Chapter 198: Chapter 198

Chapter 198:

Eileen opened the parents’ group chat of the educational agency and found it in an uproar. The parents were demanding an explanation. Based on the terms of their contracts, they insisted that the educational agency compensate them with multiple times the tuition fees they had paid for the online courses.

Several teachers sent private messages to Eileen, reporting that they had received an overwhelming number of inquiries on WhatsApp. All the parents were pressing them for details about the scandal.

“Everyone, we’re currently on winter break. Let’s discuss this after we return to work. Our agency will provide a fair explanation. For those requesting refunds, we will comply unconditionally. You may use this message as proof of my commitment.”

After sending this announcement to the group chat, Eileen instructed all the teachers to forward it privately to the students’ parents. The teachers also discussed the scandal among themselves in their group chat. Encouraged by June, some teachers considered resigning. Their professional integrity wouldn’t be greatly affected pending the confirmation of the scandal, especially if it turned out Eileen had committed plagiarism.

Ignoring their discussions, Eileen sent a message to the teachers’ group chat. “I will manage this situation carefully to ensure no one’s reputation suffers. Should I mishandle it, I am prepared to accept full responsibility.” Her message indicated she had a plan and expressed that she would not persuade anyone to stay against their will if they chose to leave.

Having addressed the situation, Eileen responded to a message from Bryan asking if she had arrived in Wist Land. During the half-hour drive from the airport to Lakeside Villa, she had been responding to messages nonstop.

Upon arriving at the gate of Lakeside Villa, Eileen put her phone away, opened the car door, and stepped out. “Raymond, I’ll be going to the hospital tomorrow morning. You can bring your luggage to my house, and let’s celebrate Christmas together,” Eileen told Raymond.

Upon hearing this, Raymond felt a warmth in his heart.

ᵐᵒʳᵉ ᵘᵖᵈᵃᵗᵉˢ ⁱⁿ ᵍᵃˡⁿᵒᵛᵉˡˢ.ᶜᵒᵐ “Okay. About the issue with the educational agency…” He was eager to assist Eileen but hesitated to intervene without her permission, sensing she had a strategy in mind.

“I’ve got this covered. Don’t worry. I see this as an opportunity for free publicity for the agency,” Eileen reassured him confidently.

Currently, her online courses were only known in Wist Land and a few neighboring cities, with only a small group of students enrolled. There were just a few hundred families using them, but with the issue now gaining widespread attention, every family with school-age children would likely take notice of their courses. Thus, the situation served as free publicity for her educational agency.

Raymond pondered for a moment before a realization dawned on him. “I understand now. Mr. Dawson has always praised your intelligence, Ms. Curtis. It’s clear why!”

Eileen smiled warmly at him. Then she turned to Phoebe. “Phoebe, feel free to come over whenever you like. You shouldn’t be staying alone in the house.”

“Understood,” Phoebe replied. She had managed to sleep for several hours on the plane, yet she still felt overwhelmingly tired. The aches throughout her body made her feel as though she had been run over by a truck. Thus, she had no energy left to deal with the scandal at the educational agency, but she was confident that Eileen would handle it well.

Eileen suggested that Raymond head home and planned to retire for the night. Upon entering the house, she was greeted by Milford’s loud voice.

“It’s only been a few days. Why couldn’t you just wait? You insisted on traveling to Onaland to see Bryan. Men don’t value women who are too forward. Don’t you realize that?”

Eileen slipped into her slippers and walked in to find Milford lounging on the sofa, engrossed in a mobile game. Scattered around him were empty takeout containers. Eileen had asked Raymond to order food for Milford.

“Why haven’t you cleaned up the table after eating? Did you finish the exam papers I gave you?” Eileen asked.

She went into the kitchen, took out the food Bryan had prepared before, and warmed it in the microwave. Eileen’s questions caused Milford to feel a jolt of guilt. He glanced at her and, reluctantly, put away his phone, starting to clean the table.

By the time Eileen set the food on the dining table, Milford had cleared everything away. They sat down at the dining table to eat.

“Have you seen the news online?” Eileen asked Milford.

Milford nodded and replied, “Yes, I’ve seen it. Someone is trying to set you up.”

Eileen was taken aback, surprised by his certainty.

Milford continued, “The people who don’t know the truth have been misled. Only those who are uninformed would believe such nonsense. It’s clear that the celebrity’s current courses differ so much in style from her earlier ones. I wonder why that so-called famous professor can’t see it.”

Even he could notice something was off. Yet, the professor had publicly accused Eileen of plagiarism, a move that suggested to any discerning observer that he might have been bribed.

After a brief pause, Eileen chuckled. “Have you done a comparison? You seem very concerned about me and my educational agency, huh?”

Milford looked up at her and rolled his eyes. “You wish! I’m not concerned about you. I just want to find out if you really did plagiarize. If so, I’ll find a new tutor!”

“It seems you really do care about your studies.” Eileen smiled. “Perhaps I should reward you with a Christmas gift for your dedication.”

A Christmas gift? Milford struggled to recall the last time he had received one. The last Christmas gift he had gotten was a cherished bead from his grandmother, a piece she had worn for many years. Eileen had repaired it for him.

“Eat your food,” Eileen said as she noticed that Milford was in a daze. “Think about what you want after dinner, or your meal will get cold.”

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