Chapter 94: Chapter 94

Chapter 94:

Vivian, without pausing to consider why Eileen wasn’t pregnant, was eager to ruin Eileen.

Under the curious stares of everyone present, Eileen rose to her feet, wincing from the pain in her back as she smoothed out her clothes. Once upright, she stood still, a look of confusion crossing her face.

Stella, her brow furrowed in concern, turned to Bryan and demanded, “What exactly is happening here?”

“I’ll fill you in privately, Grandma. It’s not what you’re thinking,” Bryan replied, his voice calm. He glanced at his watch and added, “It’s time for dinner. Everyone, please feel free to stay and dine with us if you wish.”

Though his words sounded like an invitation, the guests quickly picked up on the hint that it was time to leave.

Many guests promptly stood and excused themselves.

Yet, Vivian remained, determined to stay until Stella addressed Eileen’s situation.

She approached Stella, about to speak, but Bryan stepped in her path.

He signaled to Kian, and Kian moved to stop Vivian, pulling her back.

Kian said, “Vivian, let Mrs. Dawson and Bryan handle this matter with Eileen. We should head home and come back another time.”

“Ryan, don’t stop me!” Vivian struggled to break free from Kian’s grip but couldn’t. Kian soon led Vivian away.

Vivian’s parents, looking furious, left the hall with them, muttering, “I knew this was not going to be good! Why does Vivian want to be with Bryan so much?”

Explore captivating tales at gαℓησν𝒆𝓁s․𝒸o𝗺 Despite the words, the Warren family had actually supported Vivian.

Unlike Vivian, Eileen had to endure Stella’s anger all by herself.

She considered whether revealing her identity as Bryan’s wife now might help her dodge Stella’s anger.

But in that case, she would have to deal with Bryan’s reaction.

“Explain this to me,” Stella took a seat, fixing a sharp look on Bryan and Eileen.

Bryan, full of disdain, spoke first. “She got drunk, plain and simple. She’s been suspended already. If that’s not enough, I’ll fire her.”

Hearing that, Eileen tensed up. She bit her lip so hard that she could taste blood.

She knew Bryan was worried that revealing the shocking truth about their relationship would anger Stella and harm her health.

“Eileen, tell me your side of the story,” Stella’s gaze was intense, trying to read every small change in Eileen’s face.

A moment of hesitation appeared in Eileen’s eyes, but she quickly concealed it and met Stella’s gaze confidently. “It happened just like Mr. Dawson described. I’m to blame. I accept any punishment.”

Then, she bowed her head again.

She thought she heard Stella sigh.

But she didn’t look up, thinking perhaps she had misheard it.

After a pause, Stella stood up, and Jarred rushed to help her.

“She works for you. You can decide how to handle this.”

With those words, Stella started walking toward the door. “Let’s go. If I look at my grandson one more time, I might just lose it,” she murmured as she reached the door. Then, she stopped abruptly and asked sternly, “You haven’t lied to me, have you?”

“Of course not. I have no reason to lie to you for her,” Bryan said as he turned to face Stella, his hand casually resting in his pocket.

Stella, looking somber, turned and left with Jarred.

During the drive back to Dawson Mansion, Stella sighed repeatedly.

Jarred, unable to ignore her distress, finally asked, “Mrs. Dawson, is something bothering you?”

“I’m just disappointed that my grandson can be so naive. What does he see in Vivian that’s so appealing?” Stella asked, her face creased with worry. “Why is he so captivated by her?”

“It’s understandable if you can’t see what he sees in her. Maybe we shouldn’t pressure Bryan too much, or he might…” Jilled trailed off, letting the unsaid words hang in the air.

Stella pondered his words and fell silent.

After Stella and Jarred left, only Bryan and Eileen remained in the hall.

Bryan stood by the French windows, smoking. The smoke curled around him, adding to his air of anxiety and frustration.

Steps behind him, Eileen felt a persistent ache in her back, making it hard for her to stand. Not even her vibrant red lipstick could mask the paleness of her face.

Suddenly, Bryan turned around, leaning against the wall, and beckoned to her. “Come here.”

Eileen approached, secretly massaging her aching back. The pain slightly subsided but persisted.

Bryan reached out with his slim fingers, gently pulling her nearer. As his fingertips grazed her ear, he murmured, “Do you realize the trouble this caused?”

“I’m sorry, Mr. Dawson,” Eileen replied instantly, at a loss for what more to say or do.

She faintly heard Bryan grinding his teeth. She pressed her lips together in anxiety, flinching as his hand unexpectedly found her waist.

His hand brushed her injury as he drew her into his arms.

Eileen nearly yelped from the pain.

Noticing her furrowed brow, Bryan’s expression shifted as he eased his grip on her waist. “Hold still,” he instructed.

His fingers slipped under her shirt, pulling it up to expose the soft skin of her back.

He spotted the bruise on her back. It was swollen and as large as a fist.

