Chapter 194
Although the Dawson family seemed glamorous on the surface, those in the know avoided getting involved with them. Noble families might outwardly flatter the Dawsons, but none were willing to marry their daughters into the family, fearing potential troubles. Even Stella was hesitant to see Eileen take risks. If Bryan failed, he would be in a dangerous situation. After all, even his own father would turn on him.
“Mrs. Dawson, that’s not what I meant. This matter is very important. Please let me think it over carefully,” Eileen said. She saw the sadness in Stella’s eyes but didn’t agree right away out of sympathy. She needed to consider the consequences carefully. While she was prepared to take risks for Bryan’s sake, she hesitated when it involved her child.
Having a child might secure Bryan’s position in the Dawson family, but it wouldn’t eliminate his enemies, putting the child in constant danger. It wasn’t something Eileen could overlook.
“Take all the time you need,” Stella reassured, her smile reappearing. “I’ll arrange for the driver to take you home.”
Eileen declined, shaking her head. “I’ll catch a taxi. Take care of yourself, Mrs. Dawson.”
Stella acquiesced, deciding not to press further, deeming it best to avoid unnecessary complications.
Exiting the ward, Eileen spotted Jarred at the end of the hallway. He hurried toward her as their eyes met.
“Miss Curtis, have you concluded your discussion?” he inquired.
Eileen nodded. “No need for formalities, Jarred. You can just call me Eileen.”
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“That wouldn’t be proper,” Jarred responded with a smile, politely declining. He escorted Eileen to the elevator before returning to Stella’s ward.
Stella lay lost in thought on the bed. Hearing the door, she stirred slightly, turning her gaze toward it.
“Eileen’s left?” she inquired.
Jarred nodded. “Yes.”
Stella sighed, a hint of relief washing over her features. “Despite all the twists and turns, they haven’t let me down. One of my concerns has been alleviated. Now, I only wish to see Bryan assume his place in the Dawson family before I can rest in peace.”
“Madam, were you not certain from the start that Mr. Dawson and Miss Curtis would end up together?” Jarred asked, surprised.
“It was a gamble,” Stella admitted.
Jarred felt a chill of apprehension. “You had no guarantees, yet a year ago, you had Miss Curtis and Mr. Dawson sign that agreement. It was incredibly risky.”
That agreement concerned the entire Dawson family.
“Eileen isn’t the type to covet the Dawson family’s wealth. If they hadn’t ended up together, Eileen would have come back to me,” Stella asserted confidently. She knew she had not misjudged Eileen’s character.
Stella added, “She’ll face difficulties now that she’s involved with the Dawson family’s matters. If she manages to get through this challenging period, I will ensure she is duly compensated.”
Jarred nodded in agreement. Proper compensation was imperative, given the perilous journey ahead.
As soon as Eileen left the hospital, she sent a message to Bryan, fearing he might become anxious and disrupt Jacob’s engagement party if she didn’t contact him.
Bryan responded to her message, assuring her he would return promptly after the party and advising her to head home now.
Eileen intended to follow his advice, but just as she got into a taxi, she received a call from Jacob.
“Eileen! Could you come and keep a watchful eye on Phoebe for me?” Jacob said over the phone. His voice was muffled amidst the party chatter, signaling his presence at the engagement celebration.
“Why? What happened?” Eileen asked.
“She’s already downed two bottles of red wine and is brooding in a corner. I’m genuinely concerned,” Jacob replied, worried not about Phoebe’s potential to disrupt the festivities but about her safety.
Phoebe’s current state held little significance. If she disrupted the engagement party, she would face repercussions from the esteemed Beckett and Meyer families.
Eileen requested the address of the engagement party and promptly instructed the taxi driver to take her there. Even though she didn’t have an invitation, Jacob had informed the security at the entrance about her arrival, ensuring her seamless entry.
Renowned in Onaland, both the Meyer and Beckett families epitomized prestige, evident in the grandeur of the engagement affair. The entire hotel was brimming with guests for the event, and at the entrance of the hall, a photo of Megan and Jacob adorned the space, showing them as a perfect couple with beaming smiles on their faces.
Eileen glanced at the photo before slipping into the hall, where attendees donned formal attire and suits. Clad in a down jacket and jeans, she went unnoticed as people mistook her for a server, paying her no mind.
In a secluded corner, Phoebe had a case of wine stashed under the table at her feet. She deviated from the norm of sipping from glasses, opting instead to drink directly from the bottle. She took a sip, the red liquid trickling down the corner of her lips. Despite her pricey attire, she appeared disheveled.
Eileen grabbed some napkins from a nearby table and approached Phoebe, gently taking the bottle from her and dabbing her mouth. “Quit it with the drinks. I’ll take you back now,” Eileen said.
“They practically invited me to drown in their wedding booze. How could I resist?” Phoebe snatched the napkins from Eileen’s hand, hastily scrubbing her mouth and inadvertently smearing her lipstick. “I need to keep drinking. I even brought a wedding gift. If I don’t drink enough, it’ll be a waste of money.”
