Chapter 125: Really Letting Me Go?

She didn’t respond to Easton’s words, simply closed her eyes and slid down, burying herself completely under the covers. Easton’s goal was to keep her obediently in the room, isolated from any potential suitors. Watching her play dead on the bed, he realized what he wanted was far more than just her compliance. For instance, he suddenly had a strong desire to hear her address him properly, to react positively to his words and actions instead of ignoring or dismissing him; clearly showing, with her silence, that she didn't want to speak even half a word to him, not sparing him a glance more than necessary.

Is this a desire I haven’t felt before? Maybe it’s not exactly desire… He had just come back from a gathering with old friends, where everyone had congratulated him on his supposed divorce. The words had grated on him, igniting a fury that hadn’t subsided the entire drive home. The first thing he did upon returning was to head straight to her room; he wanted to see her in person.

“Are you coming out or not?” He lifted a corner of the blanket, revealing half of Ellie’s face. Her gaze, mostly obstructed by the blanket but still partly visible, betrayed that scumbag's condescending demeanor. Ellis figured she’d never fully understand him. It was he who had neurotically brought her here, not only having people watch her but also using technology to keep tabs on her. Now, he acted as if he wasn’t the one depriving her of her freedom and privacy, like a phony philanthropist performing acts of kindness.

“You’re sick!” she snapped, her lips curling disdainfully, then covered her face with the blanket again. Frozen like she was under a spell, Ellis made no further movement. Watching her, something seemed to burst forth from within Easton’s chest. It wasn’t anger, but an intensified longing. He couldn’t bear her ignoring him like this. Ignoring others had always been his prerogative, not hers!

“Fine, I’m feeling generous today: I’ll give you one more chance.” He lifted the blanket’s corner again. “Get up.”

Ellis was utterly confused. Had this scumbag changed his mind about keeping her locked up? He had snatched her from the manor, catching her as she climbed down the stairs, seemingly prepared to confine her for a long time.

“You…” she sat up with difficulty, “Are you sure you’re letting me go out?”

“Not letting you go, just out for a walk. I’ll join you,” Easton looked around the room, estimating its size. “Lying around too much isn’t good. You’ll start complaining about aches and pains soon.”

Ellis stared blankly at Easton before her. Of course, he’s still being a freak! “I’m not doing that; leave me alone!” she said, then spoke to the smart speaker to turn off the lights. The command was swiftly executed, plunging the room into darkness. As her eyes adjusted, she couldn’t see that scumbag and irritably said, “It’s bedtime, stop bothering me!”

Perhaps because he had heard her impatient tone too often lately, Easton felt overwhelmed with annoyance. His emotions were usually steady, rarely fluctuating, but Ellis had a knack for repeatedly triggering his sensitivities, pushing him to the peak of his frustration tonight. The lights stayed off for a while, and she didn’t hear him order the smart speaker to turn them back on or his footsteps leaving. Ellis felt something was off, and couldn’t resist lifting the blanket to peer into the darkness at her bedside.

1:57 PM

She couldn’t make out his features, but could vaguely see his silhouette. She frowned. How long is this scumbag going to stand there? What a plague! Just then, he suddenly turned and left.

Muttering under her breath, Ellis turned the lights back on and resumed her movie. She had slept too much during the day; now, at just after 10 PM, she couldn’t sleep. Before she tried to sleep again, she hoped that scumbag wouldn’t bother her anymore. She didn’t want to see him! Unbeknownst to her, Easton entered the opposite room and dialed Jackson’s number.

Being on call the whole day was a requirement for being Easton’s assistant. Jackson, still at the office, was used to receiving calls from his boss at any hour and answered with a habitual smile, “Mr. Hudson.”

“Call off the lawsuit against Ellis; contact the bank to restore normal access to her accounts.”

“Right away!”

After a moment’s thought, Easton added, “And make sure everything goes back to normal for Carly too.”

As an assistant paid to follow orders, Jackson didn’t need to ask why. Even if he wondered why Easton suddenly didn’t want to keep Ellis and Carly impoverished, he immediately went to get the job done.

After ending the call, Easton opened WhatsApp, found a verification message from Ellis’s account among new friend requests, and accepted it. Seeing the notification pop up that he had added Ellis as a contact, the heaviness in his heart eased a little.