Chapter 272:
Eileenâs life had been entangled in the web of Deniseâs various actions. Should Denise persist in her maneuvers, Eileen resolved to initiate legal proceedings to hold her accountable.
âBy the way, the apartment your mother resides in is registered under Benitaâs name,â Julio reminded her as Eileen brought up where Denise was living.
Eileen was well aware of this but responded with a hint of regret, âWe lack the concrete evidence to prove that the apartment belongs to Benita. If this matter gets exposed, Benita can easily deal with it. Without solid proof, I might provoke a counterattack from the Freguson family. Without tangible evidence, going against the Freguson family seems impossible.â
Phoebe suddenly chuckled. âIf the lawyerâs letter is issued from Julioâs office, we donât need evidence. If he says itâs Benitaâs, then itâs Benitaâs.â
Benita Freguson? Julio Freguson? Eileen began to piece together the puzzle. Onalandâs social circle was not expansive; two individuals bearing the Freguson surname likely came from the same family. But since they were kin, why would Julio assist her in dealing with Benita?
Recalling Phoebeâs remark about the lawyerâs ability to infuriate Benita to the core, Eileen speculated boldly that this was an internal strife within the Freguson family. However, considering it was their private affair, Eileen pondered for a moment and said, âAs long as it doesnât cause any trouble for you, Julio, you can include this point in the lawyerâs letter. Benita instigated Denise, and she owes me an explanation.â
âNot only is it no trouble, but it will also make me feel much better,â Julio assured her, his fingers dancing swiftly over the keyboard as he incorporated the point about Benita.
In a mere half-hour, Julio had crafted the lawyerâs letter and invited Eileen to review it.
Legally speaking, if Denise persisted in her demands, Eileen was obligated to provide her with only a minimal living allowance. If Denise continued to spread malicious rumors, she would face legal action.
More updates uploaded to gαâηÏνðlsâ¤com Meanwhile, Benita was accused of bribing and instigating Denise. Since Denise resided at her place, Benita owed Eileen a reasonable explanation.
If Benita failed to explain, she would have to issue a public apology.
âEverything looks good,â Eileen said after thoroughly reading through it, appreciating the letterâs meticulous construction. She then posted the lawyerâs letter on all her social media platforms.
Julio also posted it on his law firmâs website, standing publicly by Eileen and revealing the truth.
Although it was late at night, the lawyerâs letter quickly spread across major platforms.
After managing these matters, Julioâs phone rang. The room was silent, making the voice on the other end distinctly audible.
It was a woman. Her tone was gentle, and Julioâs eyes reflected tenderness.
âJulio, donât worry. Iâll be home as soon as I finish up hereâ¦â
Seeing this, Eileen gathered her belongings and signaled to Phoebe that they would depart once Julio completed the call.
Julio, ever considerate, concluded the phone call with a few comforting words. âJuli, itâs late, and Iâm sorry for disturbing you at this hour. We can discuss the fees another day. Thank you for your dedication,â Eileen said, rising to leave.
Julio didnât insist on them staying. He picked up his jacket from the chair and draped it over his arm, saying, âIâm heading out too. Letâs go together.â
The elevator was small, and Julio carried a faint scent of gardenias, reminiscent of a womanâs fragrance.
Phoebe couldnât resist a playful jab. âJulio, has someone already captured your heart? Your wife sounds like a realâ¦â
âSheâs not my wife yet,â Julio explained without a hint of embarrassment. Then he inquired, âAnd what is your current line of work, Eileen?â
Caught off guard by the question, Eileen replied, âIâm tutoring.â
Julio said with a tinge of regret, âYou were a standout in your graduating class, and after working with Mr. Dawson for so many years, you must be exceptionally skilled. Donât you plan to return to the field?â Eileen hadnât considered this before and didnât know how to respond.
âForgive me; it was merely a passing thought,â Julio said, sensing her discomfort and swiftly changing the subject. âI heard youâre planning to marry Mr. Dawson?â
âThe exact date has not been set; weâre still in the midst of preparations,â Eileen answered honestly.
The trio parted ways at the buildingâs entrance, with Eileen and Phoebe driving off into the night. It was already past two in the morning.
In truth, the lawyerâs letter could have been drafted the following day, but Eileenâs eagerness to provide Bryan with an explanation had compelled her to act swiftly. However, their late return had left Bryan feeling anxious. He had been standing by the window, awaiting her arrival, for as long as she had been away.
The moment he heard the door open, he moved with haste and quickly stood before her.
The room was softly illuminated by the warm glow of the hallway, casting a gentle radiance on Eileen and revealing her weary expression.
She leaned against the entryway cabinet, ready to change her shoes. When Bryan suddenly approached, he startled her.
She had noted the darkened house from downstairs and had assumed he had retired for the evening.
âWhy are you still awake?â Eileen asked, quickly changing her shoes and approaching him, turning her head to meet his gaze.
âWhere have you been?â Bryanâs voice, while not raised, carried a barely perceptible tremor.
