Chapter 292
“Can we work together?”
As expected, this was about Julio getting back to the Ferguson family, but the fact that Julio wanted to work with her caught Eileen off guard.
“What could we possibly work together on? What do I have that makes you want to work with me?” Eileen questioned.
Eileen didn’t immediately decline, which thrilled Julio. He replied, “Your years working with Bryan, your deep understanding of each business family in Onaland’s elite circle, and your capacity to work—all these would greatly benefit me. Above all, I need a trustworthy ally.” Julio found himself surrounded by adversaries as he planned his return to the Ferguson family; he needed a reliable and capable person who could help him.
“After everything I’ve been through, why would you expect me to leap from the Dawson family’s frying pan into the Ferguson family’s fire?” Eileen challenged, her voice tinged with defiance, unwilling to dive back into the tumultuous world of affluent families.
Julio responded swiftly, “Because your child is going to need a lot of support for a safe birth.”
Eileen was taken aback. “How did you know?” Her eyes narrowed in disbelief. Even Phoebe wasn’t privy to this information. How had Julio uncovered her secret? “I stumbled upon the information unintentionally. Your attending physician happens to be a classmate of mine. During my visit to the hospital, I glimpsed your medical records. Despite the name being different, the absence of your sister and the recent wedding cancellation led me to deduce that you were the one pregnant,” Julio explained, revealing his keen observational skills, honed from years of legal practice.
Detecting Eileen’s guarded demeanor, Julio reassured her, “Rest assured, whether or not you decide to work together, your secret is safe.”
Not wanting anyone to have anything against her, Eileen countered, “How can you be so certain I’ll choose to keep the child?”
“I cannot guarantee you’ll keep the child, nor do I presume to sway you,” Julio admitted, his tone softening as he sank into a nearby sofa, visibly troubled. “All I can do is appeal to you, thinking you’ll keep the child. You understand what this child represents within the Dawson family dynamics. Whether it is Brandon’s potential animosity or Stella’s custody battles, your current resources may not suffice. Working with me could offer the protection you’ll need once I reclaim the Ferguson family.”
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Eileen’s skepticism persisted. “I couldn’t withstand Brandon or Stella. What makes you think I can confront the Fergusons, who have already harmed me?”
Her words dripped with a touch of sarcasm. Her primary concern remained the inevitable complications that would come with her keeping the child.
“Before reclaiming the Ferguson family, I don’t need your direct involvement, just your support from behind the scenes. If my efforts fail, I won’t drag you down with me,” Julio said without hesitation.
Clearly, Julio had anticipated this conversation well in advance, demonstrating an unexpected thoughtfulness by offering Eileen an exit strategy.
He added, importantly, “With me at your side, even if news of your pregnancy leaks, you might be able to evade the Dawson family and their potential repercussions.”
Eileen was swayed by this.
She had spent her sleepless nights strategizing how to secure her child’s legitimacy without tying it to the Dawson family.
It was clear she couldn’t do it without a man by her side, but finding a man at random was out of the question. In fact, Julio seemed to fit the bill perfectly; they had shared interests and a willingness to provide mutual cover.
“I must admit I find your proposal very tempting, but I need time to think it over carefully,” Eileen responded cautiously, withholding an immediate answer. Julio remained unruffled and nodded. “Alright, get in touch with me when you’ve made your decision. I won’t bother you further.”
With that, he turned toward the door, where he encountered Phoebe’s probing gaze as he opened it. “Our conversation is over. Thank you for trusting me,” Julio told Phoebe before leaving.
“You’re welcome,” Phoebe replied with a smile, watching him depart before hurrying back into the ward. Once inside, she scanned Eileen from head to toe, her expression anxious. “He didn’t verbally assault you, did he?”
Eileen chuckled at Phoebe’s concern. “Why would he do that? We have no conflicts. Do you suspect everyone of ill intentions?”
“People’s true intentions are often hidden,” Phoebe replied, voicing her skepticism. “Why did he come to see you?”
“He wants to rejoin the Ferguson family but lacks deep knowledge of the business world after years in law. He needs someone reliable and capable,” Eileen explained, leaning comfortably against the headboard and observing the warm sunlight streaming through the window.
“I set my sights on being his assistance,” she added, noting her reputation as a highly efficient assistant, earned through years of hard work alongside Bryan. “What benefits can he offer you? A stake in the Ferguson family’s stocks? But what if he fails? That could spell trouble for you,” Phoebe said, voicing her concerns, hesitant about Eileen involving herself with the Ferguson family. “Haven’t you had your fill of dealing with the Dawson family? How many trustworthy individuals are there among these wealthy families?”
Eileen had indeed learned the hard way about the unreliability of such circles.
