Chapter 342: Rumors and Revelations

Easton found the Brooks family's fraud committed under his name outrageous, but even more shocking were the absurd rumors circulating within his own company. A cloud of unease slowly formed over him. His brow furrowed deeply. “What did you just say?”

As Easton asked, Taylor couldn't decipher his thoughts. But the words were already out… She steeled herself and repeated, “Actually, before you and Ms. Harper divorced, there were already rumors that Victoria was going to replace Ms. Harper as our new boss.”

“Such nonsense, and you all talk about this behind my back?” Easton’s face darkened like the sky before a storm.

“Mr. Hudson, I didn’t say it; I just heard others talking!” Taylor knew all too well the dangers of gossip, especially when it involved discussing the private lives of Easton and his wife—such talk could easily give others leverage over her and risk reaching Easton’s ears. She always kept her own counsel, not indulging in gossip.

Fearing she’d be blamed, Taylor took a step back, Easton’s lips tightening as he watched her. The higher one’s position, the more they attract attention, and even small actions are magnified and eagerly discussed, for better or worse.

Stationed at the pinnacle of his career, Easton was used to being the subject of idle chatter and never cared what others said about him behind his back. However, the look on Taylor’s face indicated that the rumors were probably too much. He wondered if Ellis had heard any rumors before she quit. Knowing her fiery temper, such rumors would definitely have set her off.

If she had caught anyone spreading rumors, she would have demanded their dismissal and forbidden him from contacting Victoria, checking his phone, and deleting Victoria’s contact information. But Ellis had done none of that. Clearly, she must not have heard them.

Easton glanced toward the door, signaling Taylor to get back to work. Although his assistant was a woman, she couldn’t offer any useful advice or solutions for his current predicament.

As she was about to leave, Taylor hesitated and then said, “Mr. Hudson, I guess Ms. Harper might have heard something…”

“You think I wouldn’t have guessed what you could?” Easton’s eyes grew colder.

Under Easton’s sharp gaze, Taylor quickly bowed her head and stepped out. The office returned to silence, and Easton irritably flipped open a file. He couldn’t focus on a single word in the document; his mind and vision were filled with thoughts of Ellis.

He closed the file and massaged his throbbing temples. Suddenly, Ellis’s angry voice echoed in his mind. “You psycho!”

That was the term she had used most frequently to scold him after she proposed the divorce, and he had once resented her for using such language. What exactly does she mean by that? He wasn’t sure of the specific meaning, but from Ellis’s tone, it wasn’t anything positive. Now, wanting to understand, he picked up his phone and typed “you psycho” into the browser’s search bar.

The search results were all unrelated, offering no clarity, but luckily, there was a suggested sentence: What does it mean when someone calls you a psycho? He tapped the sentence, and the search brought up a detailed, easy-to-understand explanation.

“Calling someone a ‘psycho’ usually implies they’re reckless, inappropriate in behavior, and have multiple partners.”

After reading the explanation, Easton’s face turned as dark as night. So that’s what she means! Is Ellis insinuating that I have cheated? But I have never been unfaithful!

As this thought lingered, another crossed his mind—Sophia had once asked him if he had cheated with Victoria. Sophia had seemed serious, almost as if he really had cheated. Back then, he couldn’t understand why Ellis wanted a divorce, or what Victoria had to do with it, or why Sophia would ask such a thing.

Driven by confusion and irritation, Easton dialed Sophia’s number. When Sophia answered, she was brisk, “I’m busy, make it quick, no nonsense.”

“Mom, I need to ask you something,” Easton went straight to the point. “Why did you ask me if I had cheated with Victoria when Ellis insisted on divorcing me?”

Reviving a nearly forgotten issue, Sophia frowned, “You don’t know?”

“I don’t know.”

After what seemed like a long silence, Sophia sighed, “Ellis and Victoria were kidnapped together. You spent 1.4 billion to save Victoria, don’t you remember?”

“How could 1.4 billion be solely for saving Victoria?” Easton countered.

“If not for saving Victoria, then for whom?” Sophia paused. “You also supported Victoria’s company, asked me to provide resources for her, spending both money and effort.”

“I was saving Ellis,” Easton insisted, his brow furrowed. “Victoria was just incidental.”

Back then, he was still naive, unable to see through Victoria’s two-faced nature. Although both she and Ellis were kidnapped, the 1.4 billion wasn’t specifically for Victoria’s ransom, but their childhood friendship played a part.