Chapter 41: Unfinished Business

Bree was well-informed. She had already heard about the incident at Mr. Scott’s birthday banquet and knew the details. Therefore, she wasn’t afraid of Ellis, or of Easton intervening. She was, however, irritated by Jerry’s sudden change in attitude.

“Your car is too damaged for a simple repair!” Bree snapped, turning her attention back to Easton. She pointed to the spot where Ellis had slapped her. “Mr. Easton, I really don’t think you deserve this. Your wife is ruthless. Slapping someone like that really hurts, and she doesn’t even listen to reason.”

She sighed dramatically, as if genuinely sorry for him. “Honestly, Ellis doesn’t deserve you. A man like you should have a wife who’s graceful, well-educated, and dignified.”

Ellis had always known she wasn’t worthy of Easton. There had been a time when hearing that aloud had made her incredibly anxious. She had always feared Easton would meet a woman far better than her and cast her aside.

Thinking back, that fear was laughable. A man so easily swayed had never truly loved her.

And if a man wanted to get rid of his wife, there were a thousand ways to do it.

Bree’s attempt to humiliate her in front of everyone didn’t bother Ellis. She had no reason to care about Easton’s opinion anymore. She lowered her hands and retorted, “Whether I deserve Easton or not is none of your damn business. Instead of worrying about others, why don’t you focus on yourself first?”

Maya had wanted to press charges against Bree for intentional harm. But since Ellis had fought back and Maya had been involved in trying to separate them, the police ruled it a brawl, meaning both sides were at fault. If they didn’t settle privately, they would both face administrative detention.

Because of her profession, Maya couldn’t afford a legal stain on her record. She was furious but had no choice but to restrain her anger.

Now that Ellis had snapped back at Bree, Maya immediately followed up. “You should really look in a mirror. You’re not just ugly—your face reflects your soul, and it’s just as nasty.”

Bree scoffed. “You—”

“Enough! This is a police station, not a marketplace!” The officer glared at all three of them. “If you don’t settle this, you’re all getting detained.”

“We agree to settle,” Maya said, immediately switching into her professional mode. By saying “we,” she included Ellis in the decision. Ellis remained silent.

The initial embarrassment of being there had faded. Looking up, she saw Easton standing in front of her. He had heard everything Bree, Maya, and she had said. From start to finish, he had remained visibly impatient, showing no other emotion.

Ellis realized something—she could look at him now and feel absolutely nothing.

“I refuse to settle,” Bree said confidently. “They were the ones in the wrong. At the very least, they should apologize to me and spend a few days in detention.”

She wasn’t at all worried about Ellis or Maya retaliating. According to reliable sources, Victoria was about to replace Ellis.

Without the title of Madam Easton, Ellis was nothing more than a speck of dust. Maya was Ellis’s friend, sure. But she drove a cheap car and reeked of poverty—clearly not someone from high society. As long as Bree pressured Jerry into demanding compensation from Maya, that would be enough of a headache for her.

Normally, the police would try to mediate and get both sides to settle. Now, with two people agreeing to settle and one refusing, they had to handle Bree separately. The officer’s expression darkened. “The surveillance footage clearly shows you attacked first.”

“I—” Bree started to argue. Before she could continue, two people entered the police station. One was Maya’s mother, Cindy. The other was the Rivera family’s butler.

Cindy rushed to her daughter’s side. “Maya, what happened?” Then she noticed Ellis, her face covered in scratches. Concerned, she asked, “Ellis, who scratched your face?”

Cindy was a law-abiding citizen who had spent most of her life following the rules. She had never been involved with the police before. Getting a call from the station had made her nervous the whole way there.

Hearing her friend’s mother show genuine concern, Ellis suddenly realized—this was what real care looked like. Compared to Easton’s impatience, she wondered how she had ever been blind enough to think he cared.

For five years, she had refused to see the truth—that Easton only ever showed her warmth in bed. The rest of the time, he was cold and indifferent. She glanced at Bree and forced herself not to roll her eyes.

Who had scratched her face? That was obvious. Cindy didn’t know the full situation, but the officer interrupted before Ellis could answer. “Family members, step aside and go pay the fine first.”

There was no getting out of it. Cindy and the Rivera family butler both followed an officer to handle the fine. Easton was the only family member who remained standing.

Seeing this, Ellis figured Easton would leave any second now. He was probably just waiting for the right moment to turn his back on her, just like when she had been kidnapped. He had never cared whether she lived or died.

But before she could finish that thought, Easton suddenly spoke. “Miss, I don’t know the full story, but Ellis’s injuries are clearly your doing. If I wanted to press charges for assault, it wouldn’t be difficult.”