Chapter 24: Chapter 24

Chapter 24:

As Bryan sipped his coffee, he noticed that Eileen had succumbed to sleep at the table. Her black hair framed her face, while a pen dangled from her hand, its tip just grazing her skin, leaving a faint mark.

Bryan called for a brief recess. “Let’s take a five-minute break.”

He rose, gently picked Eileen up, and laid her down on the bed. Drawing the blanket over her, he carefully removed the ink from her nose, a tenderness in his actions that went unnoticed by himself.

Unaware of how long the meeting had stretched on, Eileen fluttered her eyes open to the light washing over her. The laptop on the coffee table was closed, and Bryan had left. Murmurs and distant laughter drifted in. Eileen checked the time and realized that she only had an hour left before returning to work.

She swiftly prepared herself to face the day and began to organize her departure.

Amid the light-hearted banter in the park, Eileen searched for Bryan, her attention interrupted by Jacob’s urgent voice from behind.

“Eileen, you need to get to Bryan’s suite immediately. There is a situation I’m not equipped to handle,” Jacob said.

Eileen left her belongings with her colleagues and made her way to the top floor. The elevator doors opened to a quiet hall, broken only by muted weeping from Bryan’s room.

The door stood ajar, revealing Bryan’s silhouette framed by the slender arms of a woman clutching him. His stance was passive, and Vivian’s sobs filled the room.

“Bryan, have your feelings for me changed? I’ve tried so hard. What’s causing this distance? You’ve been deliberately avoiding me. You’d rather spend the night working in a room with Eileen than come back to the room with me…”

Bryan kept his composure. “Calm down. I had a meeting last night.”

gαℓ ησ ν𝒆 ℓs․com is your story hub “Don’t deceive me. Who could possibly force you into a meeting? You did that on purpose! Is this about what happened six years ago when I left? Are you still upset about that? I know I was wrong; I’m ready to give up everything for you. Please, let me be with you. If not, I don’t know how to make it right!”

Vivian’s grasp around his waist tightened.

To Eileen, it felt like those hands weren’t just clutching Bryan’s waist but also her heart. Why else would she feel this awful?

Yet, this was just the beginning. Bryan’s next words sliced through her heart like a sharp blade, leaving it in tatters.

“I don’t need you to make things right,” Bryan said.

“Don’t think I don’t know… There’s another woman, right? Who is she? Have you fallen for her?” Vivian released him, her eyes brimming with tears.

Bryan’s eyes narrowed slightly, his words gentle as he spoke. “No one can compare to you. If I marry you, how could I touch you? Before that, I must protect you. That’s how I love you.”

Eileen felt a chill creep over her as she stood there, unable to fully process their conversation. Vivian seemed deeply touched, convinced of Bryan’s considerate gesture of waiting until marriage.

But for Eileen, the realization hit hard—she was merely a tool to satisfy his needs in Bryan’s eyes, not worthy of his protection or consideration for her future.

Descending the stairs, each step felt like a blow to Eileen’s already bruised heart. She had hoped, perhaps naively, that after three years, she might hold some significance in Bryan’s heart.

During these past two days, when Bryan purposely distanced himself from Vivian, Eileen had dared to hope she was special to him. But it was all wishful thinking.

Pushing open the door to the hallway, sunlight flooded in, momentarily blinding her.

“Eileen!” Roxanne’s voice broke through her thoughts. “The bus is here. Where’s Mr. Dawson?”

“He’ll be down soon. Let’s stick to the plan and board the bus. Go ahead and let everyone know,” Eileen replied, her voice steady despite the turmoil within her heart.

Roxanne didn’t pick up on her pale complexion as she hurried off. Eileen steadied herself with a deep breath, taking two steps forward. Suddenly, someone barreled around the corner and collided with her.

The person towered over her. Their collision sent her elbow crashing into the wall, a sharp sting shooting through her.

“Sorry—” Huey’s apology came swiftly. Suddenly, recognition dawned on him. “Eileen?”

His voice sparked a flicker of familiarity, a sound Eileen had heard several times over the past few days. Rubbing her throbbing elbow, Eileen looked up. The young man before her sported a bright yellow windbreaker and a sleek black duckbill cap; his features were refined.

“You’re…” Eileen began.

