Chapter 550
“What if you can’t reach me?” Bryan gently tapped her nose with his free hand. “If you can’t reach me, don’t cry. Find someone else to keep you company.”
Eileen gently patted his hand. “If I can’t reach you, I’ll keep calling until you pick up.”
Bryan buried his face in her neck. “You’re being stubborn. It’s going to make me upset.”
In the stillness of the room, they whispered tenderly to each other.
Eileen reflected on how, since reuniting and having Gabriela, they had never been apart. Perhaps that was why Bryan seemed so hesitant to leave now and why he held her so close.
She hadn’t realized his words might be a different kind of goodbye.
Bryan insisted on not having Eileen drive him to the airport. After dinner, Raymond arrived to pick him up.
He took the suitcase from Eileen, his veins prominent on his hand, his fingertips turning white from the grip.
After changing his shoes, he glanced back at her. “Take care of yourself and Gabriela.”
“Okay.” Eileen smiled at him. “I’ll be waiting for you to come back.”
Bryan turned and walked, his black shirt merging with the darkness of the night. He waved his hand and said, “Don’t wait for me. If I can return, you don’t have to wait.”
His voice was almost lost to the wind. Standing on the porch, Eileen couldn’t make out what he was saying.
As she watched him walk away without a backward glance, a feeling of unease crept over her, as if she were losing something precious.
At the airport, Josue and Jacob were already there, waiting.
Josue had a suitcase with him.
When Bryan appeared, Josue quickly approached and said, “I’m prepared. I’ll come with you.”
“No,” Bryan replied firmly. “I need to do this alone. Coen is on high alert. Having another person along would just complicate things.”
“But if I were with you, you’d have a better chance of defeating him.” Josue insisted on accompanying Bryan. “This is my fault. If I hadn’t fallen for the Cortez family’s tricks, you wouldn’t be in this mess now!”
His voice rose in the busy airport, drawing a few glances from passersby.
Bryan frowned and said coldly, “Just do as I’ve instructed.”
Despite Bryan’s authoritative tone, Josue still didn’t want to back down.
Bryan patted Josue on the shoulder and said, “I acknowledge you as my daughter’s godfather. Don’t let me down.”
Godfather…
The responsibility weighed heavily on Josue.