Chapter 76: A Night Out Gone Awry

The other end of the phone remained silent, halting Morty’s endless chatter. He decided to check. “Easton, are you there!”

Easton was indeed there, collecting his thoughts. His expression slowly relaxed. “Whatever they said, you don’t need to relay it to me.”

Maya, being Ellis’s best friend, had helped draft her divorce papers and even spoke on Ellis’s behalf about the divorce. Ellis liked to stir things up, and Maya was always by her side, so their discussions weren’t surprising.

What was troublesome was the increasing number of people who knew Ellis was using the divorce to provoke him. He couldn’t help but verify the rumors with him.

“But…” Morty turned, looking at a vague figure in the distance. “Are you and Mrs. Hudson really getting a divorce? I saw Mrs. Hudson and Maya being hit on by some guys. They were chatting back and forth with the flirters, as if they were out looking for a good time.”

“Forget what you heard tonight. Don’t ask me stupid questions like that again, and I don’t want to hear any more nonsense from you,” Easton warned coldly. “Or I’ll make sure you regret it.”

The last photo Morty sent was undeniable: the atmosphere between Ellis and Casey in the photo seemed… off. But cameras can deceive, and Easton had looked into it thoroughly. Ellis was working for Lois, tasked with attending to Casey, and there was nothing inappropriate between them.

Regardless of Morty’s intentions, Easton didn’t need them. On the matter of infidelity, he had unconditional trust that Ellis would never betray him.

“I’m not talking nonsense; I have photos as proof!” Morty pulled his phone away from his ear and switched to speaker. “I’ve taken more photos this time, sending them to you on WhatsApp.”

“Is Ellis a public figure, and are you the paparazzi? Why are you always taking photos of her doing nothing?” Easton felt particularly displeased at that moment. “Why do I get the feeling you’re hoping Ellis betrays me?”

Morty had taken photos more than once. If it weren’t for their two decades of friendship and the strong emotional foundation they’d built since childhood, Easton would suspect Morty of having ulterior motives.

With a warning followed by a question, Morty’s fingers hesitated on the send-photo option, and he tried to appease Easton with a nervous chuckle. “Easton, you’ve got it wrong…”

Easton scoffed. “Is it really me who’s mistaken, or are you just too idle? Also, Ellis splashed you with a drink, and you’re telling me this, expecting me to retaliate on your behalf?”

He knew Ellis’s temperament from three years of close quarters; he didn’t need anyone else to stress it.

Morty’s smile faded, his facial muscles tensing slightly. “I misspoke and upset Mrs. Hudson. I wasn’t asking you to retaliate. Just that… I wanted to spend more time with Mrs. Hudson, to endure her like you do, bearing with her as your wife.”

Hearing the almost sympathetic words, Easton felt a deep dislike for Morty for the first time and pursed his lips to ask, “Do you even know what boundaries are?”

Morty began to speak, but Easton cut him off. “Shut up!” he said, not wanting to hear another word, and hung up immediately.

The screen indicated the call had ended. Morty reopened his photo gallery to review the shots he’d taken earlier. Though he couldn’t send the photos, they might still be useful for something else.

He zoomed in on a photo, edited it, and saved it. He brushed off the moisture on his jacket and looked into the distance for a while before leaving the bar.

Throughout his call with Easton, Morty was still on the bar’s second floor. Despite the distance, Ellis and Maya could still see him.

Chapter 76: A Night Out Gone Awry (Continued)

As he left, Maya complained. Even a joke as childish as…

Ellis was focused elsewhere, her eyes sweeping over the drinks and food menu. “Does your membership card cover these for free!”

The complimentary membership covered some spending, and Maya called over a server to inquire. Learning that it would cost extra, they promptly left.

Afterwards, Maya cursed. “Such a cheapskate! I splashed him with a drink that was…”

Ellis remarked with a dry retort. “If only I had a bucket of water…”

“Let’s drop the sleazebag,” Maya offered, holding up a drink. “Here! Not going home sober!”

With a civil affairs appointment the next day, neither might get to sleep.

The next morning, bright and early, at the civil affairs office, she looked around, genuinely surprised. Only a few hours of sleep. Her face was lit with joy, as if relieved, yet odd remnants of…

(The remaining text "Send Gifts 19 247 PM c" appears unrelated and is omitted.)