Chapter 80: Catch Me If You Can!

“If you can take it, so can I,” Easton said as he pressed the power button, turning off the screen and slipping the phone into his pocket. Ellis couldn’t argue with that; she did have a habit of taking Easton’s phone without asking permission. Watching him stash her phone in his pocket, she restrained her temper and said calmly, “The butler hasn’t brought the marriage certificates yet. I need my phone to pass the time. Give it back!”

Easton glanced at her sideways a few times, then stared straight ahead, showing no signs of returning the phone, as if he hadn’t heard her request. This didn’t make Ellis angry enough to resort to violence, but irritation was clear on her face. If he wasn’t going to return it, she’d simply take it back herself—a simple solution. With a scowl, she turned to face him and bent down to rummage through his pocket. Just her fingertips reached inside when Easton grabbed her hands.

Forced to stop, she looked up at him, still reasonably calm, and stated, “I want my phone back.” Looking into Ellis’s bright, clear eyes—which reflected his figure as if she were merely looking at an object, without any additional layers of emotion—Easton was unaccustomed to such a detached manner from her. He pursed his lips and asked, “Why do you need to look at your phone? Isn’t looking at me good enough?”

Ellis controlled her urge to roll her eyes. How could she not have noticed how narcissistic he could be before? Truth be told, Easton had the looks to be narcissistic—sharp brows, a high nose, thin, well-shaped lips, and a jawline that could cut glass. Dressed in a crisp black and white shirt and suit pants, his physique—broad shoulders and long legs—was accentuated. Her mouth twitched slightly. “Easton, we’re getting divorced!”

Who in their right mind would choose to spend their time staring at their soon-to-be ex-husband instead of their phone? No matter how handsome her ex might be, it couldn’t overshadow the humiliation and disgust she had endured from him. She saw past conventional aesthetics, not caring for his looks at all.

“You don’t need to remind me we’re getting divorced.” The word “divorce” had been uttered too frequently, especially here in the Civil Affairs Department, just shy of finalizing their separation with the missing marriage certificate. Easton grew increasingly averse to the term, loathing it with every fiber of his being. Besides disgust, an indescribable, peculiar emotion brewed inside him. Was this peculiarity a result of Ellis’s escalating antics? But was she really creating a scene? A novel thought crossed his mind, causing Easton to look down and then up again, reassessing the woman whose hands he held.

Ellis had a sudden bad feeling when Easton started scrutinizing her. Was he planning to sabotage the divorce proceedings? Seizing the moment while he was lost in thought, she broke free from his grasp and ran outside the Civil Affairs Department.

Standing at the entrance, she had a clear view of the traffic and pedestrians, poised to spot the butler’s arrival. She leaned against a pillar to avoid any further contact with Easton that could lead to conflict. Unexpectedly, Easton followed her out. His tall frame moved slowly in front of her, resuming his earlier scrutiny.

247 PM

The height difference between them was apparent—she was a good half-head shorter than him, and her demeanor lacked his imposing presence. Defiantly, she tilted her chin up. “Why didn’t you stay inside? What are you doing out here?”

The darkness on Easton’s face lightened slightly. “Then why did you run out!” Her sudden departure might have indicated she was finally ready to give in but couldn’t face doing so publicly, perhaps planning to plead later. Unquestionably, her conceding would alleviate some inexplicable heaviness in his heart, perhaps even reducing her determination to divorce.

“I’m just checking to see when the butler will arrive,” Ellis glanced towards the Civil Affairs Department interior. “You should go back inside.”

“Still being stubborn.”

Annoyed by his chilly sarcasm, she glared at him. “Since you’ve come to your senses a little, I’ll give you a chance. You don’t need to beg me anymore. Just say something nice right now, swallow your pride, and I might consider calling off the divorce.” Sometimes, people needed a way out during a standoff, and at that moment, Easton was ready to give Ellis that opportunity.

Ellis was incredulous, hearing what sounded like a condescending offer. He said what? He’d come to his senses? He wanted her to speak nicely? Lower her pride? She was speechless for a moment, only able to glare at him.

“I don’t need your so-called chance to beg for mercy! Why would I beg you anyway? To ask you to remarry me after we divorce? You’re thinking too much!” she declared righteously. “After the divorce, we will be strangers with no obligations to each other, each going our own happy way!”

Disgust flared up again. Easton hated the word “strangers” almost as much as he despised “divorce.” All day, she had been forcefully declaring their separation, consistently referring to it as if the home they shared was exclusively his, not a place that belonged to both of them.