Chapter 45: Chapter 45

Chapter 45:

Among the invitees was Stella, and she was the VIP guest.

Eileen caught sight of Bryan’s sour expression after he hung up the phone and knew Stella wouldn’t make it. “Is Stella back?” she inquired.

“Yeah,” Bryan said, exhaling deeply. “She returned a few days ago, under wraps. I only found out recently. But then she promptly left again. Mentioned something about needing to.”

Worry etched lines on Bryan’s forehead. Considering Stella’s age, all that traveling didn’t sit right with him. He was genuinely concerned.

Eileen pursed her lips, sensing Bryan’s worry that Stella might be avoiding Vivian. She remained silent for the rest of the ride.

In the quiet afternoon, Roderick headed home for a breather. But no matter how he mulled it over, he couldn’t shake the uneasy feeling gnawing at his heart. Ever since he had known Eileen, she had exuded strength, like she could take on the world solo. Yet, seeing her with swollen eyes at the crack of dawn, skipping breakfast until ten… something must have happened.

Seeing Judie putting on makeup, he queried, “Where are you off to?”

“It’s a friend’s birthday today. I won’t be back for dinner. You’re on your own,” Judie replied, selecting the fanciest dress and shoes from the closet.

“Got it,” Roderick nodded. But he couldn’t resist asking, “Has Eileen been going through a rough patch lately?”

Judie paused, turning to face him. “What do you mean?”

“I delivered breakfast to her this morning, ordered by Mr. Dawson. Saw her with puffy eyes, like she’d been crying. Has she been bullied or something?” Roderick inquired.

Exclusive updates gαlησνℯℓs.cøm Bullied? But wasn’t it Vivian who got embarrassed yesterday? Judie pursed her lips. No wonder Eileen managed to keep Bryan by her side for so long. Perhaps she had vented to Bryan last night.

“She’s alright. Who in the entire company would dare to bully her?” Judie retorted before leaving.

Roderick pondered for a moment and believed Judie. After all, Eileen was the CEO’s assistant. Who would even dare to bully her?

Could it be Bryan, then?

Roderick furrowed his brow, pondering. Eileen’s relationship with Bryan wasn’t something to boast about. Bryan seemed to be taking advantage of Eileen in this equation, yet he had spent the night at her place. He had even ordered breakfast for her.

Even until it was time for dinner deliveries, Roderick couldn’t quite figure it out. He set off to continue his food deliveries.

Eileen followed Bryan into the hotel and was ushered by the waiter to the private room reserved by the Warren family. The intricately patterned carpet was immaculately clean. A door across the room was slightly ajar, and laughter and merriment spilled out.

Today, Vivian was the focal point, encircled by a throng of people. Bryan’s entrance injected a new energy into the crowd. Sporting a white shirt without a tie, Bryan exuded an effortless nonchalance. Yet, everyone recognized him, their gazes brimming with admiration and reverence.

Some eager to approach and chat hesitated, noting the aloofness of his demeanor, diverting their attention to Vivian instead. “I knew it. Who else could snag Bryan for a birthday party? Only Miss Warren.”

“Look at them; they seem so well-matched. I bet wedding bells are on the horizon. Though, Bryan’s still got a wife for now. Guess we’ll have to wait a tad longer.”

“Don’t keep Vivian waiting longer. You tied the knot with that woman just to save face. Vivian was young and naive back then. Now that she’s back, you can’t act so stubborn. We’re all grown-ups here.”

The chatter buzzed with criticism and speculation. Despite the scrutiny, Vivian felt happy in her heart. Bryan appeared to brush off their remarks, standing stoically near Vivian. Every so often, he would cast a sidelong glance at Eileen, who was behind him.

“Bryan, come with me,” Kian interjected, breaking away from his family and guiding Bryan outside.

Eileen instinctively moved to follow but was halted by Kian. “Miss Curtis, we’ve got quite the crowd today, and I could use your help with serving. Could you lend a hand?” he said.

Eileen paused as she glanced toward Bryan. Bryan met her gaze, his brow furrowing slightly. “Go,” he said.

In the hotel’s VIP lounge, Bryan had just stepped in when he was presented with a gift box. “It’s Vivian’s birthday. You ought to give her a gift,” Kian said. “Didn’t want you to spend too much, so I took care of it for you.”

Bryan arched an eyebrow and accepted the gift box, his fingers drumming on it in contemplation. Kian added, “Nina’s been a bit under the weather lately, you know, the nine-to-five grind. Look out for her. I will set the gift box on the coffee table; I’ve already done my part.”

“Oh? You care about Eileen, don’t you?” Kian said with a slight smile.

Bryan’s gaze hardened ever so slightly, his eyebrow raised. “This has nothing to do with her, and it’s none of your concern. I agreed to that one favor for you, but my condition is that Vivian doesn’t overstep.”

With that, he grabbed the gift box and gave Kian a pat on the shoulder before making his exit.

Eileen pivoted back to the lobby and located the hotel manager, double-checking if everything was in order for the birthday party. Just as Judie entered, she caught sight of Eileen with the hotel manager. Silently, she made her way to the private room Vivian was in.

Upon stepping inside, she spotted Vivian engrossed in conversation with two women of similar age. Rushing over, Judie exclaimed, “Miss Warren!”

Vivian glanced over with a smile, waving her hand. “Thought you weren’t making it?”

