Chapter 245: A Clash of Hostilities
Easton had never hurt her, so Ellis wasn’t worried about him physically harming her. Ellis thought to herself, “It was just that, who was he giving that cold stare to?” Not wanting to get further entangled with her ex-husband, she silently signaled Kendrick to shoo him away before turning around.
Unexpectedly, as she turned, her right hand was suddenly clamped by a force. She looked back to see that it was Easton who had grabbed her hand. When an employer is being troubled, one naturally has a duty to help resolve the issue. Kendrick rushed forward, intending to pry Easton’s hand away, but his grip was as unyielding as welded steel.
Seeing that her bodyguard couldn’t free her hand, Ellis frowned in displeasure and scanned Easton from head to toe, unable to discern his intent. “Irritated, she snapped, “Psycho, what do you want?”
After a long silence, Easton didn’t answer her question; instead, he simply fixed his gaze on her. Up close, she noticed subtle shifts in his eyes, but nothing she could clearly interpret. Of course, she wasn’t inclined to puzzle him out; his demeanor was simply so disagreeable that she was tempted to give him a piece of her mind!
Finally, his gaze shifted away slightly. Just as the stalemate seemed to ease, his hand was released, and his left hand drooped weakly. Unable to fathom what her ex-husband intended, Ellis shook off his lingering grasp, clearly showing her disdain for the unwanted touch, and headed to the elevator, riding it upstairs.
His employer had returned home, yet the man clinging to the employer still remained. Kendrick stayed behind to guard him against any further harm. Their eyes met again, and a chill ran down Kendrick’s spine. Without any personal grudge, the man’s hostility was overwhelmingly palpable!
“Who are you to Ellis? Did Emma introduce you to her?” A man escorting a woman home in such an intimate manner—Easton could only guess that his aunt had successfully set Ellis up for a second romance. Although there had been a misunderstanding in the Sunshine Estates before, this time his reasoning, or perhaps his subconscious, led him to think so. Somehow, he sensed he knew why he felt that way. He couldn’t bear to see other men getting close to Ellis, especially those who seemed to be taking the place he once held by her side, and such intolerance could only stem from a possessiveness born of having once had her. Or perhaps it was an entirely new surge of jealousy?
This unfamiliar emotion left his mind muddled and disoriented. Easton thought, “Why was I jealous?” He scrutinized the man who had escorted Ellis, his thin lips pressed into a firm line, his chest swelling as if burdened by a heavy stone, making it hard to breathe.
The hostility in the other man’s tone was unmistakable; Kendrick couldn’t understand it. From the authority he exuded, it was clear that this man was no small fry. What was his relation to the employer?
It was unclear who this dignified gentleman was or what his intentions were. With an impassive expression, Kendrick said, “Sir, regardless of who I am, please do not pester Ms. Harper! Get out now!”
“The one who should leave is you,” Easton replied coldly. As a bodyguard, Kendrick had a duty to deal decisively with anyone threatening his employer. Gentle words would not drive this man away.
Unexpectedly, the man, as if having seen through Kendrick’s thoughts, sneered disdainfully. “Do you want to die?” He enunciated each word deliberately, ignoring Kendrick completely. Kendrick then considered whether to call for backup or have colleagues protect the employer.
Before Kendrick could finish thinking, the man pulled out his phone, dialed, and ordered, “Send a few men over.” He then, in a condescending tone, added, “I’m giving you one minute; either get lost immediately or face the consequences.”
Unfazed by a one-on-one confrontation, the man’s overwhelming aura of contempt was impossible to ignore, yet Kendrick remained steadfast in his duty. Having accepted the employer’s money and signed a protection contract, there was no excuse for him to shirk his responsibilities.
Soon enough, several men in black arrived and, rather politely, escorted him away. Meanwhile, inside Maya’s home, Ellis remained oblivious to all of this. After a long day, she craved a hot bath to ease her fatigue.
While she was happily soaking in her bath, Maya, having worked overtime, hadn’t yet reached her door when she spotted Easton standing in the area below her building. Maya quickly called Ellis to warn her. Alas, Ellis’s phone was left on the bed, and she didn’t hear it ring in the bathroom.
“Answer the phone, answer the phone!” Maya murmured. Fearing that Easton might also see her, Maya hid behind a large tree trunk. Murmuring for Ellis to pick up, she suddenly saw someone appear before her eyes.