Chapter 85: At the Breaking Point

The deadbeat never intended to let her stay by his side forever. Even if Victoria hadn't returned this year, even if he didn't need to make room for her, he would have kicked her out anyway.

After that discussion, the two strangely ran out of things to say. So, when the butler arrived at the Civil Affairs Department with their marriage certificate, he found Ellis and Easton standing apart, neither looking at the other, both with somber expressions.

The last time the butler had seen Ellis, she was at the Hudson family home collecting her personal belongings. He had been ordered by Easton to check her luggage and had accidentally overheard Ellis and Easton arguing about divorce. Now, as he handed over the marriage certificate, he couldn't help but quietly gossip to himself about the actuality of the divorce happening today.

Once they received the marriage certificate, they re-entered the Civil Affairs Department. With all documents in order and no objections from the parties involved, the clerk proceeded with the formalities smoothly, right up until it was time for the parties to sign the final document. Ellis quickly signed her name, waiting to receive her divorce certificate.

That was when the unexpected happened—a pen slammed down on the table. At first, she didn’t realize what was happening, wondering where the pen had come from. Then, she saw clearly that it had been thrown by the deadbeat.

Her gaze shifted from the table up to him, and she saw the deadbeat looking at her with tightly furrowed brows and a dark, displeased expression. He said emphatically, “I do not agree to this divorce!”

Ellis’s expression tensed as she frowned. “What are you playing at?”

“You think I’ll just agree to a divorce because you want one, and go through with these procedures because it suits you?” Easton withdrew his gaze from her and addressed the clerk. “Sorry, we haven’t settled everything; we’re not divorcing today.”

The clerks, used to seeing all kinds of people, weren't surprised by a couple deciding not to divorce at the last minute. The clerk immediately halted the process and said, “Come back when you’ve agreed on everything.”

Just when victory seemed within reach and the deadbeat did an about-face, Ellis was furious, glaring at him coldly. “We agreed to get divorced today; what do you mean by going back on your word now?”

“Ellis, by what right?” Easton stood up, looming over her as she sat. “I’m not some toy that you can just pick up or throw away whenever you want! You wanted to get married, and now you want to divorce. Does everything have to go your way? That’s not how the world works!”

“Who’s treating you like a toy?” Ellis also stood up. “Divorce is a release for both of us! Can’t you just let it happen?”

“Don’t talk to me about release!” Easton detested that notion. Before the marriage certificate arrived, he had indeed planned to end their marriage legally, but he couldn’t swallow his pride—why should everything happen as she wants, and he just comply?

Ellis, trying to contain her rage, pleaded softly, “Let’s just finalize the procedure, and we’ll both be happy. I’m asking you!”

But the deadbeat didn’t wait for her to finish, turning and walking away.

Determined not to let everything fall apart, she quickly followed and grabbed his wrist. “Don’t go!”

Looking down at the girl who rarely approached him these days, and only doing so now because of the divorce, that familiar heaviness returned to Easton’s heart, and he reluctantly removed her hand.

“Don’t expect me to just agree to this divorce. You can wait to be a wife in name only!”

Perhaps it was her treating him like a toy that had angered him, resenting her certainty that she could have whatever she wanted and discard whatever she didn’t, especially her eagerness to shed her role as his wife. He definitely wasn’t going to satisfy her now.

Her hand was pushed away, but Ellis, desperate, grabbed both his wrists this time. “Being your wife means nothing to me! For the sake of our past, can’t you just agree this one time?”

“Whether it means anything is for me to decide!” Easton pulled his hands back with a slight force. “We have no fond memories, and I’m not going to make this easy!” His expression was cold, his words laced with biting sarcasm.

Ellis was furious. At the same time, she wanted to lash out at both the deadbeat and Victoria. If they were going to reconcile, why didn’t Victoria try harder to secure her position? Couldn’t the deadbeat empathize with Victoria not wanting to be labeled a homewrecker?

“So what do you want for you to agree to divorce me!” It was clear Easton was deliberately dragging his feet, probably feeling that not tripping her up would be letting her off too easy. She shuddered at the thought of the prenup filled with traps. “Can we just…?”

Easton cut her off harshly. “Show me you really want this divorce, or wait until I’m in a better mood to talk.”

Now, her fate was completely in someone else’s hands, and Ellis didn’t want anyone to let her go. But she had no leverage over the deadbeat.

After thinking it over, she remembered Sophia and Scott and said with a veiled threat, “Easton, if you don’t divorce me today, I’ll take it up with your mother, and then your grandfather. You know he’s never liked me. When he finds out we want a divorce, he…”