Chapter 173: Chapter 173

Chapter 173:

Zola held a tray of beautifully arranged, peeled fruits in her hand. She walked over with a confident, radiant smile. “Ms. Curtis, right? Thank you for tutoring Milford. I have prepared some fruits for you and the kids.”

“Thank you, but we have just finished a ten-minute break. We will enjoy it after the session ends,” Eileen replied.

Zola’s smile remained as she responded, “Oh, it’s no trouble. You can take another ten-minute break.” She turned and entered the study, placing the tray on the desk. Her eyes immediately landed on the examination papers of Milford and Adalina. She glanced at the scores on the exam papers and frowned as she picked up Milford’s paper. Her frown deepened as she examined it carefully.

Meanwhile, Milford leaned back in his chair, gesturing towards the tray. “Have some fruit,” he casually said to Adalina.

Zola’s imposing demeanor made the timid Adalina uneasy. She nodded slightly but didn’t reach for the tray.

As Eileen entered the study, she saw Zola slap Milford’s examination paper on the desk. “Look at your test results! Bryan told me you were smart, but you barely passed!” Zola exclaimed.

Adalina trembled with fear, instinctively retreating into a corner. The atmosphere in the study suddenly became tense. Milford raised his head and stared at the domineering Zola for a few seconds. With a sweeping motion, he knocked the books off the desk. “Zola, who do you think you are? I did my best on this test. It’s none of your business how I scored. Why do you even care? Just leave me alone!”

“You are being incredibly rude! You are fifteen years old, not five. You can’t keep throwing tantrums like a child!” Zola snapped, raising her hand as if to slap Milford.

Eileen quickly stepped forward, positioning herself between Zola and Milford. “Miss Murray, I know Milford’s score isn’t ideal right now, but his schooling was suspended for a year. He has only been back at it for about a month. Considering that, he is doing quite well. Please, don’t be too harsh on him. He is very bright, and it’s only a matter of time before he gets excellent grades.”

“Don’t you think you are being too lenient? He barely passed, and you think that’s good enough? I seriously question your capability as a tutor. There is only half a year left before he finishes middle school. With these grades, how could he possibly get into the top high school in Onaland?” Zola said, her chest heaving with anger, her eyes filled with disgust as she glared at Milford, leading her to be dissatisfied with Eileen’s tutoring as well.

Read all updates on gαℓησv𝒆ls․com “I don’t care whether I can get into the top high school or not! Do you think I want to move to Onaland? I won’t live off someone else’s charity like you!” Milford shouted back.

Grabbing his phone from the desk, he pushed past Eileen and Zola and stormed out of the room in a huff.

Silence enveloped the room, and the tension was thick. Adalina looked like she was on the verge of tears.

After a few seconds, Zola spun around and chased after Milford. She exclaimed in anger, “Who do you think you are? Who allowed you to talk to me like that?”

Eileen moved to comfort Adalina, saying gently, “It’s alright. They both have hot tempers. It’s just a little spat.”

“Zola!” Bryan’s voice echoed from the hallway. He must have heard the argument and come upstairs. His voice was tinged with anxiety and concern.

Eileen’s heart ached. She stepped to the door and watched Bryan stride into Milford’s room. His low, raspy voice cut through as the siblings engaged in a heated argument. Moments later, he escorted Zola out of the room, his arm draped around her shoulders.

He glanced at Eileen standing by the study door and said, “You and Adalina should go back now.” Before Eileen could respond, Bryan led Zola downstairs in a rush. Eileen watched Bryan escort Zola into his room and slam the door behind them. The key to his room was still in the keyhole, swaying to and fro due to his strength. A storm of emotions swirled inside Eileen.

“Let’s gather our things and head home,” Eileen said softly to Adalina. They returned to the study to gather their things and then made their way downstairs. As she reached the second floor, Eileen’s eyes lingered on Bryan’s closed door for a moment. She then took a deep breath and hurried out.

She hadn’t anticipated such hostility between Zola and Milford. Because of Zola’s unexpected visit, their tutoring session had come to a premature and discordant end. As Eileen drove home alone after dropping off Adalina, the cool night breeze slipped in through her partially open window, brushing against her tired face.

Suddenly, something dawned on her. She realized that Zola’s name wasn’t unfamiliar to her; she had heard the name before. She recalled Bryan’s parents mentioning a Zola during a video conference. She was someone waiting for Bryan abroad. Could it be the same person?

This realization left Eileen in a state of disarray. Her gaze drifted blankly, reflecting the traffic lights at the intersection. Even as they turned green, she remained lost in thought. The honking of cars behind her jolted her back to reality. Swiftly, she released the brake and stepped on the gas pedal. Having endured two sleepless nights, she felt fatigue beginning to weigh heavily on her now.

