Chapter 218: Chapter 218

Chapter 218:

“Have you forgotten about our investment in you? You think you can just freeload here?” Eileen replied.

She didn’t answer Milford’s question directly; instead, she chose to approach him from another angle. Milford, with his boyish face scrunched into a frown, stared at her for a long moment, clearly puzzled.

“I’m not familiar with your sister,” Eileen continued. “I don’t have to do this for her, and I won’t take care of a freeloader. You need to deliver on what you promised me. Your credibility is lacking, so you need to put your promise in writing.”

Milford’s eyes widened in surprise. He jumped off the couch and approached her anxiously. “I’m a man of my word! If you don’t believe me, ask around. Everyone knows I keep my promises!”

Eileen crossed her arms and turned to retrieve a pen and paper from her bag. “I only trust what’s in writing. Write it down now.”

She placed the pen and paper on the table, gesturing for Milford to come over. She dictated what to write word by word, and Milford complied.

Outside the French windows, Zola and Bryan stood in the yard. Bryan’s eyes were cold as he said, “I thought you, of all people, would understand what it’s like to be a foster child. Milford’s still a kid. Why would you say something so hurtful to him?”

Zola’s face flushed with indignation. “But I’m telling him the truth!”

Bryan’s gaze hardened. “What truth? What’s your relationship with me? Do you think you have any claim over me?”

Zola’s mouth fell open in shock. “You and I have lived together for years!”

Your favorite updates gⱯlnσνℯls․com “Yeah, we’ve lived together for years. What of it? There’s no real relationship between you and me!” Bryan’s tone was sharp.

Zola was struck silent.

Bryan took a deep breath, pulling a cigarette from his pocket and lighting it. He took a deep drag, trying to dispel the irritation gnawing at him. Milford’s look of shock and despair just moments ago stirred emotions in Bryan that he had buried for years.

“Whether you were pushy or disappointed in him, you hurt him deeply. Don’t ever say such hurtful things to him again. If you can convince him to go back with you, then do it. But don’t just come here to lecture him,” Bryan stated firmly.

A gentle breeze blew on the early summer evening, but Bryan’s words cut through Zola like a cold knife.

“I’m worried that if I take him back to Onaland in the future… he’ll only bring me trouble, making it even harder for me to stay in the Dawson family,” Zola admitted, her voice breaking as a tear slipped down her cheek.

Bryan flicked the ash off his cigarette. After a pause, he replied, “You know your place in the Dawson family. No one will care about your brother’s character. Besides, Milford isn’t as bad as you think.”

His unwavering defense of Milford chilled Zola to her core. It took all her strength to keep her composure. “I’ve heard he asked you to invest in him just to have an excuse to stay here. If that’s his choice, I’ll respect it. But I will still cover his expenses. You don’t have to tell him. I won’t interfere in his affairs anymore.”

“Fine,” Bryan replied curtly. “You can leave now.”

“Wait,” Zola said, hesitating. “Your mother’s been calling, urging me to return to Onaland. What’s your plan? You’ve only severed ties with your father; you can’t stay here forever. Your grandmother is still waiting for your return.”

Bryan’s eyes remained cold. “I’ll handle the matter myself. Go back if you want.”

With that, he turned and headed back into the house. Through the floor-to-ceiling windows, Zola watched his tall figure stride into the living room to stand by Eileen’s side. The indifference and impatience he had shown her moments ago vanished instantly when he was with Eileen. His eyes softened, filled with warmth.

Zola had known Bryan for years, but she had never experienced that kind of treatment from him before.

In the living room, Eileen gently urged Milford to finish writing the note and press his fingerprint. “All right,” she said, folding the paper and tucking it carefully into the inner pocket of her bag as if it were a treasure.

Seeing Bryan return, Milford asked in a low voice, “Did she leave?”

“Yes.” Bryan’s voice carried a soothing clarity, the faint smell of smoke surrounding Eileen.

Eileen glanced out the window just in time to catch Zola turning away and climbing into her car. “She’s gone now. She won’t be poking her nose into your affairs anymore. But she’s still your sister…” Bryan’s tone brooked no argument.

Milford listened and understood what Bryan meant. If only Zola had spoken to him with a better attitude, without that condescending air, maybe he wouldn’t have harbored such resentment toward her.

Eileen had given Milford numerous tasks for his studies, and his weekend schedule was packed. Since he couldn’t play games on his phone, he had secretly played games on Eileen’s computer twice, only to be caught red-handed, resulting in a stern lecture from her.

However, having Milford around made the house feel more alive in Eileen’s eyes.

In the afternoon, Eileen visited Ruby’s place, staying late into the evening to assist Bailee with packing. She handed Bailee a card. “Besides the cash flow from Wist Land, this is our entire savings. Use it wisely, both in your work and your life. As for where you’ll live in Onaland, that’s something you’ll have to figure out on your own.”

