Chapter 226
Down the stairs came Milford, his steps quick and brimming with rage. He marched up to Eileen, his anger palpable. “Did Zola give you money to deal with those people’s demands?”
Eileen was taken aback by the sudden question. “What?”
“Isn’t it clear?” Zola had also come downstairs, her voice sharp. “Half a million. I used it to fix your problem! Think about the mess you’ve gotten yourself into. And watch your tone when you talk to me!”
Eileen finally caught on to what they were arguing about. “Miss Murray, didn’t you say we should keep this a secret?”
Eileen had received a WhatsApp message from Zola earlier instructing her to keep the matter confidential. So, she hadn’t mentioned anything to Milford.
Zola took a deep breath, feeling a twinge of guilt. “I’m sorry. I just mentioned it because Milford and I were having an argument. I couldn’t help but bring it up.”
“So, did she really pay up?” Milford questioned again, his voice laced with disbelief.
“Yeah, she did. Legally, she’s your guardian. Even if we wanted to take those people to court, she’d have to step in,” Eileen replied, looking at Milford. “But I hadn’t expected she’d hand over the cash like that.”
Milford turned to glare at Zola. “So you were just being foolish. Are you trying to impress me by throwing money around? Do you believe that paying half a million will earn you favor in my eyes? If you’re so dissatisfied with that, why don’t you trade my life for that amount of money? Otherwise, quit ordering me around!”
“Zola’s your sister, and Eileen’s your tutor,” Bryan said in a cold voice. “Is this how you speak to them?”
With those words, Bryan silenced Milford. His grumpy demeanor was affecting not just Zola, but also Eileen.
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Eileen had promised Zola to keep the debt under wraps, so Milford had thought Eileen had sorted everything out and felt thankful towards her. Now, it seemed as though Eileen was taking undeserved credit in front of Milford.
“Regardless of who did what, the main thing is that it’s all sorted out now. Zola’s your sister, and she deserves to be kept in the loop regarding your matters. Sure, she might have dealt with it foolishly, but she was still trying to help.”
After speaking, Bryan gestured for Eileen to join him at the dinner table. “Let’s eat,” he said.
Without a word, Milford took a seat, ensuring he kept his distance from Zola, quietly digging into his meal. In no time, he finished and headed upstairs, clearly still angry.
Despite the delicious food in front of them, the tension hung heavily in the air due to the earlier disagreement between Zola and Milford.
Sensing the atmosphere, Zola spoke softly, “I’m sorry for dampening the mood.”
Bryan’s response caught everyone off guard. “From now on, don’t come here unless necessary.” He believed Milford’s irritation stemmed from Zola’s presence, and now the matter was affecting Eileen’s mood.
Zola was taken aback.
“Let’s not dwell on that. Tonight is meant for celebration, right?” Denzel chimed in, attempting to lighten the mood.
Jacob quickly followed suit, trying to smooth things over after the siblings’ disagreement.
As dinner wrapped up, Bryan saw the guests off. Eileen, eager to talk, headed straight for Milford’s room.
With a cup of milk in hand, she gently pushed the door open just as Milford glanced her way. Spotting Eileen, he let out a frustrated sigh, turning away to continue reading his book on his bed.
“You barely touched your dinner. Want some milk?” Eileen offered, her tone gentle.
“I’m not hungry. I’m just a nuisance. Isn’t it better I starve?” Milford replied, still bristling with anger.
He seemed a bit softer toward Eileen compared to how he had treated Zola.
Placing the milk on his bedside table, Eileen took a seat nearby. “You might feel like a nuisance, but that’s no reason to be so hard on yourself. And what about your promise to repay me someday? You haven’t forgotten about that, have you?”
Milford jolted upright, his eyes locking onto Eileen with determination. “I’m done with Zola. I want to cut ties with her.”
“You can’t be serious,” Eileen responded earnestly. “You’re still young. Zola’s love for you might feel heavy now, but you’ll understand its value as you grow older.”
Silence filled the room as Milford was lost in thought. Then, with sudden resolve, he declared, “Her actions towards me aren’t out of love; they’re driven by hatred. She wishes she could be rid of me.”
Eileen was momentarily taken aback by the weight of his words and the determination in his eyes. Milford reclined, cocooning himself in the blanket. “I’m still too young. I can’t shake off her guardianship until I turn eighteen. But mark my words, the moment I turn eighteen, I won’t let her be my guardian anymore!”
“So, you’re not mad anymore?” Eileen asked gently. She watched him, interpreting his earlier outburst as merely a vent. “About the debt, I kept quiet because your sister asked me to. Maybe she…”
“Don’t you find her hypocritical?” Milford interjected. “She tells you to keep quiet, then spills the beans to me. What a hypocrite!”
