Chapter 95: Chapter 95

Chapter 95:

Eileen signaled Aaron with her eyes before rising from her seat to answer the phone call at the window. It was Karla on the line, wanting to discuss work matters. Their conversation lasted nearly thirty minutes.

Eventually, Karla asked cautiously, “When are you planning to come back, Ms. Curtis?”

“I might not return at all,” Eileen stated bluntly. “If you encounter any documents you can’t handle, you can reach out to Mr. Dawson directly.”

After a pause, Karla sighed. “Since you left, Dawson has been quite intimidating. I hesitate even to approach him. He scolded several senior executives this morning, causing quite a stir at the company.”

“That has nothing to do with me,” Eileen replied coolly. “He’s probably doing that for Miss Warren. Instruct everyone in private to be vigilant and avoid making any mistakes. Otherwise, it’s going to be tough for all of you.”

Eileen was all too familiar with Bryan’s occasional mood impacts on his professional demeanor, and she always planned her steps carefully during such times.

“Eileen, is it really true about you and Mr. Dawson? I can hardly believe it,” Karla said.

Eileen paused, looking out at the peaceful sky and clouds, and responded with a gentle, “I can hardly believe it myself.”

She felt as if the past three years had been a dream.

Hearing that, Karla realized that the matter between Eileen and Bryan was true. She quickly shifted the conversation back to work before ending the call.

With the call over, Eileen turned her attention back to Aaron, resuming their lesson without any further distractions.

Check what’s new on gⱯlnσvℯ𝓁s․cøm After the lesson, she politely declined Harlan’s lunch invitation.

“I’ll just teach him in the mornings. He can use the afternoons to practice and review. Once he’s back in school, I’ll visit each week to tutor him,” she said.

The past few days had fallen during a school break, giving Eileen the chance to focus fully on teaching Aaron every day.

Puzzled by her sudden availability, Harlan asked, “Ms. Curtis, aren’t you swamped with work lately?”

“No,” Eileen responded with a smile.

Finding her response especially surprising given her demanding job as Bryan’s special assistant, Harlan felt puzzled. Unable to convince her to stay for lunch, he decided to call Bryan.

The phone was picked up within seconds. Harlan said, “Mr. Dawson, have you specifically given Ms. Curtis time off to help Aaron with his studies? There’s no need for such measures. Are you doing this to get an additional two percent share in the new project? That won’t be a problem; we can discuss that in person.”

“If you’re offering me that share, I won’t decline,” Bryan replied in a low voice. Then, he asked, “How is Aaron doing with his studies?”

Harlan was enthusiastic in his response. “Ms. Curtis is doing wonders. Aaron has improved significantly in just a short time. Yet, with the new sports activities introduced this year, he’s not doing as well in that area.”

Sighing, he added, “I’m thinking of hiring a sports coach, but Aaron is quite resistant to change and might not welcome a new coach easily.”

“Talk about this later,” Bryan said, concluding the conversation before hanging up. He then looked up at a man in a suit standing in his office.

The man gave a slight nod and introduced himself. “My name is Raymond Brooks. Mrs. Dawson sent me here. With your special assistant on suspension, there are many minor tasks that need attention. You can hand them to me.”

Bryan set his phone aside and scrutinized the newcomer. “Being my executive assistant is not a job for just anyone. Access to the company’s confidential documents is restricted to those with several years of tenure.”

“Mr. Dawson, I have been appointed by your grandmother and have been working for the Dawson family for many years,” Raymond responded with a smile. “Of course, if there are concerns, I can start with less critical tasks.”

“Start by managing my schedule,” Bryan instructed, pointing towards the office door. “Find Karla. She will provide you with your initial assignments.”

With the recent incidents, Vivian’s position in the company had also been terminated.

The absence of a close aide was indeed inconvenient.

Besides, Raymond was recommended by Stella, and Bryan felt uneasy about the arrangement.

The glow of the sunlight poured through the French window, bathing the room in a warm glow.

Eileen sat by a low table near the window, watching a pot where water gently simmered.

Despite the steam curling up from the pot, her attention was elsewhere; her gaze was fixed on a button from a man’s shirt that lay forgotten on the floor.

It belonged to Bryan; every one of his buttons was custom-made. She didn’t know how that button ended up there.

As she picked it up, her fingers traced its smooth, cool surface.

In the past, she had longed for moments of relaxation, but now, with time on her hands, she found herself feeling more overwhelmed and melancholic than at peace.

She sighed, reaching for her phone in search of someone to talk to.

At that moment, she noticed that Karla had added a new member to the company chat group. The team was busy welcoming the newcomer.

“Let me introduce the new assistant, Raymond Brooks. He will be handling Mr. Dawson’s schedule for now. If you have any issues with work, you can report to him promptly.”

Karla added that Raymond was managing Bryan’s schedule temporarily and stressed the need for discretion with certain tasks.