Upon reaching home, she took a refreshing shower before crawling into bed. However, sleep eluded her. In the dimness of the room, illuminated only by the moonlight seeping through the window, her mind remained devoid of thoughts, yet sleep remained elusive. The scent of Bryan lingered in the air, his presence still palpable due to his recent stay. Though he had only been here for a few days, his clothes and personal items were still here, leaving traces of his presence everywhere.

Eileen didn’t fall asleep until dawn, and she slept until ten o’clock. It was Benjamin’s phone call that finally stirred her from slumber. Despite saying she would treat him to a meal days earlier, she hadn’t yet arranged a time or place. So Benjamin took matters into his own hands and proposed meeting her for lunch at noon. Unable to decline, Eileen agreed and secured a table at a popular restaurant in Wist Land.

Bailee dashed into the airport, gasping for breath. Beads of sweat clung to her forehead, plastering her hair against her skin. Pausing to rest, her hands found support on her knees. Her gaze swept through the bustling airport, searching. A tap on her shoulder jolted her. She turned to find Huey standing there, a smile brightening his face.

“Bailee, you are late. I’ll be boarding in ten minutes!” he said. Bailee hurriedly produced a kraft paper bag filled with pastries and offered it to Huey. “Here are your favorite pastries. They are authentic Wist Land specialties, unlike those in Onaland. Give them a try!”

With a smile, Huey accepted the bag. Then, he placed a gold medal in Bailee’s hand. “This is the medal I won at the competition that day. You can have it.” Under the bright airport lights, the gold medal shimmered. Bailee looked at the gold medal. “No, you earned this. I can’t…”

“Just keep it,” Huey insisted, stopping her attempt to return it. “And say hi to Eileen for me. I’m sorry I couldn’t make it to the hospital to see your mother. My own mother will give me an earful when I get back home.”

Seeing Huey’s persistence, Bailee stopped trying to return the medal to him and held it tightly. “Don’t worry. I’ll pass on your regards to Eileen. Once my mother is fully recovered, there will be plenty of opportunities for you to visit her,” she reassured him.

The bustling airport crowd hurried past them as the announcer continuously reminded passengers to proceed to their boarding gates. Standing face to face, both Bailee and Huey fell into silence. Amidst the cacophony of noise, Bailee found herself enveloped in an unexpected sense of calm.

After a long pause, Bailee smiled and said, “You should head for your boarding gate now, or you will miss your flight.”

“I know,” replied Huey, adjusting his hat. Clearing his throat, he asked, “So… Will you return to Onaland after your mother recovers?”

Onaland was where Bailee had spent her formative years, and she did harbor a certain fondness for the city. However, her true home was with Ruby and Eileen. In the past year, Bailee hadn’t found much to miss about Onaland except for the occasional thought of Huey.

She lowered her head in contemplation before speaking.

“Wist Land is the best place for my mother’s recovery, so I don’t foresee my family and me leaving this city until my mother is fully recovered.”

“I see.” Huey offered a faint smile, though his eyes betrayed a hint of disappointment. Spotting his companions beckoning him from the boarding gate, he sighed and said, “I have to go now. Take care of yourself. Next time I’m in Wist Land, I’ll give you a heads-up and bring your favorite treats from Onaland.”

Bailee nodded, a lump forming in her throat, rendering her at a loss for words. She watched Huey walk towards the boarding gate, a strained smile gracing her face. Once Huey joined his companions, he turned around and waved at Bailee. As Bailee waved back, her smile waned, a flicker of sadness crossing her gaze. She stood there until Huey and his friends vanished from sight, then turned towards the exit. A message pinged on her phone as soon as she stepped out of the airport.

It was a brief text from Huey: “Until next time.” Bailee pressed her lips together, her fingers hovering over the keyboard as she contemplated her response. After a few attempts at composing a message, she ultimately chose not to reply. Pocketing her phone, she headed towards the bus station.

The restaurant Eileen had chosen in Wist Land was renowned for its charm, always bustling with diners. Despite her prior booking, when she met Benjamin at the restaurant’s entrance and attempted to enter, she was informed that there were no available tables.

“I have a reservation. You can check my phone. I made the reservation under the name Ms. Curtis,” Eileen said. The waitress offered an apologetic smile. “I’m sorry, but it seems there was an oversight by my colleagues, and we don’t have a table reserved for you now.”

But Eileen had received a confirmation message for her booking beforehand. It looked like their table had been temporarily given to others. This was not an unusual occurrence in such a busy restaurant.

“I would like to speak with your manager. Find a way to clear a room or at least a table for us now,” Eileen demanded. Considering it was lunch hour, every restaurant in the vicinity required reservations. If Eileen were dining alone, she might have let it slide. But since she was treating Benjamin to lunch, a quick meal at a fast-food joint wouldn’t suffice.

At Eileen’s insistence, the waitress’s expression soured as she replied, “As you can see, every table is taken. And it would be a waste to spare a private room for only the two of you.”

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