Chapter 356: Clean Break, Clear Rules

The engagement had been arranged by the Brooks family. Ellis never forgot that. Of course, her issue with emotional cleanliness only applied to Easton.

Whoever she dated next, she wasn’t going to demand they had never been in a relationship or had never been with another woman. Come on. She’d been married before. It would be unfair to expect something from others she couldn’t offer herself.

The reason she had that hang-up with Easton was because people instinctively want balance. She gave him so much, and what she got back was never equal. She couldn’t turn back time or erase everything between him and Victoria.

Maya was briefly caught off guard but quickly nodded. “Yeah, that makes sense.”

Everyone had their own lines when it came to relationships.

“So even if Easton dropped dead in front of me, I probably wouldn’t bat an eye. Best I’d do is call 911 and get him an ambulance. Anything else? Forget it.”

Ellis imagined the scene—Easton dying in front of her—and didn’t feel a single ripple inside. He’d drained her of every last bit of love she had for him. He’d pushed her right to the edge. And she remembered every bit of it.

Maya couldn’t help raising a thumbs-up. “Beautifully said.”

Living one floor above the woman you love, separated only by a thin ceiling—it was a dream setup.

Ever since Easton moved into Serenity Estate, his mood had improved dramatically. His sleep was better. No more tossing and turning like before. And when people feel good, it shows, no matter how much they try to hide it.

Today, he showed up at his mother’s place again, and Sophia couldn’t help but notice the difference. “You’re practically glowing. Something good happen?”

“Kind of,” he said casually.

“What is it? Come on, share.”

“I moved into Ellis’s building. Same tower, just one floor above her.”

Easton remembered his assistant telling him women hated men who clung too hard. But this wasn’t clinging—it was strategic proximity. That’s all.

“And how did Ellis react to that?”

“She wasn’t thrilled. I’ve run into her a few times—she barely looks at me.”

Sophia wasn’t surprised. That kind of response from Ellis was to be expected. She thought for a moment, then said, “If you’re going to be showing your face around her all the time, you’d better be careful. Push too hard and it’ll backfire.”

She’d told him to rebuild trust, and now he’d gone and moved in next door. It wasn’t exactly what she meant, but…

Whatever. He was her son. She didn’t want to crush his enthusiasm.

“I’ve been keeping it low-key,” Easton replied truthfully.

Every time he saw Ellis, he kept a respectful distance and didn’t say much.

As a mother, Sophia had thought about helping him win Ellis back, but people tended to resist being told what to do.

She decided to step back. Let him try on his own. She’d offer advice when needed—and pull him back if he crossed a line.

After a short visit, Easton headed home. Home, of course, now meant Serenity Estate.

As his car approached the underground garage, he saw Ellis and Maya walking side-by-side, chatting and laughing. They were clearly headed somewhere just outside the complex.

That light, easygoing version of Ellis? He hadn’t seen her like that in a long time. Did he miss it? Not just miss—he envied it.

Yeah, envy. That’s what it was. Maya wasn’t a man, but she was still Ellis’s best friend. The way Ellis treated her had never changed—Maya was still the one she trusted most. Compared to her, Easton looked downright pitiful. A man who had dug his own grave.

At this point, just getting Ellis to glance his way was considered progress. Easton’s hands tightened on the steering wheel without him realizing it. But he kept driving. He didn’t pull over. He didn’t go over to talk to her.

One step at a time. He had to go slow. Moving into the building gave him the upper hand. Ellis hadn’t packed up and left, which meant he had a shot—just maybe—to get close again.

As a matte-black Bugatti with a flashy license plate cruised past them, Ellis noticed immediately. Her ex-husband’s car.

Clearly, Easton had been out and was now coming back, but that had nothing to do with her. She wasn’t interested in whatever he was up to.

Maya also noticed the car. Her eyes followed it briefly before she asked quietly, “So how long do you think he’ll last here? I mean, how long before he gives up trying to win you back?”

“Doesn’t matter how long. I’m not engaging. That’s it,” Ellis said flatly.

She knew what it felt like to chase someone who didn’t love you back. It was soul-crushing. From the year she fell for Easton to the day they divorced, she had held on for nine years. Nine years, and nothing she did ever made him love her. All she got in return were scars.

Someone like Easton? If he lasted even one year, she’d be impressed. He’d get tired. The bitterness of rejection would wear him down. Sooner or later, he’d walk away.

Maya’s mind replayed the moment Easton drove past. It did seem like he had seen them.