Shrouded Affections Winning Back My CEO Wife

Chapter 206

Chapter 206:

“Not both,” Zola interjected without hesitation. “I grew up with Bryan. We’re like… close siblings. He’s the one I’m closest to.”

Eileen raised an eyebrow. “Then why are you asking me to reconcile with Kian? You know I can’t do that. Kian wants me to leave Bryan so that Vivian can take my place, which Bryan would never agree to. If you truly want to help, you should persuade Kian to stop being stubborn because Bryan does not love Vivian.”

Understanding Zola’s purpose, Eileen laid it all out. She stood up and picked up her phone from the table. “Sorry, I really have work matters to deal with now. If you have anything else to say, let’s discuss it tonight when I come to your place to tutor Milford. Is that okay?”

Zola quickly stood up, a smile of apology on her face. “Okay, you’re right. I didn’t think it through. I thought you might have another way to reconcile with Kian.”

She followed Eileen out of the coffee shop. As they reached the door, Zola spoke again. “Don’t take my earlier words to heart. Growing up in the Dawson family, I always had to read people’s faces, and it made me nervous about everything, just trying to get by. I won’t interfere in your matters anymore.”

Eileen’s clear eyes reflected Zola, who was bathed in sunlight and appeared confident. Zola didn’t seem like someone who had grown up with so much anxiety. However, after years of being groomed as Bryan’s wife without inciting dislike from him or Stella, Zola clearly had her own strategies.

From Eileen’s perspective, while she couldn’t say she liked Zola, she didn’t dislike her either. She resolved to remain polite.

“Then I’ll see you tonight, Miss Murray. I need to get back to work now.” Eileen waved at Zola and turned to leave, crossing the road to the educational agency, too busy to look back.

Zola got back into her car and placed her bag on the passenger seat. Her composed demeanor from earlier vanished. This had been her first “confrontation” with Eileen. Though it wasn’t a major issue, she felt outmaneuvered. She realized she had underestimated Eileen. But there was still time…

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Just three days remained before the court session, and Eileen was fully engrossed in the affairs of the educational agency. Since Bryan was the one driving Eileen to work and back home, she had ample time to work during the commute. However, this arrangement left Bryan deeply dissatisfied.

With his current project running smoothly and having some free time on his hands, Bryan decided to go to the educational agency to wait for Eileen to finish work. However, just as Eileen was wrapping up her tasks, a minor issue arose in Bryan’s project, forcing him to leave to deal with it.

“I’ll have Raymond come to pick you up,” he said to Eileen, already reaching for his phone to call Raymond.

Eileen swiftly intervened, saying, “No need; it’s too late for him to come now. I’ll take a taxi later. You go ahead and deal with your work.”

She believed the problem with Bryan’s project must be significant, considering he had to address it at this hour.

Bryan frowned and glanced at Eileen, then pocketed his phone and left in haste.

Once Eileen finished her tasks, she prepared to leave for her tutoring sessions with Milford and Adalina. As she stepped outside, a taxi pulled up. She got in, giving the driver the address of Denzel’s home to pick up Adalina first.

The driver, a man in his forties wearing a hat and mask, exuded an air of secrecy. A faint fragrance lingered in the car, emanating from a perfume hanging before the air conditioning vent. Eileen barely noticed it as she focused on organizing her students’ data on the online class software, the matter demanding her full attention.

Then, darkness enveloped her vision, and she lost consciousness.

When she woke up, she found her hands bound. Opening her eyes, she was met with the dim surroundings of a room. The faint smell of disinfectant filled the air, and through the partially opened curtains, she could see the treetops swaying in the wind outside.

She deduced that this place was likely on a floor between the third and fifth stories of a mid-sized hotel. Lying on one of the single beds, she noticed the hat of the taxi driver on the opposite bed.

Noticing the driver’s hat on the other bed, Eileen’s eyes widened with shock. She swiftly sat up and twisted her hands to loosen the ropes that bound her. The thick, new hemp rope had clearly been purchased in a hurry, and she was able to loosen it easily.

Was she kidnapped? The kidnappers must be amateurs. Eileen pondered whether they were after money or something else when the door creaked open.

“Why the rush? I told you I’d pay you once this is over,” June grumbled as she entered the room. Spotting Eileen awake and the ropes untied, she instinctively stepped back. “How are you awake?”

