Chapter 226: Saucy Surprises

Ellis needed Easton, and so did her family; losing him wasn’t an option. Victoria had fallen silent, and then hung up the phone, leaving Ellis scrambling to pack her bags. Being a friend to this extent was more than enough. If Victoria didn’t take her advice, she would have to face the consequences alone, without dragging Ellis into it.

As soon as Ellis walked through her front door, she flung her purse onto the sofa, her movements betraying her frustration. Maya wasn’t home from work yet, and Ellis couldn’t vent about Easton’s sudden reappearance. She massaged her temples; her headache splitting, she was annoyed by the increasing number of offbeat people around her. Is Easton going to show up and ring my doorbell next? How am I supposed to get rid of him when he does?

As it turned out, her worries lasted until Maya got off work, but there was still no sign of Easton. Maya noticed Ellis glancing towards the door and asked curiously, “Is there something special at the door?”

“Nothing special,” Ellis paused, “but my pesky ex-husband might show up anytime.”

“Again?” Maya was alarmed. She had been a wreck, fearing for her heart the last time Easton showed up in the middle of the night.

Ellis thought it over; “He probably won’t show. I saw him around six in the evening.” It was now past ten at night; over four hours had passed. Easton surely had better things to do.

Maya breathed a sigh of relief and said sympathetically, “Carly is persistent, and your ex is a creep. What a tough life you lead.”

“It’s maddening,” Ellis lamented, pursing her lips. “Had I known Easton would just waltz in here, I wouldn’t have spent so much on rent.”

“That’s not the right attitude. You have to look on the bright side!” Maya wanted to applaud her own foresight. It was fortunate she lived with Ellis, adding a layer of security. If Ellis were living alone, given Easton’s behavior of lurking at his ex-wife’s place at night, it was uncertain what other creepy things he might do. With Maya there as a witness, at least Easton had to think twice before messing around.

“Should I move to another city to avoid all this?” Ellis didn’t want to run away, but she was really fed up and on edge.

“If you move to another city, with Easton’s reach and power, what would you do if he followed?” Maya advised against moving. Staying in Stonebridge, she could protect Ellis. If Ellis moved to a strange city with no friends or family, she would be even more vulnerable. It wasn’t just Easton who was a problem. Ellis sighed deeply, feeling exhausted.

The next day, she was as jumpy as ever, and Maya noticed her off-kilter behavior, deciding to escort her to and from work. After work, they went to a fancy restaurant for dinner. Ellis had originally planned to save money by going to a chain barbecue place. But then she thought about the items Carly had given her, which she had sold for a good sum. Maya had been incredibly supportive, so spending a bit more to treat her to a nice meal seemed only right.

The dishes at the fancy restaurant weren’t cheap, and as they sat by the floor-to-ceiling windows, they seriously perused the menu, discussing and making sure to choose just the right amount of delicious food without wasting money or resources.

Suddenly, a shrill female voice shattered the pleasant atmosphere, staining Ellis and Maya’s clothes and leaving them in a messy situation. They looked up from their menus only to see Victoria standing there, smug and imposing.

“Damn it!” Maya cursed, visibly annoyed. “What mental asylum did you escape from, throwing drinks on people? No class!”

Ellis wanted to curse at Victoria too, but the sticky drink on her skin was uncomfortable. She wiped herself off with a napkin and helped Maya do the same.

Without hesitation, Victoria decided to take her revenge on the spot, no longer needing anyone else to hit Ellis for her. With her cup set down, she stepped forward, grabbed Ellis by the collar, and raised her hand high, aiming straight for her face.

Victorian’s slap was swift, and Ellis hadn’t reacted yet, but Maya did, although her seated position didn’t allow her to intervene as effectively. Just as the fierce slap was about to land on her own face, a large male hand reached out in time and firmly grabbed Victoria’s hand. It was Morty! He had stopped Victoria from slapping her!

Taking advantage of Victoria’s restricted movement, Ellis quickly pulled away the hand clutching her collar. Just as the slap was about to hit Ellis’s face, Morty’s sudden intervention disrupted Victoria’s attempt at revenge, leaving her furious. She glared at Morty, “Morty, you…”

“In a public place, making a scene? That’s disgraceful,” Morty said as he dragged her away, regardless of her wishes.