Chapter 135: New Beginnings, Finally!

As soon as she saw the Bugatti, Ellis’s gaze locked onto the driver’s side door—Easton had arrived! He acted as if he didn’t see her, walking straight into the Civil Affairs Department as soon as he exited the car. Easton wasn’t blind; Ellis and Maya were standing right at the entrance. It was impossible for him not to see them. Ellis grabbed Maya’s hand and quickly followed Easton inside.

Easton ignored the two following him. Familiar with the procedure, he walked up to the service desk and collected two application forms. Easton silently handed one to Ellis, who immediately sat down and began filling it out swiftly. Her experience from last time taught her that the less she spoke to Easton, the better. Conversing too much might give him a chance to change his mind, potentially wasting her efforts again.

But her worries proved unnecessary. Throughout the process, Easton was surprisingly cooperative, even handling the mediator on his own, which allowed her to incredulously receive her divorce certificate.

“Maya was equally astonished, staring at the divorce certificate in Ellis’s hand and then at Easton’s retreating figure as he left as soon as the divorce was finalized.

“Wow! Ellis, congratulations on your freedom!” Maya expressed her happiness for her friend with a bright smile and a pat on Ellis’s shoulder. “You’re finally not tied to that scumbag anymore!”

Maya’s words snapped Ellis back to reality. She examined the divorce certificate several times, confirming she was legally no longer married to Easton. A smile quickly spread across her face.

“In this day and age, both marriage and divorce are for happiness. Different states, same pursuit.” She felt more exhilarated now than she had been on her wedding day. It was a joy of liberation from a troubled past and the welcoming of a new beginning.

“It wasn’t easy!” Maya exclaimed deeply. It wasn’t easy at all; Ellis agreed, feeling the divorce certificate was hard-earned. “At least he showed some conscience.”

Thankfully, Easton had chosen to act decently in the end, not using his power to crush her or trap her with a prenup. Her job, with a yearly salary of $10,000, was back, her bank accounts were unfrozen, she could use her money normally again, and even the lawsuit from Hudson Croup had been dropped.

“He has a bit of conscience, but not much,” Maya muttered, thinking about the time she helped Ellis deal with Hudson Group’s claim for $4.2 million. She had often cursed Easton, dismayed by her friend’s terrible taste in men, picking someone so cruel to his intimate partner.

“He’s given my blinded eyes a bit of dignity back,” Ellis lifted the divorce certificate. “From now on, we go our separate ways, each finding our own happiness, strangers forever, with no future meetings.”

She had gained freedom and a new life, while he was rid of an unloved person annoying him, and his wife’s spot was now open for Victoria to rightfully be by his side—a win-win for everyone.

Now, without the title of Easton’s wife, she was still Carly’s Ellis. Although they had no legal adoption papers and she was legally an orphan, she certainly wouldn’t have to see Easton again. She missed Carly and could arrange to meet her outside.

As for Sophia… Sophia was about to welcome a new daughter-in-law. Ellis was no longer Sophia’s daughter-in-law. With Easton and Victoria in the picture, Sophia wouldn’t dote on her as her own anymore. It would be unwise for Ellis to seek out Sophia on her own, risking misunderstandings about her intentions unless Sophia reached out first.

If Sophia didn’t reach out, their chances of meeting were slim. Sometimes, the bonds between people just naturally dissipate.

While her fresh start brought happiness, it also exposed the fair-weather friends who left her out in the cold. She wasn’t emotional, just yearning for the days with her late parents. She recalled the warmth of being a cherished child in a loving…

“I want to pay respects to my parents; will you come with me?” she asked.

“Of course, I’ll go with you.” Maya pulled out her car keys, leading Ellis away from the Civil Affairs Department.

Their parents were buried in a cemetery on the outskirts of town. As they drove, Ellis rested her chin on her hand, contemplatively viewing the passing scenery, reflecting on her twenty-four years of life. In those twenty-four years, she had known Easton for eleven. A journey from a secret crush, to openly liking him, being his unacknowledged lover, briefly his official girlfriend, and finally his wife with unfulfilled hopes, to a resolute divorce.

It wasn’t a tale marked by deep scars; they had parted with a shred of dignity intact. At this moment, she regretted the time spent chasing the wrong person but was grateful for her timely realization, sparing her a lifetime of further mistakes.

Leaving the Civil Affairs Department, Easton returned to his usual routine at the office. Before getting back to work, he remembered the divorce certificate left in his car. Marrying Ellis had never been his desire. Now that the divorce was processed, she would vanish from his world, and he would act as if she had never existed.