Chapter 622:
âWhen did these rumors start circulating?â Eileen finally broke the silence, glancing at Ruby. âYou knew about this all along. Why didnât you tell me?â
Ruby sighed and responded, âIt started quite some time ago, but then there was the incident with Gabriela and Bryan. After Bryanâs accident, they kept quiet for a while, but recently, the gossip started up again.â
The women involved were older than Ruby, and many of them, living in close quarters, were engaged in business dealings and forming alliances. To avoid troubling Eileen, Ruby had ignored the gossip.
Today, upon hearing the rumors being spread about Eileen, she felt compelled to intervene.
âEileen, donât let it bother you too much. Itâs just gossip. They wonât have the nerve to continue after today,â Ruby reassured her.
âMom, Iâm just worried about you. You shouldnât have to endure these unfair accusations, andâ¦â Eileen hesitated, her words trailing off.
Based on Rubyâs timeline, the gossip had started after Deniseâs visit. Eileen suspected that Denise was somehow involved in the spread of the rumors. However, after Bryanâs accident, Denise had behaved sensibly and had not come to visit again.
Roderick, on the other hand, had made regular visits to Eileenâs place, bringing various tonics and food. Although Roderick was not particularly eloquent and struggled to find comforting words, it was clear he genuinely wanted her to visit his small restaurant instead of staying home all day, which, he believed, wasnât good for her.
âLetâs get out of the car and head inside,â Eileen said. She got out, changed into more comfortable attire at home, and proceeded to her office for a meeting.
The meeting concluded at eleven in the morning. After passing the documents to the secretary, Eileen went straight to Roderickâs restaurant. It was a busy workday, and during lunchtime, Roderickâs restaurant was bustling with activity. Not only were all the seats occupied, but there was also a long line of people waiting to place takeout orders.
Judie was handling the orders at the front desk, while Denise was cleaning. Observing the scene, Eileen joined the queue and waited for about ten minutes until it was her turn.
âWhat would you like toââ Judie looked up, recognized Eileen, and was momentarily taken aback. âEileen, why didnât you let me know you were coming?â
Explore captivating tales on . com âItâs okay. Just give me a serving of spaghetti,â Eileen replied with a smile. âI didnât get to try Roderickâs spaghetti during my last visit. Please order me the best one he has.â
Judie quickly selected the most expensive option. âThis spaghetti is our specialty. Adding a few extra pieces of meat will bring the price to over fifty dollars.â
After saying this, Judie printed the receipt and handed it to Eileen, offering a smile but remaining silent.
Eileen examined the receipt for a moment, then reached into her bag to take out some cash.
Upon seeing the money, Judie smiled brightly but refused to accept it. âThereâs no need for you to pay; weâre family. This oneâs on the house.â
âEileen makes plenty of money herself. Does she really need you to cover this?â Denise, noticing Eileen, hurried over and took the money from her. She then handed it to Judie. âYouâre pregnant now, so you should save more. Youâll need it later.â
At this, Eileen glanced down at Judieâs belly.
There was no noticeable change, but it was clear that Judie had gained some weight.
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