Chapter 287: Chapter 287

Chapter 287:

“I’ll accompany you to the Dawson Mansion first, and then we can go to the new house together,” Bryan said decisively.

Before Eileen could respond, Stella interjected over the phone, “You focus on your work. Let Eileen alone. I need to discuss something with her that doesn’t concern you.”

“Okay, I’ll head over right now,” Eileen replied, ending the call. She turned to Bryan, saying, “You should concentrate on your work. You’ve been constantly on the go with me, and you have late nights ahead. If you wear yourself out before the wedding, it wouldn’t be helpful.”

Slipping on her coat, she smiled.

She hadn’t had the chance to visit the newly renovated house yet. Knowing that the wedding photos and the wedding dress were there made it a location full of temptation and surprises for her.

She was eager to see it but didn’t want to inconvenience Bryan with back-and-forth trips.

“Plus, if I wrap things up quickly with Stella, I’ll make a beeline for the house. I’ve got the keys,” she added. Bryan agreed, and they both headed downstairs, each driving their own cars and parting at the entrance of the neighborhood.

The morning sunlight slanted into the Dawson Mansion, casting a warm glow over the clean and bright living room. Stella was not in the living room; she was seated in the dining room instead.

Upon Eileen’s arrival, a servant promptly led her to the dining room. There, she was greeted by a pile of thick documents on the table, which momentarily stunned her. “Eileen, you’ve arrived?” Stella quickly gathered herself from her previous melancholy and beckoned Eileen over. Turning to the servants, she gestured for them to bring Eileen her preferred snacks along with milk and chicken soup.

The table was swiftly filled with an assortment of dishes, nearly covering half of its surface.

“I’ve already had breakfast, so I’m not hungry,” Eileen said, offering Stella an apologetic smile.

Mⱺɍɇ Ʉρȡąţɇş ĩŋ ɢąłņøνɇłş.çøɱ Stella had intended all of this as a kind gesture, though it seemed somewhat excessive. The servants quietly left the dining room, leaving only Jarred standing behind Stella.

Neither of them made much eye contact with Eileen, though their voices maintained the customary warmth. “If you’re not hungry, I’ll have them keep it warm for you. You can eat whenever you wish,” Jarred said, taking the soup and heading back to the kitchen with it.

“Eileen, you don’t seem well. Have you been getting enough rest?” Stella asked, observing the weariness etched on Eileen’s face, her mind pondering a thought.

“It’s likely the upcoming wedding that’s making me nervous. I’ve been struggling to sleep,” Eileen confessed. After a brief pause, Stella gently inquired, “Is it due to inadequate rest, or could you be pregnant?”

“I’m not pregnant,” Eileen promptly clarified. “My period ended just a few days ago.”

Stella’s disappointment was clear, but she quickly masked it with a smile. “No need to hurry. Since you’re not expecting and the wedding is close, we’ll need to find another method to ensure everything goes smoothly. Here, these are the Dawson family rules passed down by our ancestors. There are quite a few of them, several hundred in fact. Take a look.”

She slid a hefty pile of papers across the table toward Eileen.

The title “Dawson Family Rules” was neatly inscribed on the first page.

Flipping through the pages, Eileen discovered they were packed with dense text, spanning over a hundred pages in total.

“I’d like to include you in the Dawson family genealogy while I still have the opportunity. Do you have any objections?” Stella asked.

After a moment’s thought, Eileen raised a concern, asking, “Shouldn’t we consult Bryan about this? As his wife, wouldn’t I need his approval to be added to the genealogy?”

“It’s not as complex as you think. As long as the current head of the Dawson family agrees, anyone can be added. Since I still hold that position, it won’t be an issue. Once you’re in the genealogy, I’ll designate you as the next matriarch of the Dawson family. This way, Lydia won’t have access to the genealogy,” Stella explained.

Eileen wasn’t entirely familiar with the intricacies of genealogy, as her own family didn’t have one.

But she trusted Stella. She nodded in agreement. “Alright, I’ll trust your judgment.”

Stella straightened as she pushed the red ink pad toward Eileen. “Sign on page thirty-eight, place your fingerprint on page fifty-two, and then sign on the last page.”

“Okay,” Eileen responded. She turned to page thirty-eight and, finding the signature line, picked up the pen to sign. “Eileen!” Stella suddenly called out, “Aren’t you going to read it first?”

Eileen smiled. “There are over a hundred pages with several hundred rules; I can’t possibly read them this morning. If I need to memorize these rules, you can print me a copy to take home and study later.”

“Sure,” Stella said and waved her hand dismissively. “Go ahead and sign. I’ll have a copy printed for you later.” As Eileen signed the document, Stella continued, “No need to memorize them all; just focus on a few key points.” Then, she signaled Jarred.

Jarred gave Eileen the ink pad and flipped to page fifty-two.

