Chapter 32: Chapter 32

Chapter 32:

“Honey, why are you out here? Don’t be upset with me. I know I said the wrong thing earlier,” Marcus said in a gentle tone, as if he and Eileen were just a couple working through a disagreement.

With a crafted smile, he reassured the waiter, “She’s with me; we just had a little argument. I appreciate your help. I’ll take her back now.”

The waiter gave a knowing nod, recalling that Eileen’s visit had indeed been for Marcus. “Of course. I’ll leave you to it.”

As the waiter disappeared into the restaurant, Marcus guided the half-conscious Eileen toward his car. Eileen slumped into the seat, and since Marcus was less than gentle, her shirt hitched up slightly, exposing a sliver of her waist.

Momentary hesitation showed in Marcus as he paused by the car door, a conflicting thought crossing his mind. Resigning to the situation with a murmur to himself, he moved to the driver’s seat and set off.

Left with her belongings strewn aside by Marcus, Eileen’s gaze fell on her bag and phone. They were her lifelines, her means to reach out for help.

Marcus was preoccupied with the road ahead, murmuring grievances about the recording.

Seizing a moment of quiet determination, Eileen dialed Bryan’s number on her phone.

A few tones in, a voice cut through. “Hello—”

Vivian’s familiar chime overlapped. “Bryan, you’re—”

The connection was severed before Eileen could utter a word, a stinging sense of interruption heavy in her chest. Tears betrayed her frustration, but she gathered her composure with a deep, fortifying breath.

Discover new releases gαℓησv𝒆ℓs․com Ignoring the urge to succumb to her emotions, she accessed WhatsApp, found Huey’s contact, and swiftly shared her location.

As she attempted further action, Marcus abruptly halted.

He caught sight of the phone in her grasp and, with a swift motion, threw it out of the window. Confusion and weakness gripped Eileen, a direct result of whatever had been in her drink. Marcus’s grip was unyielding as he pulled her from the vehicle. Her legs faltered, relying on his support to remain upright.

“I was planning to fuck you in the restaurant. Who knew you’d bolt on me?” Marcus grumbled, frustration thick in his voice. “You brought this on yourself.” His insults weighed heavily on Eileen’s spirit.

Feeling dizzy, Eileen barely registered the clicks and beeps as Marcus secured a room and guided her into the elevator. The dim ambiance of the room made it hard for Marcus to navigate with Eileen’s weight leaning against him. As they entered, he flicked on the lights.

With a surge of adrenaline, Eileen’s eyes snapped open, the bathroom in sight. Seizing the moment, she shoved Marcus aside and bolted into the sanctuary of the bathroom, locking it behind her.

His balance lost, Marcus fell with a thud, his head hitting the cabinet. “Damn it, Eileen! Hiding won’t save you,” he yelled from the other side of the door, his frustration evident.

Eileen, heart pounding, retorted with as much firmness as she could muster. “Let me out now, or you’ll never be able to work with Apex Group again!” With shaky hands, she turned the faucet full blast, dousing her face in an attempt to wash away the grogginess.

She attempted to threaten Marcus, but he wasn’t buying it. “You, a mere assistant, dare to stick your nose in the collaboration between Apex Group and Fulcrum Group? Who do you think you are?” Marcus taunted, his words dripping with derision. “Just Bryan’s lapdog. Not his wife. Do you honestly believe Bryan would sacrifice his interests for you?”

Marcus pounded on the door, his kicks resonating loudly enough to pierce Eileen’s eardrums. Eventually, the door was kicked open, and Marcus seized Eileen’s arm, dragging her out and tossing her onto the bed. The soft mattress absorbed her weight, sending her body bouncing up before settling back down. From the corner of her eye, she watched as Marcus began stripping off his clothes.

Swiftly discarding his own shirt, Marcus reached out for Eileen, roughly tearing open her blouse. In an instant, his eyes fell upon the numerous hickeys adorning her collarbone, causing him to freeze momentarily.

“And you have the nerve to play innocent with me? This isn’t your first time! What’s the big deal about bedding me once?” he sneered.

Marcus’s gaze fixated on Eileen’s smooth skin, and he lunged toward her. However, Eileen fought back fiercely, summoning all her strength.

With a sudden crash, the door was kicked open from outside. Lost in his lewd laughter and desire, Marcus remained oblivious to the intrusion. It wasn’t until someone seized him by the hair, wrenching him away from Eileen and sending him crashing to the floor, that Marcus snapped out of his trance.

Though several buttons on Eileen’s shirt were undone, she clung tightly to it, revealing only her collarbone. She cracked her eyes open slightly, greeted by the sight of a towering figure, tears streaming uncontrollably down her cheeks.

With trembling lips, she whispered, “Bryan.”

“You scoundrel! How dare you do this to Eileen!” A voice filled with fury echoed through the room. Wiping away her tears, Eileen turned to the source. But it wasn’t Bryan.

It was Huey, locked in fierce combat with Marcus. In retaliation, Marcus snatched a sharp fruit knife from somewhere and lunged at Huey. Reacting quickly, Huey intercepted the blade with his bare hand. Instantly, pain shot through his palm, and blood trickled down the knife.