His mind had been consumed by thoughts of Eileenâs whereabouts, so he had neglected to check his phone, unaware of the lawyerâs letter.
Eileen softened her tone. âI went to see a lawyer to draft a formal letter. By tomorrow morning, those rumors will be dispelled. I wonât let you or your family bear the burden of such baseless accusations.â
âI donât care about that,â Bryan said, his brow furrowing slightly. He believed he knew the contents of the lawyerâs letter.
The critical part of the lawyerâs letter wasnât the looming lawsuit against Denise but the unearthing of Eileenâs haunting past, which would sever her ties to Denise once and for all.
The moment Eileen laid bare the past she had kept hidden, she would reopen the old wounds in her heart in front of Bryan.
After a prolonged silence, Bryan drew a deep breath, enveloping Eileen in a tight embrace. âAs long as youâre safe, the Dawson familyâs reputation is inconsequential. Even my life is yours if you need it.â
His chest was a firm and warm refuge, gradually thawing her cold body.
Eileen felt immensely fortunate to have Bryan by her side. She clung to his waist, her eyes brimming with tears, though she managed to maintain a steady tone. âBryan, you need to stay alive. I want to have a child with you. I want someone in this world who shares my blood and loves me deeply. I will love them, and together we will give them a home. Is that okay?â
Though Ruby was incredibly kind to her, there was always a sense of distance in her heart.
Ruby cared more about Eileenâs feelings than those of her own biological daughter, Bailee, which placed an invisible burden on Eileen. Never before had Eileen wanted a child as much as she did now.
âOkay,â Bryan replied, releasing her and looking into her clear eyes, her eyelids reddened.
His heart softened, and he kissed the tears from the corners of her eyes.
Their breaths mingled, and his kisses traveled downward, enveloping her lips, as though desperate to make a child with her right then and there to ease her sorrow. In the stillness of the early morning, the outdoor temperature continued to drop while the indoor warmth rose.
Eileen thought she must be crazy to bring up such an absurd idea; with just two months until their wedding, she could have waited.
Yet, she lost herself in his passion. He was particularly fervent that night, with a determination that seemed to aim for a baby.
As dawnâs first light filtered through the clouds, it bathed the city in a warm hue.
Eileenâs long hair, damp with sweat, clung to her body, her beautiful figure discernible beneath the thin blanket. She lay in Bryanâs embrace, his rough hand resting passively on her waist.
Though she was fast asleep, he was wide awake, one arm cradling her while the other thumbed through his phone. Overnight, the lawyerâs letter had gone viral, drawing a deluge of condemnation toward Denise for her reprehensible actions.
People quickly realized that this wasnât a case of a mother longing for her daughter, but rather a cunning attempt to extort money.
But how could a woman as witless and vile as Denise have devised such a plot to leverage public opinion against the Dawson family?
The answer was clear: Benita was involved, as hinted by the cautionary note at the end of the lawyerâs letter.
Having been out partying, Benita stumbled home at four in the morning.
Utterly spent, she neglected her phone and collapsed into bed.
Shortly thereafter, her familyâs calls jolted her awake, their voices filled with reproach and urgent demands for her to address the situation.
âGiven your contributions to the family, Iâve overlooked your disgraceful behavior. But if you cause trouble, I wonât forgive you!â
Benitaâs fatherâs stern warning reverberated in her mind as she groggily woke up. Trouble?
Benita grabbed her phone and saw the lawyerâs letter, her expression shifting.
The Freguson familyâs leniency only extended to her wild lifestyle and tarnished reputation.
But stirring up trouble was a different matter; they wouldnât protect her.
Benita immediately called Zola to scold her, unleashing a torrent of frustration.
âHow could Denise even be considered Eileenâs mother?â she said.
Had she known Denise and Eileen hadnât seen each other in twenty years and that Denise had coldly abandoned Eileen, she never would have suggested exploiting the family angle.
Zola, who had received the letter first thing in the morning and was already in a foul mood, snapped back at being blamed.
âWhy didnât you think this through before you acted? If Denise and Eileen were close, why wouldnât Eileen be supporting her?â Zola replied.
Being reprimanded by Zola was too much for Benita. Benita said, âFine, if thatâs how itâs going to be, then letâs go down together. Youâll see!â
Benitaâs readiness to expose Zola sent a chill down the latterâs spine.
When the call ended abruptly, Zola tried calling back, only to find herself blocked.
Panicked, she hurriedly got dressed and rushed to Kianâs place.
During this period, Kian had been buried in work, and aside from fleeting encounters at the press conference, he and Zola hadnât crossed paths.
Seeing Zola at his doorstep early in the morning took him by surprise. Though he was about to head into a meeting, Kian promptly called Benjamin to reschedule.
âZola, what brings you here so early?â Kian asked, guiding her inside, a hint of delight in his eyes.
Zola said, âKian, I know how stressed and busy youâve been lately, and I wanted to lighten your load. So, I secretly teamed up with Benita to plot against Eileenâs mother, but things didnât go as plannedâ¦â
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