“Eileen, how are the wedding preparations coming along? There are only seven days left. Once Bryan is involved, I’ll step back,” Stella said.

Jarred’s page turning obscured Eileen’s view of the document, leaving only the fingerprint section visible. As Stella kept talking, Eileen hastily stamped her fingerprint and replied to Stella.

In no time, all required signatures and fingerprints were done.

Jarred collected the documents and took them away. He sat in the living room, casting occasional glances back at the dining room.

Sunlight bathed her long hair and bright eyes, giving her a gentle and courteous appearance before Stella.

She was a kind and great person, but sadly…

Jarred lowered his head, pulling out the two sheets Eileen had signed and stamped, then meticulously sealed them in a bag.

He left the villa and proceeded to the servants’ quarters, where he handed the bag to Doris.

“Deliver this to Miss Murray. She’ll know what to do,” he instructed.

Surprised by Jarred’s sudden arrival and mention of Zola, Doris feigned ignorance.

She said, “The driver should handle this; I don’t even know Miss Murray’s address.”

“Quit the act. Mrs. Dawson is aware of all your wrongdoings. She’s instructing you to go, so you’ll go,” Jarred said sternly.

Upon hearing this, Doris took the sealed bag and left awkwardly.

Once outside the Dawson Mansion, she called Zola, who quickly gave her an address to meet.

They met at a nearby café, where Zola eagerly opened the bag. A single glance at the contents caused her eyes to light up.

“Mrs. Dawson is ruthless. This will ruin Eileen!” Zola exclaimed.

Doris, feeling puzzled, asked, “Miss Murray, I thought Mrs. Dawson liked Eileen. How did you manage to do this?” Zola’s heart raced with a mix of excitement and nervousness.

“Why do you even care? Just go back now,” she said with a dismissive tone.

After quickly photographing the documents, Zola sealed the bag again and exited the café. As she approached her car, a sudden force knocked her to the ground.

“Zola, what’s the deal with this? Are you trying to bail?” Judie yelled angrily, fixing a stern gaze on her.

Zola had been avoiding Judie’s calls, first ignoring them, then abruptly hanging up, and eventually blocking her number.

When Judie attempted to call from a different number, she discovered that Zola had changed her number. In pain from the fall, Zola broke into a cold sweat. Enraged, she attempted to slap Judie, but she was clearly overpowered by Judie’s physical strength. With her eyes shut, Judie swung her hands wildly, scratching Zola’s chin and repeatedly hitting her head and face.

Witnessing the altercation, Doris swiftly intervened, rushing over to pull Judie away and preventing any further assault.

“Are you out of your mind? Why are you hitting her?” Doris scolded sternly.

As a servant, Doris possessed considerable strength, effortlessly restraining Judie.

Judie’s attempts to break free failed. She redirected her focus to Zola and demanded, “Zola Monray, don’t you dare tell me the information I provided is worthless! You abruptly left my place; you must have acquired something valuable! Give me the money you promised!” Despite her fury over the assault, Zola realized she couldn’t afford to waste time arguing with Judie. With Doris restraining Judie, Zola promptly made her way to her car and sped away.

As she drove swiftly through the city, Zola retrieved her phone and dialed Bryan’s number. “Bryan, where are you? I have something important to discuss with you. Stay calm; it’s about Eileen and Stella.”

After signing the documents, Eileen found herself in a conversation with Stella, who then served her warm milk and soup again.

As they conversed, Eileen became engrossed, eventually finishing the soup without even realizing it.

“Eileen, you might not know about the bad things that happen in rich families. Sometimes, even your own family can’t be trusted. You’re kind,” Stella said, looking at her. “Bryan’s mother was just as kind as you, and that’s why she ended up dead because of Brandon.” Eileen was taken aback. She had heard this story before, but she had never delved deeper into it.

Stella continued, “Bryan’s mother passed away from a sudden condition. She was taken to the hospital in time, and signing the consent for emergency treatment could have saved her. But Brandon insisted on obtaining a waiver for the treatment.”

When Stella had arrived at the hospital after picking up Bryan from school, it had already been too late. The cheerful, beaming mother who had seen Bryan off in the morning had become a lifeless body.

Brandon didn’t hide his actions. He had said he did it on purpose.

What Brandon had done hurt Bryan deeply and made Stella very sad.

Stella said, “If you can’t trust the husband you’ve lived with for ten years, how can you trust anyone else?” Her voice shook as she held Eileen’s hand. “And you too. Don’t trust anyone too easily, not even me.”

“You’re a good person,” Eileen said. Stella’s care for Bryan showed that.

Eileen’s words made Stella’s heart feel heavy.

After a long silence, Stella finally said, “In rich families, it’s rare for anyone not to hurt someone else. Even good people can sometimes do bad things.”

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