Chapter 297: Chapter 297

Chapter 297:

As someone walked by, Bailee hastily pushed Huey away, lowering her head to her chest.

“I’ll mull it over and let you know,” she said.

Although Ruby was almost fully recovered, she still couldn’t be left alone. Bailee couldn’t just move in with Huey and abandon Ruby to Eileen’s care. Ultimately, she planned to decline but wanted to avoid another confrontation for now.

“Alright, take your time,” Huey said with a strained smile, adding remorsefully, “Please tell Eileen I’m sorry. I spoke without thinking earlier. You know how quick-tempered I can be.”

Bailee nodded. “I know. But next time, no matter how mad you get, control yourself in front of others. We can discuss things in private.”

“You have my word.” Huey quickly raised three fingers. “I won’t make the same blunder again. And don’t stay angry. Holding onto anger will only age you faster, and I don’t want to see you transform from a goddess into a haggard witch,” he joked to lighten the mood. Bailee’s rare playful side emerged in his presence, and after a few more laughs, Huey let her return to her work at the educational institution.

Time flew by, and before long, evening had descended. As she prepared to leave for home, the receptionist handed her a delicate little gift box.

“Ms. Bailee, your boyfriend asked me to give this to you. He said he didn’t want to interrupt your busy day.” Inside was a necklace, exactly Bailee’s preferred style, along with a note filled with sweet words.

Bailee’s heart swelled with warmth, and she couldn’t suppress the smile on her lips when she arrived home. Unaware of what had happened to Eileen, Bailee found Eileen helping Ruby in the kitchen.

Rolling up her sleeves, she joined in. “Eileen, I thought you’d be out with Phoebe and the gang tonight.”

L𝑎t𝑒st ch𝑎pt𝑒rs in gαl𝑛ovels.cøm “No,” Eileen replied, surmising that the Burton and Meyer families were still in turmoil.

After dealing with the hotel debacle, they likely had to visit either the Dawson family or the hospital to check on Bryan.

That evening, Eileen, Ruby, and Bailee collaborated on preparing dinner. Milford, who didn’t have evening classes on Fridays, came back home in time to join them for the meal.

Following dinner, Milford lent a hand with the dishes, while Ruby was soaking in a warm bath. Bailee brought up her predicament to Eileen.

“Huey’s really been flying off the handle lately, saying things without thinking. We’ve been clashing a lot because he just can’t seem to keep his cool,” Bailee said.

“Doesn’t really bother me. I barely have any dealings with him. You spend way more time with him than I do,” Eileen replied nonchalantly. At that moment, her phone buzzed with a message from Huey, sincerely apologizing. She added, “He sent me an apology. Let him know I’m not mad when you see him again.”

She typed out a quick response. Huey then expressed his desire for Bailee to move in with him.

“I think Bailee’s too worried about how to bring it up, so I’m telling you. And if she does move in with me, we’ll need you to look after Ruby more,” Huey texted.

Eileen stared at the message, momentarily stunned.

Bailee noticed Eileen’s reaction and blurted out, “What’s wrong? What did he say?”

“He wants to move in with you,” Eileen said, setting the phone down with a sigh. “And he asked me to take care of Mom more.”

A blush crept onto Bailee’s neck, a mix of embarrassment and annoyance swirling within her. “We talked about it, but I never agreed. Mom needs you, and with the baby coming, I can’t just leave you both hanging.”

Eileen pondered for a moment. “Mom and I can manage. You’ll get married someday, and dragging us along wouldn’t be fair. Ultimately, it’s your call, but I can give you some advice. Living together could strengthen your relationship by fostering closeness, but it can also magnify arguments. Take it slow, okay?”

Her voice dropped to a whisper as she glanced towards the bathroom. “And remember, you’ll need to have a conversation with Mom about this whole living together thing.”

Bailee nodded. “I know, Huey said we’d have separate rooms.”

The idea struck Eileen as childish, but she didn’t comment on it. “Just be smart, Bailee,” she said gently. With that, Eileen excused herself, leaving Bailee alone with her thoughts.

Recent fights with Huey had worn Bailee down, and the idea of avoiding further conflict held a certain appeal.

Later that night, after tucking Ruby into bed with a glass of warm milk, Bailee hesitantly brought up the idea with Ruby.

“No way!” Ruby shut down the suggestion immediately. “If Eileen hadn’t wasted seven years taking care of me, she wouldn’t be heartbroken and pregnant right now. You deserve love, honey, but aren’t you worried things could go wrong?”

Ruby had secretly hoped Eileen would terminate the pregnancy and start fresh, but she respected her choice regardless.

“Well, we’d have separate rooms. There wouldn’t be any accidents,” Bailee stammered, trying to explain.

