Chapter 334: The Costly Concussion

People often chased what they couldn’t have, revealing a ludicrous side to their desperation born from intense insecurity.

Ellis knew Easton’s phone passcode and had even added her face to his facial recognition because she used to check up on him from time to time. Surprisingly, despite their divorce, Easton hadn’t changed the password. But Ellis didn’t take it personally; she doubted it was because he still had feelings for her. More likely, he was just too lazy to change it and had forgotten to delete her biometric data.

Opening his contacts, she found Maya’s number and dialed. On the other end, Maya’s expression soured when she saw Easton’s number calling. Was it Easton trying to boss me around?

Morty had found some job opportunities for her best friend, which she had forwarded as a joke. Her friend had indirectly expressed displeasure, making Maya realize she had struck a nerve. She vowed never to make such jokes again; her friend disliked entanglements with people she despised.

Resolutely, Maya didn’t answer the phone, letting it ring twice until a new message arrived.

“This is Ellis, using Easton’s phone to call you. Are you busy? I’m at the hospital; can you come keep me company?”

Shocked to realize it was actually Ellis calling, Maya immediately called back, puzzled, “Ellis, you were fine yesterday, and now you’re in the hospital?”

Her friend was indeed having a string of bad luck; it hadn’t been long since her last hospital visit!

Ellis responded gloomily, “I didn’t want to be here, but luck wasn’t on my side.”

“Send me your location; I’ll come right over.”

“I can’t, I don’t know where my phone is. I’ll text you the details.”

“Okay.”

Less than a minute after ending the call, Maya received a text from Ellis and sped towards the hospital. Meanwhile, Sophia and Easton were standing face-to-face outside the room.

Sophia pondered for a few seconds, “What do you think was Victoria’s intention in kidnapping Ellis?” She couldn’t fully grasp why Victoria would kidnap Ellis. With the Brooks family in ruins and Peter already arrested, Victoria was likely too busy trying to save her own skin to engage in further mischief.

“Revenge,” Easton explained, having learned of Victoria’s motives from the two men she had manipulated. “Ellis slapped her once, and Victoria probably wants to use her to extort money from me to ensure a cushy life ahead, continuing to live in luxury.”

Chapter 4: The Costly Concussion

“Have they caught Victoria yet?!”

“Not yet; she’s hiding in Varnesh,” Easton paused. “The foreign affairs department has contacted Varnesh; the police and army people will head there by tomorrow at the latest.”

“Ellis must be traumatized; make sure you’re there for her,” Sophia instructed. From her perspective, Victoria’s revenge was secondary to her financial motives.

“Sure,” Easton nodded. He didn’t need his mother to tell him to stay with Ellis, but Ellis hated his company.

“Since Ellis is okay, I’ll head back,” Sophia said, glancing at the closed door. “Should we call Emma to check on Ellis?”

“I doubt Ellis would want to see Emma,” Easton replied, believing Emma’s presence might upset Ellis more than please her.

Disagreeing with her suggestion, Sophia left without further discussion. Easton returned to the room, only to be met with Ellis’s cold stare and then a disdainful eye-roll. Immediately, she threw a pillow at him, accompanied by her irritated words, “I told you to get out, can’t you understand?”

When Maya entered the room, she found Ellis turned away from Easton, who sat nonchalantly by her side. The scene appeared calm, but Ellis radiated a subtle air of resentment.

“Ellis, I’m here,” Maya said as she approached.

Hearing Maya’s voice, Ellis quickly turned and tried to sit up, but dizziness overwhelmed her, and she lay back down. Resigned, she just smiled at Maya.

Maya ignored Easton and didn’t greet him, though his presence was hard to overlook. After a moment’s thought, she turned to Easton, “Mr. Hudson, I can look after Ellis; you can leave now.” Her dismissal was firm, emboldened by the presence of her best friend.

“Thank you,” Easton surprisingly responded courteously before standing and leaving. Ellis watched his retreating figure in surprise.

Having successfully gotten rid of Easton, Maya immediately voiced her concerns.