Chapter 14: Lady Star

She was determined to prove, through her success, that she could live perfectly fine without him!

“Okay,” Ellis forced herself to get up, trying to muster some energy as she headed toward the study.

“Hey, wait a second,” Maya called after her.

“What’s up?”

“When you get a chance, go back to Easton’s place and grab your marriage agreement. Let me take a look at it to see if there are any loopholes. Maybe we can help you get a little bit of money.”

Whether it was out of concern for her friend or simply wanting to help, Maya was determined to find a way to secure some money that could support her for a while.

Recalling the scene of her last visit to Easton’s house, Ellis punched furiously at the pillow beside her. “Over my dead body will I go back to that place! And don’t bother with the agreement; there’s no money to be had.”

“Why did you agree to sign such an unfair contract without negotiating for better terms?” Maya couldn’t understand why Ellis didn’t fight for her own rights. “Easton’s a heartless jerk; you should have thought it through more!”

Ellis gave a bitter laugh. “Because I realized I had to sign the agreement in order to marry him.”

At the time, she thought she had finally become Mrs. Hudson, and deep down, she believed there was no possibility of a divorce between her and Easton. No one could have predicted how things would turn out.

Maya patted the back of Ellis’s hand, trying to comfort her. “Stopping your losses early is what’s most important. You’re still young, and you have unlimited potential. With your own hands, you can create more wealth than you can imagine.”

Ellis lowered her eyes and stared at her empty ring finger. Easton took away my wedding ring; he’s mocking me by doing so. Yet, in a way, I guess it’s his way of helping me get back into my single life.

Once she was in the study, Ellis sat down at the computer. Creating a resume wasn’t difficult. She finished it quickly, then started to browse for job listings online. There were so many different types of positions; it was overwhelming.

“Ellis, have you eaten dinner yet?” Maya came in and asked, “Are you hungry? Do you want to go grab something with me?”

When someone is feeling down, their appetite is greatly affected, and Ellis had not been eating for the past few days. Hearing Maya’s question, she realized she was actually pretty hungry. So, she shut down the computer and headed out with Maya to find something to eat.

Ellis had thought Maya was taking her to a restaurant, but the car stopped in front of a club instead. Confused, she asked, “Weren’t we just getting food?”

“Just eating? That’s not enough.” Maya opened the car door. “We’re doing the full package: eating, drinking, and relaxing.”

Her main concern was that her friend looked exhausted and worn out. After a meal, some self-care like a spa treatment would be a great way to relax, and it might even lift Ellis’s mood.

“But it’s not cheap here,” Ellis hesitated, unsure whether to go in.

Back when she had Easton to fall back on, she never blinked when she swiped her card. She could enjoy the best of everything. Now, it was different. She only had a few hundred thousand left on her card, and living in Stonebridge, a top-tier city, required careful budgeting.

“What are you worried about?” Maya waved her membership card. “You gave me this card as a gift and even loaded it with money. Did you forget?”

“I guess I did forget.” Ellis had countless membership cards, many of which she recharged but never used again. But those cards were all left behind at Easton’s house, and she hadn’t taken them with her.

“Come on, don’t just sit there. Get out of the car,” Maya urged.

Ellis followed Maya into the club. The club’s server was sharp-eyed. Even though Ellis had only visited a few times, he still recognized her and greeted her with much warmth, “Welcome, Mrs. Hudson!”

“Which Mrs. Hudson are you talking about? You mean that nobody’s only skill is to bring shame to Mr. Hudson?”

“Watch your mouth! She may have started as a lowly nobody, but now she’s risen to become a real star! You should be polite and address her properly, Lady Star! Hahaha!”

Compared to the server’s slightly flattering tone, two women’s voices suddenly broke in; they were filled with sharp sarcasm. Ellis turned her head and saw that it was Deborah Holland and Bree Rivera, both of whom she had a history with. Noticing Ellis’s gaze, the two women didn’t shy away but returned her look with a provocative glare.

Ellis knew what they were trying to do. They just wanted to provoke her in public, hoping she’d lose her cool and make a fool of herself. She hadn’t fallen for it in the past, and she certainly wasn’t going to fall for it now.

A faint smile tugged at the corner of her mouth. “Yes, I’m Lady Star, and you two are maggots pretending to be human, yet spewing filth the moment you open your mouths.”

“You…!” Bree was about to burst out with more insults but she suddenly remembered something. So, she held back her fury and sneered instead, “I wonder how Mrs. Hudson’s been spending all his time with his ‘first love,’ comforting her after that whole kidnapping ordeal.”

“Her days must be rough! Her husband’s ‘first love’ is worth at least a billion, while she’s worth nothing. He couldn’t even bother paying a ransom to get her back! What a joke!” Deborah said as she laughed.

Chapter 15: I Won’t Be A Soft Target

She couldn’t understand Bree’s obsession with married men; Bree even wished to be Easton’s mistress. Just where is her dignity?