Chapter 214
Several individuals with brightly colored hair were seen chasing that teenager down the street, wielding iron bars. Bryan quickly parked his car and glanced over, catching just a glimpse of them vanishing into an alley.
He quickly stopped Eileen, who was ready to pursue them, and warned, “Don’t act rashly.” Those people were armed, and rescuing Milford would not be simple. Moreover, Bryan’s priority was ensuring Eileen’s safety.
“There’s a police station just around the corner from the school. Head there now and get help. I’ll keep in contact with you until you bring the police,” Bryan said calmly, already sharing his real-time location with Eileen.
Noticing Eileen hesitating, he added firmly, “Why are you still here? Go now.”
“Okay.” Eileen quickly followed Bryan’s instructions and sprinted toward the police station. Upon arriving, she gathered several officers on duty and briefed them on the situation as they raced through two streets and halted at a dead-end.
“The police are here; everyone stop!” Eileen’s heart raced, her mind filled with images of Bryan confronting a group of thugs to protect Milford. She knew Bryan was outnumbered and couldn’t help but fear for his safety.
However, upon a closer look, she saw several people sprawled on the ground in the alley, while Bryan was leaning against a wall and smoking a cigarette. His shirt was stained, but it didn’t diminish his commanding presence. Beside him stood a dejected Milford.
Hearing Eileen, Bryan and Milford both looked her way. Bryan took a final puff from his cigarette, extinguished it, and approached her.
One of the police officers behind Eileen inquired, “Miss, who are you reporting exactly?” It seemed obvious to the police that the individuals on the ground were the culprits. However, those people had been badly beaten, and the man approaching Eileen looked like someone not to be messed with.
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Eileen pointed to the figures on the ground and said, “They attacked my student. My boyfriend was just protecting him. Please don’t get the wrong idea.”
As she spoke, Bryan had already reached her side. She leaned closer to him and whispered, “If you could handle them, why did you have me bring the police?”
“I can handle them on my own. But if you were here, it would be a different story,” Bryan responded seriously. “We haven’t done anything wrong. What’s there to worry about?”
If Eileen had been present, Bryan would have had a weak spot. That was why he had asked her to leave to bring the police. Noticing Eileen’s disheartened expression, Bryan quirked an eyebrow and took the lead in talking to the police.
Eileen wasn’t exactly concerned about being misunderstood by the police; it was more that her frequent encounters with law enforcement recently had left her feeling uneasy. Now, with Bryan handling the conversation with the police, she focused her attention on Milford.
It had been a week since she last saw Milford, and his appearance had changed noticeably. His hair was longer, and he was covered in dirt. His usually clean and handsome face was now marred with bruises.
“What happened?” Eileen asked Milford, taking a wet wipe from her bag to gently clean his face.
Milford grimaced in pain when Eileen wiped a sore spot. Annoyed, he grabbed the wet wipe to clean himself and grumbled, “It’s all because you were too late!”
Eileen was taken aback by his words. After pondering for a few seconds, she understood something. The police needed Milford to provide a statement, so Eileen and Bryan had to accompany him to the police station first.
When they left the station, it was already past one o’clock in the afternoon. Bryan took Milford and Eileen to a restaurant for lunch. He ordered dishes that Eileen liked, ensuring she was well taken care of.
Meanwhile, Eileen pondered how to talk with Milford. But to her surprise, Milford already knew what he wanted to say.
“Did you two come here to find me?” Milford inquired.
Eileen nodded and said, “Yes, we were about to leave when we didn’t see you at the school gate.”
As soon as she finished speaking, Milford exclaimed in anger, “Adalina first saw me here on Monday, and now it’s Friday. Don’t you think you’re a bit late?”
“Late?” Bryan shot back sharply. “You’re still alive, aren’t you?”
Bryan’s imposing demeanor, filled with displeasure, weighed heavily on Milford. He suddenly realized the big mistake he had made by trying to set terms with Eileen in front of Bryan.
“Did you let Adalina see you at the school gate on purpose, thinking I would come for you?” Eileen stared intently into Milford’s eyes.
Milford appeared slightly uneasy and deliberately avoided Bryan’s intense gaze as he admitted, “I wasn’t sure if you would come looking for me, but on the day I left, I planned for two possibilities: either I would die on the street or you would come looking for me. I decided that if you found me, I would go back with you.”
“Go back with me?” Eileen’s voice rose slightly as she turned to look at Bryan, who raised his eyebrows and gazed at Milford.
