Chapter 289: Chapter 289

Chapter 289:

Phoebe only learned of the cancellation of Eileen and Bryan’s wedding when a reporter covered the story. She tried calling Eileen but got no response, so she quickly requested Jacob to check on Bryan.

However, Bryan wasn’t answering his phone, either. Phoebe instructed Jacob to visit the Apex Group to look for Bryan.

There, Raymond said that Bryan hadn’t shown up at the company for days.

At the Dawson Mansion, Stella was also unaware of Bryan’s whereabouts.

She believed that Bryan wouldn’t do something dangerous but acknowledged that he might need some time.

Upon discovering that Eileen had also vanished, Stella became anxious and urgently directed Jarred to send some people to search for Eileen.

When Phoebe reached Bailee’s house, she found Ruby had been so upset that she had fainted twice because of crying and was shaken to communicate effectively.

“Don’t worry. There’s likely an explanation for what’s happening between them. Remember, they are adults; they’re not as fragile as you might think. They just need some time to work through things,” Phoebe reassured Ruby before pulling Bailee aside to inquire further.

“I visited the education agency, but she wasn’t there. Her colleague said she hadn’t come in for two days. Brent also called me, wondering why she hasn’t been tutoring Miss Yates lately,” Bailee said.

Despite Bailee’s efforts to find Eileen at all the places she might frequent, there was still no sign of her.

Phoebe queried, “Have you checked her room? Her car is still parked downstairs, so she couldn’t have gone far.” Jolted by the reminder, Bailee realized she had overlooked that Eileen’s car was still here.

gⱯlnσν𝓮ℓs﹒𝚌o𝗺 is where stories live She stood up swiftly and hurried to the door. She saw her slippers at the entrance and assumed she hadn’t returned. Ruby quickly joined them. The trio hastened to Eileen’s room.

As dusk approached, the sky was painted with rosy clouds, casting a reddish glow across the room. Eileen was sitting by the door, leaning against the bed. She looked out the window at the reddening world, her expression indifferent. Her hair was disheveled, and her shoes were placed tidily at the bed’s edge.

The abrupt opening of the door did not startle her. She merely blinked and kept her gaze fixed. “Could you all please not probe too much? The wedding is off. Just give me some time, and I’ll be okay,” she said.

Ruby started to weep but quickly turned away, covering her mouth to avoid disturbing Eileen.

The wedding had been only days away; something significant must have happened.

Eileen remained silent. Pressing her for explanations would only reopen her wounds and force her to confront the emotions she had struggled with over the last few days.

“Eileen, have you not eaten for days? Are you hungry?” Bailee wondered if Eileen had been eating or drinking. If she had, Milford would have noticed something was off. Eileen wasn’t hungry. Despite sleepless nights, she didn’t feel the need to sleep. Her only discomfort was the sourness from her swollen eyes.

She lowered her head, and a tear trickled down her cheek. The tears had started before she even felt sad.

“Bailee, please go and prepare something for her to eat. She needs to eat, hungry or not,” Phoebe suggested gently, patting Bailee’s hand. “I’ll stay with her.”

“Okay!” Bailee responded immediately and hurried off to the kitchen. Ruby glanced at Eileen’s weary face and quickly followed Bailee, suggesting, “Make some oatmeal. It’s easy to digest.”

Their voices gradually receded, muffled by the closing door.

Phoebe sat down across from Eileen. They sat in silence. When Bailee returned with the oatmeal, night had fallen. The room was softly lit, the atmosphere heavy.

“I made some for you. Please try,” Bailee said gently.

The subtle aroma of the oatmeal filled the room. Seeing the concerned looks on Ruby’s and Bailee’s faces, Eileen accepted the oatmeal.

As she gently stirred the spoon in the bowl, the flavor of the oatmeal became more pronounced, yet she inexplicably felt a sense of repulsion towards it.

Despite this, she forced herself to finish the bowl. As soon as she handed the empty bowl back to Bailee, nausea overwhelmed her.

She reached for the trash can beside her bed and vomited the oatmeal she had just consumed.

Ruby immediately came to her aid, patting her back soothingly. Then, she turned to Bailee and instructed, “Go and fetch some warm water!”

“Got it!” Bailee quickly went to get the water. After vomiting, Eileen rinsed her mouth and managed to drink half a glass of water. “We should take her to the hospital,” Phoebe suggested. “She’s probably reacting like this because she’s been starving, and her stomach has been hurt, which is why she can’t keep anything down.”

Ruby glanced at the hickey visible on Eileen’s neck and shoulder, hesitated for a moment, then advised, “A hospital visit might not be necessary. Bailee, prepare a smaller amount this time. Let’s not make her eat too much at once.”

Bailee prepared another half bowl of oatmeal for Eileen. Ruby fed Eileen slowly, and although Eileen still felt slightly nauseous, she managed not to vomit again.

“Bailee, help clean up the bed. I’m going to stay with Eileen tonight,” Ruby said after she had tidied the trash can. She led Bailee to the next room to retrieve some things.

Meanwhile, Phoebe’s phone rang. It was Jacob. Sounding anxious, he began to relay news.

