Chapter 131:
âMr. Dawson, I made a mistake recommending Miss Curtis as Milfordâs tutor. Sheâs leading him astray,â Raymond began to complain about Eileenâs lack of responsibility.
Bryan raised an eyebrow at him and remarked, âDo you find yourself with too much idle time?â
Raymond quickly realized his error in speaking ill of Eileen in front of Bryan.
He immediately clamped his mouth shut and stepped aside, awaiting further instructions.
Later, in the study, after Raymond left, before Milford even touched his game console, Eileen was already on her phone. Milford noticed this and frowned.
âAre you here to tutor me or to play on your phone?â he asked.
Without looking up, Eileen replied, âDidnât you mention that you werenât interested in my tutoring? Iâm accommodating that. Is there an issue?â
Milford was left speechless. Although he had indeed expressed disinterest, it irked him to see Eileen doing nothing.
âYou could at least cover for me,â Eileen said, even encouraging him to play games.
She continued to browse her phone, but suddenly, Milford grabbed it from her.
âIf you really want to cover for me, you need to refund the tutoring fees to me and tell Bryan that Iâll start attending sessions at your education agency. But I wonât actually go there, and you should just leave me be,â Milford said.
Eileen immediately rejected the idea. âNo way!â
âThen this is immoral!â Milford retorted angrily.
Your source of stories: galnÏvðls.ððð âIâm paid to tutor me, yet here you are, just scrolling through your phone. Thatâs hardly fair!â
âAnd still, here I am,â Eileen countered. âMy agency is top-rated in Wist Land. If I donât tutor you, no one else will risk their reputation. Iâm not concerned about your family cutting off payments, even if your grades donât improve.â
Milford couldnât come up with a response and just glared at Eileen in frustration.
Eileen handed him the game console and said, âDonât waste more time. Go ahead and continue to play! I donât want to squander any of my time here. I earn a thousand an hourâthatâs four thousand for each evening. I make a lot just to scroll on my phone. Jealous, arenât you? Thatâs the advantage of being well-educated and skilled.â
After her remark, Eileen resumed scrolling her phone, oblivious to Milfordâs reaction.
Milford abruptly covered her phone with his hand, proposing, âHow about we split the fees fifty-fifty? I can take all the money. Why should I share it with you?â
Eileen brushed his hand aside and turned away from him.
Milford scowled and retorted, âYouâre only inviting trouble. I wonât let you earn this money so easily.â
With that, he turned his attention back to his game console.
Time flew by, and before Eileen knew it, the tutoring session had come to an end. A thought about Bryanâs earlier comments suddenly flickered through her mind.
But she quickly brushed the thought aside.
She then gathered her belongings and bid Milford farewell.
Milford just ignored her.
However, no sooner had Eileen left the room than Milford pushed aside his game console. He retrieved his phone and began scouring the internet. Shortly thereafter, he jotted down a number and made a call.
âHello. Is this Sanchez Education Agency? Iâm not inquiring about tutoring services. Instead, I have information on your competitorâs unprofessional behavior. This might interest you,â Milford said.
It was nine in the evening. Darkness enveloped the outside, but the villaâs interior was awash with light. The grand chandelier cast a daylight-like glow across the living room. Eileen descended the stairs, her gaze wandering through the spacious house. As she passed a second-floor room, the roomâs door suddenly swung open, and before she could react, she was pulled inside.
She was then pressed against the wall. The light was off inside, and the room darkened as the door almost closed, leaving only a crack of light.
Eileen, regaining her composure, looked up into the eyes of the man before her.
Bryan placed a hand on her waist, his scent enveloping her.
âHave you thought it over?â he asked.
Eileen slowly shook her head and responded, âI have nothing to say to you.â
âIs that so?â Bryan tilted her chin upward, forcing her eyes to meet his. âDo you need me to remind you?â
His grip tightened, causing her discomfort. Eileen jerked her head away. âNo reminders needed. I told you, I have nothing to say to you!â
Bryan arched an eyebrow and sneered slightly, âSo, youâre not planning to return my suit jacket?â
Realization dawned on Eileen, and her eyes widened. She had indeed packed Bryanâs suit jacket but had left it behind in the afternoon rush.
She quickly said, âSorry, I forgot to take it with me today. Iâll bring it along next time Iâm here for tutoring.â
Moonlight streamed through the window, illuminating Eileenâs face. Bryan could feel the warmth of Eileenâs skin from his hand on her.
His breathing grew heavier, and he struggled to control himself.
He turned away abruptly, and with a frosty tone, he commanded, âGet out!â
Eileen didnât hesitate; she bolted from the room, hurried down the stairs, changed into her shoes, and exited the house.
His touch had ignited something primal within her, causing her face to flush deeply.
However, his icy voice had snapped her back to reality.
It was late, and the streets were nearly empty. Eileen quickly drove home in half an hour. She briefly acknowledged Phoebe upon arrival before rushing to her own room.
On Tuesday, Eileen spent her morning creating a series of study guide videos for Aaron. Despite Aaronâs excellent exam scores and admission to a prestigious high school, Harlan continued to secure tutoring for him.