She hinted that while Raymond had stepped into Eileen’s role, he was not yet fully trusted.

Eileen bit her lip and furrowed her brow. Releasing a long sigh of relief, she set her phone down and let her mind wander more.

Despite Raymond’s presence at the company, the uncertainty of her job status lingered.

Each morning, she dedicated herself to tutoring Aaron, and in the afternoons, she found herself at home in a reflective daze. Once her hand had healed, she made occasional visits to the hospital to keep Ruby company.

It had been ten days since she last saw Bryan.

Online, she found numerous news articles about Bryan and Vivian’s outings for dinner and shopping.

Bryan seemed not to have suppressed the media coverage, perhaps intending to keep Stella informed.

Eileen hadn’t anticipated running into Bryan at the Clarkson family’s home.

Bryan was dressed in a white tracksuit with a custom logo emblazoned on the chest.

Though he was in casual attire, he still had an intimidating aura.

Eileen, clutching a book, paused in the hallway, observing Bryan as he engaged in conversation with Harlan in the living room.

“Ms. Curtis, why are you just standing there?” Harlan called out to her, beckoning her over.

Bryan continued to focus on his coffee cup, his expression inscrutable.

Taking a slow, deep breath, Eileen approached and greeted them.

“No need to be so formal. Go upstairs and start teaching Aaron. I put together a new curriculum for him; he’ll show you in a bit,” Harlan said with a friendly smile, gesturing for Eileen to proceed.

“Got it.” Eileen gave Bryan another look.

Bryan remained seated, motionless on the sofa.

Gripping her book more firmly, Eileen turned to leave.

Aaron was already at the door waiting for her. As she approached, he waved her over excitedly. “Ms. Curtis, let’s finish this math lesson quickly! Mr. Dawson will play basketball with us afterward!”

Eileen was placing her book down. Upon hearing Aaron’s words, she paused for a moment and turned to Aaron. “Why is he trying to play basketball with you?”

Aaron explained, “There’s a new sports program at school that’ll help with our middle school exam scores. My father tried setting me up with some coaches I didn’t like, but I agreed when he mentioned Mr. Dawson. Here’s my new schedule.”

He handed Eileen a curriculum sheet that showed small changes from before.

Eileen would continue to tutor Aaron every weekday evening from Monday to Friday.

However, the schedule for Saturdays and Sundays had evolved into full-day sessions, adding a physical education session both in the morning and in the afternoon.

This new schedule would allow Eileen to see Bryan at the Clarkson family’s home twice a week.

Eileen frowned slightly, her calm mood in the past few days suddenly becoming unsettled.

Bryan was always busy, often working overtime on Saturdays. It surprised Eileen that he had committed to doing Aaron’s PE lessons.

Suddenly, a thought crossed her mind.

She wondered if she was overthinking, yet she could not think of a more plausible explanation.

The class wrapped up in fifty minutes, and before Eileen could gather her thoughts, Aaron put down his pen and dashed out of the room.

Eileen quickly got up and followed him downstairs, hearing the faint echoes of Aaron’s cheers as she descended.

From a distance, she saw Bryan stepping out with a basketball, prompting a joyful Aaron to join him outside.

“Ms. Curtis, you must be tired after class! Come and have a cup of coffee,” Harlan called out to Eileen as he poured coffee.

Eileen took a seat on the sofa and said, “Thank you, Mr. Clarkson.”

With a smile, Harlan replied, “Don’t mention it. Aaron’s grades have improved significantly. Ms. Curtis, it is you who should be thanking him.”

He was more concerned about any efforts to improve Aaron’s academic progress, not caring about money.

The air was filled with Bryan’s fresh and pleasant scent, and Eileen noticed she was sitting in the spot he had just vacated.

His pack of cigarettes and lighter were still on the table, adding a sense of familiarity to the setting.

“Ms. Curtis, please stay for lunch. There are still two more tutor sessions this afternoon,” Harlan said. “I’ve instructed the kitchen to prepare both your and Mr. Dawson’s favorite dishes. From now on, you can have lunch here every Saturday.”

Seeing no reason to refuse and given Harlan’s thoughtful arrangements, Eileen agreed.

She watched the two figures playing in the sunlight on the grass; Bryan always stooped slightly to accommodate Aaron, the only spot Aaron could comfortably reach.

The fifty-minute lesson ended swiftly, with Bryan merely introducing Aaron to some basic skills.

“Let’s take a ten-minute break before the final class. Look at Aaron; he’s exhausted. It wouldn’t be productive to continue right now,” Harlan said to Eileen.

As Bryan and Aaron returned, Eileen stood up, positioning herself near the sofa, and replied, “Okay.”

“Why are you standing up?” Harlan said with a smile. “Sit down. This isn’t the Apex Group. You don’t have to be formal around Mr. Dawson here.”

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