Chapter 221: No Beauties Left!

Seeing the situation, Tom teased, “If Ms. Harper is considered ordinary, then I guess there are no beauties left in the world!”

Blushing at the compliment, Ellis covered her face, “That’s not true!”

“By the way, Tom, why do you always call her Ms. Harper and never introduce her by her first name?” a man asked.

Reminded by his friend, Tom tapped her forehead. “Look at my memory; I’ve just gotten used to calling her Ms. Harper. It slipped my mind to use her first name!”

Clearing his throat, he introduced her formally. “Ms. Harper’s full name is Ellis. She’s Carly’s foster daughter—Carly from the Hudson family. You guys know them, right?”

Carly wasn’t so famous that her name was instantly recognizable to everyone, but there was an unspoken understanding in high society: mentioning the Hudson family typically referred to Carly’s branch.

Tom’s introduction clicked; everyone suddenly understood Ellis’s background, and considering all the swirling gossip, the atmosphere froze for a few seconds in heavy silence.

Feeling the awkwardness, Ellis wished she could dig her toes into the ground.

The silence was broken by the man who had handed her a cocktail earlier. “So, you’re Ms. Carly’s foster daughter? She just visited my parents a few days ago.”

Not wanting to linger on the embarrassment, she followed up, “What did Carly want with your parents?”

“Ms. Carly asked my parents to arrange for us to meet,” the man said cryptically, making Ellis even more uncomfortable. “Meet-up, huh? It sounded more like a setup for a blind date.” The man in front of her was likely the suitor Carly had in mind for her.

As his words settled, Ellis noticed the subtle glances from others. She didn’t know exactly why they were looking, but she could guess it had something to do with Carly, probably all of Carly’s attempts to set her up on dates.

Still tied to high society, everywhere she went brought these awkward encounters; she was really over it.

Seeing Ellis’s discomfort becoming evident, Tom quickly changed the subject.

The conversation returned to its lively pace, but Ellis still felt uneasy. The man who had spoken to her earlier came to sit closer, making her toes itch to dig into the ground again.

Then, he pulled out his phone. “Ms. Harper, would you mind if I add you on WhatsApp?”

WhatsApp was the most popular social app, and adding someone on WhatsApp was a common social interaction. However, coming from Carly’s chosen suitor, the request seemed loaded with implications.

Aware of others watching, including Tom’s friend, she reluctantly took out her phone and showed her WhatsApp code. As soon as the friend request was accepted, the chat displayed the man’s name: Edric.

She glanced over at Edric. Catching her look, he didn’t shy away but allowed her to observe him openly. Their eyes met unintentionally, and Ellis’s toes, which had just stopped fidgeting, felt the urge to start again.

Given the awkwardness this gathering kept bringing, she decided it was best to make an excuse to leave.

As soon as she left, the conversation among the others turned back to her.

Tom, ever curious, turned to Edric. “Why did Carly ask your parents to set up a meeting between you and Ellis?”

A touch of allure to his downcast eyes, Edric said, “Ellis hasn’t told you, and it feels disrespectful to spill it myself,” then took a sip of his wine, his tongue briefly flicking over his lips as if savoring the taste.

“Come on, we’re all friends here. Why the secrecy?” Tom slapped Edric’s knee playfully as a sort of punishment for his silence. “If you don’t tell, you’re drinking three bottles!”

“Tom, haven’t you heard anything?” another friend, Ethan, chimed in. Tom looked at him.

“After stepping down as Easton’s wife, Carly’s been setting Ellis up with men for a second marriage,” Ethan glanced at Edric. “Unfortunately, Edric caught Carly’s eye and became a prospective son-in-law.”

Edric wasn’t as wealthy or influential as Easton and wasn’t the sole heir of his family business, which had long been promised to his sister, who currently held a nominal position with a hefty salary and dividends. Besides, his personal assets were worth billions!

Given these factors, it wasn’t surprising Carly was interested in Edric.

Tom’s expression conveyed a mixture of emotions. “Edric’s not exactly an ideal son-in-law, is he?”

From a woman’s perspective, Edric was suitable for dating, but marriage was a different story. His heart wasn’t settled, he wasn’t ready to give up his freedom, and his ambitions were too great for marriage.