Shrouded Affections Winning Back My CEO Wife

Chapter 14

Chapter 14:

“There’s no need for that. I won’t be buying or living in that house anyway,” Eileen said, bringing silence from Judie. After a pause, Eileen asked pointedly, “How much money do you want from me?”

Judie gave a quick laugh before she replied, “At least two and a half million. I also raised fifty thousand, depending on you for the rest.”

“You must be joking, right? More than two million? How can I get that much money for you?” Eileen said.

A hint of entitlement crept into Judie’s tone. “Surely you can request that from Mr. Dawson?”

Eileen stood by the window, her eyes deep as she said, “My relationship with Mr. Dawson is none of your business. Roderick’s my brother, but we’re never close. It’s not my responsibility to do everything for him. If you’re capable of purchasing the house, proceed. If not, don’t expect me to buy it for you.”

Eileen stood her ground, her stance fueling Judie’s frustration. Judie had thought of strategies to leverage Eileen’s sense of obligation against her, so she quickly replied, “That’s not how it should be. Mom said you would be our support. And unlike Roderick, I at least have a university degree. If you’re not going to help, I might as well end the marriage. Then, this is all on you.”

Eileen absorbed her words with cool detachment. “Is your degree your pride? Without my referral, you’d be nowhere near Apex Group. Your status is no better than Roderick’s. Choose divorce if you must; it doesn’t concern me at all. And remember, your position in the company is precarious at best. Step out of line again, and it’s the end of the road for you. Don’t test my word.”

Ending the call decisively, Eileen set the phone aside. The distant echo of its ringing trailed off as she retreated to her room, ignoring Judie’s persistent calls.

Her sleep was uninterrupted. Bryan did not arrive unexpectedly. Moreover, recent days saw him commuting solo, affording Eileen some peace. Yet, Vivian’s presence in the office became more pronounced as she seamlessly assumed Eileen’s usual duties, like bringing in coffee and getting documents signed.

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Eileen’s encounters with Bryan grew scarce, limited to brief exchanges in meetings where subtle acknowledgments passed between them under the cover of professionalism.

In her interactions with Vivian, Eileen remained candid, relaying Bryan’s comings and goings without fail. With the annual team-building event on the horizon, Eileen knew participation was essential. The tradition at Apex Group was a yearly affair, and they would need to vote to determine the location of the event.

mountain climbing sounds exciting. That peak we once talked about—I’ve always wanted to tackle it. How about we choose this

gazing at a spot on the documents. He said, “The goal is to unwind and relax. Mountain climbing would be too tiring.” Reaching over, he gently tapped on the spot Eileen had been looking at. “Here’s a thought—four days at this resort should offer everyone a chance to recharge. We’ll leave in three days.” His decision, while reasonable, left Vivian momentarily disappointed, but she acquiesced with a playful

nonchalant as he passed her the documents. “Tally the attendees

processing Bryan’s abrupt choice, Eileen replied, “Yes, Mr.

amidst the excited buzz of the employees. Vivian’s concern drew Eileen back from her daze. “You

with a practiced smile. “Mr. Dawson’s decision just caught me

might have seen through her preference, but she quickly brushed aside the thought as

post at Eileen’s desk, engaging in small talk that hinted at something unsaid. As the day wound down, Vivian presented Eileen with a

thought this might cheer you

the high-end brand, Eileen immediately refused Vivian. “Rest is all I need, not luxury. I’ll have plenty of

“It’s

conversation halted abruptly as Bryan opened the

instructions were succinct. “We’ll need additional rooms—Kian and Jacob are joining the trip.” Eileen’s response came with a hint

grappled with the tangible opulence in

evident. After gifting the cosmetics, she stayed away from Eileen, only emerging to leave with

eight tomorrow morning,” Bryan said, pausing by

nodded, “Yes,

to her lips and a conspiratorial wink—Eileen could only respond with a courteous smile. The chance of returning the gift hadn’t materialized. Leaving the cosmetics here could invite unwanted speculation. Eileen chose to wait until the office had emptied before taking them

a big deal. But it was from Vivian, and there were likely strings attached. Yet without receiving a gift from Vivian, denying her

eight. With no sign of Bryan outside and feeling uncertain

“Come up,” Bryan said.

the stairs. As she rounded the corner, an unexpected gesture caught her by surprise—Bryan pulled her inside. The room

enveloping her in a subtle embrace. His lips met hers in a fleeting