Chapter 59: Chapter 59

Chapter 59:

Eileen’s waist collided with the table’s edge, her expression twisted in agony. Vivian’s question hung unanswered in the charged air.

Unfazed by the audience of coworkers, Vivian stepped closer. “Eileen, you’re shameless!”

With a swift motion, she reached out to strike Eileen.

Yet, Eileen caught her wrist, her gaze steady. “Blaming me isn’t going to work. This has nothing to do with me. We’re at work. Act like it.”

Kian and Vivian thought Eileen was an easy target, stirring up trouble and urging her to engage with Bryan when they should be asking Bryan to solve this.

Vivian struggled to free her wrist, her cheeks flushed with effort.

“So what? Are you scared?” Vivian taunted. “Scared everyone will see you for who you are? That they’ll judge you for sleeping with the boss?”

Eileen met her gaze coolly. “I’m just afraid you’ll embarrass yourself.”

Releasing Vivian, Eileen smoothed her attire and returned to her office.

The secretarial staff witnessed Eileen’s clash with Vivian. Upon Eileen’s return, Karla approached her with a stack of documents in hand.

Karla wanted to ask about the altercation, but noticing Eileen’s somber expression, she chose not to say anything about that and left.

The whispers had cast a pall over the office. Eileen was also lost in thought about the enigma entwining Bryan and Vivian.

A suspicion tickled the back of her mind. Perhaps…

Lₐtᴇst chαptɘrs in g𝒶lnovels.𝗰𝓞𝗺 Bryan didn’t love Vivian.

Memories of Bryan and Vivian’s interactions drifted through her mind.

She couldn’t quite figure out if her suspicion was true.

A sharp sound snapped the quiet of the office; the door swung open. Eileen looked up to find Kian strolling in casually.

His conversation with Bryan remained a mystery, but the smile on his face had returned.

His eyes, however, were icy and calculating. “You have days left,” he told Eileen.

Eileen didn’t know if Kian was testing her by appearing clueless about the matter with Jonathan. She didn’t want to beat around the bush with him. “Jonathan’s out of the hospital. He won’t take legal action against Bailee,” she said.

Kian, eyebrows arched, lounged against her desk with a nonchalant air.

He nodded toward Bryan’s office, saying, “Vivian’s in there, and Bryan is comforting her. Eventually, they’ll be together. You should walk away from Bryan before Vivian wins him completely. Otherwise, you’ll face severe consequences.”

Eileen’s response was courteous, valuing the heads-up. “Mr. Warren,” she held her ground. “Yet, my fate as Mr. Dawson’s assistant lies in his hands, not mine.”

Kian admired her resilience. It was the first time he had seen someone so fearless in the face of power. He offered a pat on her shoulder, a gesture heavier than it looked. Eileen shifted under the unexpected pressure.

Kian said, “You and I, we’ve been acquaintances for some time. I appreciate you a lot. But remember, I only give chances to those who act accordingly.”

With those words, he left.

His attire was unassuming in style but screamed luxury, making clear the influence he wielded.

Challenging him was unthinkable to most.

Yet Eileen had crossed that line. She knew that her life hinged on Bryan’s help now.

Without Bryan, her life would be difficult.

When Vivian emerged from Bryan’s office, her smile was soft, her earlier distress seemingly eased.

To Eileen’s surprise, Vivian stayed here to work.

Thus, Eileen and Vivian joined Bryan for lunch with the client.

Harlan Clarkson, the client, knew Eileen well. He was on the cusp of forty, a widower with a son who had a streak of defiance.

Eileen’s early days at Apex Group had involved delicate negotiations with Harlan. His company had been on an upswing, making his partnership a coveted prize.

Striking a deal with Harlan had been the key to Eileen’s leap from intern to full employee, prompting her to arrange numerous meetings with him.

Harlan, seeking to test her, had presented a challenge: mentor his son, aiming for top-ten class ranks as a condition for collaboration.

Eileen had succeeded, lifting his son to third place. Harlan, impressed, had promptly inked a deal with her.

Since then, Harlan had shown gratitude towards Eileen multiple times. So, Bryan had barred Eileen from continuing any projects with him.

It had been almost a year since Eileen last saw Harlan.

At lunch, Harlan complimented Eileen a lot. Then, he said to Bryan, “Mr. Dawson, when I sing praises for your assistant, it’s all in good spirits. Why the long face? I’ve noticed some less-than-stellar staff heading our joint project. What’s going on? Didn’t you let Eileen take charge of the project?”

Bryan flicked the ash off his cigarette, his expression unreadable.

