Chapter 141: Chapter 141

Chapter 141:

The worst-case scenario was enduring the situation until Eileen finished tutoring Milford for three months. Or perhaps Bryan would return to Onaland before that, and Eileen believed she could make it through.

Eileen’s expression was fierce, but Bryan remained unfazed.

Instead of being angry, he laughed, taking a drag on his cigarette and blowing the smoke directly into Eileen’s face.

“It’s got nothing to do with whether you’re short of money or not. I’m a despicable person. I’ll do as I please!” he said.

The smoke induced violent coughing from Eileen. She broke free from his grip on her chin, only to clutch his fingers tightly as she coughed.

As she leaned down, his arms wrapped around her slender waist.

Tears welled up in Eileen’s eyes. Seeing her distress, Bryan placed a cigarette between his lips and gently patted her back.

Concerned that the ashes of the cigarette might fall on her, he tilted his head slightly.

It took a while for Eileen’s coughing to stop. Realizing she was still holding Bryan’s hand, she angrily bit into it.

Bryan winced in pain, pulling the cigarette from his mouth. “Let go!”

Eileen refused, and Bryan didn’t withdraw his hand. Eileen didn’t let go until the metallic taste of blood filled her mouth.

With flushed cheeks, she said angrily, “I’m not afraid of you.”

The best stories are at gⱯlnσν𝒆𝓁s․𝒄𝗈𝗆 Bryan examined his bleeding wrist, clearly marked by Eileen’s bite, reminding him of the teeth marks he had left on her shoulder before in bed.

It would be a few more days before this could heal.

Suddenly, a mischievous idea crossed Bryan’s mind, causing his throat to tighten. Just then, a honk from outside interrupted his thoughts.

“Let’s wait and see,” Bryan declared before turning and walking away.

Meanwhile, inside the car, Raymond delivered a firm slap to Milford’s head. “Why did you do that?”

Clutching his head, Milford saw Bryan exiting, prompting him to hurriedly move from the passenger seat to the back.

In a hushed tone, he muttered, “I couldn’t see properly!”

In his attempt to get a better view, he had accidentally leaned forward and honked the horn.

“That’s not for you to see!” Raymond said. He swiftly unlocked the car to let Bryan in.

Bryan adjusted his tie and lounged back in his seat. Without leaning back, he addressed Milford. “You’re free to do as you please at home.”

“Understood,” Milford replied, grasping the implicit instruction.

Emmett was immediately ushered into his mother’s car, simmering with anger as he sat in a corner.

Mrs. Deleon showed little concern for him, opting to call Kian first.

“That woman is bothering Emmett now. She’s truly insufferable. But you needn’t fret too much; I gave her a piece of my mind today. She couldn’t utter a word, not even in front of Bryan—Bryan didn’t defend her. Perhaps he doesn’t take her seriously now,” she said to Kian.

After a moment of contemplation, Kian replied, “Maybe that’s his way of protecting her.”

Soon, Mrs. Deleon grasped Kian’s implication. “Do you believe so?”

“Regardless, please assist me in resolving this issue,” Kian said. Then he added, “Your husband has been in West Land for over a decade. He has no intention of returning. I’ll aid you in managing the family business.”

It was difficult to discern whether this statement served as a temptation or a threat. The Deleon family’s primary business operations were based in Onaland, predominantly intertwined with the Warren family. Consequently, Mrs. Deleon felt compelled to comply with Kian’s request.

“Okay, I’ll handle the situation with Eileen,” Mrs. Deleon quickly replied.

When she hung up the phone and saw Emmett’s livid face, she coaxed him patiently, “I’m doing this for your own good. I won’t hurt you. You should believe me, not an outsider, right?”

Emmett’s voice was edged with frustration. “I know you weren’t hurt, but she won’t hurt me either! We’re not what you think. You shouldn’t have lashed out at her like that. How am I supposed to face her now?”

“Do you still want to see her?” Mrs. Deleon’s expression turned dark.

“Absolutely not. As long as I’m alive, you won’t be able to see her again! She’s just a plaything for spoiled rich men. Do you really think she’s worth your time? Don’t drag our family through the mud.”

Emmett’s face drained of color with anger. “Mom, don’t talk about her like that! I don’t know what’s going on between her and Bryan, but Bryan? He’s not some saint. He’s got power, and I wouldn’t put it past him to force Eileen into whatever she did—ouch!”

“Enough with this! Do you even understand who Bryan is? I won’t let you make any more mistakes!” Mrs. Deleon’s voice rose in the confined space of the car.

Despite his mother’s heated words, Emmett remained steadfast in his belief that Eileen was a decent person. This time, his mother had crossed a line. Emmett knew he had to find a way to apologize to Eileen.

Eileen sank into the sofa, running her hands through her disheveled hair, lost in thought.

Her tranquil life here had been disrupted, and now she needed to gather her wits to find a way forward. Yet, despite the chaos, she found solace in the fact that she now wielded some power, unlike a year ago when she was completely at the mercy of others.

