Chapter 228: The Blame Game

The dissolution of the engagement felt like a colossal investment flop to Victoria, akin to missing out on Easton’s explosive potential as a prime stock. Coupled with recent setbacks, she glared at Morty as if he were an enemy.

“You planned this from the start, didn’t you? When I first came back to the country, you supported me in reclaiming what I deserved! Now you’ve changed your tune, saying it’s not mine to claim…”

Listening to Victoria’s grinding teeth, Morty didn’t really catch what she said next. His eyelids drooped, lost in memories. There had been no premeditation. His initial support for Victoria was just lip service to placate her. Breaking up a marriage was never easy.

After the incident where Victoria and Ellis were kidnapped together, he had a change of heart. Easton was in no way worthy of Ellis’s love. Easton didn’t appreciate Ellis, but he would cherish her. Pulling himself from his memories, Morty found Victoria still ranting and decided not to stand there any longer listening to her. He turned and walked away.

He had said all he could to Victoria, hoping she’d be wise enough to know what to do and what not to do. If she targeted Ellis again, she shouldn’t expect any mercy from him.

Victoria, fuming, watched Morty’s retreating figure, feeling a mix of anger and helplessness. Meanwhile, she tallied up a new grudge against Ellis. Elsewhere, Ellis was at another restaurant waiting for her food when her phone rang. It was Morty calling, and she hesitated.

The phone kept ringing, and Maya commented curiously, “Aren’t you going to answer it? Just hit dismiss.” Did Morty blocking that slap count as doing him a favor? Ellis pondered this as the phone eventually stopped ringing on its own. Seeing the missed call notification, she decided to put it out of her mind for now.

Maya glanced at the caller ID and saw it was Morty, her face full of confusion. “Why would Morty stop Victoria and not help her, instead helping you?” “How would I know?” Ellis was just as curious about Morty’s motive.

It seemed like Morty and Victoria were also dining at the same restaurant. Perhaps Morty felt that, in such a public setting, he couldn’t allow his companion to hit someone without losing face. The last time Victoria attacked her, Jess and Morty had the same reaction, trying to persuade Victoria to stop, playing the role of peacemakers. It looked like Victoria’s friends cared about their reputation and didn’t want to cause trouble.

Maya touched the spot where Victoria had splashed the drink, sighing in frustration. “I thought Victoria was this elegant, proud noblewoman, but her behavior is no different from a fishwife’s.”

Thinking back, the last two times she encountered Victoria, there was no sign of the former disdain and superiority. Instead, it seemed like Victoria hated her, leading Ellis to glance down at her right hand. “People say not to hit the face because it’s humiliating. Maybe Victoria, getting slapped for the first time, harbors resentment and just can’t keep her cool when she sees me?”

Hearing Ellis’s remark, Maya twitched her mouth and warned, “You realize hitting the face is humiliating? Make sure you remember not to impulsively hit anyone next time!”

“I definitely won’t hit anyone impulsively again!” Ellis raised her right hand as if taking an oath. Before, hitting someone was impulsive, but now she would only hit Easton if necessary. It couldn’t be helped; hitting Easton didn’t really cost her anything since he never fought back. And it wasn’t without reason—

2:18 PM –

Chapter 228: The Blame Game

Seeing Ellis’s half-hearted oath gesture, Maya’s face remained expressionless. “You’d better.”

“Why don’t you believe me?” Ellis feigned annoyance, pouting her lips. “I always keep my word.”

As they spoke, the waiter served all their dishes at once. At the barbecue place, facing the steaming meat sticks, Maya orderly grabbed some veggies. Waiting to be served, Ellis noticed her phone ringing again, furrowing her brows. How many calls is Morty going to make until I answer?

She picked up the phone and swiped to answer, “Hello?” A voice tinged with a hint of impatience came through, and Morty, sounding embarrassed, coughed a few times. “I didn’t expect Victoria to splash you with a drink earlier; I was a bit slow to stop her, and it got you and your friend’s clothes dirty.”

It was Victoria who splashed them, not Morty. Why was he apologizing? Confused by Morty’s apology, Ellis responded, “You don’t have to apologize to me, I should actually thank you. Thanks for stopping Victoria from hitting me.”

“It was nothing.” Morty looked around the bustling commercial district. “Did you guys go buy new clothes, or did you go to another restaurant?”

Indeed, their clothes were stained, but Ellis and Maya hadn’t bought new ones. They planned to endure it until they finished eating and then go home to change.