Chapter 184: Chapter 184

Chapter 184:

Bryan grasped Eileen’s hand and headed directly for the store, declaring firmly, “I’ll go there with you.” He was holding her hand tightly, clearly wanting to spend more time with Eileen.

Their trip to the store was brief. They were in and out within five minutes. Eileen then retrieved the breakfast from the car and prepared to leave. Bryan’s emotions fluctuated dramatically, and the initial joy had dissipated quickly.

Upon entering the in-patient department, Eileen turned around to see that Bryan was still standing by the car.

Her heart felt as if it were brimming with sweetness. She was still smiling when she returned to the ward. After placing the breakfast on the table, Bailee glanced at it and immediately recognized that it had been bought outside the hospital. Furthermore, it must’ve been purchased from somewhere far away. She believed she already knew who had brought it here.

Milford was already awake by the time Eileen handed him the toiletries. She said to him, “Go freshen up. Breakfast is ready.”

“Got it,” Milford responded, taking the items and disappearing into the bathroom, where the sound of running water soon filled the air. Bailee took a seat and leaned in to whisper to Eileen, “What’s happening with this boy?” Her voice was barely audible.

“He’s just going through a rebellious phase. It’s nothing serious. I plan to have a talk with him later before sending him back,” Eileen replied, deciding it was time for a serious discussion with Milford. Bailee finished her breakfast swiftly and proceeded to wash some fruit.

Meanwhile, Eileen quickly felt full, leaving Milford to finish his meal alone. “Did Bryan bring this food?” Milford inquired after swallowing a bite. Eileen was scrolling on her phone when she heard Milford; she quickly set her phone aside. “Well… He did.”

“There’s no need to be so nervous. You don’t have to lie to me. He’s aware I’m here, isn’t he?” Milford had pieced it together. He then asked, “Are you and Bryan seeing each other?”

Keep reading at .c○m Caught off guard, Eileen forced a smile, unable to answer. “You’re both adults; there’s no need to hide it,” Milford remarked, then put down his fork and discarded the food packaging in the trash. He added, “You’re definitely better than Zola, though.”

Hearing him mention Zola, Eileen seized the opportunity to ask a question. “Why did you run away from home?”

Bailee entered the room and noticed the ongoing conversation. She quickly set down the fruit and found an excuse to leave the room. Ruby was still asleep. Except for Ruby, only Milford and Eileen were in the ward. Milford sat on the sofa, looking out the window.

After a while, he said, “Zola wanted to find me a new tutor, but I disagreed, and we argued.”

“It doesn’t matter to me if she gets you a new tutor. What I want to know is, do you want to continue your studies? Are you willing to seize that opportunity?” Eileen asked straightforwardly.

Milford felt a lump in his throat. Turning to face her, he replied, “Of course, but the condition is…”

“There are no conditions,” Eileen interjected firmly. “You only live once. You control your own destiny. While many people cannot choose their fate and must accept it, you still have an opportunity. You must not waste it.”

Milford grasped what Eileen was suggesting. His frustration stemmed from his desire to escape Zola’s influence. Eileen continued, “I’m not fully aware of what’s happened between you and Zola, but from what I’ve gathered, your bond isn’t strong. Escaping her influence might not be possible now due to your age. However, that doesn’t mean it’s not possible in the future. If you work hard enough, you can become independent in the future, free from her control.”

Zola had been visibly angry when she had seen Milford’s test results. Eileen had heard the harsh words Zola had hurled at Milford. Those words must have felt harsher to Milford. Because of that, Eileen could empathize with Milford’s dislike for Zola.

She didn’t wish to aggravate the situation between Milford and Zola. Considering Milford’s current rebellious phase, she knew she needed to approach the matter delicately. She recognized that Milford was inherently kind. As long as he remained committed to his education, he had the potential to become a competent individual.

Milford felt a surge of relief from Eileen’s encouragement and resolved to work hard. Eileen said, “Of course, I’ll give it my all for tomorrow’s election. Maybe I’ll remain your tutor. Then, your disagreements with your sister would be pointless.”

She was telling the truth. But Milford scoffed, “You don’t understand Zola. If she dislikes someone, she’ll block their chances regardless of their talent.”

This left Eileen feeling a bit unsure. She pondered whether Zola disliked her or not. At the very least, her views on educating Milford were starkly different from Zola’s.

“Forget all that. I’m going to study hard, regardless of who my tutor is. It’s just for half a year. Then I’m back to school,” Milford declared, brimming with confidence that Zola wouldn’t be able to meddle in his life for long. Eileen couldn’t help but smile at his determination.

“Stop smiling. Call Bryan and tell him to pick me up and make sure Zola doesn’t come along!” Milford said, feeling a bit embarrassed by Eileen’s amused expression.