Currently, Aaronâs tutoring was primarily conducted online by Eileen, which significantly reduced the costs.
In the afternoon, Eileen prepared for her evening tutoring session with Denzelâs daughter, dedicating her entire day to work.
Arriving punctually at Denzelâs residence in the evening, Eileen immediately sensed something was amiss.
Even though Denzelâs wife, Ryann Vance, was already in her forties, she appeared strikingly youthful, easily passing for someone a decade younger.
Denzel was evidently very attentive to his wife, taking charge of their daughterâs academic needs and tutoring arrangements himself while his wife generally spent her days out.
However, today was unusualâRyann was at home and fixated on Eileen from the moment Eileen walked in.
âMrs. Vance,â Eileen greeted her calmly.
But Ryann responded with a dismissive snort. âYou are so young and look inexperienced. Can you truly teach effectively? And since weâve never met, how do you know Denzelâsâ¦â
Eileen replied, âYour child has a group photo with you on her desk. Moreover, whether Iâm effective as a teacher will become evident over time.â
As it hadnât been long since Eileen started tutoring Denzelâs daughter, Adalma Vance, the girl hadnât yet shown significant academic progress.
There wasnât much Eileen could present immediately to alleviate Ryannâs skepticism regarding her teaching skills.
Ryann stood and approached Eileen with her arms crossed, her tone confrontational. âWhat if you end up wasting our time? Will you pay us back for what weâve lost? And if Adalma doesnât improve, who will take responsibility?â
âMrs. Vance, our agency provides certain guarantees concerning our tutoring effectiveness. Furthermore, Mr. Vance has extensively reviewed our student improvement rates and chose me as your daughterâs tutor after careful consideration,â Eileen said.
She had fielded similar inquiries from Denzel before and could sense a deeper motive behind Mrs. Vanceâs sudden intense scrutiny of the tutoring arrangement.
âMrs. Vance, please be assured, I have a contract with Mr. Vance. Should your daughterâs academic performance not improve, we will fulfill our obligations as stipulated,â Eileen said.
Sadly, her earnestness seemed to fall on deaf ears.
âWhat exactly does âfulfill our obligationsâ mean? It sounds like youâll have the final word!â Ryannâs disdain for Eileen was palpable.
Eileen asked directly, âWhat exactly are you asking for?â
Caught off guard, Ryann paused before responding, âI expect a guarantee that my daughter will gain admission to a reputable high school. Should she not, you should resign from teaching!â
âWould a mere verbal promise truly reassure you?â Eileen said. âIf you already doubt my ability, would my assurances change your mind?â
âYou speak too smoothly to be trustworthy!â Mrs. Vance snorted. âI wonder if there have been complaints about your professionalism. It seems youâve fooled many with your words!â
Complaints?
Stunned, Eileen quickly regained her composure and said, âMrs. Vance, you are welcome to investigate both my background and the agencyâs credentials. And remember, sometimes people make such claims with ulterior motives.â
Eileen knew that families of students she had long tutored, who had seen clear improvements, wouldnât believe such allegations.
However, for the Vances, who were her new clients, the allegations might carry more weight.
âI donât need your advice. Iâve been shown enough proof,â Ryann retorted. âYou need not continue tutoring today. My husband and I will discuss whether to proceed.â
Then, she signaled to a servant nearby.
The latter immediately opened the door for Eileen.
After a pause, Eileen placed a document on the table. âI respect your decision. Meanwhile, this study material might help Adalina. Please have her look over it.â
Without waiting for Ryannâs reply, Eileen turned and left.
Earlier in the year, her agency hadnât been well-known, but after several students had dramatically improved their grades under her guidance, it had gained prominence.
Eileen couldnât help but wonder if envy over their newfound success was driving this hostility.
And what exactly was the convincing evidence Ryann had referred to?
Eileen couldnât unravel the mystery. She headed home. Phoebe was visibly surprised to see her back so early.
âWerenât you supposed to be at Denzelâs for tutoring?â Phoebe asked.
âSomeone made complaints about me, accusing me of being unprofessional, so they suspended the session,â Eileen explained as she removed her coat and headed to the kitchen. She poured herself a glass of water, wanting to relax a bit.
Phoebe got up from the sofa, her expression one of disbelief. âWhat did you do?â
âIâd love to know myself what supposedly caused this,â Eileen responded, downing the water quickly. At that moment, her phone rang.
It was Bailee calling. Eileen picked up the call immediately.
âEileen, a lot of our clients who had scheduled sessions are canceling. Some arenât even asking for their deposits back. Whatâs happening?â Bailee said.
Only then did Eileen grasp the gravity of the situation.
âJust look after Mom. Iâll handle this matter,â Eileen reassured Bailee. Then, she briefly inquired about Rubyâs ongoing electroconvulsive therapy before ending the call.
Observing Eileenâs troubled demeanor, Phoebe voiced a suggestion. âThis looks like major trouble. Maybe you should reach out to Bryan for help?â
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