Chapter 347: Chapter 347

Chapter 347:

Kaysen hadn’t completely lost his influence; several people still approached him to exchange greetings and discuss business matters. During these interactions, his frosty gaze remained fixed on Eileen.

“If we can sow discord between Bryan and Eileen before Bryan is discharged, he definitely won’t seek revenge on her behalf. Then we can extend an apology to him, and he won’t be mad at us,” Kaysen whispered to Berkley.

Berkley relied on Kaysen for strategies. Once he formulated a plan, she knew exactly what to endorse. “Kaysen, you’re the most capable. I’ll follow your lead. What’s our next move?”

“Come with me,” he said, guiding Berkley to a secluded corner.

Eileen found the engagement party dull. After mingling with Benjamin and fielding numerous questions about her future plans post-Warren Group acquisition and the ongoing developments at Fregusen Group, she decided to take a break. Using the excuse that she had drunk slightly too much, Eileen slipped away with Benjamin to the second-floor lounge.

Benjamin had seemed uneasy throughout the event, and once they reached the lounge, he reluctantly pulled a business card from his suit pocket.

“This is from Mabel.”

It was Mabel’s business card, identifying her as a manager at Harrison Group.

“What do you mean?” Eileen asked, confused. “Is she trying to recruit you to Harrison?”

Your favorite stories gⱯlnσνels․com “She’s looking to cheat on Julio,” Benjamin struggled to find the right words. “She said her marriage to Julio is merely a marriage of convenience, and they’ve agreed to have their own affairs afterward. She wants to know if I’m okay with it…”

Unable to maintain her composure, Eileen burst into laughter, handing the business card back to Benjamin.

Benjamin’s expression grew stern. “Do I seem like someone who would be her secret lover?”

Yet, Eileen couldn’t help but respect Mabel’s honesty. She appreciated that Mabel was upfront about her marital situation. It was ethically questionable, but if Julio had indeed made such an arrangement with her, then why not?

Before Eileen could complete her thoughts, the door to the lounge suddenly swung open.

Berkley entered, her eyebrows knitting together at the sight of Benjamin, but she chose to sit on a different sofa.

“You must be Eileen and Benjamin, right?” Berkley started the conversation.

Both Eileen and Benjamin quickly adopted more serious expressions and nodded in acknowledgment.

Noticing their shift from the lighter tone of their earlier conversation, Berkley offered a friendly smile. “No need to be so formal. I’m just weary and came here to rest. Since we’re all here, we might as well talk.”

Nobody was convinced by her explanation, considering the venue had set up numerous temporary lounges; her choice of seating, the same as theirs, seemed far too coincidental.

“I have something I need to discuss with Eileen privately,” Berkley stated bluntly, forgoing any pretense.

Benjamin glanced at Eileen, who gave a slight raise of her eyebrows and replied, “There’s nothing that needs to be discussed privately. Please, go ahead.”

“Why the caution?” Berkley stood up and moved closer to them. “Well, I’ll just speak openly here. I heard Dawson was hurt. How is he doing?”

Eileen had not approached them yet, but they had already sought her out. Her expression became stern as she looked directly at Berkley. “Let’s be straightforward and not beat around the bush. We need to leave shortly.”

Feeling intimidated by Eileen’s intense stare, Berkley momentarily faltered but quickly regained her composure. “Alright, let’s be direct then. It’s improper for outsiders like you to meddle in my Freguson family matters. My husband may have reacted strongly, but you provoked him first.”

Her assertive tone implied that their actions were a forced response.

“If you agree, I hope you will no longer interfere with the Freguson family’s matters to spare yourselves any trouble. This incident resulted in Mr. Dawson getting hurt, which has made things awkward between my family and the Dawsons.”

This was a clear disregard for Eileen, implying that her safety was inconsequential compared to Bryan’s involvement.

The rest area fell silent, and Eileen leaned forward, fixing Berkley with a frosty stare.

She then burst into laughter. “If you’re bored, you should be a housewife at home or even play some cards. Don’t meddle in business affairs. If there’s something to discuss, let Mr. Freguson speak to me directly.”

She pointed at Berkley’s hand on her thigh. “Your hand is shaking, and your voice lacks confidence. You’re not suited for this arena.”

Her remarks caused Berkley to flush with embarrassment. Indeed, apart from pleasing her husband, she had no other notable skills. Being reprimanded by Eileen left her with no way to maintain her composure.

“You have no idea of your place, interfering in the business of the elite. You won’t even see it coming when you meet your end!”

As she spoke, she checked the time and stood up abruptly. “I’m done talking to you. You’ll regret it.”

As Berkley exited the lounge, she saw Kaysen descending the stairs. She hurried towards him, and they both quickly vanished into the stairwell.

“Did you manage it?” Kaysen asked. “I can only distract her for so long.”

