Chapter 318
Phoebe had shared everything about Bryan’s activities overseas with Eileen. He seemed to have some commitments too, although Eileen didn’t know the specifics of his job.
What she did know was that he finished at 5 p.m. every day and spent three hours at the intersection near the Ferguson Group’s branch.
Even the café owner at the corner recognized him because of his consistent presence there.
After a month of recovery from childbirth, Eileen regained her slender figure. The only visible mark on her body from giving birth was a C-section scar.
When Eileen decided to go out, Rylie didn’t object but reminded her not to overexert herself with work so soon after having a baby.
Ruby, on the other hand, remained silent, seemingly aware of Eileen’s destination, and watched her leave with a look of concern.
After nine months of pregnancy and a month of recovery, being outside again felt strange to Eileen.
She adjusted her seat in the car, took a few moments to get comfortable, then started the engine and drove off.
The usual twenty-minute drive took forty minutes because of the rush hour traffic.
Eileen arrived at the café at half past five.
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The place was quiet, with a few businesswomen gathered in a corner and some individuals scattered around the first floor.
Bryan was not there. Eileen sat by a second-floor window where she could see the entrance and the street.
She hadn’t told Bryan she was coming.
Bryan should have been here by now.
Perhaps today was the exception, and he wouldn’t come.
If that were the case, it seemed they were bound to miss each other.
Since she couldn’t drink coffee, Eileen ordered a glass of milk and kept glancing at the door.
Over the next hour, about eight people entered, but Bryan was not among them.
By nearly seven o’clock, the sky had completely darkened, with city lights illuminating the streets.
The café remained quiet, the soft hum of foreign languages adding a hypnotic backdrop.
Eileen’s body tensed slightly as the warm milk in her hands turned cold.
She had yet to see the person she was waiting for.
As the café emptied, the waiter asked her several times if she wanted a refill, but she declined each time.
Each occupied table had a small lamp turned on, and the only lamp lit on the second floor was at her table.
The light created intricate patterns on her hands.
At half-past eight, Eileen let out a soft sigh and stood up to leave.
Outside, it had started to drizzle.
Pedestrians hurried by with umbrellas, and a few, like her, sought shelter under eaves.
Across the street, a man stood under a streetlamp, smoking.
The white streetlight illuminated Bryan, casting a glow around his figure; his black shirt was damp, clinging to his body.
Raindrops dotted his short hair, and the glow of his cigarette flared intermittently.
As he flicked ash from his cigarette, his dark eyes looked up and met Eileen’s.
Eileen stood under the eaves in a black dress, clutching a small bag.
Her waist-length hair was now cut to shoulder length and slightly curled. It retained its natural black color and exuded a captivating allure.
Bryan crushed his cigarette, moved toward her, and took off his coat.
He draped it over her shoulders and wrapped her in his arms as if to meld her into his very being.
His faint tobacco scent surrounded Eileen, his embrace as warm as before.
Half of his body remained in the rain, and she watched the raindrops soak through his clothes as she shifted slightly.
“Let go,” Eileen said.
“Give me ten more seconds,” Bryan whispered into her neck, inhaling her scent, now mingled with a hint of milk, likely because she had just come from the café.
He didn’t think much of it. After ten seconds, he reluctantly released her.
His dark eyes scanned her from head to toe, as if committing every detail to memory.
“Can we talk?” Eileen asked, her clear eyes capturing the deep contours of his face.
Bryan’s expression darkened at her question, and he responded, “No.”
“Then why did you meet me?” Eileen asked, frowning.
“Because I miss you,” Bryan replied.
Eileen felt a deep sense of resignation upon hearing that.
“What are you afraid of?” she asked. As his coat slipped from her shoulders, she caught it swiftly.
“You came all this way and spent so much time here just to see me,” she added.
“If you want me to do something else, that’s fine too,” Bryan said, his hand touching her waist.
His tone was casual, carrying no particular implication.
Eileen felt the lack of intention in his touch and handed him back the coat. “You should go back. There’s trouble at Apex Group.”
“What about you?” Bryan asked, stepping to the side to shield her from the wind.
Eileen tucked her short hair behind her ear and said, “I’ll go back too. I’ll go back once the Ferguson Group’s project here wraps up, in at most half a month.”
Satisfied with her answer, a faint smile curved Bryan’s lips, though he remained silent, his gaze fixed on her.
“Then you can go back now?” Eileen urged. She took his hand and draped the coat over his arm.
Bryan didn’t refuse, but it was difficult to miss the sadness in his eyes as he watched her.
Eileen hesitated for a few seconds before turning and walking toward her car.
