Shrouded Affections Winning Back My CEO Wife

Chapter 20

Chapter 20:

Bryan extinguished his cigarette, the scent still lingering as he approached the window and drew the curtains. Looking over his shoulder, his voice carried a hint of reprimand. “I thought I mentioned breakfast was just for me; Vivian’s not up yet.”

Eileen’s reaction was muted, a clear acknowledgment of her overstep.

“Never mind, I’m tired from last night; I might as well eat for two,” Bryan said, catching her expression. He sat down and ate with a certain finesse.

A tightness formed in Eileen’s throat, making her words waver as she excused herself. “I should get going. Call me if you need anything.”

Without another glance, she departed, not catching the slight lift of Bryan’s gaze, which bore a complex mix of emotions.

As the door clicked shut behind her, a sigh escaped Eileen, a mix of relief and an ache spreading inside her. The experience, inevitable as it was, left her feeling more hollow than she had prepared for. The proximity of Bryan and Vivian weighed heavily on her chest, hard to ignore.

Forgoing the idea of returning to her room for rest, Eileen decided instead to seek reprieve in the fresh morning air. She stepped outside, taking a moment for herself—a rare indulgence in light of recent events.

With her colleagues out on the mountains, the resort grounds offered a tranquil refuge. Eileen found solace under the branches of a flowering tree while the nearby lake’s surface danced with the wind. Her mind was awash with thoughts she couldn’t quite place.

Time slipped quietly by, and with the approach of noon, fatigue nudged her toward the hotel’s restaurant. She decided to eat and rest in her room afterward.

It was there she noticed Bryan, Vivian, and Kian gathered at a table. Vivian beckoned her over with an eager wave. “Eileen, join us!”

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With a brief hesitation, Eileen made her way to them, offering a simple greeting to each of them.

Vivian’s lighthearted grumble broke the air. “I’m famished. Bryan here didn’t bother waking me for breakfast, and he finished everything you brought on his own.”

Bryan offered a half-hearted glance Eileen’s way before replying to Vivian, his voice tender. “You needed the rest, and I didn’t want to disturb you.”

Having steeled herself against the turmoil inside during her morning outdoors, Eileen managed a measured response. “Well, Miss Warren, make sure you have a hearty meal now.”

landing on Eileen thoughtfully, adding an unspoken depth to the

shoulder, her contentment was palpable. “I do need more sleep after our long night,”

Vivian to straighten. She seemed unfazed, simply

Vivian bites of food cut from his

the plate toward Vivian with a courteous smile. “I’m not particularly hungry. I’ll retreat to my

barely touched your

ate a lot this morning. I’m just not hungry now,” Eileen replied. Seeing that Bryan kept eating, she felt her

the elevator, the doors enclosing her in solitude. As they sealed shut, Bryan’s voice reached her faintly, full of gentle prompts for Vivian to eat while the food was still

Bryan were over now. She could deceive herself and accept that Bryan

resolve took shape within her—once the team-building event concluded, she would resign. Maybe Bryan would ask her to

elevator chimed its arrival, and there stood Jacob, his appearance

eluded her. “Yes, I’ve eaten. You should hurry. Mr. Dawson and everyone else are downstairs,”

Was our noise too much last night? We’ve

Eileen was

a card game in Bryan’s room,” Jacob replied. “It was pretty loud.

in, contrasting sharply with her previous assumption, a laugh broke from Eileen’s lips,

fall in love with you or something? He seemed oddly distracted last night. Even when Vivian mentioned being tired, he ignored her request to end the game and go to sleep. It’s almost as if he did

her head.

a scoff, “It seems like you’re not charmed by Bryan at all. No wonder everyone says

the elevator. Eileen walked away without a backward glance. Jacob’s comment about heartlessness meant that

washing her face and

desk, casual in demeanor. Noticing a young man absorbed in a game, he knocked on the desk and inquired about access to room 8809.

a hint of annoyance. “I don’t have

computer. “Sir, the records don’t list you as the occupant of 8809,” he informed Bryan. Indeed, the system showed a woman as the sole

an air of authority, Bryan said, “I’m the CEO of Apex Group. We’re here for a corporate retreat. We’ve reserved

Bryan, head of the Apex Group, a VIP to be accommodated without question. He promptly retrieved the key card for room 8809 from the drawer and handed it to

dancing across the screen. Suddenly, a

away and swiftly searched for the guest’s check-in details on the

into his blind date, Eileen, while temporarily summoned to the resort for assistance. The burning question now was… Why did Bryan, Eileen’s boss, need her room card? Thinking about this,

the corner of her eye to her lips. The familiar scent stirred her from slumber. She wanted to