Chapter 286: Chapter 286

Chapter 286:

It took a slap on the back of his head from Phoebe for Jacob to realize what was happening.

“Eileen, have you picked out your best man and maid of honor yet?” Phoebe turned to ask Eileen.

Eileen shook her head. “Not yet, but we’re considering a few candidates, including you, Jacob, Bailee, and Huey. Milford heard about the wedding and is excited to be best man. He might even bring the girl from the Vance family to liven things up. The more, the merrier.” She had some potential choices in mind, just waiting for the suitable ones to confirm.

“That sounds perfect,” Phoebe replied. “For our wedding, you two must be our best man and maid of honor. We’ve also got a few people lined up, and maybe Bailee and her boyfriend can join the fun, too.”

While Eileen and Phoebe were talking, Jacob pulled Bryan aside to smoke in the corridor.

“Kian isn’t on my guest list. That makes me a pretty good friend for you, right?” Jacob asked.

Bryan held a cigarette between his fingers but refrained from smoking. “Should I praise you for that?”

“You’re such a buzzkill.” Jacob rolled his eyes. After a pause, he said, “What about Zola? Do you plan to invite her?”

Bryan had excluded both Brandon and Lydia from his wedding guest list and had gone as far as blacklisting them. Given her association with them, Zola wouldn’t be invited either.

“No.” Bryan said bluntly. Since Zola had been together with Kian, he considered her a stranger.

Your escape is on g Ɐ ln σ ν𝓮 𝓁s․com “Right. She wouldn’t enjoy it without any friends there anyway. She’d just be bored going alone,” Jacob remarked. Meanwhile, Eileen and Phoebe were summoned to try on wedding dresses for the photo shoot.

Eileen’s wedding gown was being custom-made in Italy and would be sent here half a month before the wedding. Eileen had never worn a wedding dress before, and the experience of trying one on in the studio made her heart race.

A store assistant wearing white gloves assisted her by zipping up the dress and adjusting the padding.

She then flared the skirt and asked, “Miss Curtis, do you need any more adjustments? If not, I’ll open the curtain to the fitting room.”

The dress felt similar to a gown, yet it was elaborately detailed. Clutching her chest, Eileen shook her head. “No, it’s perfect now.”

The assistant exited the fitting room first and then drew back the curtain.

Suddenly, the light intensified, and the brilliant crystal chandelier cast colorful reflections from the diamonds adorning Eileen’s dress.

The light accentuated Eileen’s elegant neck and collarbone, enhancing her natural beauty despite her bare face.

Bryan, who had been reclining casually on the sofa, was visibly stunned when he saw her.

At that moment, it seemed as though the entire room held only him and Eileen.

Eileen’s dark hair starkly contrasted with the pure white of the dress and her fair skin.

Bryan instinctively leaned forward, propping his elbows on his knees, his lips forming a straight line.

His gaze swept the room, and with a subtle raise of his eyebrow, he stood up and approached Eileen.

He wrapped his arm around her slender waist and murmured in her ear, “There are two photographers in the shop. Let’s choose the female one.”

Eileen listened intently, but his suggestion made her feel resigned. She looked at his serious face and burst into laughter. “But what if the female photographer falls for your charm?”

“I’m not afraid of being looked at a bit more, but I can’t let you experience that,” Bryan said plainly.

Eileen pondered seriously for a moment and said, “What if the person editing the photos is a man?”

Right after her question, Bryan playfully tapped her forehead. “Nonsense, I’ll handle the photo editing myself.” He gave her a quick look, then went to ask a staff member to arrange for the female photographer. After a full day of photography, Bryan insisted on personally editing the photos.

“Do you even know how to do that?” Phoebe asked Bryan, astonished.

“What can’t he do?” Jacob said. “Except for giving birth, he seems capable of nearly anything.”

Phoebe was intrigued, eager to see how Bryan’s editing of the wedding photos would turn out. She tempted to ask him to edit hers and Jacob’s as well, but she doubted Bryan would agree. So, she stayed to talk more with the staff at the shop.

Eileen and Bryan were the first to leave, taking the USB with the photo negatives.

“You don’t need to take this so seriously. There are tons of photos, and it’s going to be so time-consuming. You’re already swamped with work; this is going to be exhausting for you,” Eileen said as the neon lights outside flickered into the car. She slumped against the seat, too tired to move.

The car, having been parked here all day, felt chilly inside since it hadn’t been warmed up. Eileen snuggled deeper into her coat.

“I know you’ve been really tired lately, so I figured working on these tonight would be ideal. It won’t eat into my work hours.”

Bryan gave her a meaningful look, aware that their evening routines had been cutting into her sleep significantly.

