Chapter 848:
âYeah, itâs not good for children to stay inside too much. They could become ill. Adults are fine inside as long as they stay alive, right?â Eileen said sarcastically.
Bryan stopped and turned to watch her kick a pebble. She watched it skip across the man-made lake, creating ripples.
âThat makes sense,â Bryan nodded seriously. âYouâre unbreakable; you wonât die. But Iâm not. Without you⦠I wouldnât survive.â
Right as he spoke, Eileen playfully kicked him in the back. Bryan winced and glared at her.
âIf you injure me, youâll regret it!â he warned.
âI donât care. Gabriela is all I need!â Eileen huffed and rushed to catch up with Gabriela, who was gleefully exploring.
Goosebumps formed on Eileenâs arms. She puzzled over how Bryan could deliver such cheesy lines without a hint of irony.
After spending a long time outdoors, Gabriela eventually agreed to return to the hospital room.
Early the next morning, Conroy sent a message to Eileen asking for her room number. Eileen provided him with the ward number. Within minutes of receiving her response, Conroy showed up, dragging a reluctant Jessica along.
âMr. Dawson, I apologize for not coming to see your daughter earlier. Iâve been buried in work,â Conroy said, setting down a bouquet of flowers. He walked past the resting Eileen directly to where Bryan and Gabriela were sitting on the couch.
He approached and looked at the nearly healed red marks on Gabrielaâs arm, sighing deeply. âMiss Dawson, what have the doctors said? How long must she stay in the hospital?â
Bryan, without looking up, responded sharply, âHospitals donât force people to leave.â
He implied that they would remain there as long as he saw fit, depending on his mood.
âJessica, why are you just standing there?â Conroy understood Bryan and called Jessica over.
âApologize to Miss Dawson. Your actions were too much. A childâs skin is extremely sensitive.â
Conroy uttered these words, sounding sincere yet hollow. From her position, Eileen could only see the backs of Conroy and Jessica, but she could easily envision the sycophantic expression on Conroyâs face. His fawning behavior was so ridiculous.
âMr. Dawson, I am truly sorry. I didnât mean to cause harm that day. Mr. Finch has dismissed me, and Iâve faced the consequences. Please, donât be angry anymoreâ¦â Jessicaâs voice softened to nearly a whisper by the end.
Bryan relaxed on the sofa with his legs crossed, casually watching Gabriela play, his hands offering gentle support. Despite his tender actions, his gaze remained cold.
âAs Gabrielaâs guardian, I cannot accept your apology on her behalf. However, business remains business, and I will not ignore that. Today, you should really be apologizing to Eileen, not Gabriela.â
âApologize to Eileen.â Jessica was displeased. She had agreed to come only because Conroy had persuaded her, telling her she needed to apologize to Gabriela to make Bryan less angry. She had no intention of apologizing to Eileen. Eileen didnât deserve her apology at all!
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