Chapter 391: Don’t Use the Past as Your Excuse

He’d taken down everyone involved, but Easton never expected it to trace back to Shawn.

Ellis wasn’t surprised. The Hudsons were never known for kindness or simplicity. In that family, people would do anything to climb higher.

“Your uncle… Shawn…” She thought about it, trying to remember what Easton had done to him. But Shawn had been a failure in the race for heir—someone Easton had every right to deal with however he wanted. Back then, she hadn’t even married him yet, still playing the role of his hidden lover.

Still, she didn’t care about the details now. The blame was off her. That was enough. She wasn’t going to agree to remarry him anyway, so none of this changed anything.

“Now that you’ve figured it out,” she said, casually twisting a piece of her hair, “don’t bring it up again. And another thing—”

She glanced at him, unimpressed.

“Don’t use the fact that I used to chase after you as an excuse for you clinging to me now.”

People are always hypocrites. What she used to do didn’t give him the right to turn it around on her. That part of her life was a mess, and she’d rather erase it entirely. Every time he brought it up, it felt like getting dragged back into something she’d fought hard to move past.

And it put her in a bad mood.

“You could…” Forgive me?

He couldn’t finish the sentence. She’d tried explaining so many times, and not once had he believed her. Instead, he mocked her, doubted her, dismissed her. He regretted all of it now.

She could tell he meant his apology. That was the only reason she hadn’t thrown him out. But when he started talking and stopped halfway, that annoyed her.

“What, you trying to create suspense? If you’ve got nothing to say, then leave already. I’ve got stuff to do.”

She still needed to help Maya find that missing evidence.

Easton’s head was spinning. If the drugging hadn’t been her doing… But she had still chosen to sleep with him. What had been going through her mind? He’d asked her so many times if she ever loved him. Maybe she actually had.

Maybe she wasn’t the manipulative, greedy woman he’d decided she was. Maybe he’d been the one with the problem.

“I’ll come see you tomorrow. Get some rest,” he said suddenly, then turned and left without waiting for a response.

She watched him go, confused. Why couldn’t he just say whatever he had to say all at once?

Back inside, Maya looked at her. “What was that about him getting drugged? What drug?”

It wasn’t on purpose, but their voices had carried. Maya couldn’t help but overhear.

Chapter 391: Don’t Use the Past as Your Excuse

Ellis coughed, a little embarrassed.

“Don’t ask. I really don’t wanna get into it.”

There were some things between her and Easton that were just… messy. And more than a little humiliating.

“Fair enough,” Maya muttered, then looked toward the front door. “Is he still out there?”

“He probably went back upstairs,” Ellis said, though she wasn’t sure. She just hoped he wouldn’t come back tonight. If he did, she might actually hit him.

And yes—Easton had gone back to his place.

The apartment wasn’t anything special. For someone used to the best of everything, it was probably the worst place he’d ever lived. At first, he couldn’t stand it. But knowing Ellis was just downstairs made it bearable. Over time, he’d gotten used to it. Now he basically lived there full-time.

Tonight, though, he couldn’t sleep. Everything was too loud in his head. Was he too harsh back then? Had he been too quick to judge? Had he taken one incident and used it to write her entire character?

Memories poured in—Ellis as a teenager, quiet and awkward, always trying to stay out of the way. He remembered the day his aunt brought her home. That night, he didn’t get a second of sleep.

The next morning, Ellis was enjoying one of the best nights of rest she’d had in a long time. With no one pestering her, she’d slept like a rock.

Until Maya knocked on her door.

“Ellis,” she called, her voice a little irritated. “Your ex is here again.”

Ellis groaned and pulled the blanket over her head. Was this guy ever going to give it a rest?