“If you’ve got the guts, kill both of us today! Otherwise, keep your filthy hands off him and me. The moment I step out of this hotel, I’m calling the cops!” Eileen shouted. She gritted her teeth, her heart wrenching at the sight of blood.

As Marcus saw the blood, his expression shifted to alarm. He tossed the knife aside and snatched his clothes from the floor. “You’re lucky this time. Next time, you won’t be so fortunate,” he snarled, then turned and fled.

Eileen parted her lips, words on the cusp of spilling out, but her attention was abruptly seized by Huey. He was fixated on his own hand, now a canvas of red, before he crumpled to the floor.

Eileen, her heart pounding with concern, rushed to Huey’s side. She rifled through his pockets with shaky hands until she found his phone. With trembling fingers, she dialed for help and gave their location before darkness enveloped her.

When consciousness returned, the tang of antiseptic filled Eileen’s senses, reminiscent of days spent by Ruby’s hospital bed.

This time, however, it was she who lay in bed, surrounded by a team of doctors and nurses flanking her. Her eyes fluttered open to find the medical team leaning in. “Miss Curtis, how are you?” asked a doctor.

Eileen paused, her mind briefly navigating through the fog of memories. Suddenly sitting upright, she said, “I’m fine. Where’s the person who was brought in with me?”

“Do you mean Mr. Baker?” The doctor pointed to the next room. “He’s right next door.”

Eileen’s concern flickered across her face as she prepared to get out of bed. “How’s he doing?” she asked.

Before she could rise, a nurse stopped her. “You still need to rest for a while. The effects of the medication in your system haven’t completely worn off yet. Staying in bed for a day is the best call.”

After the nurse’s warning, Eileen, swaying slightly in her attempt to stand, eased back onto the bed.

“Don’t worry, Miss Curtis. Mr. Baker’s all right,” the doctor said in a comforting tone. “He just injured his hand. He passed out from the sight of blood.”

Hearing this, Eileen’s tension melted away. Yet, the thought of Huey’s injured hand cast a shadow over her relief. She knew he wouldn’t be able to attend the competition now. Restless, she requested a wheelchair and made her way to Huey’s side.

Huey’s teammates were in the ward with him, the air thick with their frustrations. Eileen caught the scowling looks thrown her way by the teammates.

“This disaster! Two years of grinding for the competition, and it’s all wasted!” one of them exclaimed. “I was up all night yesterday, couldn’t even sleep, thinking about the game. We could’ve done well and taken our team overseas!”

Huey’s complexion was ashen, and his left hand was bundled in bandages. He offered Eileen a weak smile when their eyes met, trying to mask his disappointment. “Ignore them, Eileen. There will be more competitions.”

“But Huey, didn’t you promise your mom you’d quit the game if we didn’t take home a trophy this time?” a friend said. “So are you going to quit playing from now on?” another asked.

Huey faced his team and silenced their gripes with a stern look. “Enough! I want to speak with Eileen now. Alone.”

The teammates huffed in discontent but complied, leaving the two alone in the quiet room. Eileen didn’t move, keeping her distance from Huey’s side.

Before she could form words, Huey stopped her. “There’s no need for apologies,” he said. “I saw your location and tried calling you. When there was no answer, I knew something was wrong. Life takes precedence over any game. It’s a shame I couldn’t be there, but there will be other chances.”

His words were logical, yet guilt still clung to Eileen like a shadow.

“You owe me a favor now,” Huey declared, his gaze fixed on her. “Who knows when I’ll need it?”

Eileen offered a solemn nod. “Okay. If you need anything in the future, just let me know.”

Huey’s smile broke through, beckoning her nearer. “Come closer. I’ve got something to tell you.”

Eileen maneuvered her wheelchair closer to Huey’s bed.

“On my way out of the hotel, I saw your boss,” Huey began, his voice hesitant. “He was with another woman. They seemed pretty intimate. Maybe I shouldn’t be the one to tell you this, but keeping secrets isn’t my style. Consider this a heads-up. Despite everything, he’s seeing another woman. Don’t fall for him. He’s not worth it.”

The sting of Huey’s words left Eileen nursing a bitter heart, battling emotions she wished she could dismiss.

With a strained curve of her lips, she managed to say, “I understand.”

In the hallway, the doctor and nurses attending to Eileen and Huey conversed in hushed tones. “They seem quite attached to each other.”

“Just now, he was asking about her.”

“And she’s right there with him, despite needing a wheelchair.”

“The ordeal they faced last night could only bind them closer in the days to come.”

Their talk trailed off into mumbles as they pondered an odd detail. “But who was that man that brought them here? He seemed anxious holding the woman in his arms. There must be something going on between him and the woman.”

They shook their heads and walked back to their office. Bryan, unnoticed at the corridor’s end, had caught every word. His attire was disheveled, his focus unwavering on the door of Huey’s ward.

Nearby, Vivian’s gaze bore the weight of fatigue. “Bryan, are you… Are you worried about Eileen?” she asked.

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