“Huey Baker,” he replied, feeling a twinge of embarrassment. He hadn’t intended to reveal his identity here, but his slip of the tongue couldn’t be undone. “You are staying at my family’s resort. My parents manage the place.”

Eileen’s surprise was evident as she rubbed her sore arm, mustering a strained smile. “What a coincidence.”

“Are you folks leaving too? The resort’s all empty, so I’m off as well.” Huey twirled the car keys in his hand. “Did you arrive by bus? How about hitching a ride with me? Would your boss be okay with that?”

Eileen glimpsed Vivian and Bryan emerging from the elevator. Vivian had reverted to her delicate, charming self, while Bryan was dragging their luggage.

Bryan’s keen eyes seemed to catch something. Abruptly, he cast his gaze in Eileen’s direction. Eileen swiftly lowered her head, with Huey’s figure providing a convenient shield. Bryan didn’t notice her and proceeded out of the hotel.

“Thank you; I’ll take you up on the offer,” Eileen replied to Huey. “I can compensate you for the ride.”

“Are you kidding? Why would I want your money for that?” Huey’s tone held a hint of offense. “It wouldn’t sit right to charge you for a lift to Oneland. Plus, if my mom got wind of it, she’d give me an earful.”

Eileen chuckled at his melodramatic tone. “Let me give my boss a heads-up. Meet at the intersection outside the resort.”

“Sure thing.” Huey waved before heading for the parking lot.

Eileen collected her belongings from her colleagues and boarded the bus. She saw Bryan, Vivian, and Jacob sitting together. Seeing her, Jacob shuffled to make room. “Feel free to join us here. I’m here to take care of Vivian since Kian’s gone,” he said.

Eileen paused momentarily, offering Jacob a polite smile. “It would be a pleasure to sit with you. However…” Her gaze shifted to Bryan. “Mr. Dawson, I bumped into a friend. I won’t be taking the bus back. Just thought I’d let you know.”

Bryan noted her lowered eyes, sensing something amiss, but he didn’t pry. “Alright,” he replied.

Exiting the bus, Eileen waited with her luggage at the intersection for about five minutes before Huey’s car pulled up before her.

Parking swiftly, Huey hopped out, opened the passenger door for Eileen, stowed her luggage in the trunk, and resumed his position behind the wheel, driving off smoothly.

As the bus rolled past their car, some keen observers caught sight of Eileen seated inside.

“Oh, wow! Is that Miss Curtis? The man beside her looks quite the catch!”

“He must be her boyfriend! He’s so handsome!”

“And look at him, so thoughtful, picking her up from the resort!”

Bryan glanced over, his gaze narrowing at the sleek sports car cruising in the adjacent lane. Though he couldn’t peer inside, he could almost picture Eileen sharing laughter and conversation with the young man.

Someone said, “Perhaps he’s not just arriving today. Remember yesterday when we were out and about? Miss Curtis was MIA all day. Maybe she had a date with him.”

“How romantic. Despite his youth, he’s quite the considerate one, traveling all this way to see Miss Curtis. Doing the right thing! Miss Curtis finally snagged a few days off. Can’t let that slip by without a bit of romance!”

Bryan’s countenance darkened. The sports car faded from view, leaving him with an unsavory sensation gnawing at his chest.

Vivian’s eyes sparkled. “Did you see that, Bryan? That guy in yellow coming out of the elevator with someone? That’s Eileen’s boyfriend, right? She might have been too scared to flaunt her romance in front of you. But how did her boyfriend even get into the resort? Didn’t you book the whole place?”

Seeing Bryan’s cold face, she quickly added, “Bryan, don’t be angry with Eileen. She’s been so busy with work that she couldn’t spare time for her boyfriend. So, she must have found a way to sneak him in. As her boss, you should be more understanding. Besides, she’s not that young anymore.”

Beside her, Jacob’s eyes gleamed with amusement as he observed Bryan’s reaction. If Bryan were upset about Eileen’s covert action to sneak her boyfriend in, that would be one thing. But it seemed there was more to Bryan’s reaction.

In the sports car, Eileen remained silent throughout the ride. Huey, perceptive, sensed her subdued mood but opted not to pry.

It wasn’t until they reached downtown Oneland that Huey finally broke the silence. “Eileen, I bet you haven’t eaten. How about I treat you to lunch? We can talk then.”

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