Bailee was about to accept the card but hesitated upon realizing it was all their savings. “Why give me all the money? Just give me an amount you think I’ll need.”

Eileen took Bailee’s hand, pressing the card into it. “I’m thinking, if our agency thrives in Onaland, I might invest in a few stores to expand our reach. This won’t even cover the cost of another house for us. Just take the card. Oh, and of the nursing assistants who dropped by this afternoon, which one do you think is the best fit?”

Unable to refuse Eileen, Bailee clutched the card tightly. “I reckon the nursing assistant named Rosa is the most suitable.”

“All right, I’ll tell Dr. Potter to arrange for Rosa to come here tomorrow. Now, you go keep Mom company. She wasn’t keen on seeing you leave; she was in tears just now.” Eileen rose, heading to the window to call Austen.

After the day’s hustle settled, the clock chimed nine in the evening. Bailee’s flight was scheduled for eight tomorrow morning, which meant Eileen needed to wake up early to drive her to the airport.

Sending a quick message to Bryan, Eileen informed him she wouldn’t be coming home tonight. She then joined Bailee in Ruby’s room to sleep.

The bed felt a bit crowded with three people sharing it, and Ruby held one hand of each of them. Although she lacked much strength, Bailee and Eileen gripped her hands tightly. Memories danced in the dim light as they reminisced about childhood escapades, college adventures, and the passage of years until sleep wove its gentle spell around them.

At five in the morning, Eileen stirred, slipping out from the warmth of the covers to prepare for the day ahead. After freshening up and getting dressed, she had breakfast before driving Bailee to the airport.

In Eileen’s mind, Bailee was still the little girl who had been innocent and naive. But looking at Bailee now, she realized that her friend had shed that guise for the mantle of a responsible young woman. Bailee was now twenty-five, a picture of maturity in a light gray windbreaker, T-shirt, and jeans.

After reluctantly bidding farewell to Bailee at the airport, Eileen headed straight for the education agency. Her schedule became busier; evenings were reserved for tutoring Adalina and Milford, and she also needed to check on Ruby every night. The hired nursing assistant, Rosa Patel, ensured Ruby’s well-being, granting Eileen the peace of mind to delve deeper into her work.

A few days passed. On Friday, Eileen decided to tutor Adalina and Milford early to spend more time with Bryan afterward. However, before she could dive into her afternoon tasks at work, a commotion downstairs interrupted her.

The receptionist, wide-eyed with alarm, dashed up the stairs, her voice trembling. “Ms. Curtis, someone’s causing trouble downstairs!”

Eileen’s gaze narrowed as she abandoned her work and went downstairs.

In the lounge area, a man draped in tattoos sprawled on the couch, a cigarette dangling from his lips. His floral shirt hung open, revealing a tank top beneath. Around his neck gleamed a gold necklace, and on one of his fingers glinted a gold ring.

Behind him loomed a group of followers, their eyes menacing as they regarded Eileen.

“Excuse me, how may I assist you?” Eileen inquired politely, careful to keep her distance from the imposing group.

The tattooed man offered no response, merely turning his head to emit a disdainful snort. A thin man stepped forward and asked, “Do you know Milford?”

Eileen paused for a moment, then nodded. “Yes, he’s one of my students.”

“Cut the crap!” the thin man snapped, waving his hand dismissively. “We’ve been following you for days. You’re living under the same roof as Milford, practically family with him!”

“What exactly do you want from him?” Eileen asked, her gut telling her that this group had bullied Milford. Some had been arrested for attacking him, and the others clearly wanted revenge.

The thin man replied without hesitation, “We’re here to collect his debt.”

“Debt?” Eileen’s surprise was evident. But then she recalled that Milford had been away for a few days without any money… Had he borrowed from these people?

“How much does Milford owe you?” Eileen inquired cautiously.

The tattooed man extended five fat fingers.

“Five hundred? Or five thousand?” Eileen asked, mentally calculating Milford’s expenditures. She believed he had spent no more than five hundred, but these people were clearly charging interest. She estimated that his debt wouldn’t exceed five thousand.

Laughter erupted from the group, mocking her naivety. “You serious? Would we come all this way for scraps? Think bigger,” the thin man scoffed.

“Fifty thousand?” Eileen’s heart sank.

In a dramatic flourish, the tattooed man produced a crumpled paper and slapped it onto the table.

“See for yourself. Milford’s signature is right there!” the tattooed man exclaimed.

Eileen’s eyes widened as she looked at the paper—five hundred thousand dollars! The amount Milford allegedly borrowed was fifty thousand.

“That’s impossible,” Eileen protested.

The tattooed man slammed his palm onto the table, his anger palpable. “Impossible? Are you calling me a liar?”

“I need to verify this with Milford,” Eileen said, snapping a photo of the document with her phone. However, she remembered that Milford’s phone couldn’t process images, so she wouldn’t be able to confirm anything right away. “You guys can leave for now. We can discuss this after I confirm it with Milford.”

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