Chapter 39: A Public Mess

Ellis stayed in the car while Maya got out. But before they could react, Bree suddenly dashed to the passenger side, yanking the door open at lightning speed. Before Ellis could even process what was happening, Bree grabbed a fistful of her hair and yanked hard. "He last time, and I never settled the score. Now we can settle both old and new accounts!"

"You slapped me—"

Between women, hair-pulling was a classic move in physical fights. Ellis had been grabbed like this before—by both women and men. Long hair was an obvious weakness. Bree was pulling so hard that Ellis’s scalp felt like it was being torn off. Worse, she was stuck in the car, unable to move freely in the tight space. Taking full advantage, Bree didn’t just pull; she clawed at Ellis’s face.

Neither Maya nor Jerry had expected things to escalate like this. Jerry had heard what Bree said before attacking, realizing she and Ellis had prior bad blood. So instead of stopping Bree, he just stood back and watched. Only Maya acted, rushing in to pry Bree off Ellis.

Bree’s long, manicured nails—coated in glossy polish—were practically weapons. Ellis could feel the sting of scratches on her face. The pain made her fight back instinctively. With Maya’s help, she managed to break free from Bree’s grip.

Jerry, having watched enough, finally stepped in and grabbed Bree’s arm. "The car issue isn’t even settled yet.” Jerry was someone the Rivera family had arranged as a potential match for Bree. They were still in the early stages of getting to know each other. Bree had no real intention of ending up with him, so she was just going through the motions, planning to tell her family later that they weren’t compatible. She had no reason to act like a lady around Jerry.

Drunk on the rush of winning, she ignored whatever he was saying and shook him off, charging right back at Ellis to continue her revenge. Ellis, now free to move, wasn’t about to sit there and take it like before. Maya had originally just wanted to break up the fight without getting involved, but Bree was out of control. She was clearly aiming for Ellis’s face, intent on ruining it.

The situation turned chaotic. Jerry stood frozen, unsure whether to pull Bree back or let her go. Thankfully, a police patrol happened to pass by. They immediately intervened, pulling the women apart.

“What the hell do you think you’re doing? Brawling in the middle of the road? Do you want to get yourselves killed?”

The three of them were left panting, hair slightly disheveled, faces marked with red scratches. Bree still wasn’t satisfied.

“Shut up! All of you, to the station!” The officer shot them a stern glare before addressing the growing crowd of onlookers and the backed-up traffic.

Maya tried to explain what had happened, but the officers weren’t interested in hearing her out. One of them gestured for them to get in the police car while another spoke with the traffic officers who had just arrived. Whether they liked it or not, they were all taken to the station.

The moment Ellis stepped inside, she felt mortified. She had gone twenty-four years without ever setting foot in a place like this. When the officer began questioning her, she was so embarrassed that she could barely get a word out.

Meanwhile, Bree was spouting nonsense with full confidence, claiming Ellis had started the fight. According to her, Ellis had provoked everything, and she had only acted in self-defense. She even demanded that Ellis and Maya be detained.

Of course, the police didn’t just take her word for it. They pulled up surveillance footage from the street and called Jerry in for questioning. Technically speaking, their actions could be considered a public disturbance. But since it also involved personal grudges and a traffic accident, the case couldn’t be wrapped up quickly.

After she finished answering the officer’s questions, Ellis sat idly in the waiting room. Then, a policeman walked in and said, “Call a family member to come get you.”

Family! Ellis immediately thought of her adoptive mother. But aside from her, there was no one else. And her adoptive mother wouldn’t care about this… If she saw Ellis here, she’d only be angry that she hadn’t reconciled with Easton. Ellis had no desire to see her. She was sick of being treated like a tool.

She pursed her lips. “I don’t have any family.”

The officer frowned. “I’d advise you not to lie.”

“I’m not lying. That’s the truth,” Ellis sighed, rubbing her forehead. Her parents had passed away long ago, and her legal records were tied to the orphanage. She had no immediate relatives.

A few minutes later, the officer returned. “According to our system, you’re married. Call your husband.”

“We’re getting a divorce. He won’t come,” Ellis replied. She suddenly realized how easy it was now to say it out loud—Easton was about to stop being her husband. She didn’t need to care about what people thought anymore.

“If no family member comes to get you and pay the fine, you won’t be leaving tonight,” the officer warned.

How was this any different from begging Easton to bail her out?