelled to Elara, rushing to my grandmother’s side.
As I walked away, my phone buzzed with a message from Philip: “Found something on Elara Dubois. Will brief you tomorrow.”
I frowned at her last request. “Why would you need that?”
Elara stepped forward, surprising me by taking my grandmother’s other hand. “No, Mrs. Sterling. Everything is fine. We were just… having a discussion.”
“Granddaughter–in–law, are you still awake?”
After a moment’s hesitation, Elara nodded. “That’s right. No more talk of divorce.”
I opened my mouth to deny it, but the fear in her eyes stopped me. The doctor’s warning echoed in my mind: Another épisode like this could be fatal.
“We were,” I admitted softly. “But we’ve changed our minds.”
“Yes, sir.”
“Spying on me?” she asked, lifting an eyebrow.
“Wouldn’t you, in my position?”
“I don’t understand it either,” Elara admitted. “But I don’t want your grandmother’s health to suffer because of this confusion.”
“Everything about this situation is complicated,” I agreed. “But for now, we maintain the appearance of a marriage. Just until my grandmother is stronger.”
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“I always exercise caution,” I replied coldly. “Arrange a meeting. I want to sign these papers as soon as possible.”
She slid into the passenger seat, maintaining a careful distance. The scent of light jasmine perfume filled the car–subtle, not overwhelming.
“Thank you,” she said as we stood outside the room. “For not forcing me to leave.”
Back in her room, Elara settled into the hospital chair, wrapping a blanket around herself. Just as she closed her eyes, a soft voice called out.
“Wonderful!” My grandmother beamed. “You’ll love it there, dear. And you can finally spend more time together.”
“You heard?”
I tensed. “Grandmother, Elara doesn’t need to hear about company business.”
“Get in,” I said, unlocking the doors.
I frowned. “For what company?”
Elara paced the narrow corridor. “I can’t put my plans on hold indefinitely, Arthur. The
IPO-”
I hesitated, glancing at Elara standing a few feet away. “She saw me with… my wife. We were discussing divorce.”
She stopped pacing, guilt flashing across her face. “Of course not. But this is… complicated,”
“Is your company’s future really worth a woman’s life?” I challenged.
“The IPO Philip mentioned?”
I took her hand gently. “Grandmother, you need to rest.”
“Maybe she’s playing a longer game,” I mused aloud.
“Did you not hear the doctor? Another shock could kill her.” I ran a hand through my hair. “I can’t risk my grandmother’s life over this.”
“You two,” she said with a weak smile. “Always so formal with each other. Even after five
years.”
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I almost respected her directness. “I’ve signed the papers. We can file them first thing tomorrow morning.”
“Arthur!” the woman screamed. “What are you doing with her?”
“Better now that I know you two aren’t separating.” She reached for Elara’s hand. “You know, my dear, Arthur needs you more than he admits. Especially with his new project.”
“Apparently not,” I replied, leaning back in my leather chair. “Just a clean break.”
The doctor’s expression darkened. “I strongly advise against causing her any further distress. Another episode like this could be fatal.”
A taxi pulled up, and she stepped out, looking composed in a simple blue dress. No flashy jewelry or designer labels–nothing that screamed gold–digger.
“Explain.”
“Protecting my interests,” I corrected. “Do we have a deal?”
The timing was suspicious. I had to admit that much.
“That’s just it–we can’t figure it out. She’s connected to several small businesses through shell companies, but nothing substantial enough to warrant serious
investment.”
“Why were you two arguing in that car?” she asked, her voice trembling. “Are you having problems in your marriage?”
“May I ask why the rush?” I watched her face carefully for any sign of deception.
“We need to talk,” I said quietly, gesturing toward the door.
“I’m a researcher, Arthur. Hayes Research partners with Sterling Group on several projects. Having direct access would benefit my work.”
The mystery deepened. A woman with nothing to her name, yet uninterested in my
fortune?
After a long moment, she nodded reluctantly. “Fine. But I have conditions.”
Philip’s eyes narrowed with suspicion. “That’s extremely convenient, isn’t it? Almost too perfect.”
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“I’ve been digging into her background. Elara Dubois is practically a ghost before the age of eighteen.” Philip’s voice grew animated. “Her school records are spotty at best. She disappeared from public view after graduating college, and now she resurfaces just as you’re about to announce the Sterling Group’s new energy initiative?”
As I handed her the folder, a flash of movement outside caught my attention. An elderly woman with a nurse was pointing directly at our car, her face a mask of shock
and horror.
My grandmother’s face relaxed, a smile spreading across her tired features. “Oh, thank goodness. You two belong together, you know. I’ve always known it.”
“Does she know something we don’t?” Elara asked suddenly. “About our marriage, I
mean. She seems so certain about us.”
I forced a smile. “How are you feeling, Grandmother?”
She held my gaze steadily. “Good night, Arthur.”
The next hours passed in a blur of ambulance lights, hospital corridors, and
grim–faced doctors. Elara stayed, hovering anxiously in the background as I dealt with medical staff. I was too concerned about my grandmother to question why she remained.
Those words hammered into me like nails. I nodded stiffly, dismissing him, then
turned to Elara.
“Will she recover?” I asked, my voice tight.
I studied her face, searching for signs of manipulation but finding only concern. “She had your contact information. She had our marriage certificate. She knew about us
somehow.”
Elara’s expression changed subtly–something between surprise and… recognition? Before I could analyze it further, my grandmother continued.
“I’m not interested in your money, Mr. Sterling,” she replied evenly. “I just want this situation resolved quickly.”
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