Eileen sat beside Phoebe, pondering how to sway her. Occasionally, she glimpsed Jacob amidst the crowd, visibly concerned for Phoebe. Two people who liked each other had come to this point. How could Eileen intervene? She couldn’t encourage Jacob to rethink his engagement, nor could she convince Phoebe to cause a scene at the party.
“You should find some time to talk with Jacob after this engagement party,” Eileen suggested.
Phoebe suddenly fell silent, tipping her head back to gulp down two hefty swallows of wine.
She then said, “You know, there’s this unwritten rule here. When a couple gets engaged, the guy’s supposed to prepare a house. After the engagement party, they’ll try living together before they get married. Tonight… they’re going to sleep with each other.”
Eileen was familiar with this purported “high-society rule,” though it had fallen out of practice in recent times. Either party could decline if they weren’t on board. So, from what Phoebe had said, neither Jacob nor Megan had objected?
“Jacob is nothing,” Phoebe scoffed. “There are a slew of better guys out there. I could easily find someone who’d treat me like royalty.”
Phoebe’s grievances were fueled by bitterness.
Eileen listened in silence. Whenever Phoebe’s voice rose, drawing eyes, Eileen offered an apologetic smile. Seeing that Phoebe showed no signs of stopping, Eileen had to intervene. “Are you really set on making a spectacle of yourself today? You were once well-known in Onaland’s social circles. Many people still recognize you. Even if you’ve cut ties with the Burton family, you can’t just disregard your own dignity.”
Phoebe had been intoxicated enough to have flown in from Wist Land overnight. So, she could easily get drunk enough today to cause a scene here. Eileen urgently needed Phoebe to sober up before anything bad could happen.
“Who needs dignity anyway?” Phoebe fired back. “I can’t stomach Megan. You know what she had the nerve to say to me just now? ‘If you ever hit rock bottom, you can come to me, and I’ll throw you a bone out of respect for Jacob.’ And you know the kicker? Jacob actually went along with it.”
Eileen now understood why Phoebe was so emotional. It wasn’t just about Megan; it was about Jacob breaking her heart.
Phoebe continued, “How disgusting, flaunting their love in front of me. The man I rejected is now cherished by Megan. Megan’s my rival, and Jacob had to get engaged to her of all people?” Tears streamed down Phoebe’s cheeks uncontrollably.
Observing Phoebe’s emotional outburst, Eileen rose, intending to lead her away. However, Phoebe shrugged off Eileen’s hand, hurled her wine bottle onto the long table, and dashed into the crowd.
“Phoebe!” Eileen hastened to follow.
Phoebe sprinted, disregarding the people she collided with, and intercepted Jacob and Megan, who were mingling in the crowd. Megan shot Phoebe a disdainful glance.
“Jacob, this is the last time I’m asking. Are you coming with me or not?” Phoebe demanded.
Jacob’s face paled as he instinctively glanced at his father, Corley Meyer, who was nearby. Phoebe’s voice was loud enough to reach Corley’s ears, and his expression immediately darkened. He turned to walk over.
“Phoebe Burton, what do you think you’re doing? This isn’t the time or place for jokes,” Jacob said.
“I’m not joking. I’m asking you one thing: do you want to be with me? This is your last chance. If you turn me down today and get engaged to Megan, you’ll never see me for the rest of your life.” Phoebe spoke with determination, her reddened eyes locked onto Jacob.
Eileen pushed through the crowd, about to step in when an arm barred her way. It was Bryan. He shook his head at Eileen. “Things have escalated. Getting involved now will only cause trouble.”
“I understand. I’m not going to interfere. I’ll simply take Phoebe away,” Eileen said, cautious enough not to get involved. She just wanted to stop Phoebe from causing more trouble.
“She’s in no condition to be taken away,” Bryan said calmly. He observed Eileen’s flushed face due to the hotel’s heat and unzipped her coat slightly before guiding her to a cooler, less crowded area where they could still observe the scene.
Phoebe’s behavior had made everyone displeased, prompting a barrage of harsh words hurled at her. The Burton couple looked both furious and embarrassed. Having already cut ties with Phoebe, they were unwilling to step in. However, ignoring it meant the Burton family would still be gossiped about due to Phoebe’s antics.
“Phoebe, do you feel no shame?” Megan’s voice carried a harsh tone, fueled by anger at Phoebe’s public confrontation. “Engaging in such actions as stealing a man? Who taught you this?”
“I’m not talking to you!” Phoebe snapped. “I’m still better than you, you know. Do you think I don’t know how you badmouthed me and got close to the Meyer family after I left? That’s how you got engaged to Jacob.”
Even though she had severed ties with the Burton family and left Onaland, she still kept in touch with her old friends. Through them, she had heard all about Megan badmouthing her and currying favor with the Meyer family after her departure.
Megan’s face flushed with a mix of shame and anger at Phoebe’s words.