Chapter 210: Chapter 210

Chapter 210:

The doctor later clarified, “I was too focused on the patient’s vital functions, forgetting that at over fifty, the recovery can’t be rushed. We need to take this slowly…”

Initially, they had been told Ruby might recover enough to care for herself within three to four months, but now the timeline had been extended to six months. Though Eileen and Bailee felt let down, they understood the situation and continued to support Ruby in her daily rehabilitation exercises.

After a short conversation with Ruby, Eileen headed to the kitchen, where Bailee was cooking dinner, the soup in the pot simmering. Bailee was distracted by her phone, a look of sadness on her face. The soup began to boil over, snuffing out the burner, but Bailee didn’t notice.

Eileen quickly moved to turn off the stove and began mopping up the spill with a kitchen towel.

“Oh no!” Bailee exclaimed, setting her phone aside and reaching for the towel, but Eileen avoided her attempt.

“I’ve got this.” Eileen meticulously cleaned the stove and asked, “Who were you so absorbed in texting?”

Bailee, using oven mitts, moved the pot aside to make cleaning easier. While doing so, she answered Eileen’s question without looking up. “I was messaging Huey. Sometimes we play games together. He’s complaining to me because his mom wants him to go on a blind date tomorrow, and he asked me whether he should go.”

Bailee chuckled and added, “I don’t have any right to decide for him. How would I know if he should go? But he’s definitely old enough for marriage and kids; no wonder his family is urging him.”

Eileen paused in her wiping. Turning to Bailee, she said, “You’re also old enough for that; you should start thinking about marriage now.”

Your next story is at gαℓησν𝒆𝓁s․com “What?” Bailee looked surprised, shaking her head quickly. “I’m still young. I’ll think about that after Mom gets better.”

“It will probably take about a year for Mom to return to normal. You’ve been out of the social scene for nearly six months taking care of her. I’ll find a suitable caregiver for her soon,” Eileen said. She had been pondering this for a while.

Bailee instinctively asked, “How much would a caregiver cost? I couldn’t earn as much as hiring a high-level caregiver would cost. Let’s not waste the money.” Her thoughts were still constrained by financial concerns.

“We have the money. Even though you left the educational institution, your initial PR and marketing efforts greatly contributed to its success. We didn’t hire a caregiver previously because Mom’s condition was so delicate, and we were worried she might be mistreated without being able to tell us about it,” Eileen explained.

Eileen tossed the kitchen towel in the trash and leaned back against the cabinet, speaking seriously to Bailee. “Now she can talk, and with Phoebe around, she can keep an eye on Mom. We can also set up remote monitoring systems easily. The main thing is—there’s an important task that needs your attention.”

Bailee was intrigued. “What task?”

“Now, our educational institution is well-known, and we’ve nearly dominated the southern market. But a lot of our online users are in the north. Our biggest issue is that we don’t have a physical establishment there, so if you’re up for it, you should go to Onaland.”

Eileen had been laying the groundwork to return to Onaland ever since they had been wrongly accused. Now, the time was nearly right to seize the market opportunity, and she needed someone familiar with the institution and trustworthy to do this. Bailee was the ideal choice.

“Sure… How can I be suitable for such an important task?” Bailee immediately doubted herself. “I haven’t really worked since I graduated.”

“I believe you can,” Eileen replied. “Didn’t I mention how important your role was in promoting our educational institution? Don’t underestimate yourself. Plus, we’ve lived in Onaland for over twenty years; you’re familiar with the place. Leverage every contact you have. I’m relying on you to pave the way for me. You’ll be doing me a big favor.”

Hearing that, Bailee found it difficult to say no. She hesitated, her gaze drifting to Ruby, who was trying to move near the floor-to-ceiling window. Eileen patted Bailee’s shoulder. “Take some time to think it over and let me know your decision soon. We shouldn’t miss out on this opportunity, and I trust your abilities.”

Bailee blushed and turned back to the stove.

“By the way, do you have Dr. Potter’s contact info?” Eileen asked, having lost her old phone and not having Austen’s number in her new one.

“Of course.” Bailee washed her hands and sent Austen’s number to Eileen. “Why do you need his number? Is something wrong with Mom’s health again?”

Bailee looked worried, and Eileen quickly reassured her, “No, it’s not that. I’ve just been sleeping poorly lately. I want Dr. Potter to recommend a doctor to help with that.”

Hearing this, Bailee scolded Eileen slightly for pushing herself too hard with the educational institution. Although Phoebe also lived with them, she often came home late. Bailee had no idea what Phoebe had been up to, but Eileen knew Phoebe and Jacob had been spending a lot of time together recently. Sometimes, when Eileen and Bryan were together, she noticed messages from Jacob on Bryan’s phone, boasting about having Phoebe under his thumb. However, Eileen also received messages from Phoebe, who claimed she was the one controlling Jacob.

