I Refuse to Be Your Second Choice novel Chapter 76

“Yes, I asked Eugene for help,” Natalie confirmed, looking him straight in the eye. “Even if you got every lawyer in the world to refuse me, I will divorce you.”

If it took a year, so be it. If it took two, or even three, she wouldn't give up. Even if he refused, she couldn't believe his parents would let him carry on like this forever. The Ramirez family, after all, needed an heir.

Spotting a pen on the desk, Natalie picked it up, uncapped it, and offered it to him.

Alexander leaned back in his chair, his deep-set eyes studying her for a long moment.

Her arm began to ache from holding the pen out, but he made no move to take it. She was sure he was about to back out of their deal.

Just as she was about to let loose a sarcastic comment, Alexander’s long fingers finally closed around the pen.

He opened the agreement and flipped to the last page, his gaze falling on her neat signature at the bottom.

“You were with me for three years, after all,” he said without looking up. “Are you sure you want to walk away with nothing?”

Natalie’s gaze was resolute. “Those things were never what I cared about.”

“Then what is it that you care about?” he asked.

She thought, “Mutual trust, mutual care, mutual affection. A life spent together, supporting each other into old age.”

But Natalie didn’t say a word. There was no point in saying any of it now.

When she didn’t answer, Alexander glanced up at her with a humorless smile. “Of course you don’t care about those things. But what you do care about… can Eugene Ramirez give that to you?”

He knew perfectly well that The Ramirez Family would never allow her to divorce him only to turn around and marry his uncle.

Natalie took a deep breath. “You can’t give it to me, so just sign the papers, Alexander.”

The pen grew warm in his hand. His gaze was dark and inscrutable.

After a moment, he finally put the pen to the signature line.

He had just written the first letter of his name when the phone on his desk rang. It was the landline from The Ramirez Estate.

At the exact same time, Natalie’s cell phone began to ring as well.

She pulled it out and saw it was a call from Hazel. She had given the housekeeper her new number during her last visit to the estate, telling her to call anytime.

“Natalie, Charlotte collapsed! She’s been taken to the hospital!” Hazel’s panicked voice came through the phone.

“I’m on my way,” Natalie said, quickly hanging up and fumbling to put her phone away.

Alexander was already on his feet, his expression grave. He had clearly just received the same news.

Alexander stepped forward. “What exactly is the situation?”

The doctor explained Charlotte’s condition in detail. The summary was simple: she didn’t have much time left.

Hearing this, a lump formed in Natalie’s throat. Her own grandmother was gone, and now Charlotte, who had always been so kind to her, was…

Her eyes stung, and tears welled up.

Alexander looked at his father. “I’ll get the best specialists here immediately. Grandma will be fine.”

Suddenly, a nurse rushed out. “Dr. Main, the patient’s heart rate is unstable again!”

Dr. Main quickly turned and hurried back into the ICU.

“What are we going to do? Gabriel, we have to find those specialists now!” Although Savannah and Charlotte had disagreed about Alexander’s marriage, they had otherwise gotten along. It was Charlotte who had chosen her from a line of eligible young women to marry Gabriel, and for their long and happy marriage, Savannah was grateful.

Gabriel nodded. “Alexander, find the specialists. Now.”

Inside the ICU, the floor was littered with nutshells.

Charlotte Roberts was sitting cross-legged on the hospital bed, leisurely snacking on nuts.