Chapter 503
Roderick began to say something to Bryan but paused when he noticed only one cup of coffee on the table, positioned in front of Eileen. He quickly turned to Judie and asked, “Why didn’t you get a cup of coffee for Bryan?”
Judie, still upset about Roderick’s unexpected gift to Gabriela, responded curtly, “I was under the impression that Bryan doesn’t like coffee.”
Why should she have to serve Bryan? She knew well that Eileen’s newfound influence had little to do with Bryan. Eileen had achieved her position on her own.
“Enough!” Roderick snapped, giving Judie a disapproving look. He then grabbed a cup, poured coffee, and handed it to Bryan. “Bryan, I heard about your car accident on the news. Are you feeling better now?”
Bryan accepted the coffee with a small nod. “I’ve recovered now.”
“That’s great to hear. With both of your situations improving, and things going well for us, we should all be living happily,” Roderick said with a genuine smile.
His sincere demeanor encouraged Bryan to engage more actively in the conversation. Bryan shared insights on how to attract and retain customers, discussing the increasing trend of ordering takeout. He suggested hiring a part-time delivery worker for the lunch hours and creating a customer group that could order directly at the in-store prices.
Roderick engaged enthusiastically in the conversation, eagerly discussing ideas with Bryan. Meanwhile, Denise sat quietly, eating her meal without speaking to Eileen.
When Eileen excused herself to the restroom, leaving Gabriela with Bryan, Denise quickly followed her.
Once Eileen emerged from the bathroom, Denise approached her. “Eileen, may I talk to you about something?” she asked.
Eileen dried her hands and turned to face Denise in the mirror’s reflection. “What’s on your mind?”
Denise hesitated before replying, “Now that Roderick is stable and I’ve quit gambling, maybe we could close the distance between us… Would it be alright if I stayed with you from now on?”
Denise had grown tired of Judie. From the moment the restaurant opened, Judie had displayed an air of arrogance, neglecting her duties while taking in money. Meanwhile, Denise was left to wipe down tables, clean the kitchen, and wash the dishes—all for no pay.
When Denise had mentioned the possibility of a salary, Judie dismissed her with a wave of her hand. “Family doesn’t need to talk about money. Just focus on your tasks. Let me know if you need anything, and I’ll buy it for you.”
On top of that, Judie would often manipulate Roderick by suggesting that if Denise had access to money, she might fall back into her old gambling habits, which could potentially ruin their business.
As a result of this manipulation and the lack of pay, Denise was left with only three hundred dollars. She was trapped in a job that didn’t offer any real compensation.
If she wasn’t going to receive any money, Denise thought, she might as well move in with Eileen and enjoy a comfortable life without the need to work.
“No,” Eileen responded firmly. “We need to stick to what the lawyer outlined.”
Denise felt bitterness rise in her chest. “You can look after a stepmother and another man, but you can’t take care of your own mother?”
“I transfer money to your bank account each month. Based on what you’re telling me, it seems like Judie has the card. That’s something you’ll need to handle on your own.” As Eileen dried her hands, she added, “If you can’t sort it out, I can talk to Judie about it later.”
The money was meant for Denise, and it was entirely inappropriate for Judie to intercept it.
However, Denise clearly saw the two thousand dollars as insufficient. “If I lived with you, you wouldn’t have to send money. Wouldn’t that be better? Do you really think Judie will hand it over?”
“She will,” Eileen answered without hesitation. “And if she doesn’t give you the card, you can get a new one, and I’ll make sure the money is sent to your new account.”
Eileen left no room for further discussion and walked away.
Denise clenched her teeth, feeling increasingly aggrieved. The issue stemmed from Ruby, who had taken on the role of Eileen’s mother. Having two maternal figures in the house was bound to cause friction.
If only one of them could stay, Denise wondered, why did it have to be Ruby?
Unable to change Eileen’s mind, Denise decided to confront Ruby instead.
This meal had only deepened Eileen’s unfavorable view of Judie.
Bryan felt like a newly-wedded daughter-in-law out of favor, receiving cold stares from Eileen’s family.
As Eileen and Bryan settled back into the car, Eileen quickly reassured him, “Don’t mind Judie’s attitude too much. She’s just being snobbish.”
Previously, Judie had seen Bryan as someone beyond her reach. However, with recent news about the downturn of Apex Group and the launch of EB Group under Eileen’s leadership, it seemed that Bryan had fallen from grace, now ranking below Judie and Roderick.
Bryan paused while buckling his seatbelt, a spark flickering in his eyes before he looked up, mildly aggrieved. “What can I do? I seem to be reliant on others now.”
“You’re not relying on anyone,” Eileen reassured him, patting Gabriela’s little hand. “You’re Gabriela’s father and my… rightful…” She stopped abruptly, realizing something. “We haven’t actually remarried yet, have we?”