Kaysen grinned confidently. “No problem. Just wait for the fish to bite. Let’s head back and enjoy the show.”

In the lounge, Eileen watched the door close slowly, furrowing her brows. “What was she here for?”

“To make threats?” Benjamin suggested doubtfully. “But it didn’t come across as a threat at all. You dismissed her with just a few words.”

After a moment’s thought, Eileen stood up. “Let’s go out and check if anything’s happened.”

In the banquet hall, life went on as usual, with guests engaging in lively conversations and networking. Eileen surveyed the crowd but couldn’t spot Julio. Mabel was with her father.

“Let’s split up to find where Julio has gone,” Eileen whispered to Benjamin, and they parted ways.

She hadn’t gone far when her phone rang. She moved to a quieter spot to answer—it was Delores.

“Ms. Curtis! Please come to Room 308!”

Eileen’s eyebrows knitted together as she headed towards the nearby stairwell, climbing swiftly to the third floor. “Are you at the engagement venue?”

“Uh…” Delores hesitated, then added, “Just come, and we can discuss it!”

After ending the call, Eileen quickened her steps to the third floor. Upon exiting the stairwell, she ran into a staff member moving quickly.

Upon seeing her, the staff member stopped and said, “Are you looking for Mr. Freguson? He’s in Room 308. He has something important for you!”

With that, the staff member handed her a room key, which Eileen accepted with a nod.

She watched the staff member descend in the elevator, then proceeded to Room 308 and opened the door.

Julio was lying on the double bed, his breathing uneven. Clearly, something was wrong.

Delores was beside him, frantically wiping his face with a damp towel.

“What happened?” Eileen asked.

“I’m not entirely sure. I saw two staff members carry him here. I hid by the door when they left and stayed. He appears to have been drugged,” Delores explained, continuing to wipe his face while looking helplessly at Eileen.

Recalling the staff member who had directed her to Room 308, a sense of dread filled Eileen.

“Let’s move him to another room.”

Motioning for Delores to stop wiping, Eileen approached and firmly pinched Julio’s philtrum.

Julio’s eyes fluttered open, the redness in them making it unclear whether he was fully conscious.

“Get up, we’re moving you,” Eileen said.

Together, she and Delores hoisted Julio up and left Room 308. Eileen tried to open other doors on the third floor, but they were all locked.

Eventually, they found an unlocked storage room at the end of the corridor. Without hesitation, Eileen gestured for Delores to bring him inside.

She then reached for her phone to call Benjamin for help, wondering how to transport Julio to the hospital.

However, before she could dial, a sudden push sent her sprawling against the hallway wall.

The door to the storage room slammed shut and locked from the inside.

Frantically, she pounded on the door, but it was futile.

The third floor consisted of a long corridor, offering a clear line of sight from one end to the other. She realized that someone would likely ascend the stairs soon. Staying there would draw attention to the storage room. If members of the Harrison family discovered Julio and Delores inside, it would devastate the engagement festivities.

Eileen figured it out: Kaysen was trying to kill two birds with one stone by implicating her and Julio! He was jeopardizing the engagement and her relationship with Bryan. Was it necessary to always target someone’s reputation?

Lost in her thoughts, Eileen noticed the elevator reaching the third floor. After a brief pause, she hurried back down the stairwell.

The hall was bustling as usual. Benjamin, having failed to locate Julio, was just about to call Eileen.

Surprised to see her descending from the upper floors, Benjamin inquired, “Was Mr. Freguson upstairs?”

“Yes,” Eileen quickly explained. “But where is Kaysen?”

She scanned the crowd and noticed Kaysen and Berkley mingling among the guests, her expression darkening with concern.

“I’ve been keeping an eye out, and no one from the Harrison family went upstairs. I suspect…” Benjamin pondered. “It could have been reporters. Kaysen is likely trying to escalate the situation. His goal might be to create a big enough scandal to irreparably damage the engagement.”

Luckily, Dalores had been vigilant, which allowed Julio to evade this trap.

They remained alert, watching for any activity from the upper floor, and soon several unfamiliar individuals came down. These strangers had hidden cameras in their pockets, yet they hadn’t snapped any photos.

Feeling somewhat relieved, Eileen considered checking upstairs but opted against it. Julio was still under the influence of the drug, and if it hadn’t worn off, he could have behaved unpredictably toward Dalores.

Ultimately, she and Benjamin stayed to cover for Julio, excusing his absence as urgent business matters. The celebration proceeded until ten o’clock, with all attendees gradually leaving.

She also bid farewell to Josue, albeit reluctantly. “There’s been an emergency. I might return late and probably won’t be able to spend time with Gabriela tonight.”

“No worries, I’ve got this, you’re not needed,” Josue replied, more than ready to take over, and quickly left.

Eileen and Benjamin lingered at the end of the third-floor corridor until just past midnight, when they finally heard the door to the storage room click open from the inside.

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