Chapter 522
Shame flooded Zola’s cheeks as she realized the attention she was drawing. It felt as though everyone in the room was staring at her, their gazes sharp and piercing, like a thousand laser pointers aimed straight at her.
Eileen could no longer tolerate Zola’s words, and her reaction was swift and fierce.
Her hand, raised in anger, struck Zola hard across the cheek, sending her stumbling back into the wall.
“Zola, can you just act normal for once? If something’s wrong, maybe see a neurologist instead of causing chaos here! Sure, Milford is your brother, but you don’t deserve the title of his sister! I could easily have him cut ties with you. It’s just that I don’t want him to feel like he’s failing or a burden!” Eileen said.
Milford, now a grown man, had his own pride to consider. The ongoing conflict could cast a long-lasting shadow over his mental state, potentially convincing him of his inadequacy, his inability to be self-reliant, making him feel like a problem and a burden.
That was why Eileen had hesitated to intervene directly before.
She preferred that Milford handle the situation on his own.
“Are you threatening me?” Zola retorted, cradling her reddening cheek, her eyes sharp and menacing beneath her tousled hair. “You think just because Bryan’s on your side, you can do whatever you want? That you can—”
“Don’t make me slap you again. Either speak respectfully and take care of Milford, or stay quiet,” Eileen cut in, rubbing her sore arm. Ignoring Zola, she continued, “I’ve already contacted his school about accommodations. What he does during his breaks is up to him.”
Arguing with Zola was pointless. It would lead nowhere.
Eileen chose not to say anything more. At that moment, a nurse wheeled the still-unconscious Milford into the hallway.
Eileen followed them toward the ward, with Zola quietly trailing behind, her hand brushing her hair to cover her reddened cheek.
But just as Eileen was about to step into the ward, Zola suddenly seized her wrist. “Eileen, believe me, it’s only a matter of time… You’ll lose it all. I’ll be there to watch you break down, crying!”
“Go home, Zola. Get some sleep,” Eileen interrupted calmly. “In dreams, you can have everything you desire.”
With those words, Eileen entered the ward.
Once the nurse had updated Eileen on Milford’s condition and left, Zola was nowhere to be seen.
The doctor informed Eileen that Milford wouldn’t likely wake until later in the afternoon. Eileen lingered for a while, then realized Bailee hadn’t returned from settling the bill.
She asked for directions to the billing counter at the nurse’s station and was just about to look for Bailee when she spotted Huey’s father, Frankie Baker.
She had met Frankie only once before at a resort and hadn’t seen him since.
Back then, Frankie had been a lively man with a full head of black hair.