Chapter 82: Chapter 82

Chapter 82:

Seeing that, Eileen caught her breath. She gripped the straps of her bag and said, “This book…”

“What’s wrong?” Bryan waved the book in his hand. “I read it to kill time!”

He then turned and placed the book on the top shelf of the bookcase, sliding it between other volumes without much care.

Eileen tried to speak, but the words failed her. She watched in silence as Bryan put the book away.

She took a seat across from him, her thoughts scattered as she prepared for the meeting.

The video conference included the company’s top executives, featuring Bryan’s parents among them.

Eileen caught the figure of another man on the screen—Bryan’s father.

Bryan and his father’s expressions revealed no emotions as they discussed business. From the meeting’s start, they strictly adhered to work-related matters.

For two hours, Bryan spoke to his father not as a son, but strictly as a business colleague.

When the meeting concluded, Bryan’s goodbye was curt.

From the other end, a female voice said, “Wait a minute. The rest of you are dismissed. I want to have a word with Bryan alone.”

Feeling it was her time to exit, Eileen quickly shut her notebook and left her seat.

Bryan gave her a fleeting look, his eyes darkening for a moment before he diverted his gaze.

Your next story is here gⱯlnσνels․com Bryan’s conversation with his parents was brief. Eileen figured they had just exchanged quick goodbyes before ending the call.

Reaching the staircase to descend, she heard Bryan leaving the study.

“The voice recorder,” he called out. The warm overhead light cast his features in sharp relief as he approached.

Eileen accepted the voice recorder from him and replied, “Thank you, Mr. Dawson. Should I leave now?”

Bryan had a somber expression. “You can leave now,” he said.

Eileen was surprised; she had half-expected him to suggest she stay overnight, given his evident interest earlier.

Yet, she said nothing. She nodded slightly, turned, and descended the stairs. Then, she took the car keys and drove back to Springvale Lane.

She needed to prepare for Aaron’s tutoring session. Upon entering her home, she dove into a pile of books, working tirelessly until midnight before sending the study materials to Aaron.

Still not feeling sleepy, she decided to tidy up the meeting minutes, aiming to hand a thorough report to Bryan the next morning.

She opened her notes, played back the recording, and began typing a detailed meeting report on her computer.

As she worked, Eileen discovered that the voice recorder had captured Bryan’s conversation with his parents.

Their exchange was brief and cold.

“I heard about Vivian’s return. Your grandmother called me, and we reached an agreement. You are not allowed to get back with Vivian,” Bryan’s mother said.

“I agree with them,” interjected Bryan’s father.

Bryan responded coldly, “It’s my own decision to make.”

“Without our permission, Vivian can’t be accepted as a member of the Dawson family. And that woman your grandmother found for you is just a means to vent her anger. Now that Vivian has come back to apologize, you should divorce that woman as soon as possible. Your grandmother is getting on in years, and your father and I won’t always stay abroad. Don’t forget, there is someone still waiting for you here. Zola will soon finish her education, and she is now an excellent lady of extraordinary versatility,”

Bryan’s mother’s tone was softer, yet the compulsion in her voice was unmistakable.

“You can come back whenever you want, but don’t involve me in this,” Bryan retorted. Then, he ended the video call.

The discussion about his marriage had been as detached as a business negotiation, which explained Bryan’s sullen mood when Eileen left.

It seemed he wanted to marry Vivian but faced strong opposition from his family. Based on the conversation, his parents had other plans for his marital future.

Eileen realized that regardless of who made the decisions, she was not going to be the option for Bryan.

This realization made her smile bitterly.

Bryan and Vivian loved each other, yet they were forbidden to be together.

As for herself, she was foolishly harboring a one-sided affection for Bryan.

Taking a deep breath, Eileen stood up and went to the bathroom. After her shower, she tried to sleep.

She tossed and turned, unable to find rest. When it was nearly dawn, she reluctantly took a sleeping pill. Then, she set multiple alarms on her phone, worried she might oversleep.

She couldn’t recall when she had started relying on sleeping pills. She had gone through half a bottle by now.

Her poor sleep made her appear pale. With her late wake-up, she didn’t even have time to apply light makeup.

In the morning, Bryan sent Eileen a message instructing her to go directly to Apex Group instead of his place. When Eileen arrived at the company, she noticed Stella and realized Bryan had headed to the Dawson Mansion to pick Stella up that morning.

Vivian had also arrived early. She had been staying in Bryan’s office, trying to get close to Stella.

Eileen didn’t have time to focus on Vivian’s maneuvers; upon entering the company, she sensed a shift in her colleagues’ demeanor.

“Morning, Eileen…”

“Hi, Eileen.”

“Morning, Miss Curtis.”

The greetings were normal, but everyone avoided eye contact. They quickly turned and walked away after speaking, steering clear of her.

With a frown, Eileen reached her desk. As soon as she sat down, there was a knock at the door.

Looking up, she saw Judie.