Lately, Eileen had been lounging around, visibly drained. Hearing Bryan’s words made Eileen’s cheeks flush, and she murmured softly, “You should use this time to get some proper rest. Don’t you feel exhausted?”

Bryan arched an eyebrow, his voice deep. “Are you doubting my energy?”

He didn’t feel tired at all. He was a bundle of energy, always occupied yet seemingly never worn out. “The doctor mentioned that having sex every day might negatively affect the quality of your sperm, decreasing our likelihood of success,” Eileen earnestly discussed the topic with him.

Bryan’s expression soured. “That’s advice meant for older men.”

“But you’re already thirty, right?” Eileen pointed out. Her comment caused Bryan’s expression to darken. His jaw clenched as he cast a sidelong glance at her. Eileen felt her throat tighten and turned her head away, falling silent.

Just a few days earlier, Eileen had gotten her period and thought it might be affected due to the stress from Bryan’s demands. It was lighter than usual, lasting only about two days.

Since then, Bryan had been more reserved, intending to take her to see a doctor soon.

But now, he felt she needed to learn a lesson. He would prove to her that he had been unjustly doubted. They had dinner in a restaurant. Upon returning home, Eileen brought up the ongoing renovations at their new home, which Bryan was managing.

“It’s nearly finished. Once the wedding photos are here, we’ll hang them up. Then all that’s left is for you to marry me and move in,” Bryan said.

He changed out of his shoes, placed the USB on the table, and swiftly lifted her, carrying her straight to the bathroom.

Startled, Eileen wrapped her arms around his neck, catching the intense look in his eyes. She frowned, slightly apprehensive. “What are you doing?”

“My sperm quality isn’t great, so I need to sleep with you often to boost our chances,” Bryan said earnestly, taking her to the bathroom and beginning to unbutton her clothes.

His cold fingertips brushed against her chest, causing her to tense up.

He quickly removed her shirt, leaving her in just a black bra.

His fingers threaded through her hair, his soft whisper of her name quieting her objections and drawing her in.

How could she resist him? He was irresistible!

Yet, it was her own stamina that was lacking.

“Relax, trust me. I’ll take the lead tonight. Tomorrow, I’ll start working on the wedding photos,” Bryan murmured soothingly, guiding her hands to the buttons on his shirt. “Unbutton this for me.”

His voice seemed to weave a spell, compelling Eileen to obediently unbutton his shirt.

His toned abs and bronzed skin radiated a seductive glow. Eileen’s throat went dry, and just as she started to lower her hands, Bryan seized them, placing them on his waist. “Now the pants.”

He kissed her cheek gently, his warm breath caressing her skin.

Tonight, she was very cooperative, following his every command.

Yet, she felt clumsy, struggling to unbuckle his belt. His impatience grew; he clasped her neck gently but firmly, drawing her face closer as he kissed her deeply. “Sweetie, you’re killing me!” he murmured.

Their passionate and urgent kiss made her defenseless. She wrapped her arms tightly around his waist, hearing the click as he unfastened the belt himself.

Her fingers clutched the edge of the bathtub, her knuckles turning white as she coped with the intense sensations he evoked.

Perhaps it was because of the memory of her looking stunning in her wedding dress earlier that his tenderness carried an edge of possessiveness.

His deep, captivating voice filled the quiet bathroom, blending with their labored breathing.

“Eileen, give yourself fully to me. I’m going to marry you, and you’ll be mine forever,” he said.

Eileen let out a soft moan, her gaze fixed on his striking face illuminated by the moonlight.

His wild expression made him irresistibly charming. He had consumed a bit of alcohol during dinner, and the image of Eileen in her wedding gown was engraved in his memory.

She was shy yet graceful, typically hesitant to make the first move.

Fueled by the alcohol, he was eager to see her become more daring, employing various tactics to lead her to do that.

She found herself unable to resist his allure, experiencing waves of pleasure that he playfully interrupted—his teasing was annoying.

Frustrated, she clung to him and playfully nibbled at Adami’s apple.

Though she thought she had bitten him hard, it turned out to be more of a flirtation for him.

The night stretched on, the chilly winds of early winter howling outside as the temperature continued to drop. As promised, Bryan began editing the wedding photos that following night. He completed the editing in a single evening and took them to the photo studio for development. The studio staff were unanimous in their praise, claiming Bryan’s edits surpassed the quality of their own graphic designers.

Within ten days, the expedited photos were ready, and the wedding pictures had arrived. Eileen was set to accompany Bryan to their new home to arrange everything.

However, her plans were suddenly interrupted by a call from Stella, asking her if she had time to meet up.

.

.

.