“Alright,” Eileen replied. She promptly called Bryan to ask him to pick up Milford. She then spent time making final preparations for the election. That evening, she discussed moving into a new house with Bailee.

Without hesitation, Bailee handed her a card. “This is what I’ve saved over the year. It isn’t much, but it might help.”

“I have enough money. Keep yours for yourself. Use it to buy some nice clothes. Who knows? You might fall in love with someone soon. You’ll probably need the money then,” Eileen replied.

Bailee had received her salary on time throughout the year at the educational agency, and Eileen had given her extra money for daily expenses, allowing her to save a lot. While Eileen didn’t have a lot of money, she had enough to consider buying a three-bedroom apartment in Wist Land. But the money she had wasn’t sufficient for a larger place, leaving her undecided about what type of home to purchase.

“Fall in love? There aren’t any remarkable men around here,” Bailee murmured, putting her card away. A look of sadness appeared in her eyes.

Understanding the source of Bailee’s melancholy, Eileen took a deep breath and suggested, “Let’s return to Onaland when Mom gets better.”

Bailee stopped in her tracks and pressed her lips together, remaining silent.

Eileen continued, “Love is hard to come by. We’ll be here for another year before we return to Onaland. Anything could happen in that time, so if you want to find love, sometimes you’ll have to work for it.” What if Bailee went back to Onaland a year later only to find that Huey had found someone new? She would have to do something before that.

Bailee had changed noticeably within just a few days of Huey’s arrival. From time to time, she appeared to be lost in thought. Eileen was aware that Huey had been sending texts to Bailee recently.

She said, “Think it over. I can’t do much to help you with this. You have to decide for yourself.” Eileen chose not to say anything else.

In the evening, she turned in early to rest up for the weekend election. The election was scheduled for eight in the morning. Bryan arrived promptly at seven to drive Eileen to the venue.

The event was held in an office building downtown that Zola had chosen. The election was significant, not just for selecting a tutor. Numerous educational media outlets were there to cover and document the event. More than twenty tutors participated in the election, and Eileen was among the younger ones.

As soon as she and Bryan stepped out of the elevator into the building, she kept a slight distance from him. They entered the designated room one after the other. The floor was covered with a red carpet that led to a long table on the stage. Numerous black chairs were neatly arranged, and many attendees were already there. Zola looked elegant in a black dress with her flowing wavy hair. She smiled confidently and raised an eyebrow at Eileen when their eyes met. Her look seemed to convey that she was aware of Eileen’s relationship with Bryan.

Eileen just responded with a courteous smile and took a seat. Meanwhile, Bryan sat beside Milford, scanning the room before his gaze settled on Eileen.

Eileen didn’t look at Bryan, focusing instead on reading something.

“Bryan, won’t your presence here affect Ms. Curtis’s performance?” Milford whispered.

Bryan shot Milford a sharp look. “You’re too young to understand this.”

Milford retorted, “I understand more than you think.”

Their whispered exchange reached Zola’s ears. She touched Milford’s arm. “This isn’t your concern. But for Bryan’s sake, I’ll try to ensure Ms. Curtis becomes your tutor.”

Milford was taken aback by Zola’s words. “Ms. Curtis will succeed on her own merits, so there’s no need for you to intervene on her behalf,” Milford said confidently.

Zola rolled her eyes at him and turned her attention back to welcoming the new arrivals into the hall.

Ten minutes later, everyone had arrived. Each tutor received a set of middle school exam papers. The challenge wasn’t merely answering the questions but explaining them in the simplest and clearest way to students. Those who hadn’t reviewed these questions beforehand were at a disadvantage compared to those who had prepared in advance.

The test covered several middle school subjects and lasted three hours, with a brief ten-minute break midway. However, no one left their seat during the break; they all continued working through the questions. After three hours, the test concluded. The education department then took an hour to have professionals grade the papers.

Eileen held a pen between her slender fingers, her pale fingertips showing her nervousness. Then, she and Bryan briefly made eye contact. Bryan raised an eyebrow and offered a subtle smile. Eileen calmly looked away, awaiting the results.

Once the papers were evaluated, the professionals selected two that met their high standards. One was Eileen’s, and the other belonged to Calliope Potter, a senior tutor who was about six years older than Eileen.

“Both candidates are highly experienced educators. Miss Murray, I suggest you decide yourself or consult your brother about whom you’ll choose,” the coordinator suggested.

Milford immediately raised his hand and declared, “I choose Ms. Curtis!” No sooner had he spoken than Calliope’s face darkened.

“Wait a minute,” Calliope said. “Being skilled in conveying knowledge is important, but a tutor also needs to demonstrate high moral standards.”

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