Ruby chuckled, a hint of sadness in her eyes. “That’s not the point, sweetheart. Look at what happened with Eileen and the Dawson family. They promised to take care of her, and where did it get her? Heartbroken. Huey hasn’t even introduced you to his mother properly. Does that sound like a recipe for happily ever after?”

Eileen’s situation was a constant source of heartache.

The once charming facade of the Dawson family had crumbled, revealing a deceitful core that had left Eileen devastated.

Stellar promises of care and support had turned to dust, leaving Eileen alone to pick up the pieces.

Bailee fell silent, the memory of Huey’s denial of their relationship in front of his mother stinging afresh.

“Here’s an idea,” Ruby offered, her voice firm. “You’re not getting any younger, Bailee. If Huey’s serious, why don’t you two get married? Let’s arrange a proper meeting between our families to discuss the wedding. What do you think?” Despite some reservations about Huey, Ruby saw him as a good man. But the memory of his public denial rankled.

“Let’s talk about it later,” Bailee said, hugging her mother tightly. “I’ll find a chance to bring it up with Huey. Mom, I also feel for Eileen. She’s always been so independent, and the least we can do is be there for her and the baby. Try not to worry so much, okay? I don’t want her to pretend that everything’s alright to comfort us.”

“Alright,” Ruby let out another sigh, giving Bailee a comforting pat. “We’ve really burdened Eileen a lot in this lifetime. I don’t want to, but I can’t help it.”

Ruby’s eyes started to fill with tears, and Bailee quickly comforted her.

Eileen arrived home to find a small cake on the table, a sweet surprise left by Milford.

He beamed at her, gesturing for her to sit.

“I noticed you’ve been craving sweets lately,” he explained, scratching the back of his head sheepishly. “There’s a new dessert shop on my way home with lines out the door, so I figured their stuff must be good. I only bought a small one; my budget only stretched so far.”

Eileen couldn’t help but laugh. Her sweet tooth had been acting up lately. “Are you telling me your allowance needs a boost? I can add another five hundred next month.”

Milford’s hands shot up in protest. “I still have some left every month. I saved up for this one.”

A playful glint entered Eileen’s eyes. “That’s all well and good, but use the money you saved to treat yourself. High school’s a grind, and you need your energy.”

“I can handle it,” Milford said, leaning forward with an earnest look. “But when the baby comes, can I be their uncle?”

Uncle? The hopeful glint in Milford’s eyes melted Eileen’s heart.

For a moment, she struggled to form words, her throat tightening with emotion.

Seeing her reaction, Milford said, “Right, the baby already has an uncle. Silly me.”

“It’s alright. You’ll be Uncle Milford, but that comes with responsibilities. After college, you’ll be expected to shower the little one with gifts and treats. If it’s a boy, he’ll get Play-Doh; if it’s a girl, she’ll get pretty dresses,” Eileen said, taking a bite of the cake, a wave of anticipation washing over her for the child growing inside her. Even without a father figure, the baby would be surrounded by love—an uncle, an aunt, and a grandmother, all waiting to welcome the little one into the world.

Despite Roderick’s absence, Eileen couldn’t help but believe he would be overjoyed about the baby if he learned the news.

Milford grinned, clearly happy with the prospect of being an uncle. “The baby’s due around June or July next year, right? Perfect timing for summer break. I can help out with childcare!”

He was talking enthusiastically, obviously anticipating the baby that Eileen was going to have.

His excitement was infectious, but a pang of sadness settled in Eileen’s chest.

If not for that fateful incident, she and Bryan would have been married by now. When he learned about the baby, his excitement would mirror Milford’s.

She remembered the nursery he had designed in their new house, one for a boy and one for a girl, a testament to his hopes and dreams for their future family.

Memories flooded Eileen’s mind, leaving her breathless with heartache.

In the afternoon, Phoebe had sent pictures of Bryan in the ICU, mentioning Zola’s constant presence by his side. Eileen hadn’t responded, yet Phoebe kept her updated on his condition.

During dinner, Phoebe revealed that Bryan had awakened.

He had called Raymond to the hospital and dismissed Zola.

But even after handling Apex Group’s business during the day, Zola returned to the hospital each night, lingering by Bryan’s bedside.

Raymond’s attempts to dissuade her were futile.

This pattern continued until Bryan’s transfer to an ICU where a barricade of bodyguards ensured Zola’s exclusion.

Since then, her nightly visits ceased, replaced by a daily delivery of soup left with the guards.

Sunlight streamed through the window, casting a pale glow on Bryan’s contemplative face as he sat on the bed. This had become his norm. Raymond entered the room, sighing softly at the sight.

Since leaving the ICU, Bryan had only inquired about Eileen. After learning she had returned home and hadn’t left the house, he had fallen silent.

Raymond’s persistent reminders about Brandon’s attempts to win over Apex Group’s executives and shareholders in Zola’s favor fell on deaf ears.

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