Chapter 209: Chapter 209

Chapter 209:

In the darkness of the night, the car’s front hood was raised, releasing occasional puffs of white smoke. The vehicle, with its hazard lights blinking, stood out by the roadside, drawing the attention of passing cars that slowed to observe the scene. However, no one offered to help, as Eileen had already exited the car and assisted Adalina out as well. Fortunately, Adalina was frightened but unharmed, much to Eileen’s relief.

“Look who it is,” a bold voice called out.

Eileen looked up to see Megan approaching, arms crossed, clearly having exited the car that had sideswiped hers on purpose.

“If your student had been injured, how would you explain it to their parents, Eileen?” Megan kept her distance, seemingly wary of Eileen’s cold stare.

Before Eileen could respond, Megan continued, “What now? Call the police? We can pay some money, but you know my cousin’s situation—she’s not legally accountable.”

Regardless of whether the incident would involve legal issues, Megan was right: Vivian, being considered ‘mentally ill,’ would not bear any legal responsibility. The early summer night breeze carried a hint of heat, and despite her anger, Eileen maintained her composure.

She snapped a photo of Vivian’s license plate and called the police. Upon seeing this, Megan quickly turned and rushed back to her car, with Vivian driving off in haste.

The police arrived promptly, and after reviewing the dashcam footage, they concluded that Vivian was at fault. However, after contacting Vivian and learning about her severe depression, as Megan had claimed, the police agreed that Vivian only needed to pay compensation.

Eileen appeared unfazed; the compensation was sufficient. She took a taxi to drop Adalina off at home, repeatedly apologizing to her parents for the missed lesson, and stayed late to make up for it.

ᴍᴏʀᴇ ᴜᴘᴅᴀᴛᴇꜱ ɪɴ ɢᴀʟɴᴏᴠᴇʟꜱ.ᴄᴏᴍ By the time the lesson ended, it was already half past ten in the evening, and Eileen hesitated about how to get home, uncertain if the banquet Bryan was attending had concluded. As she descended the stairs, she overheard Bryan and Denzel talking.

She quickened her pace and saw Bryan with his white shirt partially unbuttoned, revealing a glimpse of his muscular chest as he chatted with Denzel. He held a cigarette in one hand and a half-finished glass of red wine in the other.

“Anyway, congratulations to you for taking the initiative and securing the project, Mr. Dawson. Your product is already a hit before its launch,” Denzel said, clinking his glass with Bryan’s.

Bryan flicked the ash from his cigarette and drained the last of the wine in his glass. He finished his cigarette and tossed the butt into a nearby trash bin before standing up.

“Sorry for disturbing you so late; I’ll take Eileen home now,” he said, having already spotted her.

“Come here,” he called out to her.

Eileen hastened toward them, smiling at Denzel. “Apologies for still being here this late,” she said.

Denzel waved it off. “Not a problem at all. My wife is out playing cards and hasn’t returned. You both must be tired—one from the banquet and the other from teaching. I won’t keep you any longer.”

“Goodbye.” Bryan picked up his jacket, took Eileen’s hand, and left with her.

In the softly lit car, the glow from the Vance family’s apartment cast a faint reflection on Bryan’s tense facial features. His Adam’s apple bobbed as he bid farewell to Denzel. Half-open windows allowed a slight breeze to carry away the faint aroma of tobacco and alcohol lingering around Bryan.

“Is the car completely wrecked?” Bryan inquired as they pulled away from the Vance residence. He was already aware of Eileen’s car accident.

“I didn’t mean to keep it from you; I just hadn’t found the time to tell you,” Eileen replied.

Bryan casually adjusted the steering wheel, maintaining a relaxed demeanor as he glanced at her. “I know.”

“Did everything go according to plan?” Eileen couldn’t suppress a smile at his upbeat demeanor. Before she could inquire further, her phone chimed with a notification from the police regarding the car accident. She swiftly skimmed through it, her eyes widening in surprise.

Initially, the case had been settled with compensation, but now there were two added stipulations: Vivian’s license was revoked, and she required a guardian whenever she left the house.

“When did you learn about the car accident?” Eileen was curious about how Bryan managed to attend a banquet while simultaneously staying informed about her incident and handling the situation.

“I had a security system installed in your car. It’s a little perk from a recent project; it sends me immediate notifications if there are any issues or damage,” Bryan replied, still unable to forget her previous kidnapping incident. Despite being at a banquet, he had promptly instructed his lawyer to manage the police matters, seeking as many additional rulings as possible.

Eileen had quickly left with Adalina, so she hadn’t seen the lawyer. After a moment of silence, Eileen asked, “You haven’t secretly installed a system in our home to monitor me, have you?”

“I’m not as perverted as you imagine.” Bryan’s face darkened; he had installed the device in her car for her safety, not for surveillance. Besides, it was a tracking device for monitoring car performance, not a surveillance camera.