“Why don’t you go back to your sister’s place?” Bryan asked sternly.
Milford responded without hesitation, “She’s not my sister anymore; I’ve cut ties with her!”
His firm and unwavering tone made the atmosphere tense. When the waiter brought the food, Milford, who was already hungry, started to eat voraciously.
“Take it easy.” Eileen handed Milford a napkin, choosing not to continue the topic of him returning home with her. She knew she didn’t have the right to take Milford back to her home with Zola still in the picture.
She had intended to convince Milford to return to Zola’s place today, but his blunt statement had left her speechless.
“Have some soup.” Bryan served Eileen a bowl of warm soup and neatly arranged the dishes on her plate, encouraging her to eat.
Eileen slowly sipped her soup, pondering how to resume the conversation with Milford.
Bryan, having finished his meal first, stood by the floor-to-ceiling window and lit a cigarette. A soft breeze wafted through the slightly open window. Eileen set down her fork and casually tied her long hair up with a hair tie from her wrist.
She then said, “Legally, Zola is your sister, and realistically, she’s the only blood relative you have. Despite her flaws and temper, she means you no harm. It wouldn’t be right for you to come home with me.”
“Then I won’t go home with you,” Milford replied earnestly, meeting her gaze. “You don’t need to convince me; I’m not going back to Zola’s place.”
“What do you plan to do then?” Bryan turned to Milford and asked. “Will you just keep living on the street without any purpose in life?”
Milford was quiet for a moment. Then, his confidence waned as he spoke. “Maybe… Would you two consider investing in me?”
His ambiguous words hung in the air, prompting Eileen and Bryan to wait for him to elaborate. Milford continued, “Provide me with a place to live, tutor me every day, and help me get into a top high school. Invest in my education for the next three years, and as soon as I go to college, I’ll repay you!”
He looked at Bryan and Eileen earnestly, his hopeful eyes clear. It was evident that Milford still wanted to pursue his education, and Eileen felt a surge of hope for getting him back on track. However, this form of investment was concerning. If Milford didn’t have any relatives, she would have agreed immediately.
“I don’t feel any connection with Zola, and we’re practically strangers. It’s fine if you don’t want to put in the effort for me; you owe me nothing. I won’t hold it against you. But don’t try to patch things up between me and Zola,” Milford said, resting one foot on the chair leg and gazing into the distance. “I don’t have much time. If you agree, I’ll go back with you. If not, I’ll leave, and you don’t need to search for me again.”
“Enough with the pitiful act.” Eileen quickly saw through Milford’s feigned misery, though his pride masked it slightly. Milford looked let down and glanced cautiously at Bryan, aware of Eileen’s compassion but wary of Bryan’s tougher stance. Watching Bryan stand there, seemingly unmoved by his words, Milford felt his heart sink.
Standing up, Eileen said, “It’s not appropriate for me to take you to my place without informing anyone. You can come with me, but I must let Zola know you’re safe. Whether she comes looking for you and how you handle your relationship with her is up to you.”
After she finished speaking, Milford’s expression lit up with a smile. “Alright, I’ll handle things with Zola myself,” he said.
Then, both Milford and Eileen turned to look at Bryan. Eileen’s gaze seemed to inquire where Milford would stay now that she had agreed to take him in. Would Bryan be fine with Milford staying at Lakeside Villa? Worried that Bryan might object, Milford quickly added, “I don’t care where I stay! Isn’t there a storage room at your place? I’ll make sure I’m out of sight, especially at night—”
“Shut up,” Bryan interjected, crushing his cigarette and tossing it into the trash. He looked at Milford, and after a moment of consideration, his expression softened slightly. “We’ve got plenty of room at home.”
He then walked over to Eileen and took her bag. “I’ll drop you at the educational institution first, then take him home.” Eileen was busy with work recently, and any delay meant getting home later at night.
Milford quickly got up and followed them with a grin. The restaurant’s entrance was nearly empty past lunchtime, and the three of them stood out, especially Milford, who was covered in dirt. Zola, seated in her car, noticed them immediately and watched as they got into the vehicle and drove off.
She pressed her lips together, then made a call. “I’m sending you an address. You’ll find my brother there. You can ask the people there for the money my brother owes you.”
“Don’t mess with us. Your brother got some of my guys locked up. Who’s to say you don’t have the cops waiting there?” The voice on the other end was aggressive.
Zola responded coldly, “I’m not playing games. He still owes you money. Here’s what you can do: do as I say, and even if the police show up, they won’t be able to do anything to you.”