Great work with the chapter as usual! 😆
I was especially interested in Ellen's reaction to his departure, and as I suspected she regretted it more than she thought she would. Unfortunately this means that Caidel wouldn't have been able to do anything more if he stayed, since she needed this distance to really notice how much he meant to her.
Noah is an a**hole as usual by repeating the same things she once knew but didn't want to acknowledge anymore, effectively trying to brainwash her.
But it's quite clear Ellen doesn't really need Noah, like if he was suddenly gone she would probably be "oh well". A more shallow female protagonist would go to the love rival once she realizes she can't be with the main guy. That is a symptom of being so starved for love, that you always need to have someone constantly infatuated with you.
I am glad to see that Ellen is not shallow and she knows perfectly what she wants, recognizing that Noah will never do.