Chapter 105: Chapter 105

Chapter 105:

Eileen, unable to maintain eye contact with Bryan, spoke first.

“Mr. Meyer mentioned that his friend’s house was vacant, so he asked me to watch over it for him to return a favor.”

“I’m aware,” Bryan replied in a steady tone, leaning against the door frame as he watched Jacob make a call.

After a brief conversation, Jacob hung up and motioned for Bryan. “Let’s go.”

Eileen turned to grab her suitcase and locked the door. She hesitated when she saw Jacob and Bryan waiting by their cars.

“Don’t worry. I’m not that clueless,” Jacob teased with a slight smile, signaling for Eileen to go to Bryan’s car. Getting into his car, Jacob started the engine.

Eileen made her way to the back seat of Bryan’s car, keeping her head down. As she prepared to get in, she heard Bryan say, “Sit in the front.”

She paused, then moved to the passenger seat.

The eastern part of the city used to be deserted. Since the inauguration of Vicin Mall, numerous condos and villas had emerged around it, establishing this neighborhood as the upscale district in Onaland.

The Land Rover drove along the road, with dense trees on both sides, blocking the sunlight.

Eileen occasionally glanced at Bryan, who sat at the wheel. His expression was cold and his jaw clenched. At a traffic light, Bryan watched Jacob accelerate toward the yellow light at the last moment.

His frown deepened as he stopped the car. Suddenly, his phone rang. It was Jacob calling.

Your new favorite stories are at gαℓησν𝒆𝓁s․com Glancing at Eileen, Bryan turned off the Bluetooth and answered the call, holding the phone to his left ear.

Jacob said, “It cost me twenty million dollars to snag this house overnight. I’d say I did quite well, don’t you agree?”

Eileen could barely make out Jacob’s voice, his words indistinct.

“If you’ve got something to say, just say it!” Bryan said firmly.

“Pay me back, or else…” Without hesitation, Jacob pushed down on the accelerator to see if Bryan could catch up with him.

With a chuckle, Bryan ended the call, casually putting the phone on the armrest, where it slipped into the gap between the seats.

As the traffic light turned green, he accelerated, sneaking a quick glance at the phone wedged in the crevice.

Suddenly, a hand reached into the gap but struggled to retrieve the phone due to the awkward angle.

Eileen leaned in closer, resting her head against Bryan’s side, and made another attempt to retrieve the phone.

A faint whiff of her scent reached his nostrils, causing his Adam’s apple to bob.

“Here you go,” Eileen said as she put the phone in the glove box, breathing a sigh of relief.

Bryan didn’t say anything.

In the distance, Eileen observed Jacob’s car speeding up, but Bryan’s quickly caught up and surpassed Jacob’s vehicle.

Both cars accelerated simultaneously, but it was clear that Jacob couldn’t keep up with Bryan. It wasn’t until they pulled up in front of a duplex house that Eileen suddenly realized something: Jacob’s friend must be wealthy.

The house, spanning two floors, boasted simple yet elegant décor, with each floor covering nearly three hundred square meters.

“This house is absolutely stunning. Why would your friend be so generous as to let someone else stay and watch over it?” Eileen exclaimed, her eyes wandering in awe over the lavish furnishings and elegant décor after entering the house.

Jacob explained, “He wanted me to find someone trustworthy, and you’re the one. Here are the keys.”

Jacob handed Eileen the house keys, gesturing towards a drawer by the door. “There are more than a dozen rooms, and each room’s key is in that drawer.”

“Got it,” Eileen replied, feeling a sense of responsibility settling over her. She then turned around and noticed Bryan descending the stairs.

Approaching Eileen, Bryan said, “The room on the right side of the second floor gets the best sunlight. You can stay there.”

Eileen hesitated, a flicker of concern crossing her features. “I care. That must be the master bedroom. I’ll just find a room on the first floor to stay in. I won’t go upstairs.”

Seeing her hesitation, Bryan remained silent, exchanging a brief glance with Jacob.

Jacob swiftly said, “Actually, my friend plans to sell the house when he returns from abroad. You can choose any room you like.”

He flashed an awkward smile, having improvised his explanation on the spot.

Sensing Eileen’s hesitation, he added, “Just pick the room on the second floor. It might be more convenient for Bryan to spend nights here.”

Jacob’s words made Eileen blush, even though there was no need to hide their relationship from Jacob.

Eileen felt slightly better that Jacob’s tone suggested that he considered she and Bryan as a couple.

Jacob insisted that they all stay for lunch at the house.

He even encouraged Bryan to get Eileen a housewarming gift.

But Bryan simply handed Eileen a card, his tone devoid of any emotion as he said, “No gift is more valuable than money.”

He maintained his composure, though his sincerity was lacking.

Eileen’s heart sank as she looked at the card, but she accepted it with a smile.

Without lifting her head, she said, “Thank you, Mr. Dawson. How about we have a meal another day? I don’t think there are any ingredients here. If I go buy some and cook, it will be too late for lunch.”

It was nearly noon.