His gaze landed on Eileen, her eyes clear and bright. The soft light reflecting off her glass of red wine played across her features, enhancing her natural allure.

Her attire, simple compared to Vivian’s polished look, didn’t dim her presence.

Bryan said, “Mr. Clarkson, you can’t be serious. Our venture is moving smoothly. Eileen just has plenty on her plate.”

Harlan accepted the explanation without finding fault but remained keen on engaging Eileen in conversation.

Meanwhile, Bryan sat with ease, the top buttons of his shirt undone, adding an air of casual authority.

Harlan had kept his conversation with Eileen courteous throughout.

Vivian suddenly said, “Eileen, since Mr. Clarkson holds you in such high regard, perhaps you should have a few drinks with him to show your respect.”

She offered the bottle to Eileen and instructed, “Pour Mr. Clarkson a glass.”

Bryan’s expression suddenly shifted to one of displeasure, and he discarded his cigarette, about to snatch the bottle from Eileen’s hand when Eileen nodded in agreement. “You’re right. I should pour Mr. Clarkson a drink,” she said.

Eileen smiled at Bryan, then rose to attend to Harlan’s glass.

Thinking about past encounters, she knew Harlan always had respect for her boundaries.

He had asked her out for meals privately before and had gratefully accepted her refusals.

To have a defensive stance against him now would seem ungracious on her part.

Vivian’s gaze lingered on Bryan, his posture casual yet contemplative.

“‘Mr. Clarkson, let’s hope for the continued smooth sailing of our collaboration,” Eileen said, pouring a glass for Harlan.

Her certainty in action earned Harlan’s respect. “‘Indeed. Dawson has no pretenses, and Eileen, your competence is impressive,” Harlan said.

After serving Harlan, Eileen picked up her glass, toasting, “Here’s to a rewarding path ahead for you and Mr. Dawson.”

“‘Cheers!” Harlan acknowledged before taking a hearty swig. Then, he said, “Don’t feel obliged to drink up. A sip is enough. Mr. Dawson and I will share more later.”

Eileen responded with a smile. But she still finished her glass and then settled back into her chair.

Bryan’s irritation was just a flicker in Eileen’s peripheral vision. Harlan beckoned Bryan for a drink, and their conversation picked up.

Her mind elsewhere, Eileen’s eyes inadvertently met Vivian’s, reading the challenge in them.

“‘You’ve got quite the talent for charming men, right, Eileen?” Vivian said.

Eileen’s response was tinged with disappointment. “Clarkson has been nothing but decent. Let’s cast aspersions elsewhere.”

She turned her face to avoid further exchange with Vivian.

Vivian, sipping on her juice, looked at Harlan’s smile aimed at Eileen, her skepticism about his decent character evident.

Bryan excused himself mid-meal, and Vivian promptly followed as he left.

This left Eileen alone with Harlan.

“‘Eileen, I find myself in need of your assistance,” Harlan admitted, seeming a tad uneasy.

Eileen set her fork aside swiftly. “What is the matter, Mr. Clarkson?”

Under the glow of the overhead light, Harlan’s unease was unmistakable. He paused, collecting his thoughts.

“My son’s academic performance is slipping as he approaches high school. It’s troubling,” Harlan said, dabbing his sweat with a tissue.

His gaze met Eileen’s as he continued, “I’ve sought explanations from him to no avail. Tutors have come and gone, dismissed by his frustration. Might you consider guiding him again?”

Eileen felt cornered by the request. “Mr. Clarkson, my initial assistance was in the spirit of mutual endeavors, with Mr. Dawson’s permission. Regrettably, my current workload is too substantial to offer the same level of commitment to your son’s tutoring.”

She halted, aware that her response might seem transactional, her earlier mentorship merely a strategic move for partnership leverage. But her capacity to help now was genuinely at its limit.

Harlan replied, “No need for concern. I’m not asking for daily tutoring. Perhaps you could just chat with him and unearth the reason behind his academic dip. If he’s open to it, maybe share some resources.”

Monitoring Eileen’s reaction, he understood her time was precious, often stretched thin by extra work.

With this in mind, he offered, “I’ll pay you for the trouble, rest assured.”

Eileen’s reply was swift, “There’s no need for payment, Mr. Clarkson. I’ll try to offer what help I can, but I can’t promise a turnaround.”

Harlan quickly produced his phone. “Would you mind adding him on WhatsApp?”

Left with no choice, Eileen sent a friend request.

“‘It’s done. I’ve sent him a friend request,” she informed Harlan, sinking back into her chair. It was then she noticed Bryan, silently watching her from the doorway.

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