Chapter 16: Emma, the Stepmother
However, when it comes to losing face, Easton didn’t spare her any dignity either. Having an affair with Victoria during their marriage made her the subject of mockery.
“I’m sorry. If I had known we’d run into those lunatics, I wouldn’t have brought you here tonight,” Maya said, regretting that she hadn’t slapped the other woman too after recalling what they had said.
“Don’t apologize. You didn’t do anything wrong,” Ellis replied while she selected a few dishes on a tablet and handed it to Maya to choose the rest.
Just then, her phone rang. She answered it casually.
“Hello, Auntie.”
The “Auntie” she was referring to was her adoptive mother, Emma Hudson. Ellis didn’t call her “Mom” because Emma had insisted that she not. Since she had been best friends with Ellis’s biological mother, she felt that, despite adopting her, she couldn’t take away the special title reserved for her best friend.
“I’ve only been on vacation for a few days, and you’ve already gone through so much with Easton. Why didn’t you tell me?” Emma’s voice held a stern tone. “You were kidnapped, and now you’re talking about divorce. I won’t lecture you about the kidnapping since you were rescued safely, but do you even know what you’re doing with the divorce?”
The sound of her adoptive mother’s displeased and questioning voice made Ellis tense up. How did she find out about the divorce?
Ellis hesitated, trying to think of a way to brush over the situation without giving a detailed explanation.
However, as if sensing her thoughts, Emma’s tone changed to a commanding one. “I’m flying back tonight. Come to the family house tomorrow and explain to me what’s going on, face to face!”
And with that, Emma hung up the phone.
Ellis was left glancing at the screen, showing that the call had ended. She slowly put her phone down.
Seeing that the same old worried look had returned on Ellis’s face, Maya asked with concern, “What did your stepmother say?”
“She knows about the divorce,” Ellis said while rubbing her temples.
“Today is just not my day; it’s just one stressful situation after another.”
“No wonder you look so flustered.” Maya hadn’t spent much time around Emma, but still, it was easy to tell that she was a strong-willed woman.
Ellis’s feelings toward her stepmother were a mix of gratitude and a certain level of fear.
“Tomorrow I’ll be walking into a storm. Wish me luck.” Even though the confrontation hadn’t happened yet, Ellis could already predict that she was in for a severe scolding.
“Hearing about a sudden divorce like this? Any parent would be furious, but I’m sure you’ll get through it.”
“I hope so too.”
The next morning, golden rays of sunlight filtered through the curtains and lit up the room. Awake with dry eyes, Ellis was unsure if she had truly slept or spent the night half-awake.
It was her second day staying at Maya’s place, and she still hadn’t adjusted to the small room, especially the uncomfortable bed that left her aching all over. The curtains, which failed to completely block out the light, only added to her frustration.
Before she could fully wake up, Emma’s assistant was already calling her, urging her to return to the family home.
She had no desire to go back, but she had no choice. After a quick wash, Ellis hailed a cab and headed over, her heart heavy with anxiety as she silently prayed that Emma would go easy on her.
“What could possibly be so bad that you two can’t just talk it through, and it’s come to divorce?” Unfortunately, things didn’t go as she hoped. The moment Ellis stepped into the family home, Emma practically yelled at her, her anger barely contained.
Feeling like a child who had done something wrong, Ellis simply bowed her head, staying silent for the moment. Seeing her response only fueled Emma’s rage. “I don’t care what caused this mess between you and Easton. You need to apologize immediately and win him back!”
“Auntie, I’m sorry, but I can’t. I was the one who asked for the divorce,” Ellis said quietly, finally lifting her head.
Emma had been away on a short vacation, and now that she was back, she was furious to find that her stepdaughter’s marriage had hit rock bottom. Not willing to accept the situation, she pressed her fingers against her temple in frustration, trying to regain control. “Have you lost your mind?”
“I haven’t.”
“You haven’t?” Emma’s voice sharpened with disbelief. “Do you even realize how unbelievably foolish this…”
Ellis knew this confrontation was inevitable. Emma had once been thrilled when she found out about her feelings for Easton, encouraging her to go after him. When they eventually married, Emma had been overjoyed to see the two families come even closer. Now that Ellis was stepping away from her role as Easton’s wife, her stepmother’s disapproval was unavoidable.
Ellis braced herself, deciding to let Emma vent without arguing back.
But the more silent she stayed, the more furious Emma became, her eyes blazing as her voice rose. “Do you know how many women would kill for a chance to marry Easton? If you weren’t my daughter, you wouldn’t have even a sliver of a chance with him! You finally got this opportunity, and you’re just throwing it away?”
Though Ellis had resolved not to speak up, she couldn’t hold back asking, “Auntie, I was beaten by kidnappers and had to stay in the hospital for days. Don’t you want to ask if I’ve recovered?”
All Emma had done so far was scold her about the divorce. It felt strange that her health, after such a traumatic experience, wasn’t even a part of the conversation. Shouldn’t that have mattered just as much, if not more?
“You look perfectly fine, so what’s there to ask?” Emma’s tone softened slightly as her anger subsided a little. “Alright, I won’t scold you anymore. But stop throwing a tantrum with Easton. This has gone far enough; just work things out and move on.”