Chapter 216: Who’s That Flower From?

“Mom, what were you and Carly talking about?”

“Didn’t you hear us?”

Halfway through the phone call, Easton had arrived, and Sophia couldn’t believe her son hadn’t caught the tail end of her conversation with Carly. Yet, as soon as she finished speaking, Easton’s expression grew even darker.

Sophia frowned in confusion. “If you’re just here to give me attitude, you can go back. I’m not welcoming you today.”

Lately, Easton had been visiting so often that Sophia was reminded of the saying, “Too much familiarity breeds contempt.”

Easton pursed his lips. “Is Carly trying to set Ellis up with another man again?”

“Yes, Carly…” Before she could finish, Sophia replayed the last few words Easton had grumbled, almost spat out between clenched teeth: “Carly’s all about finding Ellis a match while she’s still young; can’t drag it out.”

It’s true; it’s easier to find someone when you’re young—first by quantity, then by quality, selecting the best from among them.

“Carly’s spent most of her life unmarried and childless, so eager to find men for Ellis. Why doesn’t she find someone for herself?” Easton ended with a mocking snort.

“Carly is your elder; show some respect when you speak about her!” Sophia scolded.

On the surface, Carly seemed to cherish her freedom, unwilling to be tied down by marriage or shoulder the responsibilities of a family, opting for a life without marriage or children. In reality, though, Sophia knew the backstory.

Carly had a congenital physical condition that stunted her uterus development. When she was young, she had been in love and engaged, but the relationship ended disastrously when a pre-marital health check revealed she couldn’t have children, leading to her fiancé calling off the wedding. Since then, she’d lost faith in love.

Although Easton didn’t know all this, his words were still too harsh: Carly was, after all, a blood relative and an elder.

“I’m respectful enough,” Easton said thoughtfully, playing with a teacup in his hand.

“Sure! You’re just like your stubborn father, always trying to upset me?” Sophia was so annoyed seeing Easton that she turned away and headed for the elevator to go upstairs, leaving him behind.

Watching his mother’s retreating figure, Easton brewed himself a pot of tea. The tea was fresh, its fragrance somewhat reminiscent of Ellis’s unique scent. Strange, very strange indeed!

He was increasingly bothered by the thought of Ellis finding a new love through Carly’s meddling, a man taking his place. The complex flood of emotions was tinged with concern.

It irked him how quickly Ellis seemed to have moved on from their divorce, drawing a stark line between them, as if she’d go out of her way to avoid him, pretending not to see him at all. Moreover, if he ignored her, she would definitely ignore him back.

This was a new and complex feeling, one he couldn’t share with anyone. Drinking the hot tea didn’t ease the heaviness in his heart.

In today’s fast-paced world, Ellis had grown fond of online shopping. Previously, everything was delivered to her door by personal couriers; now, to save money, her lifestyle had drastically changed. Besides, online shopping was cheaper than physical stores, and she hardly had time to browse in person. Deliveries were often signed for by the property management staff, so when she received a call from a delivery person, she instinctively asked them to leave it with the property management.

However, the delivery person insisted, “Ms. Harper, it’s a valuable item, and you need to sign for it yourself.”

“I’m not sure of the exact value, but the packaging has Armani, Gucci, and Chanel logos on it,” the delivery person said, looking at the parcel beside him.

Hearing this, Ellis was puzzled. Since separating from Easton, she hadn’t bought anything from those brands. But this delivery person had served her several times before; the chance of a mistake was slim. Which store is playing a joke, using luxury brand logos as wrapping paper!

“I’m at work now, not at home! Come by on Saturday noon,” she said, unable to sign in person today as she anticipated working late into the night.

“Okay.”

After hanging up, Ellis placed her phone back down. Unexpectedly, her phone rang again, this time from an unfamiliar number. She normally wouldn’t have answered, but the caller ID suggested it was related to delivery or takeaway, so she picked up.

“Hello, I’m calling from the florist. Are you Ms. Harper?”

Listening to the caller, Ellis was bewildered. Her recent online purchases were just a few household items—she hadn’t ordered flowers. Why would a florist be calling me?