“How could I miss it?” Judie hurried forward, linking arms with Vivian. “Your birthday is a must-attend for me. Just got held up a bit due to traffic.”

The two women beside them eyed Judie up and down. Her attire didn’t quite impress them. Since when had Vivian started hanging out with folks like her?

“Miss Warren, who is Eileen? Why is she here?” Judie asked. She didn’t feel comfortable seeing Eileen here.

Vivian shrugged nonchalantly. “She came with Bryan.”

“Huh?” Judie furrowed her brow. “She’s just an assistant. What’s she doing at a private event with Mr. Dawson? Did she insist on tagging along?”

Recalling Roderick’s mention of Eileen looking distressed and teary-eyed, could it be that Eileen had had a spat with Bryan earlier and insisted on attending Vivian’s birthday party?

“Vivian, is she referring to the woman who arrived with Mr. Dawson earlier?” Megan Beckett, Vivian’s cousin from her uncle’s side, spoke up. She had noticed Eileen right away because of Eileen’s striking appearance.

Vivian nodded, not saying a word.

Standing nearby was Phoebe Burton, Vivian’s cousin from her aunt’s side. With her short hair and neutral appearance, she seemed indifferent, though a flicker of impatience glinted in her eyes.

Both Phoebe and Megan had been raised to cater to Vivian’s wishes, given their families’ reliance on the Warrens. Being two years younger and not as quick-witted, Phoebe had found herself overshadowed by Megan, who enjoyed more favor from Vivian. This disparity had led Phoebe to hate such gatherings, silently observing Megan’s concern for Vivian.

“Vivian, are you feeling jealous that Bryan has such an attractive female assistant?” Megan probed, sensing Vivian’s discomfort.

Vivian remained silent, glancing at Judie, who took a beat to respond, realizing an opportunity to be of use had presented itself.

“Just a female assistant. There’s no need for Miss Warren to feel jealous. Miss Warren has recently joined the company and assumed some of Eileen’s duties. Perhaps Eileen is apprehensive about her own position, trying to undermine Miss Warren, leveraging her seniority at Apex Group,” Judie explained, opting not to divulge Eileen and Bryan’s relationship, respecting Vivian’s presumed desire for privacy.

Vivian gently pulled Judie’s arm. “Don’t speak nonsense. It’s not Eileen’s fault,” she said, wearing a faint smile as if unperturbed by any perceived bullying from Eileen.

Judie awkwardly chuckled. It seemed like Vivian wanted her to play the villain in all this. But if it could secure Vivian’s support for her at work, she was willing to do this.

“Megan, I need to attend to some other guests. You and Judie can talk,” Vivian suggested, nudging Judie toward Megan before departing.

As soon as Vivian turned away, she twisted her face into a look of disgust and wiped the spot where Judie had touched her.

Judie talked with Megan, spinning tales about Eileen causing trouble for Vivian. Then, she noticed Eileen returning to the room. Panicked, Judie swiftly found a hiding spot, fearful of being seen by Eileen.

Megan discreetly sized up Eileen, brainstorming strategies to handle her. Phoebe leaned closer to Megan and whispered, “Here’s some advice: don’t play the fool and allow yourself to be used as a pawn. Remember, Eileen’s Bryan’s employee. It’s not your place to meddle.”

“You can drop it,” Megan retorted, rolling her eyes. “She’s just Bryan’s lackey. I’m Vivian’s cousin. Would Bryan risk upsetting Vivian for her? I’m not going to let you drag me down.”

With that, Megan strode to Eileen.

Phoebe watched Megan depart, cursing her under her breath before walking away.

The hotel staff operated with impressive efficiency, ensuring the birthday party progressed seamlessly. Eileen stood by, observing.

Meanwhile, Megan, clad in a black dress with her long hair cascading down, approached Eileen with an air of superiority, holding a glass of red wine.

“Excuse me, waitress—this wine tastes off,” she said.

Eileen was taken aback. “Apologies, miss. I’m not a waitress. Let me find one for you,” she offered, poised to seek assistance as all the staff inside the room appeared occupied. However, Megan, wine glass in hand, halted her.

In an instant, the wine spilled, staining Eileen’s pristine white shirt. The crimson liquid soaked into the fabric, contouring her slender waist. Some also splattered onto Megan’s skirt and shoes.

“What the hell are you doing?” Megan erupted, hurling the empty glass at Eileen, which struck her and shattered on the floor.

Though the carpet muffled the noise of the shattered glass, Megan’s voice rang out too loudly. “Are you blind? Why would you walk into me? Do you have any idea how much my dress costs? Can you afford to reimburse me?” Megan shouted.

Suddenly, all eyes in the room turned towards them. Eileen was momentarily taken aback, her brow furrowing slightly. “Miss, you were the one who blocked my path. And it’s not just your clothes that got wet; mine did too.”

“How much is your dress anyway?” Megan scoffed. “My dress is a limited edition.”

“Your dress is the latest style of Ophelia this year, priced at eighty-eight thousand. Black Gold enjoys a thirty percent discount. But the cost of the dress is irrelevant to the situation. After all, no matter its price tag, it’s still just a dress. And causing a scene isn’t appropriate today, wouldn’t you agree?” Eileen interjected. She had noticed Megan and Vivian’s closeness when she entered.

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