Chapter 32: No Love Left
Just before the pillow could hit him in the face, Easton caught it. His expression darkened even further.
“Ellis!” His voice rang out as he tossed the pillow back onto the couch, his gaze flashing with anger.
Ellis ignored him. She turned away and walked into the closet.
They say the greatest sorrow comes from a heart that’s completely dead. Turns out, falling out of love with someone was easier than I thought.
No matter how much she had once loved Easton, it didn’t change the fact that he was the worst kind of scumbag. Thinking back, their entire relationship had started in bed. The morning after their first time, she still remembered his words: clearly, he told her there wouldn’t be a second time. Yet the second time had been his idea. So had the third, the fourth…
For more than a year, she had no official status. At most, she was his secret lover—nothing more, nothing less. She had been nothing but a plaything, a disposable toy for his needs. Being tangled up with him in bed had clouded her judgment, making her think she was special. She had even convinced herself she was his girlfriend, told that lie enough times that she started to believe it herself. Eventually, she had successfully become Madam Emma.
Back then, she hadn’t thought there was anything wrong with keeping their relationship a secret. After all, she had been just nineteen or twenty—too young, too naive, too immature to see things clearly. But now, she saw it for what it was—she had degraded herself, letting him treat her however he pleased.
Human nature was predictable. Things that came too easily were rarely cherished. Easton had never taken her seriously, never treated her with any real respect. But in doing so, he had shown her exactly what kind of man he was. He had no issue rekindling things with his so-called first love while still sleeping with her, as if it was the most natural thing in the world.
Spare her the excuse that a man could be devoted in his heart while physically incapable of fidelity—that was just bullshit. A good man should be faithful in both body and mind. Easton had failed on both counts. Did he even love Victoria that much? Probably not. The person he loved most was himself. His needs, his desires, always came first—Victoria was just an afterthought. A man like that had absolutely nothing worth holding onto.
Ellis grabbed a set of casual clothes, changed into them, and went to find her bag. Easton was still in the room, his expression even darker than before. His gaze was cold as ice as he watched her move around as if he wasn’t even there.
Then, his voice rang out: “You used your adoptive mother to announce in public that you were having my child, then drugged me, and now you’re pretending none of it happened? Just how many tricks do you have up your sleeve?”
Maybe it was because she no longer loved him, but Ellis felt nothing. His words didn’t stir the slightest emotion in her. She even laughed. Not a genuine laugh—more of a mocking one, dripping with scorn.
“Tricks only work on actual people,” she said. “You? You’re just a rotten cucumber. What makes you think you’re important enough for me to play games with? Don’t flatter yourself.” She paused before adding, “I don’t want to have your child. And guess what? No one else will either. That rotten cucumber of yours is as good as extinct.”
Having a child with someone you love—turning a couple into a family—was supposed to be a beautiful thing. But plans couldn’t keep up with reality. She didn’t love Easton anymore. Their relationship had never started on the right foot, so it was no surprise that their ending would be just as ugly. He had insulted her countless times—so what if she cursed him back? She hadn’t even wished for him and his beloved first love to vanish from the face of the earth. That was already her being merciful.
They say that when you pray with a sincere heart, your wishes come true. Emma was currently on the phone with a friend, asking about the most effective temple in Stonebridge for making wishes. She was planning to go pray for her adoptive daughter’s fertility. After gathering some recommendations, she even made plans to visit with a friend.
As she absentmindedly glanced toward the elevator, she suddenly spotted her adoptive daughter. Ellis had seen her too. Her steps instinctively slowed. Everything she had gone through in Easton’s room—all of it had stemmed from the drug her adoptive mother had given her. She wasn’t sure what she felt at this moment, but if she had to put it into words, “disappointed” seemed the most fitting.
Emma ended her call and greeted her with a warm smile. “Why are you downstairs? Isn’t Easton keeping you company?” She was like the wicked queen from Snow White, coaxing others into eating poisoned apples step by step.
Ellis was grateful that her adoptive mother had taken her in. But today, she had sided with Easton, trampling all over Ellis’ dignity without hesitation. Ellis pressed a hand to her chest, trying to soothe the discomfort there. “Look, I’m not a puppet. Could you, just once, consider how I feel before making decisions for me?”
Emma neither admitted nor denied anything. She didn’t even bother putting up a perfunctory act. Ellis no longer had any illusions. Whether she was happy or not—it had never mattered. The only thing Emma cared about was making sure she stayed in her place as Madam Emma.