Chapter 137: Unwanted Encounters

“So, what exactly are you so happy about?” Amelia leaned in close, scanning Ellis from head to toe as if she wished she were a man. “You’re gorgeous, and you don’t want to date? That makes no sense!”

There was no denying it—Ellis was stunning. Fair skin, long legs, perfect curves, jet-black hair, and striking red lips. Her delicate features were flawless, but what stood out most were her eyes—clear as a spring, bright and captivating when she smiled.

After looking Ellis up and down, Amelia sighed dramatically. “You must have tons of admirers—probably some decent ones too. Just make sure you pick carefully. Don’t go blind and end up with a total dud! A beautiful woman deserves a handsome man. But if that dud happens to be filthy rich, well, that’s a different story!”

Ellis was speechless. She shoved a stack of organized documents into Amelia’s hands and grabbed her purse. “Make copies and send them to all departments for me. I need to leave early tonight.”

Technically, she wasn’t leaving work early—she was heading to Casey’s place.

Before Ellis could step away, Amelia grabbed her arm. “Hey, what’s a single woman like you in such a rush for? Don’t tell me you’re sneaking off to meet some guy while pretending men bring you bad luck. I’m almost off work too—come with me. Someone else is footing the bill, and it’s a fancy place.”

Having a stunning coworker had its perks. Amelia’s mind was already spinning, plotting how to leverage Ellis’s looks for an advantage. After all, men chasing after beautiful women often started by getting close to their friends first.

Ellis wasn’t actually off the clock yet—she still had some business to handle for Lois. She smiled lightly and turned her down. “I like just lying around after work.”

“That’s boring,” Amelia teased. “What do you do for fun?”

“Right now, my hobby is making money.”

“Are you short on cash or something? Want me to introduce you to a rich guy?”

Ellis answered seriously, “I’d rather make my own money. I have zero interest in taking it from a man.”

She didn’t know Amelia well, but from their conversations and interactions, Ellis had pieced together a rough picture. Amelia had a decent job on paper, but her background and salary weren’t nearly enough to support her expensive lifestyle. So, she had found a well-off boyfriend to bankroll it instead.

It was no surprise that Amelia had connections to rich men—she could even introduce them to others. But her first reaction to someone saying they wanted to make money was always to suggest dating a rich man. That mindset made Ellis uncomfortable.

She wasn’t rich herself, and if she ever ended up with a wealthy man, she’d just be inviting another Easton into her life—someone who would sneer at her, call her a gold digger, and make her feel like she was living off a man’s handouts. The old saying was true—birds of a feather flock together. Being with someone from a similar background always made things easier.

“You’re so blunt about it…” Amelia hadn’t expected Ellis to be this straightforward.

“Alright, I’m heading out. Bye.” Cutting the conversation short, Ellis strode toward the elevator.

As she walked, she pulled out her phone and booked a rideshare to Petal Estates.

She hadn’t expected that when the elevator doors opened, she’d be met with a face she absolutely loathed.

“Mrs.—”

Single women hated being called “Mrs.,” especially by someone as detestable as Morty.

Why was the world so small? And why was Lois standing beside him? Was this some kind of business deal between the two?

Since Lois was also in the elevator, Ellis kept her expression neutral, making sure nothing on her face revealed what she was thinking.

“Ms. Harper, what a coincidence,” Morty quickly corrected himself, greeting her with a smile.

Lois wasn’t surprised that Morty knew Ellis. In high society, it was common knowledge that Morty was one of Easton’s childhood friends. That connection alone meant he would obviously know who Ellis was.

Ellis had no patience for two-faced people. She acted as if she hadn’t heard Morty at all, giving Lois a polite nod before turning away to take a different elevator down.

Just as she had suspected, Morty was indeed working with Lois on a business deal.

As the two of them watched her walk away, Morty asked, “Madam Lois, does Ms. Harper work for you? What position does she hold?”

“She’s my secretary,” Lois gestured for him to follow her into her office.

“Well, what a coincidence! I know Ms. Harper quite well. Since our companies are working together, perhaps you could have her handle our collaboration? It’d save time, cut down on unnecessary back-and-forth, and avoid any miscommunication that might disrupt our partnership.” Morty glanced back at the elevator Ellis had just taken, his expression unreadable.

Lois was a businesswoman, and business was all about profit. Morty’s request was reasonable, and there was no logical reason to refuse. Without hesitation, she nodded. “I’ll have Ellis coordinate with you starting tomorrow.”

At that moment, someone approached them, sounding pleasantly surprised. “Mr. Morty, is that really your…”

Morty turned to face the voice. It was a young woman he didn’t recognize.

“Tm Amelia,” she introduced herself quickly, noticing Morty’s blank expression. “We met not too long ago—Prosperity Group’s Mr. Cooper introduced me to you.”