Eileen frowned, feeling a twinge of guilt as Milford’s words hit home. Though she didn’t particularly like Zola, she couldn’t pinpoint why. Zola had never directly wronged her and had always acted in Bryan’s best interest. Thus, Eileen found herself unable to speak ill of Zola.
After a moment of thought, she said firmly, “Regardless of what you think, keep it to yourself. She’s your sister, and airing family issues isn’t cool. You shouldn’t make a laughingstock of yourselves to outsiders.”
“Even if you laughed, it wouldn’t be at me; it’d be because you know I’m right!” Milford shot back, his eyes wide with conviction, having seen through Eileen’s thoughts just now.
Eileen stood up abruptly. “Stop talking nonsense. It’s late; put the book down and get some sleep.”
With that, Eileen turned and walked back to the bedroom just as Bryan emerged from the bathroom. Wrapped in a towel, water droplets shimmered on his toned chest.
Seeing Eileen, Bryan raised his eyebrows slightly and asked, “How’s Milford doing?”
“He’s a bit irrational, but he still listens to me. I just can’t understand why he always gets so worked up around Zola.” Eileen lingered by the door, uncertain of her next move.
Bryan didn’t move, casually drying his hair with the towel. He tossed it over his shoulder and leaned against the wall. “Aren’t you coming in?”
“Sure.” Eileen approached him. But just as she passed by, he reached out and grasped her wrist, pulling her close with his arm enveloping her waist. A shiver ran down her spine as the dampness of his skin seeped through her clothes.
“How should I thank you for such a big favor?” he asked. His clean, slender fingers brushed her cheek, tucking away stray strands of hair as he leaned in to plant a kiss on her lips.
She knew his intentions all too well. But was this really gratitude? It felt more like repaying a kindness with a grudge, considering how many sleepless nights they had endured recently due to his strong desire.
“The contract isn’t signed yet, right? You can wait until it’s officially signed before you start repaying me,” Eileen said.
Bryan pressed his lips together slightly before he nodded. “Got it. So, what you’re saying is that I should throw in a bit of interest for now, and once everything’s official, we’ll settle both the principal and interest together?”
“No, I didn’t—” Eileen’s words were cut off as Bryan kissed her.
Their bodies swayed until she fell onto the bed, sinking into its softness. The sudden weight on her made her frown, her fingers gripping his tightly above her head. Her fingertips turned white, her vision blurring, and her cheeks flushed with color.
Her voice, soft and soothing in the quiet room, stirred something within Bryan…
Just then, Bryan’s phone glowed on the nightstand, signaling a message from Raymond: “Mr. Dawson, regarding those alternative investors you mentioned, do we still need to meet them tomorrow?”
As expected, the contract signing proceeded without a hitch. Anticipating the Myers’ true motives, Bryan inserted several more clauses to guard against any future problems with Bernard. Bernard, pragmatic as ever, understood he couldn’t avoid signing and decided to cooperate sincerely since he could profit from the project anyway. With the contract settled amicably, they even shared a meal.
After that, Bryan’s schedule became busier, and so did Eileen’s. Eileen tutored Adalina and Milford on weekdays, while her weekends were dedicated to Brooks. Juggling their schedules, she managed to arrange Milford’s return to his old school, allowing him to take the final exam alongside Adalina.
Once Milford embraced school life again, his grades steadily improved in the final month before the exam. Meanwhile, Adalina’s grades plateaued, teetering on the edge of eligibility for top high schools in Onaland, leaving her future uncertain.
Milford excelled, comfortably surpassing the passing mark. Together, Eileen and Milford teamed up to help Adalina improve her grades. Thanks to Eileen’s dedication, Brooks’ grades also improved, edging closer to the standards for prestigious high schools in Wist Land. Nadia was thrilled, expressing her gratitude to Eileen every time they crossed paths.
Under Nadia’s watchful eye, Dora refrained from causing any trouble for Eileen, especially after Nadia realized Dora was interested in Eileen’s boyfriend. This realization led to a stern lecture from Nadia.
Eileen and Bryan’s teamwork ensured smooth progress in their respective endeavors. Meanwhile, Zola tossed and turned through countless nights, unable to shake off the image of Eileen and Bryan being close together.
Caught up in the project, Zola found herself enduring conversations with Bryan and the others, suffering through Denzel’s and Jacob’s teasing about Bryan and Eileen, each comment piercing her heart. Unable to bear it any longer, Zola decided to invite Eileen and Bryan out for a meal.
“I asked you both out because… I can’t face Milford. I’m afraid he’ll be annoyed with me,” Zola confessed, sadness evident in her voice.
Eileen, swamped with work, had struggled to find time for the meal. However, it was the first time Zola had taken the initiative to invite her, so she chose to manage her tasks on her phone. Noticing Eileen’s noticeably thinner appearance, Bryan skipped the pleasantries and asked Zola directly, “So, why do you want to meet us?”