Upon hearing that, Bryan glanced at Eileen, then rose from his seat and left the room, followed quickly by Jacob, who said, “Dude, can’t you be nicer? You’ve done so much for her without her even knowing; why do you always speak to her so harshly?”

“I was just stating the truth,” Bryan replied coldly.

He knew in his heart that Eileen only loved his money.

In the Warren Group, as soon as Benjamin stepped out of the elevator, he spotted Vivian approaching. Instinctively, he hesitated, considering retreating back into the elevator.

But Vivian had already spotted him. “Benjamin, come here,” she said.

Forced to comply, Benjamin mustered a smile and walked over to Vivian. “Miss Warren, how can I help you?”

“I asked you to find out which department Eileen works in. Why haven’t I received any information about that?” Vivian’s patience had worn thin after two days of waiting for a response from Benjamin.

Benjamin’s expression froze for a moment. Then, he quickly replied, “Apologies, Miss Warren. I completed my investigation, but I forgot to inform you.”

He took out his phone, opened his chat with the Vicin Mall manager, and handed his phone to Vivian. “The manager couldn’t find an employee named Eileen in their secretary department.”

Glancing briefly at the phone, Vivian returned it to Benjamin and said, “Since she wasn’t found in the secretary department, you should investigate other departments. It’s a straightforward task; don’t tell me you didn’t know that.”

“Well…” Benjamin hesitated for a moment before replying, “Eileen used to be a special assistant. It doesn’t seem likely that she would take a position as a frontline employee. Vicin Mall has numerous frontline employees, and I didn’t want to trouble the manager to check every staff member.”

His words prompted Vivian to reconsider the situation. If Eileen had indeed started working at Vicin Mall, would she really take a job as just a frontline employee?

Vivian found herself contemplating the possibilities.

She began, “I figure it might be…”

“Mr. Warren,” Benjamin’s respectful voice interrupted Vivian, drawing Vivian’s attention to Kian standing behind her, his expression clouded with displeasure.

“Kian!” Vivian called, her tone softening as she walked over to him. “I’m just curious where Eileen has been transferred to.”

With a somber expression, Kian instructed Benjamin, “Go and carry on with your work.”

Guiding Vivian into his office, he asked in a low tone, “Do you still feel like you haven’t let out all your anger? Or do you still suspect there’s something between Eileen and Bryan?”

“Both,” Vivian didn’t hold back. “Even if Eileen’s cut ties with Bryan, I won’t let her off easily! And if she hasn’t, it gives me even more reason to find her!”

With frustration evident, Kian looked at Vivian and asked, “Do you want to seek revenge on Eileen, or do you want Bryan to be your husband?”

“Of course I want Bryan to be my husband!” Vivian replied without hesitation.

“Then you should think about how to capture Bryan’s heart. That’s what counts the most! If you have the energy to search for Eileen, channel it into making Bryan care about you more and marrying you sooner,” Kian said.

Vivian understood Kian’s point, but she just couldn’t help but want to see how miserable Eileen was now!

Kian’s frustration was palpable, disappointment evident in his eyes. Noticing her reluctance, he added, “If you don’t heed my advice, I won’t be there to help you in the future.”

Hearing that, Vivian quickly reached out, grasping Kian’s arm. “Kian, I’ll listen to you, I promise. Go find Bryan; I’ll be by his side every day from now on.”

There was a flicker of concern in Kian’s eyes, and he didn’t feel angry anymore.

He knew Vivian remained oblivious to the fact that she no longer held a place in his heart. If she failed to win Bryan back, all of his previous efforts would be in vain.

On her first night in the new house, Eileen found it difficult to drift off to sleep.

The unfamiliar surroundings wrapped around her like a cloak, and the gentle glow of the ceiling light offered scant comfort.

The empty rooms seemed to magnify her sense of unease.

With a sigh, she glanced at the card Bryan had given her, feeling a mix of sadness and disappointment as she delicately traced her fingers over its surface.

Outside, the chilly winter wind whistled a melancholic tune.

Suddenly, there was a sharp ring of the doorbell.

Hesitating for a moment, Eileen quickly threw on a thin sweater and hurried to the door.

As she swung the door open, she was met with a flurry of snowflakes dancing in the air and the unexpected sight of a tall figure standing before her.

“Mr. Dawson?” Eileen stepped aside to allow Bryan to enter. His presence brought with it a rush of cold air that cut through her thin pajamas, making her shiver involuntarily.

Eileen closed the door behind him.

“Go buy me some necessities tomorrow,” Bryan stated matter-of-factly as he shrugged off his overcoat, hanging it by the door with practiced ease. His gaze briefly flickered over the ill-fitting slippers before he put them on.

A tense silence hung in the air as Eileen pondered his words.

Was he implying that he intended to stay here?

The thought of him being here occasionally unsettled Eileen.

She couldn’t comprehend his actions. He clearly held her in low regard and was upset with her because of Roderick, so why was he seeking her out again?

Abruptly, he paused and turned to face her, his silhouette cast in a deeper shadow under the dim light.

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