Chapter 30: Power Plays
“Shush!”
As soon as he finished speaking, Easton silenced Ellis’s chattering lips by pressing his own against them, cutting her off immediately. Though it was merely a fleeting touch, the kiss stirred something within him and ignited a stronger desire for more. This was no longer enough for him, and he craved to take the next step.
Easton was losing his sense of control. He transitioned from gentle, teasing kisses to more passionate ones. Having long been intimately familiar with each other’s bodies, he knew exactly which buttons to push to make her surrender to him. Under his influence, Ellis felt her fierce resistance waver, unconsciously giving herself in more and more.
A sweet storm quietly brewed between them. Like a small boat adrift on the sea, they rose and fell with the waves until they finally reached the shores of pleasure together.
Under the night sky, the manor that had hosted the lively birthday party had now returned to a peaceful quiet. The birthday party had ended successfully, and the servants Emma had stationed reported that Easton had been staying on the eighth floor. As the organizer of the event, Emma felt a wave of satisfaction. Everything had gone exactly as planned.
It’s easy to get carried away when one is happy, and even though she tried to keep her emotions in check, her eyes betrayed her. And when it came to his own daughter, Scott had a solid understanding of her. Noticing her occasional smile, he glanced over her a few times and said, “Emma, what are you so happy about?”
In response to her father’s question, Emma quickly reined in her emotions and replied, “I was just thinking about how smoothly the birthday party I organized for you went, Dad. You’re 80 years old and still in good health, with only a few minor issues. As your daughter, I couldn’t be more grateful!”
Scott could tell if his daughter was lying. But instead of calling her out, he decided to let it slide and changed the topic of their conversation. His expression grew serious as he brought up Ellis and said, “Ellis claims to be your adopted daughter, but you’ve never completed the official adoption process. Just because she’s married to Easton doesn’t mean she’s part of the Hudson family. She’s getting out of hand; do you know what to do?”
Emma was never married, nor did she have children of her own. She initially thought of legally adopting Ellis, but Scott had refused to have another member in the Hudson family and only agreed to let Emma raise Ellis as a foster daughter.
Emma felt tense at her father’s words and said, “Dad, with all due respect, Ellis might be a little headstrong sometimes, but she knows her limits. And…”
The sound of the cup lid tapping against the rim interrupted Emma. Scott placed his teacup down and said, “Ellis didn’t do anything right today. She doesn’t compare to Victoria’s grace and poise. If it weren’t for you and Easton’s mother insisting on their marriage back then, I would never have allowed her into this family.”
“It was Easton who wanted to marry Ellis, Sophia, and I didn’t force him,” Emma corrected Scott. “And Dad, you know Ellis was injured during the kidnapping and hasn’t fully recovered. She wasn’t feeling well today, so she might have been a little off.”
“Such nonsense! She’s always holding Easton back from important matters. Ellis won’t stay long as my granddaughter-in-law. Are you going to handle this, or should I?”
Now that all the guests had left, Scott didn’t bother hiding his dissatisfaction and spoke bluntly to Emma. If Ellis hadn’t been working at Hudson Group, he might have turned a blind eye to her behavior, but that was no longer an option. Ellis’s performance at the party today had been poor. She was incapable of being Easton’s right-hand partner in his business, nor could she manage Hudson’s family affairs and social connections.
Victoria, on the other hand, had already posed a threat to Ellis’s position in the family. With her father now insisting on separating Easton and Ellis, Emma felt as though her head might split apart.
“Dad, you must be joking! Ellis and Easton have been married for three years and they have a solid relationship. If I break them up, Easton might never forgive me. Please don’t make this difficult for me.” Emma knew full well that Ellis was very aware of Easton’s lack of love for her. There was no true affection between them. But to prevent Scott from interfering, she had no choice but to speak reluctantly.
If Scott wanted to separate Ellis and Easton, she had no objections, as long as the Hudson family’s assets were redistributed and her share was enough to support her independently, without relying on the family’s fund or Easton’s money.
Scott didn’t respond to Emma’s words; he gazed ahead and said, “Forget it, you’re not capable of handling this.”
Scott was always a man of his word; the fact that he brought this up meant he had already made up his mind. Silently, Emma prayed to God.
Dear Lord, may Ellis conceive soon and give birth to the heir of the Hudson family to secure her position as Mrs. Hudson and prevent other women from succeeding.
Meanwhile, on the eighth floor…
Ellis woke up in a daze, staring blankly at the pendant light above her. As the aches and soreness set in, her mind slowly cleared. As she recalled her memories of what had happened before she fell asleep, anger flared within her, and she began scanning the room for Easton.