Chapter 381: A Line That Shouldn’t Be Crossed

Of course, there was no rushing things now. Once Ellis confirmed that Emma wasn’t seriously ill, she got ready to leave. As she returned from the garden to the house, her eyes casually swept the room—only to find Easton still there. He hadn’t left. Clearly, he’d been waiting for her. Emma’s words echoed in her head. Ellis raised a hand and gestured for Easton to come over.

It wasn’t often she asked to talk to him. Easton took long, purposeful strides straight toward her.

“I can more or less guess what you were trying to do by coming here today,” Ellis looked up at him directly. “But I suggest you remember what you’ve done. Don’t come here and scare Ms. Emma.”

Ellis’s foster mother. Given…

“I wasn’t trying to scare her,” Easton hadn’t just come because his mother asked—Emma was that connection; he didn’t think it was wrong for him to show up.

“Even if you didn’t mean to, just seeing you is enough to scare her.” Ellis understood why Emma acted like a frightened bird, refusing to see Easton. She’d felt that way before, too—dreading what he might do. There was just too much of a power gap. Easton was like an elephant, and they were ants. One careless step from him could crush them completely, and there was nothing they could do about it.

“I won’t come next time.” The moment he said it, he realized it didn’t sound right. He quickly corrected himself. “If I come next time, I’ll come with you?”

“As if. That’d scare her even more.” Ellis hadn’t forgotten how many times Emma warned her not to remarry Easton—or how she always told her to avoid him altogether.

“I just—” Whatever self-reflection Easton was about to offer, Ellis didn’t have the patience for it. She shot him a look that said he should shut up. Then she turned and headed for the front door.

A few steps later, she heard footsteps behind her. She didn’t need to look to know Easton was following. She’d driven there herself. The car was parked outside. She didn’t care if he followed—once she got in the car, he couldn’t get in the way. Or so she thought.

Easton didn’t stop at the door. He didn’t turn back. He walked right up to her car and got in. As the engine started, Ellis glanced at her side—then immediately stopped the car and stepped out.

“I’m leaving. Why are you still here?” Facing him directly, she didn’t even wait for a reply before snapping, “Just go.”

“I just want to say a few words to my aunt.” Easton stood there, scanning for Emma.

“You don’t need to say anything. Nothing you say will change the fact that I’m never getting back with you.” She already knew what he was planning to say. “Ms. Emma won’t agree to it either. She—” She cut herself off. If he thinks Emma’s against him, he’ll make her pay for it. Easton didn’t take criticism lightly. Saying Emma was against them getting remarried would only make her his next target.

He was still standing there, showing no sign of leaving. Ellis thought about how pale Emma had looked and immediately walked over to him, yanking on his collar.

“Go.” She meant to get him to leave quickly. But Easton, shameless as ever, took the opportunity to climb into the passenger seat. Seeing him sitting there like it was no big deal, Ellis gave him a look of pure disgust.

“You seriously have no shame. This is my car,” There was no contest when it came to strength—she couldn’t drag him out. Frustrated, maybe a little resigned to his shamelessness, she sat back down, buckled her seatbelt, and made sure her body language screamed how much she wanted him gone. Easton acted like he didn’t see a thing. Sat there like nothing was wrong.

If Emma weren’t sick, I wouldn’t be letting this slide. She started the engine and pulled out slowly. Before focusing on the road, she shot him one last glare.

“I must’ve been blind before, I never realized the great Mr. Hudson could be this clingy. You’re not even… this get out?”

“What’s that worth? Who’s gonna say it to my face?” Easton raised a brow. Ellis didn’t even want to respond. She hit him with a cold side-eye. Easton had the kind of power that made people afraid to say a word about him, let alone criticize him to his face. The people around him were all yes-men. She had no status in that world.

“And besides, you used to cling to me too, didn’t you?” He just had to keep the conversation going. Ellis clenched her teeth.

“Yeah, I used to cling to you. Because I wanted your love. I wanted a future with…”

“But you clinging to me! It’s just disgusting.” She took a deep breath, barely suppressing the anger rising in her chest. From that point on, she didn’t say another word—not even when they pulled into the underground garage at Serenity Estate. Maybe Easton finally understood what it meant to stay in his lane, because he didn’t speak either. The whole ride, he sat in silence.