Her past experiences with the Dawsons had taught her that lesson well. Yet now, relying solely on herself, she faced a different kind of danger.
“Julio wants to work behind the scenes. If he successfully regains control of the Ferguson family, then I’ll step into the spotlight. If not, I can walk away without any harm,” Eileen explained Julio’s plan, drawing Phoebe’s interest.
Phoebe settled into a chair, reflecting for a moment before speaking thoughtfully. “The Ferguson family holds considerable sway. From what I know, Julio has never given up on reclaiming his place there. His legal career was likely a strategic move to build the necessary connections for his return. This seems like a well-prepared strategy. And beyond that, I do trust his integrity; he was always involved in charitable activities during his student days.”
In fact, Phoebe held a deep admiration for Julio, grounded in her belief in his character.
Yet, it was the potential risks Eileen might face that troubled her.
“Have you agreed to his proposal?” Phoebe asked. Seeing the hopeful gleam in Phoebe’s eyes, Eileen sensed that Phoebe was tempted by Julio’s offered escape plan. “I haven’t given him an answer yet; I need more time to think it over,” Eileen replied honestly.
Phoebe’s disappointment was palpable. “Take your time to consider it carefully. Frankly, I’d love to see you become stronger and more formidable, enough to rattle these people in the Dawson family! Stella didn’t hesitate to throw you under the bus during the crisis. If you were the daughter of a wealthy family, would she have dared to act the same?”
The mention of the Dawson family stirred complex emotions within Eileen.
Two days later, Eileen was discharged from the hospital. It was December 5th, and Onaland saw its first snowfall. The snow was light; the snowflakes melted upon touching the ground, turning into delicate droplets.
Bailee and Ruby flanked Eileen, each holding one of her arms to prevent her from slipping.
Eileen didn’t broach the subject of the child again, but Ruby understood from her silence that Eileen had decided to keep it.
Some things didn’t need to be verbalized between them; delving into explanations would only resurrect painful memories, which Ruby wished to spare Eileen from. Thus, Ruby refrained from asking. After leaving the hospital, Bailee took Eileen home, where they took turns preparing delicious meals for her every day. Eileen’s severe morning sickness had caused her to lose weight from her already slender frame, making her appear even leaner.
With the wedding originally scheduled for December 6th, Eileen found herself lost in contemplation as she watched snowflakes drift outside the window. On the morning of December 5th, a rare sunny day brought the cozy feeling warmth of winter sun.
Leaning back in a chair by the window, Eileen soaked in its rays, feeling both languid and aching, as if something within her was slowly hollowing.
Even the residents of Onaland mourned the canceled wedding, let alone her, the one directly involved. Instead of marrying Bryan that day, Eileen agreed to work together with Julio.
That evening, Julio entrusted Eileen with a trove of confidential documents regarding the Ferguson family and revealed the details of the shares he had quietly acquired. His willingness to share such sensitive information at once underscored his profound trust in Eileen.
Perhaps, like Eileen, Julio had found himself with no one else to rely on, clinging to a final glimmer of hope to achieve his goals.
Julio held five percent of the Ferguson family’s shares. The Ferguson family conducted shareholders’ meetings every five years to elect the CEO, with Julio’s father, Kaysen Ferguson, currently holding that position.
Typically, these meetings were mere formalities under stable growth, ensuring the incumbent retained the CEO role.
In two months, the Ferguson Group’s shareholder meeting would take place.
Julio’s strategy involved quietly acquiring thirty percent of the company’s shares during this period.
By holding as many shares as his father, he aimed to qualify to compete for the position of CEO.
Besides accumulating shares, Julio needed to sway other shareholders to support him.
Given the impossibility of relying on family ties or conventional networking, he needed to gather evidence of wrongdoing from twenty shareholders through various means, using coercion to sway their decisions.
Julio provided Eileen with the identities of these shareholders and the details of their involvement in key projects.
Julio had already unearthed useful legal evidence against three of them.
For the others, who lacked legal vulnerabilities, he planned to investigate their businesses.
Eileen was familiar with the seventeen shareholders and swiftly began assessing the merits and drawbacks of their past dealings.
Utilizing her business contacts, she uncovered potential economic misconduct in one shareholder’s project within just two days.
Her role was to identify vulnerabilities; Julio would handle the deeper investigations.
Progress was slow due to the complexity and number of individuals involved, but these tasks occupied Eileen’s time completely.
She became absorbed in work that she forgot about Phoebe’s upcoming wedding on December 11th.
On December 11th, Phoebe found time to visit Eileen. “Eileen, are you still up for being my bridesmaid?” she asked. “Jacob said Bryan will be there as the best man, as we planned before.”
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