Hi Ex, Your Uncle Is My Hubby Now - Chapter 77: Chapter 77

"The train leaves at ten—only an hour and a half left. I need to go now." Ruth grabbed her bag and was out the door.
Irene grabbed her keys and rushed after her. "I'll drive you to the train station," she said.
Ruth waved her hand dismissively. "No need to give me a ride, Irene. I've booked an Uber—it'll pick me up outside the community at 8:30. I can get there myself."
Ruth dashed off in her usual whirlwind manner.
Irene just stood there in the living room, completely stunned.
Irene thought in disbelief, 'Wait, who taught Grandma how to use Uber?
'Just how many hidden talents does Grandma still have up her sleeve?'
Arriving at the office, Irene was still reeling from Ruth's shocking revelation.
Anthony saw her sitting blankly at her desk and teased, "Daydreaming this early? Got a crush on someone?"
Irene shared with Anthony what had happened with Ruth.
Anthony listened, clearly impressed. "From what you've told me about Ruth—how she worked as a village doctor, trekking through the mountains to find herbs, traveling far and wide all these years—she really puts both of us to shame, doesn't she?
"Tech gadgets? She can pick those up in no time."
Anthony took out his phone and asked Irene, "Which train is Ruth taking? I'll have my family arrange someone to pick her up and take her to Byress Church."
"Princess Anthony," Irene said with a smile, "you're such a sweetheart."
Given how close they were, Irene didn't stand on ceremony with Anthony.
Seeing Irene holding her car keys, looking like she was about to head out, Anthony asked, "Going to meet a client?"
Irene nodded. "I just heard back from Charles—I passed the preliminary screening. He wants to meet at ten to discuss the details, so I'm heading over now."
Anthony said excitedly, "That's our brilliant Irene! Can't wait to hear your good news."
Irene arrived five minutes early at the designated location—an upscale club.
But instead of Devin, the assistant she'd only met once at the hotel, Irene was greeted by an unexpected acquaintance.
She called out, "Ms. Webb?"
Kelly looked up at the sound, pleasantly surprised. "Well, it's really you, Irene. Please, have a seat."
Irene immediately felt at ease—things always went smoother when you knew the person you were dealing with.
After taking her seat, Irene asked Kelly, "Where's Mr. Crawford? I thought he'd be meeting me today—how come it's you instead?"
Kelly said, "Since you're the cousin of the guy I have a crush on, I'll let you in on a little secret."
Kelly smiled mysteriously and leaned in to tell Irene, "Mr. Crawford's boss? Actually, that's my cousin, Charles—the heir to the Webb family.
"Charles and his fiancée just got engaged—this will be their matrimonial home. His fiancée has severe social anxiety, so I'd suggest researching what people with social anxiety prefer in a living space."
Kelly said encouragingly, "If you can land this deal, it'll give your career a huge boost."
By sharing insider information about Charles, Kelly was clearly treating her as family.
Irene smiled gratefully, immediately getting the hint. "I'll have Austin remove you from his block list today."
Kelly immediately broke into a delighted smile. "Thank you so much, Irene! I'll be counting on you to look out for me from now on.
"Whether I can win Austin's heart depends entirely on your skills as my wingwoman."
Irene was two years younger than Kelly, and they hit it off.
But since Kelly wanted to thank her properly, Irene gladly accepted.
"I have other clients to meet, so I'll excuse myself for now," Kelly said as she stood up and left the booth. Irene noticed she didn't head for the exit, but instead turned right down the corridor toward another private room.
After finishing the last sip of her coffee, Irene grabbed her bag and stepped out of the booth—only to find herself locking eyes with Aiden, who was just emerging from a private room at the end of the corridor.
Both of them were taken aback.
Aiden looked surprised as he spotted her. "Miss Jackson? What are you doing here?"