Wendy frowned and asked coldly, "Client? What job do you have?"


    "Wait. Seriously? Didn''t you say that Zachary''s your husband? How can you not know what he does for a living?" Ellen chimed in.


    She even added mischievously, "Poor Zac. No wonder you needed me as your best friend! But don''t worry. I won''t be like your wife. I''ll even take good care of you!"


    Wendy lost her temper. "That''s enough, Ellen! I''m talking to my husband! What does that have to do with you?"


    "I''m talking to my best friend. How does that concern you?" Ellen rolled her eyes at Wendy.


    Then, she shifted her attention to Ethan and teased, "Ethan, are you even a man? Wendy is furious right now! Aren''t you going to calm her down?"


    Ethan was struck speechless. His face showed a trace of awkwardness.


    After hesitating, he said softly, "Wendy, let it go. Everyone''s watching. If there''s something to discuss, let''s do it privately."


    Ellen smirked and gave Ethan a thumbs-up. "See? Ethan''s got a good sense of things. He knows that it''s unwise to air grievances in public. Wendy, you should learn from him."


    Ethan frowned, unsure if Ellen wasplimenting or mocking him.


    Wendy suppressed her anger and fell silent. Perhaps she had realized that if she were to continue, it would only turn into a public spectacle.


    "Alright, alright. We all used to be ssmates here! It''s been a while since we''ve met up. How about we just enjoy the night?" Joseph interjected again to ease the atmosphere.


    This time, Wendy didn''t respond angrily. Ethan also held himself back and barely interacted with Wendy for the rest of the meal.


    The other ssmates gradually rxed and began to talk about their work and marriage. As they shared theirints and sesses, the atmosphere grew lively again.


    When the meal ended, a few tipsy ssmates started moring to go for a karaoke session. Joseph''s heart skipped a beat as he uneasily nced at Wendy and Ellen.


    He was all for unwinding with some singing. However, he was worried that those two ticking time bombs might tag along.


    Ellen''s eyes lit up as she yfully tugged on Zachary''s arm. "Zac, I''d love to go sing too!"


    Zachary hesitated and was about to decline. However, Ellen shot him a meaningful look and pinched his arm hard.


    Zachary sighed in pain and nodded.


    Ellen beamed delightfully and eximed, "You''re the best, Zac! Later, you and I have to sing a duet to the song ''Marry You.""


    "Sure!"


    Since he had already agreed, Zachary decided to go all in.


    Meanwhile, Wendy sat on his left, clenching her fists beneath the table. Her eyes shed with anger, and it seemed as if she was about to


    e.  t


    Watching Ellen stirring things up again, Joseph felt a headache


    set


    to go, he hoped that the other wouldn''t join them.


    "Wendy, you don''t look so good. How about you..."


    Before Joseph could finish his


    sentence, Wendy interrupted and said, "Since everyone''s so


    stic, it would be rude for me to skip out. I''ll go too!"


    "Well..."


    Joseph wanted to back out. But since he was the organizer, he found it hard to leave.


    He looked at Zachary and then at Ethan. It seemed as if he was begging Ethan to take Wendy away.


    Ethan''s expression darkened, and he ignored Joseph''s silent request.


    Wendy''s insistence on tagging along was clearly because of Zachary. This stirred up Ethan''s frustration.