Following June, the driver grew anxious upon discovering that Eileen was alert. “She’s awake? If she gets out, we’re both looking at jail time!” He moved to grab the ropes from the floor to tie Eileen up again.

Eileen quickly snatched a cup from the bedside table and smashed it against the edge, holding the sharp fragment toward them. “Don’t come any closer. Otherwise, this kidnapping will turn into murder, and you’ll both face the death penalty.”

June’s eyes widened in terror as she grabbed the driver’s arm. “Don’t provoke her! We just need photos. With those, we can threaten her, and she won’t dare mention this kidnapping!”

The driver angrily threw the ropes onto the other bed. June, desperate and frustrated, said, “You’ve put me in this situation, Eileen. Strip off your clothes and let me take a few photos. Withdraw the lawsuit, or you won’t leave here alive today!”

alive, you should be more concerned about me dying here,” Eileen shot back. “What’s this? Planning to use nude photos of me to blackmail me into dropping the

for a moment before exclaiming, “That’s not important! If you don’t comply today,

she continued, “Fine, then let’s all not leave this place. Our lives will be simple—just food and

I’m okay with staying here. I’ve been exhausted lately, so thank you

and the driver exchanged

for? I want good food, or I’ll start yelling. The soundproofing here isn’t great, so I won’t

embarrassment. This was her first foray into such a scheme, and the driver was merely a petty criminal who had just been released. Their inexperience felt painfully obvious under Eileen’s

to buy you a good meal?” the driver exclaimed in frustration. “She only gave me a thousand, and I’ve already spent most of it on fuel. If I splurge on food for you, how much

Eileen, trying to tear off her clothes. Eileen couldn’t dodge in time, and her coat

the background, the driver’s reckless aggression caught Eileen off guard, making her

he attempted to expose her, the driver paused, momentarily stunned by her beauty. Seizing the opportunity, Eileen kicked him hard between the legs. She then threw a blanket over him as she jumped down from

bent over, clutching his injury, and collapsed to the floor, the blanket trapping him. Eileen

keep hitting him like that! I’ll call the police!” June blurted

delivering another kick to the driver without lifting her head. “If he dies from this,

eyes widened in terror. “Please calm down!

dating? Bryan Dawson. Ever heard of him? He can

speechless. She spun around

racing down the stairs, each more eager to escape than to find

tall figures pushed against the tide—Bryan

Jacob murmured, urgency lining

setting in. He shoved his way through the throngs of onlookers, who instinctively stepped aside

the now nearly empty third floor, Bryan noticed every door was ajar. He turned to Jacob, urgency in his tone. “Let’s

began checking each room methodically. In the third room, Jacob caught sight of Eileen, struggling to drag a man with a bruised

turned to find Jacob standing there. “Jacob! Don’t just stand there!

the police and was worried that the driver

in pulling the driver out. “What the hell happened here?” he asked, glancing at the injured man, a mixture of concern and

etched in his brow as he helped her haul

Eileen replied, her focus sharp. “I don’t want him

Bryan arrived at the door, his expression shifting from concern to determination as he took in the scene before him.

no room for argument. Together, they worked to maneuver the driver down the hallway, adrenaline surging as the sound of approaching sirens

Jacob and Bryan. “We need to block the door and keep him quiet until

Bryan urged, determination fueling their actions as they hurried down the

Jacob recoiled, pressing against the wall. His

Noticing Jacob’s

released the man, wiping her hands on her dress just

quick glance at the beaten man on the floor

he turned to Jacob and delivered a light kick. “Why did

fierce actions. Eileen was usually gentle and delicate, and he never

he had heard June scream about a killing, his first thought had

She could sense his

and draped it over Eileen’s

question everyone about the incident. Eileen cooperated fully; after all, her actions were in self-defense. However,

ensued, June tried to slip away but was stopped by the hotel owner, who refused to let her leave. If anything went awry,

officer approached Bryan. “Mr. Dawson, there are several reporters outside. Would you

ties with Brandon wasn’t public knowledge yet, but it had spread among the elite in Onaland. No media outlet dared cover it without

you. Please handle the reporters. I’ll drive

was a tutor, and the recent publicity surrounding

spectators away, leaving one officer to handle

neighborhood was bustling and chaotic. Bryan’s luxury car stood out, but the evening gloom

Eileen buckled up as Bryan started the engine, a tense mood

on my phone and didn’t notice anything off. It was all an accident. June tried to intimidate me

of the situation, Eileen found the whole ordeal somewhat absurd and almost