Finally, Bryan spoke. “Eileen, do you regret marrying me seven years ago?”
If she hadn’t married him, she would have avoided much turmoil and not been drawn into the ruthless conflicts of the wealthy families.
Eileen paused, her black dress caught in the wind, her short hair covering half her face, but not the sorrow in her eyes.
After a while, she turned to face him. “No, I don’t regret it.”
A spark of light flickered in Bryan’s dark eyes.
Eileen continued, “After all, without you, my mom wouldn’t have made it this far.”
That was the only benefit she had gained from their marriage, and she harbored no regrets about that.
“Is that the only reason?” Bryan’s expression dimmed again.
He wanted to ask her if she regretted their relationship, but ultimately, he couldn’t muster the courage.
“Go back,” Eileen skirted the question. She turned around, entered her car, and watched his silhouette gradually fade in the rearview mirror.
Her heart ached as long-suppressed memories resurfaced.
Their meeting felt like a simple catch-up between friends, yet it also seemed like the precursor to a farewell… or maybe a new beginning.
The day after their meeting, Bryan returned to the country.
Three days later, Apex Group and Walsh Group agreed to court mediation. Zola and Leland didn’t attend personally, instead delegating their lawyers and assistants to manage the discussions.
Confronted with substantial evidence from the Walsh Group, Zola believed they had faked it, yet the video didn’t clearly show anyone’s face, and she lacked more concrete proof.
Therefore, the mediator recommended that Apex Group drop the lawsuit due to insufficient evidence.
Zola refused, escalating the issue to a court case. As the CEO, Bryan should have dealt with this, but he dodged the subject, maintained his daily routine at the company, and left Zola to cope with the crisis alone.
Occasionally, he reached out to Jacob, trying to find out about Eileen’s return date.
Sometimes, impulsively, he would call Jacob in the middle of the night.
Exasperated, Jacob finally snapped, “Bryan, you may not have a wife, but I do. And my wife is pregnant. Her pregnancy is tough enough without you waking us every night. Can you hold back a little?”
“Then why don’t you report to me daily?” Bryan responded matter-of-factly.
Jacob was left speechless.
Bryan continued, “Since you know her pregnancy is difficult, why should you sleep comfortably? I’m just helping you empathize with her.”
Angered, Jacob stormed out of his bedroom, went downstairs, and yelled, “Bryan, you deserve to be single! I hope you end up alone forever, with no wife or children to care for you!”
Bryan understood the wife part, but why did Jacob mention children?
Never mind. That was just a bunch of jibber-jabber. Eileen will be back in three days. I just found out tonight and planned to tell you tomorrow. Don’t bother me again.
Jacob hastily added, then ended the call.
Three days later, Zola lost the lawsuit because the evidence Leland had presented was undeniable.
Ultimately, Brandon met with Leland to discuss a settlement, narrowly preventing a defamation lawsuit against Zola.
Brandon sharply rebuked Zola, then immediately called an overnight emergency meeting with Apex Group’s senior management and shareholders.
They discussed the project’s viability and strategies to salvage Apex Group.
At the head of the table, Bryan sat as if he were merely an observer, occasionally checking his phone. His apparent indifference was noted by everyone.
Brandon knew Bryan wouldn’t propose any solutions. He understood Bryan was secretly hoping for Zola’s downfall to claim victory himself.
Seizing the moment, Brandon openly criticized Bryan’s lack of concern for the company. “Bryan, even though we had an agreement that if Zola lost, I’d sell all my shares to save Apex Group, that would mean heavy losses for us, and you just stand by and watch indifferently. How can you be so heartless?”
Bryan met his gaze with a cold one of his own, idly playing with a pen. In a frosty tone, he replied, “If you’re so noble, why don’t you give up your shares to cover the losses and leave Apex Group? I’ll handle saving it.”
His response left Brandon at a loss for words.
Brandon had braced for the possibility of Zola failing to manage Apex Group, but the reality was worse than he had imagined.
He had also anticipated Bryan might neglect the company’s troubles, but he had never expected such a complete disregard.
Now, even if he took control, Apex Group seemed like a lost cause. What was the point?
Yet, remembering the documents he had Bryan sign, Brandon thought, if all else failed… they would go down together!
Brandon said, “Everyone, you’ve seen his attitude. You can’t blame me for disregarding familial ties, but before we delve into that, let’s focus on how to salvage our current situation.”
Immediately, a shareholder spoke up, “Given the current circumstances, cooperation with the Walsh family is off the table. The Ferguson Group has the best chance to partner with the Walsh Group. If we can convince the person in charge at Ferguson Group to let us join the project, we might turn this around.”
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