Eileen was just joking. Noticing Bryan’s disapproving expression, she couldn’t resist lowering her gaze and chuckling. The evening breeze tousled her hair, causing it to dance around Bryan’s white shirt and slip through his fingers.

Bryan’s gaze intensified, his voice lowering to a husky tone. “I hope you’ll still be able to laugh once we’re home.”

Eileen quickly stopped laughing, but it was already too late. Upon opening the door, she found herself pressed against the man’s firm chest.

His cool lips brushed against her neck and shoulder, while the warmth of his breath enveloped her, spreading throughout her body. She turned and wrapped her arms around his neck, reciprocating his descending kisses. Despite their familiarity with such moments, she still found herself losing control each time. His defined arms, prominent veins on his hands, and sturdy chest heightened her senses. She almost couldn’t get enough, even starting to want to see him lose his usual calm because of her.

“Eileen, you’re going to be the death of me,” Bryan’s raspy voice reverberated in her ears.

Bryan’s dilemma was resolved; however, Eileen learned that Kian had also been present at the banquet. Although Kian hadn’t overtly done anything, he had orchestrated several maneuvers behind the scenes. Nevertheless, the result was evident: irrespective of tactics or strategies, Kian had been outsmarted by Bryan. It appeared that the Warren siblings could only rely on minor tactics.

Eileen soon encountered a series of incidents. The educational institution’s floor-to-ceiling windows had been shattered, an act orchestrated by Vivian. Following the incident, Vivian didn’t flee but waited for the police, who reprimanded her. She then produced her depression diagnosis report. Megan also intervened, offering monetary compensation and ultimately resolving the matter.

Subsequently, Vivian damaged the new car that Bryan had purchased for Eileen and then reimbursed its original cost. She even staged a minor car accident to delay Eileen on her way to tutor Adalina. The successive incidents ultimately wore down Eileen’s patience. One of the police officers had even advised her, “Regardless of the grudge or grievance, try to resolve it privately. The other party is evidently wealthy and is deliberately making things difficult for you. If this persists, it will impact your life.”

Resolve it? Eileen knew that if she were to bind Bryan and hand him over to Vivian, the matter would surely be resolved. Vivian might even express gratitude and perhaps even eagerly kowtow to her, given her unstable condition.

Bryan was aware of Vivian’s actions, his sharp features etched with severity. He was about to say something to offer his help when Eileen’s cool fingertips on his lips suddenly silenced him.

“You don’t need to do anything. I won’t be able to let this go unless I deal with it on my own,” Eileen said.

She was genuinely furious. Recently, she had successfully concluded the lawsuit against the online celebrity teacher, emerging victorious. Consequently, the educational institution was bustling, with a surge in orders for the online course software. Eileen had a lot of work matters to address now, and she had to find a way to stop Vivian for good.

Suddenly thinking of something, she raised her eyebrows slightly. “You should try to contact Milford these days. It’s a shame he’s no longer taking my tutoring sessions.”

“Whether he continues his studies is irrelevant. Zola isn’t concerned, so you should focus on your own situation,” Bryan replied, consistently prioritizing Eileen’s matters.

Eileen pressed her lips together, her fingers gliding down to Bryan’s throat, delicately tracing his Adam’s apple. Bryan swallowed, turning his head to evade her touch. “Enough.”

“I’m serious. I’ve already devised a plan. I’ll visit my mother tonight, and I’ll be back late. If you’re tired, go to bed early,” Eileen said.

Eileen climbed off Bryan, adjusting her shirt and skirt. They were in the lounge of Eileen’s office. The modest room wasn’t as spacious and comfortable as Bryan’s lounge, but it had become a place Bryan frequented. Every lunch break, he took the opportunity to spend time with Eileen here.

Eileen secured her hair into a bun, her eyes exuding a seductive allure that surfaced instinctively in Bryan’s presence.

She left the room to deal with some work matters. Downstairs, workers were replacing the windows. Despite the chaotic environment, she remained focused.

Later in the evening, Eileen and Bryan arrived at Lakeside Villa and stopped in front of Bailee and Ruby’s residence. Eileen got out of the car and bid farewell to Bryan through the partially lowered window.

After the car drove away, Eileen shifted her gaze toward the villa, where she noticed Ruby standing by the floor-to-ceiling window. Ruby grasped a walker, her bright eyes fixed on Eileen.

Eileen smiled, hurried into the house, slipped on her slippers, and approached Ruby. “Mom,” she called.

Ruby nodded at her, trying hard to curve her lips into a smile and say one word: “Eileen…”

Recently, Eileen had been visiting more often, accompanying Ruby on walks and sharing meals. She had been watching Ruby’s recovery, which hadn’t progressed as swiftly as the doctors had anticipated.

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