A sudden ringtone shattered the silence, pulling Eileen out of her reverie. Glancing at the phone screen, she quickly composed herself, suppressing the myriad of emotions bubbling within her.

It was Bailee calling. Excitedly, Bailee exclaimed, “Eileen! Come to the hospital! Mom is awake!”

Without hesitation, Eileen hung up the phone and started the car immediately.

With neon lights illuminating the quiet streets, she sped through the sparse traffic, disregarding two red lights in her haste to reach the hospital as quickly as possible.

Upon arrival, she found Ruby being wheeled into the operating room. Bailee was waiting outside the room, tears glistening in her eyes.

“How is she?” Eileen gasped for breath, halting beside Bailee.

Bailee quickly pulled Eileen down to sit beside her, a mixture of joy and sorrow evident on her face. “Mom just opened her eyes. She looked at me but didn’t respond when I called out to her. Luckily, Austen was still on duty, and he rushed her to the operating room.”

“Really?” Eileen’s face lit up with joy, and Bailee enveloped her in a tight embrace. Tears of relief streamed down their cheeks as they clung to each other.

After a while, the operating room’s lights were turned off, signaling the end of the procedure.

The doctor emerged, his smile warm and reassuring as he removed his mask. “Your mother’s vital signs have stabilized, and she has regained consciousness.”

Eileen couldn’t contain her emotions at Austen’s words.

Tears continued to flow freely down her cheeks.

“There’s also some less-than-ideal news,” Austen said, his tone grave. “While she’s regained consciousness, she’s not fully recovered. It will take time for her awareness to fully return. However, we can now initiate targeted cancer treatment.”

Ruby’s bodily functions had normalized, and her metabolism had resumed, indicating a resurgence of cancer cells. The targeted medication offered hope for effective treatment.

“Thank you, Dr. Patter,” Eileen said gratefully. Turning her gaze to Ruby, who was wheeled out of the operating room, she felt a surge of hope wash over her.

From a distance, Eileen could see Ruby’s eyes flicker open. Though devoid of any strong emotions, the mere presence of life within them brought a sense of relief.

With Bailee by her side, Eileen hurried over to assist in pushing Ruby back to the ward.

Austen then briefed Eileen on the various considerations and potential reactions associated with the targeted cancer treatment.

After about an hour of discussion, Eileen returned to Ruby’s bedside.

“Eileen, look, Mom’s conscious!” Bailee exclaimed eagerly.

Bailee turned to Ruby, her voice quivering with emotion. “Mom, if you can hear me, just blink your eyes.”

In response, Ruby blinked her eyes.

Tears cascaded down Eileen’s cheeks, but she made no move to wipe them away.

Although a feeble response, it was a promising start.

Coincidentally, it was the end of the week, allowing both Eileen and Bailee to remain by Ruby’s side in the ward for the next two days.

Ruby’s eyes remained open almost constantly, except when she drifted off to sleep.

As Sunday evening approached, Eileen prepared to return to work.

Holding Ruby’s hand, she spoke softly, “Mom, I’m heading back to work now. I’ll earn money to ensure you receive the best treatment. If you understand me, just blink your eyes.”

Ruby blinked in response.

With a sense of satisfaction, Eileen instructed Bailee to look after Ruby before leaving the hospital.

Perhaps because of the positive progress in Ruby’s condition, Eileen found herself in high spirits, brimming with energy as she tackled her tasks on Monday.

However, as the day progressed, she suddenly remembered her tutoring session in Bryan’s place scheduled for the evening. Bryan was still in West Land.

Eileen hesitated before deciding to send a message to Milford.

“Is Bryan at home tonight?”

“Are you coming to tutor me or see him?” Milford replied.

Eileen frowned at his response, choosing to sidestep the question. “Didn’t you mention meeting at the education agency today?” she asked, hoping to avoid going to Pianoforte Villas.

Yet, before she could further elaborate, Milford responded, “Nope, come to my place to tutor me.”

Milford’s response dashed any hopes Eileen had of avoiding Pianoforte Villas. With a resigned sigh, she packed her things and made her way there.

Upon arrival, she found the door slightly ajar. Despite calling out twice, there was no response. Bracing herself, she pushed the door open and stepped inside.

She scanned the room cautiously, alert for any sign of Milford, while also pondering if Bryan might be present.

After ensuring the coast was clear on the ground floor, she ascended to the second floor. As she glanced upwards, she caught sight of Milford emerging from the study on the top floor, clutching a textbook.

“Why the hesitation? I want to have the session on the top floor in the glass greenhouse. You’ve got two minutes to get there,” Milford declared, striding off without waiting for Eileen’s response.

Hurrying to keep pace, Eileen followed Milford into the greenhouse. But as she entered, her attention was drawn to the peculiar setup, similar to the one at Dawson Mansion.

However, instead of being filled entirely with flowers, one half housed an easel approximately two meters tall, now serving as an art studio.

Before Eileen could inquire about the painting on the easel, the door slammed shut behind her, leaving her startled. Turning around, she saw Milford outside, holding the key with a grin on his face.

.

.

.