Chapter 183: Chapter 183

Chapter 183:

Milford was determined and physically stronger than Eileen, which meant Eileen couldn’t stop him if he decided to leave. After a brief standoff, Eileen gave in. “Fine, I won’t tell them. Why don’t you stay here tonight?” she said.

Feeling relieved, Milford handed her phone back to her. Upon exiting the elevator, they were greeted by the sharp scent of disinfectant, causing Milford to grimace. When Bailee saw Eileen return with a young boy, she was shocked.

“This is my student. He’s been having problems at home,” Eileen explained briefly. Bailee had seen Milford when he had first visited the educational agency, but he looked so different now. She hardly recognized him.

“Your clothes are thin. Here, take this jacket for now. Are you hungry?” Bailee asked while pulling out a jacket from a suitcase. Milford paused for a moment when he saw Ruby lying on the bed, then quietly sat on the sofa. Eileen could tell Milford hadn’t had dinner and reheated the meal Bailee had prepared earlier.

“Have something to eat,” she urged. Perhaps out of hunger, Milford began to eat voraciously after a brief hesitation. However, he chose not to wear the jacket that Bailee offered.

Despite promising Milford she wouldn’t inform Bryan and the others, Eileen sent a discreet message to Bryan. “Milford is with me in the hospital. Please don’t worry. I’ll talk to him to calm him down before sending him back. He’s not in a stable state right now.” Bryan soon responded, “OK.”

Afterwards, Eileen deleted the chat history. She offered the sofa for Milford to sleep on overnight, but Milford declined, choosing instead to sleep on the floor. “You take the sofa since you’re watching over the patient. I’m a young man; I’ll be fine on the floor,” Milford said.

He put two cushions on the floor, found a blanket, and laid down without further discussion. He didn’t bother to say anything more. Eileen didn’t ask why he had run away from home or when he would like to go back.

At Pianoforte Villas, Bryan stepped out of the car. The bright moonlight cast a long shadow of his slender figure. He walked to the door and opened it, followed closely by Zola.

Get the latest updates on gⱯlnσν𝒆𝓁s․com “Bryan, where on earth has he gone? If you’ve found him, why didn’t you bring him home?” Zola asked.

“He doesn’t want to come back. Let him calm down first,” Bryan replied as he set down the car keys, slipped into his slippers, and entered the living room. Zola was still so agitated that she didn’t bother to change her shoes.

“Has he done something bad? Be honest with me. I can handle it.” Bryan was visibly annoyed. He loosened his tie and lit a cigarette. “It’s not about what you can handle. He simply doesn’t want to come home. What exactly did you say to him?”

In the dim light of the porch, the glow of his cigarette illuminated his features, and the smell of tobacco filled the air. His tone was calm, but it left Zola speechless. After a pause, she responded, “I argued about his home tutor. He refused to change his tutor.”

“Have you ever thought that the problem might be with you?” Bryan responded sharply as he went to turn on the light. Sitting down on the couch, he flicked ash from his cigarette. “Eileen managed to persuade him to study, which shows her competence. She’s doing a better job than you in that aspect.”

Zola stood silently, her lips pressed together in defiance. Bryan continued, “This is your family issue. Take my advice or leave it. I suggest you give Milford some space for a few days. If you really can’t stand it, I’ll bring him back myself.” Bryan’s tone was calm. He knew he couldn’t meddle much in this matter. After all, he wasn’t Milford’s family. He understood that Eileen had Milford’s best interests at heart. Yet, Zola was stubborn. He and Eileen could only do so much as outsiders.

Zola took a deep breath and sat down next to him. “I don’t know how to get along with him anymore. I’ve never dealt with a more difficult boy,” she said.

“He’s different from you. You know what he’s been through. He didn’t turn out this way overnight. It’ll take time for him to change, too,” Bryan replied. After extinguishing his cigarette and tossing it into the trash, he headed for the stairs.

“Wait a moment!” Zola hurried after him. She looked into his eyes and suddenly chuckled. “Is there something special going on between you and Milford’s tutor?”

Bryan paused. He had one hand on the stair railing and the other in his pocket, giving her a nonchalant look. “What do you mean by ‘something special’?” he asked.

“You’re trying to keep secrets from me, aren’t you? She used to be your assistant. I heard the rumors but didn’t believe them. However, you traveled thousands of miles to move your project to Wist Land. You did that not only to escape your parents but also to be near her, correct?” Zola asked with her arms crossed, and her eyes were glimmering with a knowing look. Having grown up together, she found it easy to read Bryan’s thoughts. Furthermore, she had become suspicious since Bryan hadn’t been home recently.

