Chapter 392: Five Minutes, No More
Ellis knew all too well how clingy Easton could get. If she refused to see him, he’d just keep showing up—maybe every day—until she gave in. Throwing off the blanket, she called through the door, “Got it. Tell him to wait outside.”
Maya passed on the message, then went back to doing her own thing, silently annoyed on her friend’s behalf. That ex of hers was a nightmare—living upstairs and showing up uninvited whenever he wanted. Total pain.
Ellis couldn’t afford to be late, so she got ready at her usual pace and stepped outside. The second she opened the door, Easton was there. She checked her watch.
“I’m giving you five minutes. If you make me late for work, I swear I’ll make you regret it.”
“I can wait until tonight. You should head to work.”
Her eyes narrowed. What the hell was he playing at now? Trying to act all considerate? She shot him a cold glare. “Do whatever you want.”
She’d seen firsthand how persistent he was. No matter where she went, he’d find her. Even if she ran to the ends of the earth, it’d just wear her down, not him. So, as long as he didn’t seriously cross the line, she’d keep staying in this apartment until the lease ended.
She stepped into the elevator. He didn’t follow. She noticed the red in his eyes—he clearly hadn’t slept. He’d spent the whole night thinking. And by the end of it, he’d realized the one thing he should’ve done from the start: Stop seeing Ellis through a filter. Let go of his old assumptions. Learn who she really was.
Right before the elevator doors closed, she glanced back. For the first time in a long time, Easton looked… off. Deflated, almost. Not like himself. That was new. The Easton she knew always looked down on everyone. She couldn’t remember the last time he’d seemed this… small. He even looked like he might be humbling himself in front of her.
She gave her head a hard shake. Was she losing her mind? That man was Easton—her emotionally stunted, ice-cold ex-husband. The guy only knew how to talk to her like she was a subordinate.
Once the doors shut, she pushed him out of her mind and focused on work. Maxwell’s attitude lately made it clear he wasn’t thrilled with her. She needed to figure out her next move, ideally find a new job and resign before he could fire her.
Meanwhile, upstairs, Easton stayed rooted in place. No one could see the regret in his eyes—regret for how he’d treated Ellis, regret for taking her for granted, regret for signing those divorce papers and making it all too easy for her to walk away. If he’d refused the divorce, she’d still be his wife. Now he had none. And she wanted nothing to do with him.
“Mr. Hudson? You’re still here?” Maya opened the door and jumped a little when she saw him. Easton quickly shut down any emotion showing on his face and gave her a blank look. Ellis was clearly gone, so Maya didn’t bother making small talk. She just nodded at him in disbelief, shut the door, and left for work.
In the elevator, she immediately called Ellis. “Your ex is still outside like a freaking statue. Scared the crap out of me when I opened the door.”
Now Easton wasn’t just Ellis’s problem—he was affecting Maya too. Ellis thought about it for a second. “He’s definitely acting manic. You want to move back to your own place? You don’t have to get dragged into this.”
“You think you can handle him alone?” Maya said, half-joking. She wasn’t worried Easton would hurt Ellis—but the constant harassment wasn’t healthy either.
“If I’m not there, what if he lets himself in?” Ellis winced at the memory. He had climbed into her bed once in the middle of the night. If Maya wasn’t around, there was a solid chance he’d try it again.
She clenched her jaw. “Fine. I need you to stay.”
“Don’t act like you’re imposing. I’m doing my duty.” Maya thumped her chest. “As long as I’m here, your ex isn’t getting anywhere near your…” She stopped herself. But Ellis knew exactly what she was going to say. Her face turned a little red. Having a shameless ex like Easton was… humiliating, to say the least. But she didn’t have time to dwell on it—she had a job to do.