After ending the call, Phoebe paused briefly and whispered to Eileen, “Bryan is missing. He hasn’t shown up at the company for two days. Jacob has looked everywhere but found no trace of him. Initially, Stella wasn’t worried, but now even she’s become very anxious.”

Ruby assisted Eileen to get up from the floor, positioning her on the edge of the bed.

Eileen hesitated, feeling a surge of emotion whenever the Dawson family was mentioned.

She bowed her head and hid her face in her hands. “He might be at the wedding house,” she said.

“Jacob has already checked West Villas, but he wouldn’t be there,” Phoebe said hurriedly. “He knows Jacob might tease us on our wedding day, so he’s using it as a decoy.” Eileen explained, then gave Phoebe the actual address of the wedding house.

Phoebe immediately sent the address to Jacob.

Time passed, and Phoebe still couldn’t bring herself to ask Eileen what had happened.

Ruby brought a quilt over and whispered gently to Eileen, inquiring if she wanted to take a rest.

Phoebe stepped out of the bedroom with a sigh and said to Bailee, “Let’s not push her for details just yet. Give her some time to process everything. We’ll find Bryan soon. We might learn more soon. I’ll keep you informed as soon as I hear anything.”

“Sure.” Bailee accompanied Phoebe to leave, and they encountered Milford, who had just returned from school. Milford greeted Phoebe, his voice slightly hoarse.

Phoebe mustered a smile and greeted Milford. As she entered the elevator, she turned to Bailee and said, “Make sure Milford is informed of the situation and remind him to be careful with his words.”

Milford was a sensitive child, so his expression quickly turned serious upon hearing this. As the elevator doors closed, he asked, “What happened?”

Bailee just responded, “Eileen and Bryan’s wedding has been canceled.”

In high school, Milford was intensely focused on his studies. He dedicated himself to his studies daily and rarely checked his phone. Consequently, he was oblivious to the news circulating on the internet. His expression changed abruptly upon hearing the news.

He heard voices inside the apartment and entered without a word.

He changed his shoes, set down his school bag, and walked directly towards Eileen’s room.

He stood at the door, hesitant to go in. He pressed his lips together and looked at Eileen. Meanwhile, Ruby gathered Eileen’s pajamas, preparing to assist her with taking a shower.

After a while, Milford still didn’t speak. Before Eileen could notice him, he turned to his room.

He sat alone in his room for a few minutes before he went to retrieve his school bag and started doing his homework.

Every light was on across the five hundred square meter floor, illuminating the new furniture and the warm decor, all carefully arranged.

Eileen had personally selected everything here. Above the sofa hung a horizontal wedding photo where Eileen smiled.

In the photo, the love in Bryan’s eyes was evident, Eileen’s shy smile vividly captured in his gaze. It was Bryan’s favorite wedding photo, prominently displayed in the living room for all visitors to see.

In the center of the living room stood a two-meter-tall mannequin dressed in a million-dollar handmade wedding gown.

The diamonds on the gown were designed to ascend from the hem to the waist, creating a stunning focal point. Bryan was seated beneath the wedding gown, leaning against the sofa as he gazed at the glittering gown. His lips were pressed lightly together, his jawline set with a cold edge.

His stubble appeared slightly unkempt, adding to the disheveled look. The top buttons of his shirt were undone, his coat and tie discarded on the floor.

Jacob had been knocking on the door for more than ten minutes, but Bryan seemed not to have heard it. It was only when Jacob started to call a locksmith to unlock the door that Bryan finally stood up and opened it.

“You’re really here!” Jacob attempted to enter, but Bryan blocked the doorway, regarding him with an indifferent expression.

Jacob had never seen Bryan like this before. Even the last time Eileen had left Onaland, he hadn’t reacted this way.

Back then, Bryan had only liked Eileen—

But now, he was deeply in love with her. The love that had taken root in his heart was unlikely to ever fade away. Finding himself unable to ask what had happened, Jacob simply stated, “Everyone is really worried about you. I won’t say or do anything else; I’ll just stay here with you, okay?”

After a brief hesitation, Bryan turned and walked back into the room with Jacob trailing behind him. They passed many unplaced wedding stickers scattered on the doorstep.

The house was richly decorated, yet the atmosphere seemed so dull. It seemed like Bryan hadn’t eaten in two days.

Before coming here, Jacob had been briefed by Phoebe on Eileen’s situation. It seemed Eileen and Bryan were similar in how they dealt with their emotions.

Jacob ordered some take-out, attempting to persuade Bryan to eat, but without success. Eventually, Jacob ate it himself.

Bryan explicitly instructed Jacob not to approach the wedding. Jacob sat just before the carpet, occasionally scratching his head and discreetly messaging Phoebe to keep her informed.

After hearing the update, Phoebe responded with a single message, “Damn, the wedding is really off.”

Jacob glanced at Bryan and replied to Phoebe, “Have they not broken up yet? It’s too early to draw conclusions. After all, they could still have decades ahead of them, right?” Phoebe responded. Phoebe was keen to understand exactly what had transpired.

Unfortunately, Bryan and Eileen both remained silent about that. Stella had also not left her home. Suddenly, Phoebe thought of someone—Zola.

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