Without waiting for a response, Judie pushed the door open and hurried over.

“Why didn’t you tell me anything about such an important thing?” Judie demanded.

Confused, Eileen asked, “What are you talking about?”

“You shouldn’t hide things from family. You haven’t told me anything, and even now, you’re trying to hide it,” Judie said with dissatisfaction. “Tell me, how long have you been pregnant?”

Pregnant?

Eileen’s mouth fell open in shock. “Who told you I’m pregnant?” she inquired.

Judie sat across from Eileen and leaned in, saying, “It doesn’t matter who told me. Just tell me, what are you going to do about it?”

It seemed to Eileen that the whole company already knew the rumor, so denying it would be futile, and Judie wouldn’t believe her regardless.

Realizing there was no point in explaining, Eileen firmly stated, “I’m just going to say this once: I’m not pregnant. I’d appreciate it if you would mind your own business. And be careful with your words. Don’t spread rumors around the company.”

Eileen was aware that many sought information about her from Judie since they were related.

Noticing Judie’s displeased expression, Eileen added sternly, “If I find out later that you’ve been spreading rumors about me, there will be consequences!”

Afraid of upsetting Eileen further, Judie quickly reined in her displeasure and forced a smile. “Okay, I see. Take care of yourself. I’m leaving now.”

Eileen knew Judie still didn’t believe her. She rubbed her temples, unable to settle down and focus on working.

After leaving Eileen’s office, Judie didn’t return to her own department right away. Instead, she ducked past Eileen’s office window and hurried over to Vivian, who had just stepped out of Bryan’s office to make some coffee for Stella.

“What did she say? Did she tell you what she’s going to do with the baby?” Vivian asked urgently.

Vivian had been trying to dig up dirt on Eileen’s stepmother but to no avail, so she was looking for other ways to stir up trouble for Eileen.

Judie shook her head. “Eileen’s too stubborn to admit anything.”

Vivian, frustrated and agitated, stamped her foot. “Eileen is a real piece of work! But I believe she can stay calm when her reputation is being betrayed!”

Judie said, “She only got close to Mr. Dawson for his money. Even if she is pregnant, I doubt she’ll keep the baby. Besides, everyone in the company knows about her pregnancy now. She has to handle this soon, or her reputation will be ruined.”

Judie’s words were deliberately harsh, meant to demean Eileen in front of Vivian.

Vivian was satisfied with the slander.

“Then, keep a close eye on her for me. In case she does something without informing me,” Vivian said with a smile. “Once she’s out of the picture, Bryan and I will get married. We’ll then need to find someone to replace her as his secretary and assistant.”

Judie’s eyes sparkled at the implication. The prospect of earning a salary comparable to Eileen’s was thrilling.

“Don’t worry, Miss Warren. I’ll keep a close watch on her!” Judie replied.

After her conversation with Vivian, Judie returned to her desk, her mind racing with an idea.

The supposed baby was a chance for her, and it would be foolish not to use it.

The media had already been buzzing about Bryan’s affair with Vivian. If it came out that he had also gotten Eileen pregnant, it would corner him completely.

This thought frightened Judie a bit. But once it took hold, she couldn’t shake it off. She knew she needed to think about this carefully.

Eileen brought some important documents to the secretary’s office, but Karla was nowhere to be seen. She approached a passing staff member and asked, “Do you know where Karla is?”

The staff member was Jenna Beckett, who had been with the company for over ten years and was still unmarried. Had Eileen not joined Apex Group as Bryan’s assistant three years earlier, Jenna might have landed that position. Because of this, Jenna bore a grudge against Eileen, despite Eileen’s strong reliability and good standing in the company.

Jenna had suppressed her resentment for three years, but today, she saw her chance for revenge.

“Miss Curtis, what do you need to see Karla about?” Jenna inquired.

“I’m here to deliver some confidential documents to her,” replied Eileen. “Could you please let her know to pick them up from my office when she returns?”

Jenna said, “Karla is out delivering documents to a client and won’t be back until this afternoon. Why don’t you leave the documents with me, and I’ll make sure she gets them?”

Eileen hesitated. She was scheduled to go out with Bryan later, but the documents had to be delivered by the end of the day.

“Miss Curtis, you don’t trust me? You could seal the documents then,” suggested Jenna, turning to retrieve a seal from a nearby cabinet designed for securing kraft paper bags.

Deciding not to delay further, Eileen placed the documents into a kraft paper bag and sealed it, following company protocol.

“Please ensure Karla gets this as soon as she returns. Thank you,” she said.

After receiving Jenna’s assurance, Eileen returned to her office.

Later that afternoon, it was time for her to leave with Bryan for negotiations. She headed straight to Bryan’s office.

Inside, she saw Stella sitting on the sofa and greeted her.

Stella responded with a nod. She looked over at Vivian and said, “Look at Eileen, Vivian. Being around Bryan so much has really shaped her demeanor. Don’t you think she’s starting to resemble him?”

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