Chapter 191: Mrs. Hudson

“Let’s not talk about compensation and whether she wants it,” Sophia said, picking up her cup and taking a sip of coffee. “Back to your insomnia.”

Easton lost interest in the conversation when he heard Ellis’s new way of addressing his mother. His mind and heart were in a mess.

The launching ceremony was about to begin, with media personnel arriving one after another and the Nexus Group members almost all present. Ellis was busy going over the schedule and speech one last time with the host.

Suddenly, someone tapped her on the shoulder. She turned to look.

“Ms. Harper, you’re so focused on work that you didn’t even hear me calling you,” said Morty. She had no idea when he had arrived.

Resisting the urge to roll her eyes, Ellis kept her composure and replied politely, “I didn’t hear you.”

“What are you so busy with?” Morty’s gaze landed on the small notebook in her hand for a brief moment. “Aren’t you going to sit in the front row?”

“No.” Ellis wanted to tell him he was overthinking things. As one of the key people in charge of the launching ceremony, she had to stay sharp and on top of everything. If anything went wrong, she’d be the one to take responsibility. Sitting down wasn’t an option.

She was about to ignore him and move on, but then she remembered he was scheduled to give a speech and take promotional photos. She handed him the ceremony rundown and briefly walked him through his time slot, along with a few key reminders.

“I’m not taking photos,” Morty’s sudden remark caught Ellis off guard. She immediately glanced at the other event coordinator.

The schedule had been finalized after multiple confirmations between both companies. Nexus Group never mentioned that Morty wouldn’t be participating in the promotional photos. Was there a miscommunication, or did Morty just change his mind?

Since the other coordinator was too far away for her to get a response with just a look, she decided to ask Morty directly. “Why not?”

“I don’t like taking photos,” he answered casually.

Ellis was speechless; no one had told her that Morty didn’t like taking photos! Removing or adjusting this segment meant changes to the promotional materials, adding more work to her already full plate. She really wanted to grab both company liaisons and demand why this wasn’t communicated earlier.

She considered pushing Morty to go along with it for the sake of the event, but as an important business partner, he had every right to refuse. After a brief moment of consideration, she said, “Alright, I’ll remove that part from the schedule.”

She looked like she was trying to find a solution as quickly as possible; she was racking her brain and finally made a decision. Morty couldn’t help but ask, “Would removing this part from the schedule affect your workflow later on?”

Ellis was surprised to hear that from Morty. “Not really, just that it might be a little troublesome.”

“Then I’ll do it.”

Ellis was stunned. One moment, he said he wouldn’t take photos. The next, he agreed. How did he change his mind so fast? Did he have nothing better to do? Ellis grumbled inwardly but kept a neutral expression as she responded, “Okay.”

After she briefed Morty, she was about to turn and look for the other coordinator when a pair of figures approached. One was Mrs. Hudson.

Her urge to strangle both company liaisons only grew stronger when she saw them; Nexus Group had clearly stated earlier that Zion wouldn’t be attending the launch and only Morty would. And now? Great. Both of them showed up.

When Morty saw them both, he took the initiative to greet them. “Nice to see you, Uncle Zion, Madam Lois.”

Zion nodded at Morty before noticing that the woman beside him seemed familiar. He spoke up, “Mrs. Hudson?”

Ellis awkwardly touched her face when she heard that. She had been single for a month now, but it was inevitable for her to still meet people who would address her as Mrs. Hudson. Yet, it made her feel extremely awkward when being greeted that way in a work venue.

“Uncle Zion, it’s Ms. Harper, not Mrs. Hudson,” Morty corrected.

Before Ellis could figure out how to respond to Zion, Morty spoke up first. She instinctively glanced at him, feeling even more awkward.

After making sure he hadn’t mistaken her for someone else, Zion addressed her directly, clearly recognizing her as Easton’s wife.

Noticing the confusion in his uncle’s eyes, Morty gave it a moment’s thought before adding, “Ms. Harper is single.” His uncle was usually too absorbed in work to pay attention to anything outside of it, so he probably hadn’t heard the rumors about Ellis and Easton’s divorce. Morty figured it was necessary to fill him in.

Upon hearing that, Zion immediately understood that Ellis was no longer Mrs. Hudson.

With Morty’s explanation, Ellis might as well have been handed the keys to an entire castle, which was built entirely out of secondhand embarrassment. Her toes practically curled from the sheer awkwardness, but she forced it down and managed a calm smile. “Mr. Zion.”

Sensing the subtle tension in the air, Lois smoothly shifted the conversation, steering it away from the uncomfortable moment. Though the awkwardness was still there, Ellis was grateful for the perfect excuse to escape—work. Without hesitation, she went off to find the other coordinator, calling both company liaisons together to discuss and confirm details. The last thing she needed was another unexpected surprise.