“I’ll keep the answer to myself for now,” Bryan replied. His words meant that he admitted it. Zola laughed softly, giving him a pat on the shoulder. “Since I’m considering changing Milford’s tutor, do you think she’ll be upset?”

“She’s not as petty as you might think. I wouldn’t mind if she stopped being Milford’s tutor. You and Milford are both quite demanding. I don’t want her to be caught in the middle and mistreated by you two,” Bryan responded, then moved past her and walked toward his bedroom.

From behind him, Zola teased, “You’re concerned for her? Well, if you two get married, she’ll be like my sister-in-law. How could I possibly mistreat her?”

“I hope you’re right,” Bryan replied without turning around and entered his room. Zola’s bedroom was on the third floor, with Milford’s to the left and hers to the right. Once back in her room, the warm smile on Zola’s face disappeared, and her eyes grew cold. She stood by the window for a long time before pulling out her phone to make a call.

“Kian, didn’t you say you’d visit Wist Land when you had the chance?” she asked.

“I’ve been quite busy recently. Benjamin went to Wist Land two days ago to handle the matter for me. I won’t be able to make it there soon,” Kian replied in a soothing voice. “How are things with you? When are you and Bryan coming back?”

Zola paused before responding, “We might not return for Christmas. Bryan doesn’t seem to want to go back, and if I return alone, I’ll just end up being scolded. I’d rather stay here with him.”

“You’re not coming back?” Kian’s voice grew serious. “What about the project over there?”

“Bryan has already handled it. He secured an investor from a nearby city. You know he’s very capable,” Zola praised Bryan openly. “It’s a waste that a woman like Eileen Curtis can be with someone like him. But he’s found someone he loves, so I no longer need to marry him by force.”

Kian responded in disbelief, “What did you just say? Is he really together with Eileen again?”

Zola seemed surprised. “Didn’t your assistant tell you? He had dinner with Eileen when he was in Wist Land. I assumed you were informed.”

Kian’s face darkened. His eyes turned cold when a thought suddenly struck him. “I’ll book a flight there for tomorrow morning. Zola, can you pick me up at the airport?” Kian said.

Without hesitation, Zola replied, “Of course. But why are you in such a hurry? Are you still trying to reconcile Vivian and Bryan? Since Bryan doesn’t like her… Maybe you should let the matter be.”

“I must make one last attempt for Vivian,” Kian insisted. While continuing their conversation, Kian booked his flight online. Within ten minutes, he had confirmed his travel arrangements.

After the call ended, the room fell silent. Zola had a satisfied smile playing on her lips. The following morning, she went downstairs only to find that Bryan was not home. Her expression darkened as she grabbed her car keys and left for the airport.

At the hospital, Eileen woke up just as dawn was breaking. Footsteps echoed in the corridor, but Milford slept soundly. Being young, he was able to sleep through almost anything.

Eileen quietly went into the bathroom to wash up, then headed downstairs to buy toiletries for Milford. Stepping outside the inpatient building, she noticed Bryan’s car parked by the roadside. The window of his car was partly drawn down, and he was looking at her.

“What are you doing here?” Eileen asked, looking around instinctively before approaching Bryan’s car. Leaning her hands on the window, she bent slightly to speak with him.

Bryan handed her a paper bag containing food for three. There were also drinks in the bag. “I brought breakfast for you. The food in the hospital is terrible,” Bryan said.

Eileen accepted the bag and asked, “Why didn’t you tell me earlier? What if I had already eaten?”

“You wouldn’t have been up that early,” Bryan replied confidently. He had already remembered when Eileen would usually wake up. He had chosen not to call her because he didn’t want to disturb her sleep. He just waited for her downstairs.

Bryan’s eyes were fixed on Eileen. He observed her bare face, illuminated by the soft morning sunlight. Her cheeks glowed pink. He gently tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear, his fingers lightly brushing her cheek. “It’s been only one night, and I already missed you,” he confessed.

Eileen’s cheeks flushed, and she gently pulled his hand away. “I’m heading home tomorrow. Also, was Miss Murray concerned about Milford last night? Did you have to search long for him?”

“Why are you so concerned about other people’s affairs?” Bryan asked, his mood shifting. He rested his arm on the window, his fingers intertwining with hers.

Eileen allowed him to play with her fingers. “You’re here with me, aren’t you? Why would I be concerned about you now?” she said.

Bryan was left speechless. He released her hand and said, “The bag is heavy. You should go back now.”

“I need to go to the supermarket to buy some toiletries for Milford,” Eileen replied.

As Eileen finished speaking, Bryan got out of the car, took the breakfast bag, and placed it in his car.

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