Eileen remained quiet in his embrace, shifting uncomfortably as he inspected the bruise.

“Go home now,” Bryan said abruptly, releasing her. “Wait for my call.”

He was still unsure how to handle the situation with her.

Eileen composed herself, her cheeks red. She adjusted her shirt and replied, “Okay.”

Bryan watched her as she walked away. His gaze lingered, his brown eyes revealing a mix of emotions.

He sighed deeply and pulled out his phone from his pocket.

Outside the hotel, Eileen felt slightly dazed. She stood by the road for a long time but couldn’t manage to get a taxi.

The noon sun bathed her in its warmth, making her feel cozy and relaxed.

Just as she decided to head for the nearest bus station, a bright blue car stopped next to her.

The driver’s window lowered, and Jacob looked out at her and said, “Hop in.”

Eileen leaned over and gave Jacob a puzzled look. “Mr. Meyer, why are you back? How can I help you?”

“Let’s talk about it in the car.” Jacob opened the car door for her.

With no other options, Eileen climbed in. As soon as her seatbelt clicked into place, Jacob fired up the engine, and the car sped down the road.

It was Eileen’s first time accepting a ride from any man other than Bryan. For some reason, she felt uneasy.

“Where do you want to go?”

“I’ll take you home,” Jacob said. Right after he spoke, his phone rang.

He signaled to Eileen to remain quiet and answered the call. Then, Gwyneth’s annoyed voice filled the car.

Jacob responded quickly, “Ma’am, I’ve got something urgent to handle, okay? I’ll invite her out another time. Bye!”

He ended the call before Gwyneth could reply and turned to Eileen. “Where do you live?” he asked again.

Eileen pondered whether Jacob had postponed an important date just to offer her a ride. It seemed unlikely.

Despite being confused, she replied, “Just take me to the hospital.”

“Okay,” Jacob said. A moment later, Jacob furrowed his brow and inquired, “What happened? Are you feeling unwell? What happened to your hand?”

“It’s just a minor burn. I’ve also caught a bad cold, and my sister insisted I go to the hospital,” Eileen explained, trying to downplay her condition.

Jacob looked at her with a knowing glance and, without further conversation, drove directly to the hospital.

They reached the hospital exactly at noon. Eileen thanked Jacob and hurried out of the car, not noticing that Jacob remained there for a while longer.

He was on the phone with Bryan.

“I’ve done what you asked. To do this, I canceled a date, and my mother nearly lost it on me. How are you going to make it up to me?” he said to Bryan on the phone.

Bryan just hung up without a word, leaving Jacob in shock. Moments later, he burst out with a string of curses and decided to drive back to find Bryan.

Eileen, though hospitalized, chose not to visit Ruby, fearing that the sight of her scalded hand would make Ruby worry.

That afternoon, while Bailee and Huey were out, Eileen spoke briefly with the doctor and secured permission to be discharged the next morning.

She kept this news to herself. When Bailee and Huey came back to visit, the following morning, taking advantage of their absence, she completed her discharge paperwork and left the hospital.

Once back at Springvale Lane, she texted Bailee to let her know she was out of the hospital.

As she had anticipated, Bailee scolded her for not taking better care of herself. Eileen assured Bailee repeatedly that she would be more attentive to her health from now on.

After changing into a tracksuit, Eileen removed the gauze from her hand, applied some ointment she had gotten from the hospital, and bandaged it again. Then, she headed straight to the Clarkson family’s house to tutor Aaron.

She took a bus and walked for about twenty minutes to reach the Clarkson family’s doorstep, where she rang the bell and was let inside.

Upon learning how she arrived, Harlan offered her a car key, saying, “It’s a long walk from the nearest bus station to our house, and it’s not easy to get here by bus. We have a spare car; please use it if you’d like.”

Eileen declined politely. “Thank you for the offer, but I actually enjoy the walk.”

Seeing her determination, Harlan dropped the subject and showed her to Aaron’s room.

Aaron’s performance at school had greatly improved. In his mid-term exams, he had scored average in his class, a significant step up for him.

In addition to reviewing the errors he had made on the exams, Eileen also introduced him to upcoming courses to better prepare him.

During the session, Aaron noticed something was off. While he worked on exercises, Eileen seemed distracted, staring blankly at somewhere.

“Miss Curtis, what happened to your hand?” Aaron asked, setting his studies aside.

Snapping back to the present, Eileen shook her head and replied, “It’s nothing serious, just a minor burn.”

“You seem distracted today. Is it because your hand hurts?” Aaron inquired.

Eileen found herself momentarily at a loss for words.

Flustered, she grabbed the textbook and said, “I’m fine. Have you finished the exercises? Let’s start the next chapter.”

But Aaron pressed the book down and looked concerned. “You’re not yourself today. What’s going on? Why have you started coming here every day to tutor me? What about your job?”

Hearing that, Eileen felt a wave of uncertainty. She feared she might be fired soon. Just then, her phone began to ring.

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