After dinner, Eileen took Ruby for a walk in the neighborhood. A stroll that should have taken five minutes ended up taking thirty. Upon returning, Ruby was sweating heavily, and her clothes were soaked.

When they returned, Phoebe was already home. She greeted Ruby and then pulled Eileen aside to talk.

“Jacob’s birthday is tomorrow, and he wants you to join the celebration tomorrow evening,” Phoebe said.

Knowing that Kian and Vivian, who always wanted to stir trouble for Eileen, would be at Jacob’s birthday party, Eileen was about to smile when Phoebe continued, “But I told him you wouldn’t attend. The Warren siblings are just too much.”

Eileen was taken aback for a moment. “Don’t say no on my behalf. I’ll attend Jacob’s birthday party. I was actually looking for a chance to confront Vivian and Kian.”

Phoebe looked surprised. She blinked twice and questioned, “What do you mean? Why confront someone who’s mentally unstable? If Vivian hurts you, she won’t even face jail time. Are you sure you want to confront her?”

“Trust me; I’ve got this,” Eileen reassured Phoebe, patting her shoulder. “Please let Jacob know I’m sorry there will be drama at his birthday party.”

After speaking with Phoebe, Eileen joined Bailee to help Ruby with her bath, seizing the moment to encourage Bailee to consider moving to Onaland again.

Jacob understood why Phoebe had declined his birthday invitation on Eileen’s behalf. He and Phoebe had even agreed that if they couldn’t meet tomorrow, they would get together the day after, just the four of them. But he hadn’t expected Eileen to agree to attend his birthday party. Both Phoebe and Jacob were taken aback by Eileen’s decision. Eileen would never pick a fight she wasn’t confident about winning, so how was she planning to deal with Vivian?

Curious, Jacob quickly called Bryan to gather some insights, but Bryan was clueless about the situation.

When Eileen got back to the villa late in the evening, Bryan was still up. He asked her directly, “You’re going to Jacob’s birthday party?”

“Yes.” While taking off her shoes, Eileen replied, “I get along well with Jacob; why wouldn’t I go?”

Bryan didn’t object to her going but was intrigued by her assertiveness. He watched her intently for a moment, then his expression softened into a smile as he stepped closer. Wrapping his arms around her waist, he gently pinned her against the wall in the entryway.

“Alright. If you really want to go, then we’ll go together,” he said.

“I’m going no matter what. You don’t have to join me if you don’t want to.” Eileen touched her nose, feeling a bit guilty. She didn’t want to tarnish her image in front of Bryan.

Bryan frowned, gently tilting her face up with his hand, his intense gaze sending a shiver through her as he asked in a low voice, “What did you say?”

There was a mix of doubt and disbelief in his tone.

“I mean, let’s both go to Jacob’s birthday party tomorrow. But you have to promise me you’ll still love me just as much after the party,” Eileen said. Eileen’s hand brushed against Bryan’s wrist, feeling his steady, strong pulse.

After a pause, Bryan burst into laughter, swept Eileen into his arms, and carried her upstairs, the smile on his lips showing his good mood. He kept teasing her throughout the night, playfully threatening or enticing her during their intimate moments, but Eileen refused to reveal her plan.

The birthday gathering wasn’t crowded; only the Warren siblings, Megan, Phoebe, Eileen, and Bryan were present. It wasn’t unusual for them to have small gatherings like this, but it was the first time Megan was there as Jacob’s fiancée.

Eileen had finished tutoring Adalina two hours early, but by the time she and Bryan arrived at the gathering, they were still thirty minutes late. As the server opened the door to the private room, their arrival caught everyone’s attention.

Jacob was wearing a birthday hat, and next to him was Megan, who wore a flattering smile, signaling the Beckett family’s eagerness to keep the marriage deal intact. Eileen glanced at Phoebe, who was casually playing with her phone in the corner. Phoebe just raised an eyebrow upon seeing her. Zola was sitting beside Phoebe. Seeing Zola reminded Eileen of the matter concerning Milford. Eileen decided to speak with Zola about it before any issues arose.

Kian and Vivian sat quietly in the center, seemingly oblivious to Eileen and Bryan’s presence.

“Bryan, Eileen, come over here and sit,” Zola said with a warm smile, standing and gesturing to the seats beside her.

Jacob had intended to welcome them, but Megan tugged at his arm, halting him. He rolled his eyes at Megan, prompting her to quickly let go of his arm.

Jacob offered a cigarette to Bryan, saying, “No need to hold back. I’m the host today. Enjoy yourself!” While speaking, he gave Eileen a meaningful look.

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